TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly and the Legislature’s Republican and Democratic leadership appealed Thursday to Congress for increased federal appropriations to special education programs and for adherence to financial commitments made decades ago to the states.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act required the federal government to fund up to 40% of a state’s average per-pupil expenditure on special education. Congress never met that target, leaving federal aid to states for special education hovering around 15% of average cost.
The bipartisan group of Kansas…
