State Funding for Students with Disabilities
All Data Points for States Using Formula Funding Mechanism
June 2015
This database indicates formula funded states' allocations and student count methods for K-12 students with disabilities.
Formula Funding: Funding is included in the state’s primary funding formula (33 states & D.C.)
State Allocation: For formula-funded states, we provide the weight, resource-based allocation ratios or dollar amounts, depending upon the state's system.
Method of Determining Student Count: States use either:
The most common systems used for special education student counts are a student's average daily attendance (ADA), average daily membership (ADM) or enrollment of students. Six states make use of a system that does not rely on student counts but assumes that all districts have the same percentage enrollment of special education students. This system is known as a census-based system.
Data compiled by Maria Millard & Stephanie Aragon: mmillard@ecs.org or 303.299.3620, saragon@ecs.org or 303.299.3614
| Funding Mechanism | State Allocation | Student Count | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Formula-funded: staff-based allocation | Standard grade level teacher-student divisors are adjusted to reflect 5% of the average daily membership weighted by 2.5. Teacher to student ratios are: Grades K-3: 1:14.25 Grades 4-6: 1:21.85 Grades 7-8: 1:20.20 Grades 9-12: 1:18.45 Compensation for special education teachers is determined by salary matrix based on years of experience and level of education. |
Census-based |
| Alaska | Formula-funded: single weight | Alaska uses a special needs factor of 1.2 in the formula. | Census-based |
| Arizona | Formula-funded: multiple weights | Eleven weights in the formula: Hearing impaired: 4.771 Multiple disabilities, autism and severe intellectual disability: 6.024 Self-contained programs for pupils with multiple disabilities, autism and severe intellectual disability: 5.833 Multiple disabilities with severe sensory impairment: 7.947 Orthopedic impairments, resource program: 3.158 Orthopedic impairments, self-contained program: 6.773 Preschool, severe delayed: 3.595 Developmental delays, emotional disabilities, mild intellectual disabilities, specific learning disability, speech/language impairment and other health impairments: 0.003 Emotional disabilities, enrolled in private special education programs: 4.822 Moderate intellectual disability: 4.421 Visual impairment: 4.806 |
The prior year’s 100th day Average Daily Membership |
| Connecticut | Formula-funded | The state’s funding formula does not specifically designate money for students with disabilities; however, districts use formula funds for such purposes. | Student count on October 1 |
| Delaware | Formula-funded: staff-based allocation | Partial unit funding for instructional units is provided based on grade and level of disability (basic, intensive and complex). Teacher to student ratios are: Pre-school: 1: 12.8 K-3: 1: 16.2 Basic, grades 4-12: 1: 8.4 Intensive, PreK-12: 1: 6 Complex, PreK-12: 1: 2.6 |
Student count on September 30 |
| District of Columbia | Formula-funded: multiple weights | Five weights in the formula: Level 1 - Eight hours or less per week of specialized services: 0.97 FY 2015 Allocation: $9,207 Level 2 - More than 8 hours and less than or equal to 16 hours per school week of specialized services: 1.2 FY 2015 Allocation: $11,390 Level 3 - More than 16 hours and less than or equal to 24 hours per school week of specialized services: 1.97 FY 2015 Allocation: $18,699 Level 4 - More than 24 hours per week which may include instruction in a self-contained (dedicated) special education school other than residential placement: 3.49 FY 2015 Allocation: $33,127 Residential: 1.67 FY 2015 Allocation: $15,852 The weightings are applied cumulatively in the counts of students who fall into more than one of the above categories. |
Student count on or before October 15 |
| Florida | Formula-funded: multiple weights | Five weights in the formula: K-3: 1.126 4-8: 1.00 9-12: 1.004 Level 4 support: 3.548 Level 5 support: 5.104 Fixed funding for special education students not receiving level 4 or 5 services is provided through an Exceptional Student Education guaranteed allocation. |
Multiple program membership surveys |
| Georgia | Formula-funded: staff-based | Teacher to student ratios are: Category 1 - Self-contained specific learning disabled and self-contained speech-language disordered: 1:8 Category 2 - Mildly mentally disabled: 1:6.5 Category 3 - Behavior disordered, moderately mentally disabled, severely mentally disabled, resourced specific learning disabled, resourced speech-language disordered, self-contained hearing impaired and deaf, self-contained orthopedically disabled, and self-contained other health impaired: 1:5 Category 4 - Deaf-blind, profoundly mentally disabled, visually impaired and blind, resourced hearing impaired and deaf, resourced orthopedically disabled, and resourced other health impaired: 1:3 Category 5 - Those special education students classified as being in Categories 1 through 4 whose Individualized Educational Programs specify specially designed instruction or supplementary aids or services in alternative placements, in the least restrictive environment, including the regular classroom and who receive such services from personnel such as paraprofessionals, interpreters, job coaches, and other assistive personnel: 1:8 Category 6 - Intellectually gifted: 1:12 |
