Memorandum from Mary Kay Murphy
Mary Kay Murphy, Ph.D. District 3  School Board Member

January 17, 2005

Federal Legislative Network Meeting
In Washington, D.C.

   On January 31 and February 1, 2005, The National School Board Association will host its annual Federal Relations Network meetings. The Georgia School Board Association participates in these meetings and is hosting a delegation of locally-elected School Board members to attend.

   As District III School Board member for Gwinnett County Board of Education, I am pleased to be a delegate to this important meeting representing the 17 schools of District III and the interest of Gwinnett County Public Schools. 

   During our meetings in Washington, D.C., we will meet with members of the 109th Congress and concentrate on increases to the two largest sources of federal funding to school districts. These include the No Child Left Behind Act, signed into law on January 8, 2002, and the Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA), initiated first in 1975.

   Each year, the U.S. Congress funds approximately seven percent of a school district’s budget. In Gwinnett County, the total budget for FY 2004-05 is approximately $1.3 billion. Federal funds are needed to address increased costs for rising student enrollment in programs for special education and disadvantaged students and increased costs of operating these programs.

   When it passed the initial IDEA in 1975, the federal government committed to funding 40 percent of the cost per pupil for special education programs. However, in 2005, federal funds account for less than one-half of this commitment, creating a cumulative funding gap of more than $43 billion over the last four fiscal years.

   When federal funds are not available, local governments are forced to make up the difference through increases in local taxes or through budget cuts affecting other programs. Also, many states, including Georgia, are facing budget shortfalls that have resulted in cuts to education programs.

   The National School Boards Association sought $4.5 billion for both Title I (education for the disadvantaged) and special education programs for FY 2005 to make funding levels consistent with the amounts Congress promised when authorizing such programs.

   Legislation coming forward in the 109th Congress reduces already limited increases for educating the nation’s students. Final appropriations for major education programs are far less than initial House and Senate proposals, and less than what President Bush proposed in his budget request to Congress.

   The National School Boards Association believes that increases in federal funding for Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 will result in significant improvements for students with disabilities, their parents, school staff, and local school boards. 

   The new law protects the procedural rights of children with disabilities while removing unnecessary bureaucracy, paperwork, legal process, and expense from the program. These improvements shift compliance to improving education outcomes and accountability for all students. 

   Congress has committed to full funds the federal share of the cost of educating students with disabilities—to 40% of total costs—over the next seven years. Monitoring the pace of full funding of this commitment will be an important initiative of the National School Boards Association as well as local school boards.

   In an effort to improve the implementation of No Child Left Behind and the public’s commitment to our public schools, the National School Board Association has identified several changes that it believes need to be made to the legislation, including measuring Adequate Yearly Progress; allowing flexibility to states by the U.S. Department of Education; implementation of sanctions; and requiring accountability for non-public schools receiving Title I funds.

   The issues that we will address at the 2005 Federal Legislative Network have immediate and direct impact on the schools in District III. These include increases in funding of the Title I programs to provide education for disadvantaged students and IDEA for special education students.

   I am pleased to participate as a delegate to this important network. I look forward to working with the leaders and delegates of the Georgia School Board Association as well as to meeting the leaders of the National School Board Association. 

   Also, I look forward to meeting with the U.S. House members representing District, including Congressman John Linder, and with the U.S. Senate members representing Georgia, including Senator Johnny Isakson and Senator Saxby Chambliss. 

   Finally, I look forward to providing a report to you, the constituents of District III, upon my return. Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your District III School Board member and to make the business of public education in our community the business of all in our community.

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