The U.S. Department of Education is sponsoring the first national special-education expenditure study in nearly 15 years. A nationally representative sample including all states and 250 school districts will provide comprehensive and comparable data. Nine states will provide additional representative data to get a handle on their expenses. (MLH)

A proposal to reform New York State's special-education funding system is based on a count of all students and includes a poverty adjustment. However, the decision to maintain separate funding systems for students with certain disabilities may conflict with the state's inclusive educational objectives. (Contains 18 references.) (MLH)

This paper provides a national perspective on special education finance and related reform issues and proposals, with emphasis on those of particular relevance for the state of New York. It also looks specifically at the current New York funding system as it pertains to students with disabilities and concludes with several observations. First, the…

This paper examines the relationship between special education fiscal policies and the least restrictive environment (LRE) requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It focuses on the need to develop federal and state fiscal policies that achieve a balance between the sometimes competing needs of the LRE and the…

This paper offers criteria for states attempting to develop more effective special education funding formulas. It notes that balancing criteria to meet program objectives is difficult, with a major focus on one criterion often coming at the expense of other criteria. An effective formula should be: understandable, equitable, adequate, predictable,…

This paper examines the politics of special education finance reform in three states (Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Vermont) that have enacted substantial legislative change within the past 5 years. These case studies were extracted from presentations made by the three state directors of special education at a 1994 conference. Each case study includes…

Describes what is known about current funding levels and funding sources for special education, projected trends of increasing demand for special education services, concerns about the current efforts to reform funding, and movements toward census-based funding. Criteria for evaluating state special education funding formulas are proposed. (GR)

This report summarizes and discusses some of the major fiscal policy questions surrounding the funding of special education in the current era of school reform. Part 1, "Current Special Education Financing: Issues and Provisions," addresses how special education is currently funded and the different formulas used for special education funding.…