Moche CAPE Formula: Cost Analysis of Public Education.

Overview & Synopsis

The Moche Cost Analysis of Public Education (CAPE) formula was developed to identify total and per pupil costs of regular elementary education, regular secondary education, elementary special education, and secondary special education. Costs are analyzed across five components: (1) comprehensive costs (including transportation and supplemental expenses); (2) service costs (maintenance/operations and supplemental expenses; (3) administrative costs; (general, level-specific, and site-based costs); (4) support costs (assessment, direct services, and related services); and (5) instructional costs (special education, regular education, and supplemental expenses). The CAPE formula was applied to 1992-93 cost data from three southwest Virginia school systems. The study's conclusions included the following: special education annual per pupil expenditures averaged 1.2 to 1.6 times the cost of regular education per pupil expenditures; per pupil costs of inclusive programming were almost twice as great as costs of traditional mainstreaming, but 30 percent to 60 percent less costly than segregated special education services; the proportion of time students receive special education services is not affected by service delivery model; staffing patterns are influenced by service delivery environments; and per pupil expenditures for special education are more costly at the secondary than the elementary level. (DB)