Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to describe ways selected small California school districts used financial, procedural, or program strategies in response to legislative mandates and judicial decisions to reduce or contain special education costs to prevent further encroachment on the general education budget. Methodology. Five small K–8 school districts were nominated to participate in a descriptive, exploratory study. The data for this study were collected during face-to-face and telephone interviews. Qualitative analysis was used to identify, classify, and summarize the financial, procedural, and program strategies reported. Findings. Patterns and trends that emerge from the data reflect a movement to provide student support services in a more fiscally responsible manner. This includes the use of three key strategies. First, reduce the number of students in special education. Reduction in the number of special-needs students was achieved through the referral of students who experience learning difficulties to intervention programs currently available through federal and state funds. Second, determine appropriate student placement. Placement decisions included regional programs to reduce reliance on nonpublic agencies and programs outside the child's home district. These decisions support the development of quality district and regional partnerships to retain special-needs students in the "least restrictive environment." Third, implement instructional programs that support the full inclusion of students with special needs in the general education classroom. Full inclusion included strategies such as co-teaching, and collaboration between general and special education teachers. Conclusions. Excess special education costs are linked to inadequate budget monitoring, overidentification of children for special education, and arbitrary placement decisions that result from parental pressure, threat of legal action, and unwillingness of site personnel to work with certain students. Decisions driven by adherence to the federal mandate that calls for the placement of special-needs students in the "least restrictive environment," provides the lowest level of encroachment on the general education budget and an effective collaborative model to support the special-needs child in the long-term. Recommendations. Identify the needs of special education students being serviced by county offices of education to determine if they would be more appropriately served in their home district.