New Jersey: 'School districts spend on average about 22% of their budgets on special education'

Mar 12, 2018, Philly.com: New Jersey grapples with solutions to soaring special-education costs http://www.philly.com/philly/education/special-education-costs-new-jersey-budget-taxes-20180312.html School officials have long complained that escalating special-education costs are stressing their budgets – and taxpayers. New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney is proposing to lessen the burden on local districts with an infusion of state money for special education — paid for by a corporate-tax hike. It’s unclear whether Sweeney’s plan will gain the backing of Gov. Murphy, who will deliver his first budget address Tuesday. But school business officials agree a solution is needed for soaring special-education costs that now consume more than a fifth of their budgets on average. “I have been asked, if the state could provide school districts with additional support, where would you put it? My answer is special education,” said John Donahue, executive director of the New Jersey Association of School Business Officials. “Every district has this problem.” School districts spend on average about 22 percent of their budgets on special education, Donahue said — up from 13 percent in 2006-07, according to an association survey of business administrators. … In addition to budgetary pressures, districts have been facing legal challenges over special education, Donahue said. “Many parents are suing districts because they’re not complying with the needs” of students, he said. …