Special Education Funding: Fund Services For Kids, Not Profits For Charter Managers

Abstract

Special education funding for Pennsylvania charter schools is not based on what the charters actually spend on services for their students with disabilities. Most charters in Pennsylvania receive substantially more in special education tuition that they spend on services to those students. That outcome is legal under the current tuition formula, but it should not be. The funding formula should be reformed so that it bases charter tuition on the actual services needed by charter students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs). Charters should spend special education tuition on those needed services or return the money to the school districts.

Keywords: Charter Schools, Special Education, Public Education, Reform

JEL Classification: K100, K10, K19, K20, K23, K29, K3, K39