>Readers are concerned about Special Ed growing costs and school budget caps
Special ed is now consuming over 25% of our yearly school budget and growing by 10% a year. With a 2% cap that means the growth in Special Ed spending will become a larger percentage every year taking consuming resources from general ed. When will it reach a tipping point, my guess is that it will be within the next 5 years.
The law’s the law. Providing special ed is not optional. Expensive out of district tuitions are approved by the state. If you have a problem with the amount spent on special ed, take it up with Trenton. Ridgewood does a really good job of trying to be cost effective and smart in spending, keeping kids in district where it’s cheaper, but the system is designed solely for the benefit of students and their families.
