Providing Financial Support to
Help Students With Disabilities
Meet State Learning Standards
New York State Board of Regents
New York State Education Department
September 2004

LINK

Goals
"Eliminate unnecessary referrals to special education
"Assure that students unnecessarily placed, or who no longer need special education services, are
returned to a supportive general education environment
"Hold special education services to high standards of accountability to improve results for students with
disabilities
"Integrate students with disabilities with their nondisabled peers
"Provide mechanisms for school districts to develop or expand support and prevention services

Relevant Facts: Program Issues
Gaps between actual and desired achievement of students with disabilities must be closed around the
State
Poor general education performance is correlated with even poorer special education performance
In too many districts, large portions of students with disabilities are educated outside general education

"New York State, especially in large urban areas, places far more students in restrictive settings compared
to other states
"Students in more restrictive settings have poorer outcomes than those who spend most of the day in
general education

Fiscal Issues
"Historically costs and classification of students with disabilities have increased, mirroring a national trend
"In recent years, New York States special education population is holding steady at 12 percent of
enrollment
"Costs for general and special education continue to rise proportionally
"Aid for the education of students with disabilities has grown at a faster rate than aid for general
education
"The current process for claiming Public Excess Cost Aid is time-consuming and complex.

Audits of school districts have revealed that claims are often inaccurate, putting school districts in jeopardy of significant disallowances

Options States(including District of Columbia) Have Chosen for Funding Special Education
"Basis of allocation (2003):
 Pupil weights (multiples of regular education aid): 18 states
 Total district enrollment (census): 9 states
 Resource-based (teachers or classrooms): 6 states
 Percentage reimbursement (percent of expenditures): 6 states
 Combination: 5 states
 Variable block grant: 4 states
 None: 2 states
 Flat grant: 1 state

2004-05 State Aid for Students with Disabilities
"Districts receive operating aid for students with and without disabilities educated in public
schools
"In addition, school districts receive aid to help meet the excess costs of educating students
with disabilities.

This aid:
Provides wealth-equalized aid in public schools and BOCES based on the average spending on all
students in the district
Requires a substantial local contribution
Provides substantial minimum aid
Provides extra aid for high cost students and students integrated with their nondisabled peers
This integrated services weighting is extended for 2004-05

Myths
"Most districts cover the majority of their public school special education instructional costs with
special education state aid.
Fact: More than half of special education instructional expense comes from local sources

"Providing State Aid for special education ensures that a student will receive mandated services
Fact: The requirement to provide mandated special education services results from federal program
requirements, not State Aid

Subgroup Assignment:
Create Your Own State Special Education Funding System
1. Should aid for pupils with disabilities be a separate categorical aid or general purpose aid?
2. Should aid:
--Be driven by total district enrollment and poverty?
-- Be based on the number of students with disabilities and/or the special education services provided?
--Provide different levels of aid within public schools for special classes versus special education integrated
with general education?
--Distinguish between regular and high cost students with disabilities?
--Provide different levels of aid for similar public versus private school placements?