Considerable debate exists about the failure of the federal government and the states to fully fund the special education mandates that have been placed into law and further expanded by case law. Work in local school districts is increasingly affected by the deliberate decisions that have created legal requirements for districts to provide extensive services for students needing special education services, while simultaneously avoiding the development of clear service standards for these students. The result is that local school boards that care about students and have a social and moral conscience are placed in the unenviable situation of choosing where to allocate scarce funding. This situation is especially difficult with the passage of No Child Left Behind, in which all students, including those needing special education and related services, are required to meet the state's learning standards. In this article, the author reflects on special education funding and their commitment to students at Spokane Public Schools. (Contains 1 note.)