Financing inclusive Education: Critical Reflections on the Italian Model of Resource Allocation for Inclusive Education

Abstract

Inclusion-related educational research requires a critical and reflective analysis of educational (in)equity and, thus, also a critical view on policies, legislation, and governance dynamics. Policies of education funding, on both international and national scales, provide important backgrounds for knowledge discourses and organisational cultures on the school level. Data show that many European countries are currently moving towards funding models where the latter is detached from the identification of so-called “special educational needs” for specific individuals, and it is potentially considered less at risk of enhancing inequity via labelling. This article focuses on the policy of inclusion-related education funding in Italy and discusses it critically. Moreover, drawing upon a comprehensive international comparative analysis of three educational systems (Norway, Ireland, and Italy) we aim to bring to light some implicit cultural and structural taken-for-granted choices. In doing so, we analyse the power-related dynamics behind inclusion-related funding strategies by shedding light on the constructions of cases, the concepts of normalcy and difference within the framework of funding strategies, as well as their relevance for educational equity.