"I do think this is a national problem," Loeb said. "It's hard for the school, but then it's very hard for the parents and the kids to get what they really deserve from the education system, and I think this is an issue particularly for small districts, where a few high-cost kids really impact their budget."
Loeb said a big part of the problem is a critical shortage of certified special ed teachers. Nationwide, 98 percent of school districts report they can't find the special ed teachers they need, according to SpecialEdShortages.org.