Sponsors (26)
Replaces prior authorizations with specific annual dollar authorizations for IDEA Section 619 and Part C for FY2027–FY2031.
Official title: To authorize funding for section 619 and part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
Introduced April 23, 2026 by Mark James Desaulnier · Last progress April 23, 2026
The bill secures multi-year, higher authorized funding for early intervention and preschool special education—improving services and planning for children with disabilities—at the cost of higher federal spending and risks that appropriations, administrative burdens, limited flexibility, or weak accountability could blunt those benefits.
Children with disabilities and preschool-aged children will receive increased federal funding for early intervention and preschool special education from FY2027–FY2031, improving access to services.
State and local education agencies can plan staffing, services, and budgets more reliably because funding levels are fixed and known for five fiscal years (FY2027–FY2031).
Families of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with disabilities may face lower care and support burdens as expanded and more predictable funding increases early intervention availability and reduces unmet needs.
Taxpayers could face higher federal spending obligations if Congress appropriates the increased authorized amounts, potentially raising taxes or requiring offsets from other programs.
Specified authorizations do not guarantee appropriations; states and districts may plan for higher funding that Congress ultimately does not provide, leaving expectations unmet.
States and local school systems may face transitional administrative burdens or new matching/implementation requirements tied to restored or restructured funding, complicating rollout.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Provides fixed, dollarized authorization levels for IDEA preschool grants (Section 619) and IDEA Part C early intervention for fiscal years 2027–2031, replacing prior open-ended or older authorizations. It states findings about long-term per-child funding declines and sets specific annual authorized amounts for each listed year to restore funding levels. Does not change eligibility, allocation formulas, or program rules for Section 619 or Part C; it only alters the statutory authorization amounts for those programs for FY2027–FY2031.