The goal of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1968 and the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 was to help handicapped children make it through school. Data show that the resulting funding formula and court rulings have created many problems in special education. New York's special ed system uses 22 cents of every education dollar and employs one quarter of all school employees. More than one in 10 children in America now qualifies for special education in some way. These students made up 12.1 percent of the student population in 1994, up from 8.3 percent in 1976.
Many educators see problems with the present system.
The schools pocket the special ed money, and in many instances the classes, in effect, baby sit the special ed students. Critics note that special ed students demand a disproportionate share of teacher and classroom time. Investor's Business Daily , January 4, 1996.