K-12 Alliance of Michigan Hosts Virtual Press Conference Urging Congress to Fulfill Funding Promises During 50th Anniversary of IDEA.
LANSING, Mich., Jan. 30, 2025 — This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a landmark law that revolutionized education for millions of students with disabilities.
To commemorate the anniversary, education leaders and advocates across the state, including K-12 Alliance of Michigan, held a press conference to reflect on IDEA’s transformative impact on students with disabilities and to emphasize the urgent need for Congress to fulfill its long-standing funding promises.
“IDEA has changed the trajectory of millions of lives by ensuring that students with disabilities have access to equitable education. Yet, for half a century, Congress has failed to fully fund this critical promise, placing immense financial strain on states and school districts,” said Kenneth Gutman, Superintendent of Oakland Schools. “Despite IDEA’s original commitment to cover 40% of the excess costs of special education, federal funding has consistently fallen short, leaving schools to bear the burden. As we mark this milestone anniversary, we must renew our commitment to fully funding IDEA and ensure every student has access to the opportunities they deserve.”
Joining educators during the event were Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI), both of whom have sponsored the bipartisan IDEA Full Funding Act in Congress, alongside a bipartisan group of members. The IDEA Full Funding Act would commit the federal government to live up to the promise made 50 years ago to fund 40% of the excess cost of educating students with disabilities, ensuring that states and local school districts would not shoulder the burden alone. However, in the 50 years since, Congress has never come close to fulfilling that pledge with the current year funding at only 10.3%.
“IDEA has provided the framework for schools to support students with disabilities in ways that were unimaginable 50 years ago,” said Dr. Steven Tunnicliff, Superintendent of Genesee ISD. “This law has transformed the lives of countless students that rely on our special education services to succeed, however, without adequate federal funding, our schools are forced to draw resources from their general education budgets to cover those unmet costs, leading to fewer supports for all of our students, not just those in special education programs. Fully funding IDEA isn’t just a financial commitment—it’s a promise to our students that their potential will never be limited by a lack of resources.”
Congresswoman Dingell stated, “For 50 years, the IDEA Act has protected the rights of students with disabilities in the classroom and assisted schools in their mission to fully support these students with individualized services that are tailored to their needs. IDEA ensures children with disabilities are safe and welcome at school, and we cannot leave behind the students who need us most. Congress must fulfill its commitment to fully fund the services and programs that schools and students depend on.”
Congresswoman Stevens stated, “This year marks the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which is critical to ensuring that every American child, no matter their needs, has access to free, appropriate education. The incredible leaders of the K-12 Alliance, which includes school superintendents from across Southeast Michigan, and I have been working for years to implement and fully fund IDEA, and I thank them for bringing us together to remind us what’s at stake.”
Congressman John James (R-MI) was unable to attend the press conference but has joined the call for Congress to fully fund IDEA to ensure students have access to the critical resources they need.
“The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) represents another broken promise by the federal government to its people,” said Congressman James. “Michigan is shorted billions in this critical education funding every year. Enough is enough! Michigan is falling behind the rest of America and the rest of America is falling behind the world. The federal government’s failure to fully fund its mandate on the states for the past 50 years has not only negatively impacted those with disabilities, but it’s also negatively impacted every single American citizen born in the past half century. Congress must fund and modernize IDEA to ensure our schools have the resources they need to support every student’s potential and help every kid in America thrive.”
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, passed in 1975, ensures that students with disabilities receive free and appropriate public education tailored to their needs. However, Congress has never met its original commitment to fund 40% of special education costs, leaving a critical gap in resources for students and schools. Current year federal budgets only fund approximately 10.3% of those costs, shorting Michigan schools over $600 million this year alone.
The K-12 Alliance of Michigan will be leading efforts throughout the year to highlight the success of IDEA as well as the impacts of underfunding it year after year.
For more information on K-12 Alliance of Michigan, visit www.k12michigan.org/.
