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Committee Introduces Proposal to Help Cover Costs for High-need Special-education Students
Summary
The House Education Committee introduced RS 32437, a proposal to create a fund that would reimburse school districts for very high special-education costs above set thresholds. Lawmakers said the measure is a first step to address an approximately $80 million statewide gap.
Representative Ben Furman, R‑District 30, introduced RS 32437 to create a state fund aimed at reimbursing school districts for exceptionally high special‑education costs.
The bill targets students described by Furman as “high needs” — pupils who require a full‑time aide or intensive medical or therapy services. Furman said the measure would begin reimbursing district expenses after the first $15,000 spent on an individual student, provide a different cost‑sharing arrangement after $65,000, and limit district exposure with a per‑district cap of roughly $150,000. He said the proposal is intended to begin closing what he described as an “over $80,000,000 gap” in special‑education funding.
Why it matters: Committee members and education officials said some individual cases can cost districts in the tens of thousands of dollars and that smaller or rural districts face higher per‑student contract costs. Supporters framed the RS as an…
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