Special Education: More Flexible Spending Requirement Could Mitigate Unintended Consequences While Protecting Services

On October 16, 2015, the United States Government Accountability Office released this study on whether school districts were meeting their maintenance of effort (MOE) requirements under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Under IDEA, school districts must spend at least the same amount on special education services as in the previous year. The study examines the extent to which districts face challenges in meeting MOE, why they experience difficulty in meeting MOE, how MOE affects services for students with and without disabilities, and how well school district compliance with MOE is facilitated . . .