- Special education costs are climbing rapidly in New Jersey, and for local public school districts, the strain is real.

Many are paying out of pocket for out-of-district placements.

Advocates say the state has only given patchwork fixes with no long-term plan.

But as senior correspondent Joanna Gagas reports, there's a renewed push in Trenton to change just how that special education is funded.

It's not just the classification, it's the types of classification that we see in students, that these students are coming with a lot more needs.

School districts across the state have seen the costs for special education grow significantly in the last several years.

Currently, about 17% of kids are enrolled in special ed, according to the New Jersey Department of Education.

Many districts like Tom's to absorb those costs.

Lo years, Superintendent Micha the growth has been stagge It's gone up 55% when you physical therapy, just rel up 70%.

There's no contro line items for the servic for the kids and it's bec We're only being funded 1 on what we should be gett The state funds special ed from the general educatio state aid to districts via formula known as S two.

T called special education e extraordinary special educ is essentially any any s over $40,000 that the dis