A full-time equivalent formula which includes the count of segments of the school day for each student enrolled in special education |
| Idaho | Formula-funded: staff-based allocation | Districts receive special education funding at a rate of 6.0% of a district’s total K–6 enrollment and 5.5% of a district’s total 7–12 enrollment for additional support units. The percentage of a district’s total enrollment eligible for exceptional child funding is divided by the exceptional child support unit divisor of 14.5 to determine the number of exceptional child support units generated by the district. | Census-based |
| Indiana | Formula-funded: dollar allocation | Per pupil expenditures by category: Severe disabilities: $8,350 ($8,800 beg. in FY 2016) Mild and moderate disabilities: $2,265 ($2,300 beg. in FY 2016) Communication disorders: $533 ($500 beg. in FY 2016) Homebound programs: $533 ($500 beg. in FY 2016) Special preschool education programs: $2,750 (remains the same beg. in FY 2016) |
Student count on December 1 |
| Iowa | Formula-funded: multiple weights | Three additional weights in the formula: Level 1 - Students receiving specially designed instruction for a part of the educational program (includes modifications and adaptations to the general education program): 0.72 Level 2 - Students receiving specially designed instruction for a majority of the educational program (includes substantial modifications, adaptations, and special education accommodations to the general education program): 1.21 Level 3 – Students receiving specially designed instruction for most or all of the educational program (requires extensive redesign of curriculum and substantial modification of instructional techniques, strategies and materials): 2.74 |
Student count on or before November 1 |
| Kansas | Formula-funded: single weight | Weight in the formula: 1.6874 | Based on actual counts of students enrolled and receiving services. |
| Kentucky | Formula-funded: multiple weights | Three additional weights in the formula: Low incidence disabilities: 2.35 Moderate incidence: 1.17 High incidence: 0.24 |
Student count on December 1 |
| Louisiana | Formula-funded: single weight | Weight in the formula: 1.5 | Student count on February 1 |
| Maine | Formula-funded: multiple weights | Funding is based on a 6 step formula adjustment: Step 1: Base Component - Applies 1.277 weight (for the excess cost) to all students up to 15% of subsidizable students in the district. Step 2: Prevalence Adjustment - Applies .38 weight (for the excess cost) to all students above 15% of subsidizable students in the district. Step 3: Size Adjustment - Applies .29 weight for additional funds for school administrative units with fewer than 20 students w/disabilities in the district. Step 4: High Cost In-District Adjustment - Allocates additional funds for students estimated to cost 3 times the statewide special education EPS rate in the district. Step 5: High Cost Out-of-District Adjustment - Allocates additional funds for students estimated to cost 4 times the statewide special education EPS rate in the district. Step 6: EPS Special Education Allocation (with EPS Maintenance of Effort Adjustment and High Cost Out-of-District Adjustment) in the district. |
Student count on December 1 There is a cap of 15% of the district's pupil count for accounting for students with disabilities. For districts in which the annual December 1 child count for the most recent year is less than 15% of the school administrative unit's resident pupils, the special education child count percentage may not increase more than 0.5% in any given year, up to a maximum of 1.0% in any given 3-year period. For each special education student above the 15% maximum, the unit receives an additional weight of .38. |
| Maryland | Formula-funded: single weight | Per pupil amount is 74% of the annual per pupil foundation amount multiplied by 0.5, the state share of special education funding. | The greater of the number of special education students for the prior fiscal year or the number of special education students for the second prior fiscal year. |
| Mississippi | Formula-funded: staff-based allocation | One teacher unit is provided for each approved class of exceptional students. The funding allocated is based on the teacher’s certification and experience. Additional funds for students with disabilities are provided through the Special Education, Special Services fund in the State Treasury. | Student count on December 10 |
| Missouri | Formula-funded: single weight | An additional weight of 0.75 is applied to student counts above the state threshold of 12.6% special education students. | Average Daily Attendance above the state threshold of 12.6%. |
| New Hampshire | Formula-funded: dollar allocation | $1,881.98 for each special education student is added to the base per pupil cost of $3,498.30 per ADM-R. | Average Daily Membership |
| New Jersey | Formula-funded: dollar allocation | 2/3 of the special education costs are funded through the state's primary formula and 1/3 through categorical funding. General special education costs are separate from speech only students. Total FY 2015-2016 allocations per-pupil for general special education was $15,805 and for speech only was $1,259. | Census-based |
| New Mexico | Formula-funded: multiple weights | Four additional weights in the formula: Students requiring a minimal amount of special education: 0.7 Students requiring a moderate amount of special education: 0.7 Students requiring an extensive amount of special education: 1.0 Student requiring a maximum amount of special education: 2.0 |
