Introducing this paper is a discussion of the trend during the 1960s and 1970s toward greater state and federal involvement both in financing and in developing programs for special pupil populations. The authors then summarize, as of the 1980 fiscal year, the state and federal roles in programs for the handicapped and in bilingual and compensatory…

Analysis of changes in education funding across all 50 states during the 1980s shows that education revenues per pupil are neither increasing nor decreasing overall, but are staying constant after adjusting for enrollment increases and inflation. Demands for education improvement exceed the level of fiscal resources needed to make improvements.…

The interaction between state educational reform and curricular services for special needs students, mainly the economically disadvantaged, is discussed in the context of state and federal compensatory education services. Data from eight schools in California suggest that such services can succeed and that excellence and equity can be compatible.…