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Evaluations
Contract Open

National Study of Special Education Spending

NCEE Evaluation Division K-12 Studies
Program: Special Education Studies and Evaluations
Evaluation topic(s): Students with Disabilities
Award amount: $6,620,836
Awardee:
American Institutes for Research (AIR)
Year: 2023
Duration: 2 years 11 months (09/01/2023 - 08/01/2026)
Project type:
Other
Contract number: 91990022D0001/91990023F0353

Background

Federal policy has long committed to cover a portion of the added costs of special education and related services that must be provided to students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). But what are these costs? The best national estimates of special education 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 with disabilities and in the policies and conditions under which they are identified and served. If policymakers were to consider substantial changes to IDEA funding — to cover more of the costs of special education and related services, update the funding formula, or revise how federal funds can be used — they would need more information about current spending patterns. 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.

Project Activities

Research question

  • 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?

Structured Abstract

Design

The current, foundational phase of the study supports refinement of the study methods and sampling design, development and piloting of study instruments, incorporation of stakeholder feedback, and recruitment of the study sample. The study sample may include up to 1,250 school districts and 15,000 students with and without disabilities, based on current estimates that will be updated when the study design is finalized. A pilot version of the study will be conducted in school year 2024–2025. The full study data collection is anticipated for the 2026–2027 school year.

Key findings

Key findings will be available after the study report is published.

People and institutions involved

IES program contact(s)

Claire Allen-Platt

Education Research Analyst
K-12 Studies

Products and publications

The first report for the study is expected in 2028 and will be announced on http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/.

Questions about this project?

To answer additional questions about this project or provide feedback, please contact the program officer.

 

Tags

Disabilities

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Questions about this project?

To answer additional questions about this project or provide feedback, please contact the program officer.

 

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