The Joint Finance Committee heard the state Department of Education’s budget recommendations Thursday. (Delaware Public Media)

Gov. John Carney’s proposed Fiscal Year 2020 budget includes $1.56 billion for education, a 5 percent increase from last year’s budget, driven in part by the increase in students receiving special education services. At the beginning of this school year, Delaware had about 23,400 students in special education, comprising 17 percent of the total student body.