The Impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act on Per-Student Public Education Expenditures at the State Level: 1987-2000

摘要

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 are designed to protect the civil rights of individuals with disabilities. These two laws have had a major impact on public schools, their offerings of services, and their budgets. The purpose of the present study is to determine if passage of the ADA in 1990 has resulted in a statistically significant increase in per-student public education expenditures at the state level. Although numerous studies have estimated educational cost functions, no prior study has examined the impact of the ADA on per-capita educational spending. Results of the present study indicate that the ADA increased per-student educational spending at the state level, but by less than 2 percent. By way of comparison, Rothstein and Miles (1995) noted in their study that desegregation added 4.1 percent to per-pupil spending and bilingual education added 3.9 percent.