An Explanation of Special Education:
Special education serves an essential role within our society. Specifically designed to wholistically educate the neurodivergent community through adapted means to best accommodate the needs of neurodiverse conditions, special education programs are in place to equip the neurodivergent with the intellectual and social capacities needed to excel in society.
While many people believe that special education is merely a “watered down version of general education” (Dombeck), in many ways, special education dives much deeper in that in addition to the educational aspect of developing knowledge in the core and artistic subjects, special education has a functional curriculum that helps students learn both interactive and daily living skills such as grooming, toileting, and basic communication.
As opposed to general education, which is mainly composed of teachers that specialize in specific topics, special education also aims to help their students more specifically by aiding them in a wider range of life skills. Typically, special aid programs “ include physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT), speech and language therapy, and other related services. These specialties serve several purposes: 1) to help prevent minor problems from becoming a disability, 2) to prevent the effects of a disability from getting worse, 3) to resolve problems in connection with a disability, or 4) to teach students to complete certain tasks in spite of their disability” (Dombeck). That being said, with the greater array of professionals needed to create a program that can optimize the neurodivergent community’s potential, more resources and funding are needed to give the neurodiverse their best chance.
Funding for Special Education Programs:
The passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), also known as Public Law 94-142, led to landmark changes in special education program funding. According to the Education Commission of the States, the enactment of this led to the federal government “only provid[ing] about one-third of the funds for special education that it had committed to in the original legislation - placing a greater financial burden on state and local governments. Previously, states and districts regulated educational programs for students with disabilities, causing the standards of education to be extremely different among various states. When this act was passed, it created clearer guidelines for these programs. However, the passage was somewhat controversial, with some thinking that the federal government should not interfere in such policies related to education, and others believing that this act would provide better funding from the federal level to support education.
Essentially, IDEA mandated “A free, appropriate public education to all children with disabilities. Services to each student with disabilities must be based on their individualized education program (IEP). IEPs for each student must be developed by teams that include the child’s parents or guardians, along with a special educator, a regular educator, a representative of the school district and, if appropriate, other individuals. A student’s education services must be provided, to the maximum extent appropriate, in the least restrictive environment, which for most children entails “mainstreaming” them in classes with children who do not have disabilities. All of these services must be provided regardless of cost to the student’s Local Education Authority (LEA).” Ultimately, the act introduced federal level guidance on how public education should be implemented when dealing with students who have disabilities. Accompanying this was federal funding for IDEA, which for the most part was composed of a multitude of grants that were distributed to states, which, prior to 2006, was based on the number of students with disabilities in the state, but later changed to avoid overcounting. The federal government funds less than half of the budget for programs for students with disabilities, which can range from $10,000 to $20,000. Often, state taxes pay for the rest of the cost.
However, many states do not mandate that school districts reveal how much they spend on special education, which means that there is a lack of information about what is actually being spent. In fact, the last verification was through the Special Education Expenditure Project (SEEP), which reviewed data from the 1999-2000 school year. Additionally, the variation among different states brings disparities in standards of education and support, mostly reliant on the taxes imposed by the state. The various funding levels result in corresponding amounts of opportunities, widening the disparities. Moreover, an increase in students with disabilities calls for more funding to be allocated to these programs. Currently, 14% of students attending public schools participate in special education services. The funding currently being given also does not account for the severity of the disability, meaning that it may not be sufficient as it does not consider the variability in the population. Beyond this, there is a need for better support within these programs, much of which can be improved with an increase in funding. There is a clear necessity for an increase in knowledge and awareness about this subject, as well as a need for change and programs geared to thoroughly supporting the student.
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