Under sequestration, Congress cut $2.5 billion from federal education funding in fi­scal year 2013, including $579 million from special education (IDEA Part B). We surveyed more than 1,000 NCLD parents online to see how budget cuts have affected their children’s education. We’ve compiled the results in an infographic that you can download.

Budget Survey Methodology

From September 18 to November 14, 2013, NCLD hosted an online budget survey on our website LD.org, which received over 500,000 unique visitors per month during that period. NCLD asked our constituents to take the budget survey via email and social media. We received 1,065 total responses, including 1,007 responses from parents.

Here is a summary of the results of the survey.

Parents surveyed have children at all grade levels.

• 7.8% Pre K
• 51.2% Grades K-5
• 30.6% Grades 6-8
• 28.9% Grades 9-12
• 5.7% Post Secondary

52.7 percent of parents have seen changes in their child’s <a href=”https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/special-services/special-education-basics/understanding-special-education” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>special education services</a> due to budget cuts in public schools since the beginning of the last school year (2012-2013).

In public schools that have experienced budget cuts, parents have observed these changes in their children’s education.

• 32.2% Services Decreased
• 29.5% Class Size Increased
• 27.4% Service Providers Decreased
• 13.1% Student Placement Changed

94.2 percent of parents are worried about the impact of budget cuts on their child’s education. This includes both parents who have seen changes and those who have not.

74.6 percent of all respondents have heard that sequestration may impact education budgets around the nation. This includes both parents and non-parents.

Only 22.8 percent of all respondents have received any information from their local school about budget cuts that will occur this school year (2013-2014). This includes both parents and non-parents.

Under sequestration, Congress cut $2.5 billion from federal education funding in fi­scal year 2013, including $579 million from special education (IDEA Part B). We surveyed more than 1,000 NCLD parents online to see how budget cuts have affected their children’s education.