Dollars and Sense in Special Education.

Overview & Synopsis

Presented is an analysis of cost benefit factors in special education showing that special education for persons with handicaps of varying severity leads to decreased dependency, increased economic self sufficiency, and longterm cost effectiveness. Considered are the following aspects: education as human capital investment, the economic benefits of special education, basic aspects of self sufficiency, the near average earnings of the mildly disabled, the greatly reduced earnings of the severely disabled, education for self sufficiency, costs of special education, costs of institutionalization, long term quantitative benefits of special education, the earnings-education ratio, special education payback via tax recoupment, payback period analysis results, positive investment return of special education, a case for public investment in special education in foreign countries. Tables include a continuum of alternative living arrangements, a continuum of education alternatives, components of special education costs, a comparison of cost indices by exceptionality and six different studies (and states), the ratio of future earnings of retarded workers to costs of their public education, and special education payback period computations. (DB)