I do not believe that Secretary Duncan has his on the ball when it comes to special education, and that is in part reflected in his limited request for funding increases for special education. He received close questioning from Congress during budget hearings, according to Edweek:
"Rep. Kline also asked why the president proposed only a $250 million
increase for special education in his fiscal 2011 budget. The program
is slated to receive $12.5 billion in the budget proposal, about a 2
percent increase over fiscal year 2010.'I just want to
tell you how deeply disappointed I am,” Rep. Kline said. “There had to
be groans from coast to coast” when districts saw the request, he said.
“It should have been billions of dollars, not $250 million.'”
Let's hope he gets more questioning like to this from Rep. Kline (R-Minn.) so that more flows to the students who need it the most.