The IDEA Act

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Federal Funding of Special Education

Federal special education funding comes primarily from the US Department of Education’s Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). https://sites.ed.gov/idea

IDEA accounts for the bulk of the federal government's ongoing contribution to special education.

In the law, Congress states:
“Disability is a natural part of the human experience and in no way diminishes the right of individuals to participate in or contribute to society.
Improving educational results for children with disabilities is an essential element of our national policy of ensuring equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities.”

A secondary source is the US dept of Ed’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). ESSA provides categorical funding to support student achievement in low-income areas.