Special needs kids staying in traditional schools
CHRISTINA HOAG, Associated Press
Updated 2:21 p.m., Saturday, August 18, 2012
In this photo taken Monday, Aug. 13, 2012, Matthew Asner walks his son Will, 9, who is autistic, to the Nestle Avenue Elementary School in the Tarzana district of Los Angeles. Public school districts are seeing higher proportions of children with special needs due to declining enrollment and charter schools that do not accept as many kids with disabilities, especially more severe disabilities. This raises a question of equitable access for these kids, as well as cost issues for school districts. Photo: Damian Dovarganes / AP
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The high cost of educating students with special needs is disproportionately falling on traditional public schools as other students increasingly opt for alternatives that aren't always readily open to those requiring special education.
The issue is particularly acute in districts where enrollment has declined due to demographic changes such as low birth rates and population shifts combined with an influx of charter schools and voucher programs that have siphoned off students.
School district officials say all schools that receive public funds should share the cost of
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