Friday, March 19, 2010
Funding for special education isn’t considered special by many school districts in New Jersey, which have redirected millions of dollars to other, general education programs. An investigation by the Asbury Park Press discovered school districts in Monmouth and Ocean counties used money intended to educate developmentally disabled kids to instead expand non-special education programs and pay benefits for non-special education teachers and legal bills.
Nothing these districts have done is illegal. Loopholes in federal law allow them to redirect huge portions of their federal special-ed funding, including stimulus dollars, to other school efforts. Essentially, they are replacing local tax dollars designated for special education, freeing up those funds for other uses, writes Shannon Mullen of the Asbury Park Press.
The paper says 44% of all school districts nationwide are using their stimulus special-ed dollars in this manner.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
Special-Education Stimulus Funds Diverted to Other Costs in Monmouth and Ocean Counties (by Shannon Mullen, Asbury Park Press)
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