In The Politics of Autism, I write about special education and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
To support high-quality special education services for over seven million Pre-K through 12 students with disabilities, the Budget provides $14.4 billion for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) StateGrants, a $200 million increase over the 2023 enacted level. Since 2021, the Administration has secured a $1.3 billion, or 10-percent increase in annual funding for the program as well as an additional $2.6 billion in American Rescue Plan funds to help students with disabilities recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Budget also invests $545 million in IDEA Grants for Infants and Families to provide early intervention services to infants and toddlers with disabilities. To address nationwide special educator shortages, the Budget also invests $125 million, which is $10 million above the 2023 enacted level, in grants to prepare special education and early intervention personnel—addressing another critical educator shortage area.
