The Autism Alliance of Michigan (AAoM) has made education a key focus after years of supporting autistic individuals and their families. They have seen the unfairness in educational services for students with disabilities. Families often feel frustrated when these services are not enough. Because of this, AAoM’s education and policy experts decided to take action.
“We represent the families and individuals we serve across the state,” says Heather Eckner, AAoM’s Director of Statewide Education. “But we don’t always take the lead. We avoid duplicating work already being done. Instead, we look at the whole system and ask, ‘What is happening? Who is leading efforts we can join?’ As we stayed involved in education, especially for students with disabilities, we felt a strong need to act.”
In response to a state order included in the 2024-25 School Aid budget, AAoM was asked to develop the Michigan Special Education Finance Reform Blueprint. This legislative plan aims to make sure Michigan funds public special education fairly and properly. AAoM is now working with educators and other stakeholders around the state. Their goal is to provide more financial support to students with greater needs. Feedback from 900 participants in AAoM’s 2023 Special Education Experience survey showed that many parents worry about inadequate and unfair funding for children with disabilities.
“The current funding system was not designed for today’s students. The results show it is failing them,” Eckner explains. Michigan’s special education funding largely comes from court rulings and relies on a patchwork method. This has made income differences between communities worse. Michigan is one of the few states that uses a reimbursement system. Right now, it only covers 28.6% of costs, which is the lowest rate in the country.
Michigan’s graduation rate for students with disabilities is one of the lowest in the nation. Only 61% of these students earn a high school diploma on time. Nationally, that number is 71%, and for students without disabilities, it is 86%. The dropout rate for Michigan students with disabilities is more than twice as high as for those without disabilities.
“This is not just a funding gap. It is a crisis,” Eckner says. “It has led to a situation where the wealth of a community determines how much funding is available for students with unique needs, which the law requires schools to meet. Over time, this has affected how many students are identified as having disabilities. It has also hurt the quality and amount of services schools can offer.”
AAoM’s Blueprint is based on several key beliefs. They say all Michigan students deserve a free public education that prepares them for life after school. Students with disabilities should get the support and services they need. Every child learns in their own way and has different needs. The data on student outcomes, past funding, and other evidence show that Michigan needs to change how it funds special education.
“A child’s zip code should not decide the quality of their education in Michigan,” Eckner says. “Disability affects all communities, regardless of location, wealth, race, or language. These overlapping challenges are even harder for marginalized children. This complexity is one reason why fixing education policy in this area has been so difficult.”
