perhaps of another nature, within a relatively short time. There were excellent programs during the war for the 1,500 men who were blinded during military service, but infinitely less for the 60,000 civilians who lost their sight during the same time. Many of these were children. Eleven thousand American soldiers were wounded on the beaches of Normandy during the first 10 days after D-day, but even with curtailed traffic because of gasoline rationing, automobile accidents alone in this country accounted for more than twice that many civilian casualties in the same 10 days. Many of these were children. The staff of the New York Institute for Crippled and Disabled estimates that 97 percent of all our handicapped can be rehabilitated to where they can lead productive lives. Let's begin this rehabilitation with children and not wait until they become adults. Only 3 percent or 52,000 of the 1,750,000 children between 5 and 17 who are at present in need of special educational services would not profit by these services. Preventive and curative medicine and surgery have made remarkable advances. The third phase of medicine-rehabilitation-has not kept pace. Rehabilitation programs for children are far behind those for adults. The relationship of medical care and education is so close that many authorities consider each to be of equal therapeutic value to the child. The physically handicapped child's future is often in the hands of his teacher. Too often this child has no teacher or an improperly trained teacher. Fifty-two individuals interested in special education met in Washington, D. C., at the invitation of the United States Commissioner of Education on January 4, 5, and 6, 1950. We came from 25 States and many of us paid our own expenses in order to try to get more adequate services for the handicapped. This Conference recommended: "The need for assistance exists in every State. The lack of facilities and of the means for financing them constitutes one of the major social lags throughout the entire United States." The resolution of the Conference further urged "that greater resources be made available at the Federal level for research, financial assistance to the States, and consultative services." S. 3102 aims to meet these needs. The Conference unanimously recommended the passage of S. 3102. The Federal Government has an obligation to encourage and assist the States. Only when maximum effort is expended at the community, State, and national level can we expect an adequate program of special education for physically handicapped children. When you speak of the physically handicapped, you speak of men, women, and children-not of interesting physical phenomena. You speak of souls created by God and redeemed by Jesus Christ. You speak of priceless human beings wasted, perhaps, at times in despair. Such despair can bring on fear and ultimately even a hatred for society. Let us train for citizenship. The Physically Handicapped Children's Education Act of 1950 will aid this cause. I urge your support of this bill until its final enactment. Senator HILL. Miss Gwen Rutherford, director, education exceptional children, department of education, Frankfort, Ky. Miss Rutherford, we will be glad to have you put your statement in full in the record and have you proceed in any way you see fit. STATEMENT OF GWEN RUTHERFORD, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF EDUCATION FOR HANDICAPPED CHILDREN, COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY, FRANKFORT, KY. Miss RUTHERFORD. Thank you, Senator Hill. I should like to further identify myself as president-elect of the National Association of State Directors of Special Education. Senator HILL. The National Association of State Directors? Miss RUTHERFORD. That is correct; and also as State chairman on the committee for exceptional children for the Kentucky Parent and Teacher Congress. I am indeed privileged to participate in this hearing on Senate bill 3102 and speak in support of this proposed legislation. As a teacher of partially seeing children for 15 years, I am also fully aware of 73141-50-5 the responsibility that I assume in speaking in behalf of the physically handicapped children in my State as well as those in other States. Since the committee has the prepared statement, I shall not burden you with the reading of it, but I desire to emphasize some points and to call attention to one or two additional items. Senator HILL. You were here yesterday, were you not? Miss RUTHERFORD. Yes, sir. Senator HILL. We had some awfully good testimony yesterday, and we had some very fine witnesses from some very wonderful StatesIllinois and New Jersey. Now you are from one of the States that is somewhat like my State, one of the lower-income States. Miss RUTHERFORD. I think that is correct. Senator HILL. And if you could approach this thing and perhaps show us that side of the picture-States of lower income-I would appreciate it. We had wonderful testimony yesterday but most of the testimony was from what we would call higher-income States, you see. Miss RUTHERFORD. That is correct. I think I will cover that, Senator Hill. Senator HILL. That will be fine. Miss RUTHERFORD. If I do not, I will be glad to try to answer any questions. As you know, Kentucky is largely a rural State and, of course, we have been concerned with the school enrollment of physically handicapped children. Preliminary figures for 1949 and 1950 show that 2,335 physically handicapped children have been reported by 148 of our 233 school districts. Of those children 50.1 percent are not enrolled in a school anywhere. This figure relates to rural areas