The Special Education Market: $34.1 Billion In Spending For 6.7 Million Children In 2015

Children spend a large majority of their time in school, making schools not only of paramount importance to their education, but also to other services related to child well-being. For children with special health care needs and disabilities, public school systems are required to provide access to a free and appropriate education, as specified under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In order to fund a "free and appropriate" education, states utilize three major funding streams—the federal government via grants, state and local funding streams, and Medicaid.

In 2015, the U.S. spent an estimated $34.1 . . .