Rethinking Special Ed Spending
by Frederick M. Hess • Jun 16, 2011 at 7:55 am
Cross-posted from Education Week
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ShareDistricts are struggling to stretch the school dollar as they deal with current and looming budget shortfalls. Yet, while they know it's a huge cost center, few district leaders know how to effectively or legally pursue cost savings in special ed provision. Between federal statute, court rulings, extensive processes, and sensitive politics, most school boards, supes, and school leaders are content to slink away and try to shave costs elsewhere.
Indeed, districts are prohibited from even considering costs when designing student education plans. The result has been a steady increase in spending accompanied by remarkably little attention to efficiency. That's a losing strategy, given that special education spending has grown from 4 percent to 21 percent of total school spending between 1970 and 2005. Stretching the school dollar requires taking a tough look at the efficacy of special ed service delivery alongside other district operations.
State and local officials generally accept this diagnosis in principle. But, when I talk with them, they often want