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Schundler says he'd hike aid to special ed
Originally appeared in the Bergen Record on Friday, October 5, 2001 NEW BRUNSWICK -- Republican candidate Bret Schundler told school officials Thursday that if elected governor, he would dramatically boost state aid to schools to cover the cost of educating children with physical and learning disabilities.
This category of cost for so-called "special education" is the most expensive in the public school budget and a constant sore point among local officials critical of state funding policies.
Speaking at a Rutgers University conference of school superintendents, Schundler seemed at one point to promise full state funding for these programs, which would have instantly become the single costliest proposal of the entire campaign. As Schundler discussed the matter further, he toned down his wording.
Presently, state aid covers $926 million of the $1.8 billion cost for educating more than 210,000 children who have been classified as learning disabled. It includes children who are paralyzed, blind, deaf, or autistic, as well as children with lesser psychological and learning impairments.
"There should be higher amounts of funding for children who come with greater challenges," Schundler said. "I would like to have the state take over the costs."
In answering questions a few minutes later, Schundler softened his meaning as he said he would "help with your special education costs."
During a news conference afterward, Schundler said the proper funding level for special education "is a process of give and take."
"Districts need this help. They are getting hammered," Schundler said.
School officials attending the conference said it was a bold promise to make. Their enthusiasm for it was tempered by their belief the Republican candidate did not really know what he was talking about.
"I am getting conflicting signals from him on special education, but what he said here is that he would like to have the state take over the funding," said Hanover Park Superintendent John Adamus, who moderated Thursday's program.
"It is going to be a huge increase in aid and it is not going to be that much efficiency," Adamus said, because school officials presently are careful with how they fund special education because it can be so costly.
In fact, Adamus said Schundler's ideas, if implemented too crudely, might drive up costs. For example, some districts share programs. Others will fight back when parents of disabled children sue to get costlier programs than school officials are willing to provide.
If districts get most or all their funding from Trenton, superintendents said they might not bother trying to regionalize and might not contest lawsuits. "The costs could balloon considerably and still come out of tax dollars," Adamus said.
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