Insert name
Address
(This is important, so the legislator knows you are a constituent immediately)
Dear (INSERT SENATOR or REPRESENTATIVE here),
(Find your legislator at this website: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/findyourlegislator/)
I am extremely alarmed with the real life ramifications of HB 2138 (SB 1316). In its current form, this
proposed legislation will create institutionalized discrimination against one class of special education
students, undermine the ability of my school to meet mandated state and federal laws and potentially
threaten the financial viability of my school.
The special education funding design in the legislation is good, but the implementation uses the flawed
basic education funding formula and applies it to traditional schools only for the $20 million in proposed
new special education funding, yet to charter schools for the entire $1 billion in special education
funding. What this means is that the same special education child, with exactly the same challenges,
would receive 30–60 percent less state financial support if he or she were in a charter public school than
if the family had chosen to remain in the traditional public school. That is outrageous and blatantly
discriminatory. This inequity will most likely also prevent my school from meeting mandated state and
federal FAPE requirements, and could cause us to close –based, not on quality, but on insufficient funding.
The financial implications of this implementation are disastrous for one class of special education
student, and will be a major step in the direction of eliminating educational choice for Pennsylvania
parents.
MaST Community Charter School is one of the top charter schools in Pennsylvania with over 5,600
students on the waiting list. To date, MaST has a score of 90 on the Performance Profile. We are currently
serving a 13% special education population. This type of funding cut will cost the school between 1.5 and
2 million dollars per year in budget allocation. This will destroy programs, eliminate teachers, and cut
critical support staff. Due to these funding cuts, MaST will not be able to provide the same types of
services that our children deserve. This could potentially hurt the future of these students, as well as,
student resources in the school. It is crucial to STOP this bill now, as it discriminates against charter
school special education children! It is unfair to punish the children who opted for an alternative to
public education in this matter.
As currently proposed, this legislation is blatantly discriminatory, and I ask that you oppose this
legislation until, and unless, it can be amended to treat ALL special needs children in ALL public schools
equitably.
Thank you,
Insert your NAME
MaST Community Charter School