#CostingEquity: The case for disability-responsive education financing

Produced by the International Disability and Development Consortium, this report finds that millions of children with disabilities are being left out of school because little to no money is being budgeted for their needs.

Despite evidence of the significant benefits of inclusive education, particularly during early childhood development, most governments and external financers are not paying heed; too often guaranteeing small allocations for special education, or forgetting children with disabilities altogether. The report finds a persistent failure to invest in system-wide reform.

The report recommends that governments in low-income contexts need to close persistent gaps between inclusive education policy and practice, and provide adequate domestic financing for this. It calls for a more strategic use of existing resources, reprioritisation of budgets, stronger focus on quality measures such as improved teacher education, and strong political and community leadership on inclusion.