Student count on December 1 |
| New York | Formula-funded: single weight | Weight in the formula: 1.41. | Average Daily Attendance weighted by the fraction of the school day that the student is enrolled in the public school programs. |
| North Dakota | Formula-funded: single weight | Additional weight in the formula: 0.082. | Average Daily Membership |
| Ohio | Formula-funded: dollar allocation | For FY 2015, per-pupil expenditures by category: Speech impaired: $1,517 Developmentally disabled, specific learning disabled, other health issues – minor, preschool developmentally delayed: $3,849 Hearing impaired, severe behavior: $9,248 Visually impaired, other health issues – major: $12,342 Multiple disability, orthopedically handicapped: $16,715 Traumatic brain injury, autism, and deaf-blindness: $24,641 |
Average Daily Membership compiled continuously throughout the school year |
| Oklahoma | Formula-funded: multiple weights | Eleven additional weights in the formula: Vision impaired: 3.8 Learning disabilities: 0.4 Deaf or hard-of-hearing: 2.9 Deaf and blind: 3.8 Educable mentally handicapped: 1.3 Emotionally disturbed: 2.5 Gifted: 0.34 Multiple handicapped: 2.4 Physically handicapped: 1.2 Speech impaired: 0.05 Trainable mentally handicapped: 1.3 |
The highest of the weighted Average Daily Memberships from the two preceding school years |
| Oregon | Formula-funded: single weight | Additional weight in the formula: 1.0. | Average Daily Membership May not exceed 11% of the district's Average Daily Membership without review and approval by the Department of Education. |
| Rhode Island | Formula-funded: single weight | The state's "high need student weight" is 40%. It is meant to address the effects of poverty and other factors influencing educational need. | The number of students eligible for free and reduced price lunch. |
| South Carolina | Formula-funded: multiple weights | Five weights in the formula: Educable mentally handicapped pupils and learning disabilities pupils: 1.74 Trainable mentally handicapped pupils, emotionally handicapped pupils and orthopedically handicapped pupils: 2.04 Visually handicapped pupils, pupils with autism and hearing handicapped pupils: 2.57 Speech handicapped pupils: 1.9 Pupils who are homebound and pupils who reside in emergency shelters: 2.1 |
The cumulative one hundred thirty-five day Average Daily Membership of each school district by program classification |
| South Dakota | Formula-funded: dollar allocation | Six allocations in the formula: Level 1 - Mild disability (count is calculated by determining 10.04% of student count): $4, 897 Level 2 - cognitive disability, emotionally disturbed: $12,037 Level 3 - Hearing loss, deafness, vision loss, deaf-blind, orthopedic impairment, traumatic brain injury: $16,002 Level 4 - Autism: $14,288 Level 5 - Multiple disability (must include 2 or more disabilities in levels 2, 3 or 4, not including Deaf-Blind): $21,635 Level 6 - Prolonged assistance: $7,796 |
The district's state aid fall enrollment and December child count. |
| Tennessee | Formula-funded: staff-based allocation | Tiered teacher allocation system based on location of instruction and amount of specialized contact. A schedule of 10 special education options determines teacher allocations requirements. Special education supervisor: 1:750 Special education assessment personnel: 1:600 Special education assistant: 1:60 Classroom materials and supplies: $36.50/SE Student Instructional equipment: $13.25/SE Student Classroom-related travel: $17.25/SE Student |
A weighted Average Daily Membership count based on attendance months: 2 (12.5%), 3 (17.5%), 6 (35%) and 7 (35%) |
| Texas | Formula-funded: multiple weights | Twelve weights in the formula: Homebound: 5.0 Hospital class: 3.0 Speech therapy: 5.0 Resource room: 3.0 Self-contained, mild and moderate, regular campus: 3.0 Self-contained, severe, regular campus: 3.0 Off home campus: 2.7 Nonpublic day school: 1.7 Vocational adjustment class: 2.3 State schools: 2.8 Residential care and treatment: 4.0 Mainstream: 1.1 |
The number of full-time equivalents in each instructional arrangement. The number of special education full-time equivalents is subtracted from the Average Daily Attendance figure used to calculate the regular program allotment. |
| Utah | Formula-funded: dollar allocation | Funding per student is based on the state's add‐on weighted pupil unit value of $2,837 for FY2015-2016. | The previous five year's Average Daily Membership data. A growth factor is also added equal to the change in Average Daily Membership three years prior compared to two years prior. |
| Virginia | Formula-funded: staff-based allocation | A minimum of 51 professional instructional positions and aide positions and for special education, a minimum of 6.0 professional instructional positions and aide positions for each 1,000 pupils in March 31 ADM each year. 2015 appropriations: Special Education and Student Services: $13,225,359 Special Education Instructional Services: $7,999,000 Special Education Administration and Assistance Services $510,001 Special Education Compliance and Monitoring Services: $2,527,393 |
Average Daily Membership |
| Washington | Formula-funded: single weight | Additional weight in the formula: 0.93. *Note: there are additional weights for early childhood but only one weight for students age 5-21. |
The lesser of the district's resident special education annual average enrollment or 12.7% |
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