The Cost of Inclusion: Rethinking Funding, Staffing, and Support

What if the biggest challenge facing special education isn't funding—it's the systems surrounding it? Allie Wilson and Christina Santoro discuss inclusion, staffing shortages, teacher burnout, compliance, and how school leaders can create sustainable change that supports both students and educators.

School leaders everywhere are facing the same challenges: growing special education needs, staffing shortages, compliance pressures, and shrinking budgets. The common response is simple—schools need more funding.

In this episode, Allie Wilson, founder of IEP Assure, sits down with education consultant Christina Santoro to explore a bigger question: Are outdated systems preventing schools from effectively supporting students, teachers, and families?

Together, they discuss:

• Why special education teacher shortages continue to grow
• The hidden cost of underfunding inclusion
• How districts can rethink resource allocation
• The connection between compliance issues and system failures
• Why teacher burnout is a leadership and systems challenge—not just a staffing challenge
• How school leaders can begin building sustainable, long-term solutions

This conversation challenges the idea that more money alone will solve education's biggest problems and offers a fresh perspective on what meaningful change could look like.

Guest: Christina Santoro

Host: Allie Wilson, Founder of IEP Assure