ABSTRACT
Special education is an important, unique, and growing component of public education in the United States, and it has become a major focus of attention in regard to public policy, appropriate service provision, and levels of spending. This chapter presents data on special education spending in the United States over time, describes the various ways in which special education services are funded, presents some of the primary policy issues associated with special education fi nance, and discusses some of the implications of this research for possible future policy directions. Although the primary focus is on special education in the United States, many of the trends and issues presented in this chapter also pertain to Canada, Europe, and elsewhere around the globe (Naylor, 2001; McLaughlin & Rouse, 2000; OECD, 1995, 2005).
