Special Education Is Funding Early Help

Overview & Synopsis

Bit by bit, the U.S. Department of Education is trying to pull down the walls that have traditionally separated general and special education. One facet of the plan is the department's support of "response to intervention," or RTI, an educational technique that bolsters the skills of academically struggling students before they fall so far behind that they need special education services. Another facet is "coordinated, comprehensive early-intervening services," a method of paying for RTI-related programs using federal special education dollars. At a conference last month, state special education directors and federal officials focused on learning more about early-intervening services. The potential to help children early in their school careers is great, supporters say. However, the rules and restrictions surrounding early-intervening services are so complex that at least some state officials are wary. Shifting scarce special education dollars to general education initiatives could provide a new opportunity--or create a paperwork burden they are reluctant to take on.