Adequate funding is something we all worry about to a certain extent.  It’s no secret educators across the state were upset with Governor Branstad’s veto of the one time funding approved by lawmakers during this year’s legislative session, but Perry Schools Superintendent Lynn Ubben says the current state of special education funding is also concerning.

“This year, 82 percent of Iowa schools are negative in special education funding.  The total special education expenditures in Iowa topped $1 billion for fiscal year 2014.  So our state deficit, and these are a year behind, was $79,489,000.  That’s huge.”

Ubben says the formula used to fund special education hasn’t changed with the times.

“The funding system really hasn’t been changed for 10-15 years.  The costs go up, the needs for kids (go up).  We have more mental health needs too for our special education kids.  And when the funding doesn’t go up, or the waiting that our kids receive, the extra funding, when that doesn’t go up but the costs go up, it’s no wonder that so many schools are in the deficit, and we’re one of them.”

The Superintendent says though districts can levy back for those shortfalls, that’s not the point.  Instead the fact is that special education is being underfunded by the state.  She expects this to be one of the issues that will be lobbied for at the capital during the next legislative session.