Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): Current Funding Trends

Publication Date: April 2008

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Education

Type:

Abstract:

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the major federal statute that supports special education and related services for children with disabilities. This report traces recent funding trends for this program and tracks the status of actions to "fully fund" the grants-to-states program under Part B of IDEA. FY2005 total funding for IDEA is $11.7 billion. FY2005 funding for the Part B grants-to-states program is nearly $10.6 billion. Since FY1995, funding for this program has more than quadrupled. The FY2005 amount for the grants-to-states program represents 18.6% of the estimated excess cost (i.e., the additional cost) of serving children with disabilities, which is approaching one-half of the amount necessary to "fully fund" the program for FY2005.

The President's FY2006 budget would increase overall funding for IDEA to $12.1 billion, with funding for the grants-to-states program increasing to nearly $11.1 billion. Because of projected increases in the estimated cost of special education and in the number of children with disabilities served, this amount would also represent 18.6% of the estimated FY2006 excess cost.

This report will be updated to reflect congressional action on IDEA appropriations and to incorporate updated data for excess cost calculations.