Advocacy Angle
Support the 40 by 40: Fulfill the IDEA Promise Campaign

By Kristin Fitzgerald

In 2025, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) celebrated its 50th anniversary. This past September, attendees at the Consortium of State School Boards Association’s (COSSBA) 2026 Federal Advocacy Conference reflected on the success of this landmark legislation guaranteeing all students a free, appropriate public education.

In 1975, when this law was passed, it was estimated that 60% of students with disabilities nationwide were not being served. Thus, when Congress enacted IDEA, it was unclear how many students would benefit from this legislation. They knew only that these students deserved an education that would make their future as bright as their peers. However, Congress clearly understood the significance of these costs to local schools, and they agreed that it was their responsibility to help. It was promised that Congress would cover 40% of the cost of IDEA services. In the first school year, 3.7 million students were served by this law.

So where are we today? School districts have embraced efforts to meet the needs of these students to fulfill IDEA’s commitment. Estimates indicate that 8.3 million students will be served by IDEA in 2027, more than double the number in 1975. And, IDEA services have increased in costs, as the severity of student needs has increased exponentially.

And Congress? How has their funding promise fared over time?

Today Congress provides just 10% of the cost to educate students under IDEA. Thus, the success of this law and the protections it guaranteed have been implemented largely because of the efforts and commitment of local schools.

Congress has fallen far short.

The depth of federal underfunding exceeds $45 billion annually, producing vast consequences for local school districts. To meet IDEA’s promise to students, local school districts must divert funding that would have supported other needed efforts, including increasing student achievement, keeping buildings safe and up to date, and reducing local property tax burdens. Instead of sharing these costs as promised, local districts have largely shouldered this growing funding responsibility.

Bipartisan Congressional support exists to meet the federal commitment by enacting 10 years of funding increases to achieve the 40% federal funding commitment, but the issue has failed to gain prominence. The chronic underfunding of IDEA has been accepted as a promise that will simply never be met.

Until now.

At the Federal Advocacy Conference in Washington, D.C., this past September, IASB and other state school boards associations introduced the 40 by 40: Fulfill the IDEA Promise national advocacy campaign to demand that Congress fulfill the 40% funding promise by the year 2040. During this campaign, school board members across the nation will educate and activate their school communities, pass school board resolutions, and urge Congress to meet this promise. The excitement of the 365 school board members at the Federal Advocacy Conference to share this message was palpable.

The next day, IASB’s group of 40 local school leaders fanned out across the Capitol, meeting with staff from the offices of each Illinois Representative and Senator to share about the coming federal campaign, the importance of 40% funding for IDEA, and the impact of the federal underfunding of this promise. In office after office, IASB’s message was welcomed, as our local school board members underscored the message with stories and data from their local communities.

But IASB needs your help! This campaign will only be successful if it is embraced by school boards across the nation.

Beginning in November, we are asking Illinois school boards to begin educating their school communities about the local consequences of the federal shortfall. What percent of IDEA expenses is covered by federal funding in your school district? How is your district funding this shortfall? What cuts are you making elsewhere to be able to fund the IDEA mandate? Have a conversation at the board table about IDEA, the federal promise and underfunding, and how you might educate and activate your school community. IASB has developed a toolkit with all the materials you might need to share this message.

Then pass a Board Resolution calling on your Congressional Representative and Senator to commit to funding the promised 40% federal contribution by 2040, to champion annual funding increases to the appropriations committee, and to cosponsor the IDEA Full Funding bill. Consider working with the other school boards in your IASB Division to reach out in tandem to your local Congressional Representatives to share how important this funding is to your school district.

As the FY 2028 appropriations cycle begins next February, we are asking school boards across the nation to contact Congress and tell them that students cannot wait another 50 years for Congress to meet this commitment. We need every school board in the state of Illinois to contact their Representative and Senator. A page on IASB’s website will be dedicated to this effort, with automated new tools to support this advocacy effort.

Together, we can change the future for Illinois students. We hope you will join us!

Kristin Fitzgerald is Senior Director of Governmental Relations with the Illinois Association of School Boards. Learn more about the 40 by 40: Fulfill the IDEA Promise national advocacy campaign at www.40by2040.org/ or www.iasb.com/advocacy/get-involved.