of the State since three of the largest cities have not yet reported for the current school year. Of this 2,335, 49.9 percent are reported as being enrolled in a school, but the major number do not receive the benefit of special educational services. Reference has been made to the necessity of having some special educational programs for the physically handicapped. This I think no one can deny. With considerable frequency the Kentucky Crippled Children's Commission asked that children be placed in special education to complement the physical restoration. At the present time very little can be done in Kentucky to take care of these children in special education services. It has also been pointed out that additional funds from the Federal Government are needed if States are to stimulate and extend services to meet the educational needs of all physically handicapped children in our school-aid society. Now for the current school year in Kentucky we expect that the average excess instructional costs-that does not include equipment or special supplies-for each physically handicapped child being served will be $39.73 per child. Now only $35,000 is available to meet these costs, and the cost of administering the program at the State level to provide for the excess instructional cost alone for the 2,335 indicated by the preliminary tabulation-well, Kentucky will need $92,769.55, or approximately three times more money than we have available. Passage of Senate bill 3102 would bring to Kentucky for the first year $86,525. Now with the amount that Kentucky is now allotting for special educational services for the physically handicapped child, this help from the Federal Government would be of substantial assistance in bringing about extended and improved special education service. Senator HILL. Do you know offhand how much your State is allotting today for special education? Miss RUTHERFORD. $35,000 a year. Senator HILL. That is the State itself? Senator HILL. Of course, you may be getting some additional from the county units and also from the city units? Miss RUTHERFORD. The local school districts, Senator, have to contribute at least the amount that they contribute for a normal child of like age and grade. Senator HILL. I see. Miss RUTHERFORD. I should like to cite for a moment one particular problem that we have. We cannot buy the services for some of our rural and semirural areas with our present allotment, and I should like to cite an instance. A county about 35 miles from the city of Lexington, which, as you know, is in the heart of the bluegrass region, has approximately 200 school children who have speech and hearing defects or problems. Now in that county the average salary is $1,500 a year. I am told that a special education teacher's salary would be a minimum of about $2,400. Obviously we do not have sufficient funds to pay the difference between the average salary and the $2,400 which we could consider a minimum salary. Now in conclusion I should like to say that even though the State has put forth effort to vitalize educational services for physically handicapped children and provided financial aid to local school districts for excess costs of special education services, none can ignore the horrible fact that approximately 2 percent of Kentucky's physically handicapped children are receiving special services. Approximately 3 percent were actually enrolled in special educational service in 1948-49. It seems to me that none can be so oblivious to the need as to believe that Kentucky can provide adequate financial assistance for the total number who need special education services when the present funds pay for less than one-half of the excess instructional costs for less than 2 percent of the physically handicapped children. Senator HILL. Less than 2 percent? Miss RUTHERFORD. Yes. As a State director, responsible for stimulating and planning and securing a State-wide program for physically handicapped children, I would urge the present Congress to pass Senate bill 3102 in behalf of the physically handicapped children who ask society to do for them only the things which they cannot do for themselves. Senator HILL. As State director you must have lots of faith, do you not, to carry on with so little? Miss RUTHERFORD. It takes something, Senator Hill. I am not sure whether it is faith or what. Senator HILL. Well, it is faith that moves the mountains. Miss RUTHERFORD. Of course, we are trying very hard to stimulate a State-wide program because we feel definitely that these children are not geting their fair share of educational opportunity. Senator HILL. This committee has given much study to the subject of education, as you know. Miss RUTHERFORD. Yes. Senator HILL. And we have gone pretty painstakingly into the matter of the effort being made by the different States. Some States are making greater efforts in relation to their income and their resources than are other States. As I recall, the State of Kentucky is doing a pretty good job. Miss RUTHERFORD. We think we are. Senator HILL. You are making a very good effort in relation to your income and your resources. Miss RUTHERFORD. I think that is correct, Senator. Senator HILL. It is certainly nice to have your testimony. It is awfully good. Miss RUTHERFORD. Thank you. (The statement submitted by Miss Rutherford follows:) STATEMENT OF GWEN RETHERFORD, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF EDUCATION FOR HANDICAPPED CHILDREN, COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY INTRODUCTION Kentucky, like other States, has many varied problems in making available adequate educational facilities for