Chapter 7: Infrastructure Funding Considerations and Students with Disabilities

Much progress has been made in the last 25 years in providing accessible facilities for students with disabilities, and substantial funds have been invested in the school infrastructure for these students. However, much remains to be done to meet the needs of students with disabilities and comply with federal and state requirements, and greater future costs can be anticipated. Federal statutes and regulations establish most of the infrastructure requirements related to students with disabilities, but these federal requirements are an unfunded mandate. School remodeling and new construction costs are financed through local and state funds; no federal financial assistance is provided to meet the federal accessibility requirements. Special education represents a significant cost element of school districts’ current operating budgets, and it also represents a significant element in their capital budgets. While at present these infrastructure costs cannot be aggregated to the state or national level with any certainty due to limited data, they certainly must be considered by school districts in planning facilities for the future.