Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

Publication Date

5-8-1974

Abstract

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Concurrent with the realization that special education children are entitled to equal educational opportunity has been the concern for financing these programs. Until the recent efforts of the National Educational Finance Project, however, very little has been known regarding the nature of the cost of providing programs for children with special needs. The NEFP study was designed to fill the data gap regarding the relative cost of regular school programs and programs for various categories of exceptional children and the resource inputs which contribute most importantly to the cost of such programs. Cost differentials and indices were calculated for each of seven special education program categories in addition to delivery system costs. New demands for information of a more specific nature for the State of Minnesota prompted this study to be undertaken. No data were available regarding specific program costs for special education nor were there data available concerning the differences in costs for the various delivery systems associated with those programs.

PROCEDURES

Six Minnesota school districts providing exemplary special education programs were reputationally nominated for inclusion in the study. Their cooperation was elicited and the researcher gathered from school district records data concerning the 1972-73 school year. Information collected included: pupil personnel inventories by grade level and program category, length of school year, number of students transported, program staff inventories, school district expenditures by program and accounting category, and school district revenue receipts. Direct and indirect costs were calculated, by program, for expenditure categories of: administration, clerical and secretarial, teachers, teacher aides, equipment and supplies, support personnel, operations and maintenance, health and food services, transportation, capital outlay, debt service, and teacher-pupil ratios. Per pupil expenditures were calculated for seven categories of special education and for regular school programs. Cost indices and incidence rates were developed in addition to the calculation of program costs according to six differentiated delivery systems.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

High, median, and low per pupil costs and cost indices were calculated for each selected category of special education. Mean per pupil expenditures and mean cost indices were calculated for each cost component for each selected category of special education. Sensitive cost factors were determined. Six differentiated delivery systems were identified and median per pupil costs and cost indices were calculated.

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

English

Degree Name

Educational Leadership

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy

First Committee Member (Chair)

James Allen Hale

Second Committee Member

Paul Arnold Pohland

Third Committee Member

Ronald Eugene Blood

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