I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse with a degree in physical education and taught junior high school physical education. My 14-year-old nephew, who is paraplegic, has greatly benefited from adapted physical education and Medicaid. Consequently, my husband and I have established an endowed scholarship at UW-La Crosse to support undergraduate students focusing on adapted physical education. Recently, UW-La Crosse was informed that the long-standing grant for their Adapted Physical Education program, funded by the U.S. Department of Education for over 40 years, will no longer receive federal support.
The Adapted Physical Education program at UWL is dedicated to training future educators to work with children with disabilities. Each year, UWL prepares special education teachers to serve children both inside and outside the classroom. Through on-campus and in-school programs, UWL undergraduate and graduate students engage directly with children with disabilities and their parents, providing improved services, teaching physical exercise skills, and offering respite. The loss of federal funding will have significant impacts on all adapted physical education programs in the U.S.:
Reduced teacher training: Fewer teachers will be trained to enter the workforce, exacerbating the shortage of special education teachers.
Service gaps: Fewer children with disabilities will benefit from UWL programming, both on and off campus, leaving service gaps for parents and families.
Decreased support for school districts: Fewer school districts will have student support in classrooms.
The “big, beautiful” tax and spending bill should ensure that Medicare and Medicaid are not adversely impacted and restore funding for educational programs that positively affect marginalized people in our society.
Lindsey Marriott, Taylorsville
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