Senator Scott Wilk R-Santa Clarita, announced Friday the introduction of Senate Joint Resolution 4 (SJR 4) to help provide educational funding for students with disabilities. 

SJR 4 urges the 117th Congress to fulfill its obligation to special education community by fully funding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), legislation passed by Congress in 1975 to ensure students with disabilities receive the academic support needed to succeed, according to a statement by Wilk.  

“Eight out of 10 Californians are concerned their kids have fallen behind during the pandemic and students with special needs are even more vulnerable to learning loss. The federal government’s continued failure to honor its promise to those with special needs is unjustifiable in a normal year, and in light of the pandemic’s impact, it should be addressed immediately,” Wilk said. “Congress must find a way to fully fund IDEA, to help ensure our most vulnerable students have the funding they desperately need and were promised decades ago.”

IDEA guaranteed that the federal government would pay 40 percent of all special education costs. The federal government has failed to keep this promise, and since 1988 has funded on average just under 14 percent of its obligation, making it harder for school districts to provide critical services to pupils with disabilities, according to Wilk. 

In California, IDEA serves approximately 800,000 students. SJR 4 reminds Congress that IDEA was a guarantee, not an empty promise to be cast aside once passed, according to officials. 

“Congress has an obligation to make good on its promise and ensure the federal government pays 40 percent of the average cost to educate a child with disabilities,” Wilk said. “2021 is the year to get this done. These students deserve, and were promised, nothing less.”

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.