Consolidated Special Education Funding and Services: A Federal Perspective. CSEF Policy Paper Number 6.

Issues related to blending or consolidating services and funding to better coordinate education for exceptional students are examined in the context of educational reform and the Goals 2000 initiative. Interviews were conducted with approximately 30 federal and state officials between May 1994 and February 1995, focusing on possible barriers in law or practice based on federal statutes, rules, and regulations dealing with fiscal policy. Section 1 provides an introduction to the study, including a discussion of method, organization, and definitions. Section 2 provides a brief review of the scholarly literature on federal programs for children with disabilities and other special learning needs. Although the focus is students with disabilities, attention is also directed to issues concerning program integration and coordination for all categorical education programs for students with special needs, including general education programs. Testimony presented at hearings on the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is also examined. In section 3, types of noncategorical aid are reviewed, with attention to research findings regarding the impact of these types of federal grants on recipients. Also considered is the role of special education in two federal initiatives, schoolwide programs of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the Goals 2000 initiative. Finally, section 4 provides a listing of key recommendations for finetuning special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Overall, a consensus was reported that special education reform should be and is integrally tied to changes occurring in the entire education system. Two appendices outline the study scope and methodology and offer a brief history of federal aid to education. (Contains 72 references.) (SW)