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September 24, 2004
Autism becoming major cost for schoolsOne side of the special education issue that is often overlooked is that schools are seeing so many more students diagnosed with what used to be uncommon conditions. And that means more challenges for schools. Good piece here on soaring costs of educating children with autism. "It's not easy to treat, No. 1, and it's not cheap to get those kids a good education," Tim Allwein of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association told The Intelligencer newspaper. "In many districts, this (autistic support) will overtake special education budgets." One example: In 1999, Pennsylvania's Upper Moreland School District had five students with autism disorders. By last year, there were 19, costing the school district $693,000. Now this is just a BoardBuzz hypothetical, but assuming all these costs were IDEA eligible, the promised 40 percent federal contribution would be $227,200. But the actual 18 percent support level would be just $124,740. Difference to local taxpayers: $102,460.
Posted September 24, 2004 12:00 AM
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