The state of New Jersey must expand funding, programs, and teacher training for special education, a new report argues.
In a study released Sept. 20, the New Jersey School Boards Association said local districts shoulder 57 percent of the $3.3 billion spent on special education in the state annually and called on the state to provide a greater share.
The report said New Jersey has an unusually high portion of special education students in out-of-district placements, driving up the cost of services, and suggested the state develop more in-district programs to manage those costs. It also suggested revising the state’s special education financing formula, which it said encourages classification of students in higher-cost categories.
See other stories on education issues in New Jersey. See data on New Jersey’s public school system.
