What is Special Education?
There is a system of support available for students with learning differences.
Getty Images
The majority of students with disabilities -- about two-thirds -- are male, according to data from the Pew Research Center on the 2017-18 school year.
For decades, public schools have been required by law to provide a “free and appropriate education” to children with disabilities. The system for making that happen is a complicated web of acronyms and regulations that govern services and support. We call it special education.
Special education refers to a set of federal and state laws and regulations designed to educate millions of children with disabilities and serve as a safety net for those unable to take advantage of the mainstream school curriculum without help.
“The special education laws are a recognition that students with disabilities aren’t able to access an education the way other students can without special supports,” says Ron Hager, managing attorney for education and employment at the National Disability Rights Network. “Special education gives students with disabilities what they need to be successful.”
Special Education by the Numbers
Special education in the United States is governed by the landmark Individuals with Disabilities Education Act , sometimes called IDEA. The law states that children with cognitive, physical, emotional and medical conditions are entitled to special services, supports, technologies and individualized planning and goals outside the general education curriculum.
More than 7 million students , or about 14% of those ages 3 to 21 in public schools, were entitled to special services and accommodations to help with learning in the 2019-20 school year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
The percentage of students in special education also varies by state, with differences likely due to inconsistencies in how states determine eligibility , as well as challenges that come with diagnosing disabilities. New York serves the largest percentage of disabled students.
Nationwide, the system helps children with disabilities gain a basic education, acquire life skills and integrate with their peers.
During the pandemic, when schooling moved online, that support continued in many cases, says Lindsay Kubatzky, director of policy and advocacy at the National Center for Learning Disabilities.
“As school systems navigated the pandemic, [special education laws] ensured that educators continued to provide high-quality, tailored education to students with disabilities, regardless of circumstances,” he wrote in an email. “In any learning setting, students are still guaranteed the accommodations and resources they need to be successful. The law protects the rights of students with disabilities even in the most challenging of times.”
However, Hager says there is still a great deal of work ahead.
“During the pandemic, no student really got what they needed,” he says. “Going forward, the special education system is going to make sure there is a closer look given so that students with disabilities are caught up.”
Who Receives Special Education Services?
Among all students receiving special education services that year, 34% had a specific learning disability, generally defined as a difference in the way they think, speak, read, write or spell. Dyslexia , a learning disorder that impacts the ability to read, is perhaps the most commonly known learning disability. But over the years, other key challenges have been identified, such as dysgraphia , which impacts writing, and dyscalculia , which impacts math and related activities.
Another 19% had a speech or language impairment. Autistic children made up about 10% of the nation’s disabled students in the 2017-18 school year, compared to about 1.5% in 2000-01, according to NCES data .
“It used to be that one in 10,000 people had autism, and now it is one in 100,” Hager says. “If you ask five different people why that is, you will get six different answers, including environmental factors. But the fact is, autism and the need for services is much more on people’s radars. And there is an understanding that autism is a spectrum, in which you can be high-functioning but also need special education services, particularly social-emotional services.”
The Special Case of ADHD
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder represents a special case when it comes to obtaining support and services at school. ADHD is not identified as one of the 13 federal disability categories that are guaranteed services, though there are ways that children with ADHD can receive help.
When the child has severe ADHD that leads to performing two grades below their level, the disability can be classified as “otherwise health impaired” and the student can be eligible for services under federal law. Less severe cases of ADHD, and other disabilities, can obtain special education services through something called a 504 Plan, which provides accommodations such as preferential seating or extended time on tests.
“Both medically and educationally, our understanding of ADHD continues to improve, but there is still tremendous confusion about what constitutes ADHD,” Elena Silva, director of PK-12 education at New America, a policy organization in Washington, D.C., wrote in an email.
Hager says that students with ADHD are often dismissed as “lazy or disorganized,” when what they actually need is special education supports and accommodations. “Students with ADHD often get shunted aside,” he says.
Obtaining Special Education Services
The first step in receiving special education services is to be identified by a school or district as a student who requires help. A teacher, parent or doctor will document a child’s challenges and make a case for services under the 13 federal disability categories.
Meetings and assessments will take place and a specialized plan known as an Individualized Education Program , or IEP, may be drafted to codify individual goals and accommodations. That plan will be revisited regularly to determine whether the disability classification is still valid and the child is still eligible for special education services.
However, Kubatzky says the system does not always align perfectly with the challenges faced by some students.
“Every student with a disability also presents a unique and individualized set of needs,” he says.
Searching for a school? Explore our K-12 directory .
Best States for Early Education
Tags: education , elementary school , parenting , K-12 education
2024 Best Colleges
Search for your perfect fit with the U.S. News rankings of colleges and universities.
Popular Stories
Best Colleges
College Admissions Playbook
You May Also Like
Ways students can spend spring break.
Anayat Durrani March 6, 2024
Attending an Online High School
Cole Claybourn Feb. 20, 2024
How to Perform Well on SAT, ACT Test Day
Cole Claybourn Feb. 13, 2024
High School Graduation Rates By State
Sarah Wood Dec. 1, 2023
Charter Schools vs. Public Schools
Jacob Fischler and Cole Claybourn Nov. 14, 2023
Understanding Media Literacy
Cole Claybourn Nov. 14, 2023
504 Plan Versus IEP: A Guide for Parents
Sally Kassab and Cole Claybourn Nov. 14, 2023
Nontraditional Student Admissions
Linda Lee Baird Oct. 31, 2023
Pros, Cons of Working in High School
Lilly Roser Sept. 29, 2023
What to Know About STEM High Schools
Sarah Wood Aug. 29, 2023
IMAGES
VIDEO