I know I already posted a really difficult filled-with-numbers thread, but here's another one with some serious math about the hypothesis I stated in the linked thread.
The attached/quoted thread speaks to a $4-7 billion/year cost nobody tracks: foster children getting special education at 2-3x the normal rate.
Before someone has the chance to ask "Did you actually run the numbers?" - yes.
I pulled data from 50 states, ran the statistics, and made charts.
Here's what I found.
Per several prior posts I've mentioned researching where school district money actually goes and why they constantly ask taxpayers for more.
What was found was a $3-5 billion/year cost that NO federal database tracks and NO published study has systematically measured across all 50 states.
The foster care → special education pipeline.
The only thing I ask is that you read all the posts in this thread as it builds a story that I'm not entirely sure has been surfaced anywhere. It's some weighty material. I've also included at the end of the thread explanations of 3 of the national systems involved.