Overview Of Special Education Funding Models

Overview Of Special Education Funding Models

Since the 1970s, federal law has mandated that public schools offer special education assistance to kids with impairments that prevent them from learning. California schools use a mix of local unrestricted, state categorical, and federal category funds to support special education expenditures. State special education monies will only be granted in the 202223 budget if legislative improvements targeted to enhance the academic performance of children with disabilities are included in the budget, according to trailer legislation from the 2021-22 budget package. Modifications to current budget allocations, clarification of diverse roles and duties within the special education system, and the extension of inclusive practices are examples of these changes.

This brief gives an overview of special education models utilized in California and other jurisdictions, as well as a methodology for assessing these models, to assist shape future conversations. The brief opens by giving information on the state's existing special education money distribution mechanism. The majority of special education financing in California is based on total student attendance, with the remaining 16% coming from different programs based on alternate formulae and/or for particular kinds of special education services, such as those for kids with higher-cost impairments. The brief also explains the four main approaches that states use to allocate special education funds to schools: census-based, weighted, reimbursement, and resource-based.