Representatives DeSaulnier And Davis Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Protect And Support Children With Disabilities

Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA) and Congressman Rodney Davis (R-IL) introduced the Funding Early Childhood is the Right IDEA Act (H.R. 4107), a bipartisan bill to restore full funding for education and services for children with disabilities.

Both federal grant programs to assist states with early intervention services for children with disabilities ages 3-5 and 0-3 – Part B, Section 619 and Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education (IDEA) Act respectively – are in high demand and are woefully underfunded. The number of students requiring the services they provide has been increasing at a faster rate than the funding the programs are receiving. Adjusted for inflation, per-child funding for both Section 619 and Part C have decreased from their peaks by more than 64%. The Funding Early Childhood is the Right IDEA Act would restore funding back to where it belongs.

“Early childhood interventions are crucial for a child’s development, and every child, regardless of disability status, should have an equal opportunity to obtain high quality early childhood services,” said Congressman DeSaulnier. “These programs deserve increased federal funds to prove that Congress is dedicated to promoting inclusive, appropriate, and quality education for infants, toddlers, and preschool children with disabilities and supporting the schools that do this important work.”