Known as the “education governor,” Gov. Tony Evers is expected to respond to the increased demand for K-12 special education programs in his upcoming biennial budget.
A new study by the Wisconsin Policy Forum showed an 18.3 percent rise in the cost of special education between the 2007-’08 and 2017-’18 academic years.
But despite this increase — now totaling around $1.4 billion — the state’s primary funding for these programs has remained fixed at $368.9 million.
According to the report, this disparity strains general school budgets by requiring schools to spend more of their total funding on supporting special education, in effect taking resources away from programs that “serve all students.”
“These diversions appear to be especially prevalent in school districts serving high poverty, high minority schools, which raises equity concerns,” the report explained.
The Wisconsin Policy Forum found that 118,546 public school students are enrolled in special education programs, or 13.8 percent of total school enrollment.
Once a student is identified as specials needs, the school is mandated by law to offer free and appropriate accommodations for the student’s individual education plan.
Although the need is variable from school to school, LaFollette School of Public Affairs Professor John Witte said special needs students on average cost 2.2 percent more than a student that does not.
To address this, last month Gov. Evers proposed the Blue Ribbon Commission on School Funding, a two-year steady increase rate for special education programs. While the state currently covers 25 percent of eligible special education costs, the proposed plan would increase funding between 30 percent and 60 percent — or $81.3 million to $531.1 million.
Amy Lee Wagner, executive director of UW-Madison’s Child Development Lab, said Gov. Evers’ proposal allows for all students to receive greater resources for their education, regardless of disability, socioeconomic status or race.
“The inadequate level of state funding for special education that occurred in the past has a greater impact on minority children in our public schools and could be one of the contributing factors to the achievement gap experienced in Wisconsin for minority children,” Wagner said.
Witte attributes this gap to the growing overrepresentation of minorities and men in special education, where boys outnumber girls four to one. However, he also points to the tension created because gifted and talented student programs are also classified as special needs.
The future funding of these programs awaits a vote by the State Legislature before the Feb. 28 deadline for Gov. Evers’ upcoming biennial budget.
Special needs education yields bipartisan support. However, the concern for many legislatures is how the governor will find the resources for funding.
“It’s really not too much of a partisan issue,” Witte said. “Federal law and state law dictate what must be done. So there is not a lot of leeway in terms of how you can handle it.”
State News Writer
