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Where's the money going?

Schools love to say "we don't have the budget." We're building the receipts — federal IDEA funding, your state's per-pupil spending, and the real market value of your child's IEP services. Join the waitlist for early access.

10.9%
of the additional cost of special education is what the federal government actually pays.
Congress originally promised to cover 40%. We've never gotten close.

The 40% Promise

When Congress passed IDEA in 1975, it promised states 40% of the "excess cost" of educating kids with disabilities. Here's what districts actually receive:

Federal IDEA contribution toward special ed costs 10.9% delivered · 40% promised
10.9%
0%25%50%75%100%
$15.5B
Total IDEA Part B Federal Funding (FY26)
$1,944
Average federal $ per IDEA student
~7M
Students served under IDEA Part B
$29B
What the 40% promise would actually cost
Why this matters: When a school says "we can't afford that service," they're often counting on you not knowing that they receive federal IDEA dollars EVERY year — and the gap is supposed to be filled by state and local money. Cost alone is never a legal reason to deny FAPE (Florence County v. Carter, 1993).

Your State's Special Ed Spending

Select your state to see how much is spent per special education student, how it compares to general ed spending, and where your state ranks nationally.

Loading funding data...
Hartford Public Schools
Connecticut · 2024-25 School Year
IDEA Part B
$18.2M
Per Pupil
$4,890
Students w/ IEPs
3,724
Maintenance of Effort Flag
This district’s per-pupil spending decreased 8% from the prior year. Under 34 C.F.R. § 300.203, districts must maintain at least the same level of expenditure year over year.

District Funding Lookup

Search your school district to see where the money goes — federal IDEA dollars, state allocations, and whether your district is meeting its legal funding obligations.

Estimated annual market value of this child’s IEP services:
$47,880
Based on 36-week school year at 2026 private-pay market rates.
Speech-Language
$14,400/yr
3x/week · 30 min · $200/session
Occupational Therapy
$9,360/yr
2x/week · 30 min · $180/session
1:1 Aide
$21,600/yr
Full day · 5x/week · $120/day
ABA Services
$2,520/yr
1x/week · 45 min · $70/session

What Your Child's IEP Services Actually Cost

Add the services on your child’s IEP below. We’ll show you what these services cost at 2026 private-pay rates — what you’d pay out of pocket or through insurance, not what the school pays its staff. School-employed therapists earn significantly less, but this is the market value of what your child receives over a 36-week school year.

"We Don't Have the Budget"

Schools claim they can't afford basic equipment your child needs. Here's what these things actually cost — compared to the millions they receive in federal and state funding every year. Check the boxes for items your child needs but the school says they can't provide.