Pennsylvania: SPED numbers rose from 19% of students to 23% in seven years
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Sept 9, 2026, Harrisburg, PA, WITF: Why special education costs are soaring in Pa.
Special education costs in Pennsylvania are soaring. Central PA schools say they rely on property tax increases because state funding hasn’t kept up.
Tape:
Since the 2009-2010 school year, special education expenses have increased by 104% while state and federal special education funding only rose by 21%. . . .
Many central PA districts say they raised taxes this year, in part, to cover special education. . . .
. . . The special education student population increased from 19% of the student body in 2019 to 23% this year. . . .
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