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Schools make a bundle off special needs kids. They want them in the school.

They may get compensated for some or all of the extra expense involved with dealing with a special needs kid. The fact is public schools are obligated to providing an appropriate education for every child who lives in the district.

Depending on the severity of the child’s condition, the schools must provide education for 12 months instead of 9 and they are obligated to provide it until age 21 rather than 18. If the school cannot physically provide for the child, the district must pay for a facility that can. This obligation takes first priority. If the district has to lay off four regular classroom teachers to provide for one kid, they legally have to do it.

School’s financial nightmares are (and they can’t admit it of course): a large trailer park opening up—lots of kids and no property tax revenue and severely disabled kids moving into the district.