[Amelia]

The US's philosophy during the period of greatest growth and prosperity used to be #3. Somebody who grows up to start a company or make a technological breakthrough pays back the nation's investment in his education in short order, while spending $100K on educating somebody who never winds up making enough to pay significant taxes is a bad investment.

Here is a nice summary of Federal involvement in special education. I believe the reversing of financial priorities is largely a result of court mandates.

[the bottle let me down]

believe the reversing of financial priorities is largely a result of court mandates.

Court mandates enforcing IDEA, a federal law. In this, as in other areas, Congress passed feel good legislation (let's guarantee that the disabled kids get education) and let the courts take the blame when the inevitable enforcement began.