National Study of Special Education Spending
Contract Information
Current Status:
Underway
Duration:
September 2023 – August 2026
Cost:
$5,208,878
Contract Number:
91990022D0001
Contractor(s):
American Institutes for Research
Contact:
Despite the significant federal investment in helping states and districts implement the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), those funds have not been sufficient to meet a longstanding government target to cover 40 percent of the added cost of educating what is a growing share of students in the nation. If Congress were to consider substantial changes to IDEA funding — to cover more of the costs of special education and related services, update IDEA's funding formula, or revise how federal funds may be used — they would need more information about actual spending on special education and related services for students with disabilities. The best national estimates of spending, a proxy for cost, are more than 20 years old. Since then, there have been significant shifts in the number and composition of students who have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and in the policies and conditions under which they are educated. This new IES study will take advantage of methodological and data advances to provide more reliable and valid estimates of what is spent than was possible in the past.
- How much is spent to educate students with disabilities? How does that compare to spending on their peers?
- To what extent do spending amounts reflect students' needs versus where they live or go to school?
- What does special education spending pay for, and what role does IDEA play?
- To what extent is the federal contribution to special education funding meeting its target?
The first, foundational phase supports refinement of the study design that incorporates stakeholder feedback, development and piloting of study instruments, and potentially recruitment of the study sample. The study sample may include up to 1,2000 school districts and 15,000 students based on current estimates that will be updated when the study design is finalized. The full study's data collection is anticipated to begin in February 2026 and gather information about spending in the 2025–2026 school year.
The first report for the study is expected in 2028 and will be announced on http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/.
Key findings will be available after the study report is published.