In late March, legislators in both houses of the US Congress introduced bills that would gradually increase funding for special education to the 40% originally intended when the Education for All Handicapped Children Act – now known as IDEA – was passed in 1975. The bill is named the IDEA Full Funding Act, which was brought to both the US House (as H.R.1878) and US Senate (S.866) and calls for incremental hikes in federal funding for special education until the 40% level is reached in fiscal year 2029.

Presently, the federal government pays less than 15% of the cost of special education and states and local school districts must foot the remainder of the cost.