Lauded Special Olympics Program To Continue with Federal Funding

Unified Champion Schools, a Special Olympics educational program that has been saved from the federal fiscal chopping block, is known as an initiative whose benefits extend beyond the intellectually disabled.

Dr. Michelle Yin, a principal economist with the American Institutes for Research who has been studying the Unified program for two years, said the three-pronged effort brings disabled and non-disabled students together in unified sports, inclusive leadership and whole-school engagement.

In the U.S. alone, she said, it involves more than 3.6 million students at more than 6,500 schools in 49 states.

“There is no comparable intervention at that scale and also at that level.”

A tempest arose last week following news that the White House’s 2019 fiscal budget proposal recommended eliminating money for the program, which reaches about 3.6 million intellectually disabled students. The funds, about $18 million, have been provided for 10 years and would come from the Department of Education’s budget.

President Donald J. Trump had asked all federal departments and agencies to look for at least 5 percent of their budgets to cut by eliminating waste and unnecessary or redundant spending. After outcry from lawmakers across party lines, Trump announced that the program will be funded.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who took heat in Senate and House hearings over the matter, praised the decision. The multimillionaire said she supports Special Olympics programs, fought “behind the scenes” against the recommended cut and has personally given a portion of her government salary to Special Olympics in the past.