Special education costs are rising much faster in Pennsylvania than state aid — causing local taxpayers to foot most of the bill, while also stretching school budgets thin and increasing inequities between rich and poor districts, according to a new report by a duo of advocacy groups.
The Education Law Center and PA Schools Work found that for every dollar Harrisburg spent on special education between 2008 and 2016, school districts spent $20.
During that time, districts saw their special education costs rise $1.54 billion while the state chipped in just $71 million.
This latest report arrives five years after the state implemented a new special education funding formula that was supposed to make life easier for districts. But advocates say lawmakers haven’t sent enough money through the formula to make an impact.
Read full article here: http://www.witf.org/news/2018/10/skyrocketing-special-ed-costs-falling-heavily-on-pa-school-districts-taxpayers.php