Across metro Detroit (from the wealthy Grosse Pointe School District to the perennially struggling Detroit Public Schools), school systems are having to dip further into their general-education budgets to cover their unfunded special-education costs. This predicament has an extensive root structure, starting with Michigan’s unique special-ed funding set-up. In addition to state and local monies, each of Michigan’s intermediate school districts provides a separate special-education millage (on average 2.4 mills) to offset district special-education costs. (The more money brought in from the millage, the less financial burden owned by the district.) Recent slackening of these millages has caused shallow waters for special-education funding. And, thanks to federal “maintenance of effort” provisions (which enforce constant funding of special ed), when special-education funding streams slow, monies must be redirected from the general-education funding reservoir. This strikes us as unfair and unwise; kids in “general education” (especially disadvantaged children) deserve their share of school spending too. Furthermore, by walling the special education budget off from financial stringency, we’re stifling potential breakthroughs in productivity. As the funding tide goes in, let’s not maroon “regular” education on the rocks just so special ed spending can sail on.
