Public Advocate Williams inquires about the funding allocated for impartial hearings and litigation of due process cases in special education. DOE officials provide a breakdown of costs and explain recent changes to the system.

• The $1.35 billion figure covers all costs involved in due process, including transportation, services, legal costs, and tuition payments.
• IESP cases make up a larger number of the cases filed.
• The figure doesn't include the budget for the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH), which was set up to handle the increased number of cases more efficiently.
• The DOE is working on getting a better understanding of the actual cost of due process cases for specific service years, as the current figure includes payments for previous years as well.