physically handicapped children residing in the Commonwealth. As in some of the Southern States, the inception of a State-wide educational program for school-age physically handcapped children is relatively new in Kentucky. Parents, teachers, school administrators, and State legislators are not yet completely alert to the obvious public responsibility and great financial need created by the necessity of making "special educational services" available to all educable physically handicapped children. KENTUCKY'S 1948 SPECIAL EDUCATION ACT Even though Kentucky has extreme difficulty in providing sufficient funds for general public education, she is making a valiant and sincere effort to provide funds and vitalize State-wide "special education services" for her physically handicapped children. In 1948 the Kentucky Legislature passed an enabling act (KRS 157.200-157.300) authorizing local school districts to develop special education facilities for physically handicapped children between the ages of 3 and 21 years. This act created, for the first time, a division of education for handicapped children within the bureau of instruction. It also provides for the payment of excess costs of special instruction, special equipment, special instructional materials, transportation, and maintenance in lieu of transportation. During the same session the legislature appropriated $35,000 for each year of the biennium to cover administrative costs of the division and to reimburse local school districts for the excess costs of such special education facilities as are provided for in the statutes. It is regrettable that the 1950 legislature was unable to find sufficient State moneys to increase the appropriation for the 1950-52 biennium. Statutory requirements of the 1948 Kentucky Special Education Act appear to parallel those in the proposed Physically Handicapped Children's Act of 1950. Thus no statutory change in the State law will be necessary upon passage of the national act. A minimum number of minor changes in administrative policy, as dictated by the present State plan, may be needed to meet standards set up in section 5 of the proposed Physically Handicapped Children's Act of 1950. KENTUCKY'S NEEDS The major needs and problems of the Commonwealth in relation to educational services for physically handicapped children revolve around insufficient financial support and may be simply stated as follows: 1. A substantial increase in funds to pay excess costs to local school districts, especially if the program is to be extended into rural areas. 2. A sufficient appropriation which will provide an allotment of funds that can be used to maintain an adequate professional and clerical staff at the State level. 3. A well developed and efficiently executed plan for the training of special teachers. 4. A greater emphasis on the development of special educational services on an area basis in the sparsely populated rural sections of the State. KENTUCKY'S EFFORT, 1948-49 During the school year of 1948-49 a total of 13 school districts provided education facilities and received reimbursement for 705 physically handicapped children exclusive of those having speech defects. Local school districts made a total actual claim of $42,913.89 for excess instructional costs. Reimbursement by the State for the excess instructional costs was made in the amount of $19,796.35. Thus, it is seen that, on the basis of total children enrolled, the actual excess instructional cost averaged $60.96 per child. But reimbursement could be made only in the amount of $28.12 per physically handicapped child receiving the benefit of special educational facilities. Kentucky pays reimbursement on an average daily membership formula. Using average daily membership as a basis of reimbursement, the increase in cost per child is startling when it is realized that the average daily membership in special education facilities was 389.76 physically handicapped children. Figuring on the same dollar-and-cents claim and the same dollar-and-cents amount of reimbursement paid to local districts, then the average excess instructional cost to the local district was $110.10 per child while reimbursement was paid in the amount of $50.79 per physically handicapped child receiving the benefit of special education facilities. Twenty-one districts have been approved for participation in the reimbursement program for the school year of 1949-50. Since final figures for the current year are not yet available, estimates become necessary. Applications from the 21 school districts indicate that 1,246 physically handicapped, including children defective in speech, will benefit from special educational services this year. Estimated financial claims for excess instructional costs total $49,500.44, making the average excess instructional cost approximately $39.73 per child. With no additional funds available to the division of education for handicapped children, it appears that reimbursement for excess instructional costs will not exceed 42.9 percent of the estimated claims. KENTUCKY'S PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED Reference must be made to the number of physically handicapped children that Kentucky may expect to serve. Using a conservative national average of 5.4 percent and the 1949 Kentucky school census of 676,385 children of school age, it is possible that there are 36,526 physically handicapped children in the Commonwealth needing adequate special educational facilities. Table I represents a projection of the national average and shows the breakdown in the different classifications of physically handicapped children. |