A new article by Alia Beard Rau for the Arizona Republic explains how Arizona’s system for funding special education unequally benefits different schools.

“It’s a direct result of how the state funds education for students with special needs: Arizona’s spending on special education benefits schools with the fewest number of students who require it.

About one-third of Arizona students attend schools — most of which are charters — that receive more state money to serve students with special needs than those schools  actually spend for that purpose.”