Updated Sept. 24, 2025
A state policymaker asked our policy team for information on how states fund special education services and equitable funding approaches for these services. Our response provides an overview of different state approaches for funding special education services and a discussion of policy considerations for reducing costs to local districts and equitably funding these services. The discussion raises four policy approaches:
- Funding services using multiple weights to better differentiate funding levels according to student needs.
- Providing high-cost services funding to avoid placing disproportionate spending pressures on certain districts.
- Using regional education service agencies (ESAs) to assist districts with service delivery for students with complex learning needs.
- Developing state initiatives to assist in recruiting and retaining educators and staff for special education services.
To provide timely assistance to our constituents, State Information Requests are typically completed in 48 hours. They reflect an issue scan versus a comprehensive analysis.
