Overview
The State of Wisconsin has two funding programs for school districts to support the costs of special education and related services.
High Cost Special Education Aid (HCSE)
Provides additional funding for individual students with exceptionally significant and costly needs.
Special Education and School-Age Parents Aid (SPED)
This is the largest source of state funding for special education.
Each program is designed as a reimbursement of eligible costs from the prior year. District 2023-24 special education costs that are reimbursed during this year, Fiscal Year 2025, will be reported in WISEdata Finance (WDF) beginning in August of 2024. Information for accessing WDF may be found here: One-page User Guide on setting up access to WISEdata Finance
Federal funding for special education and related services is provided under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA grants are administered by the Special Education team.
Subscribe to the School Finance Bulletin for reporting updates and deadlines.