Special Education Fast Facts
1. There are 6,612,752 children and students age 3 to 21 served under IDEA, Part B in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. There are more than twice as many males served as females.
| Males served: | 4,421,464 |
| Females served | 2,191,288 |
2. Since the first Special Education law was enacted in 1977 the total number of children and students served has increased by 81%.
3. California has the most children and students age 3 to 21 served under IDEA, Part B of any of the 50 states with 670,904.
4. North Dakota has the fewest children and students age 3 to 21 served under IDEA, Part B of any of the 50 states with 13,616.
5. 13.6% of total student enrollment age 3 to 21 is served under one of IDEA’s disability categories.
| Specific Learning Disability: | 5.4% |
| Speech or language impairments: | 3.0% |
| Mental Retardation: | 1.1% |
| Emotional Disturbance: | 0.9% |
| Hearing Impairment: | 0.2% |
| Orthopedic impairments: | 0.1% |
| Other Health Impairments: | 1.2% |
| Visual Impairments: | 0.1% |
| Multiple Disabilities: | 0.3% |
| Deaf-Blindness: | Rounds to Zero |
| Autism: | 0.5% |
| Traumatic Brain Injury: | 0.1% |
| Developmental delay: | 0.7% |
6. Number of mediations held through dispute resolution procedures for children ages 3 through 21 served under IDEA, Part B:
| Mediations held related to due process: | 2,456 |
| Mediation held not related to due process: | 2,933 |
7. Number of hearings (fully adjudicated) through dispute resolution procedures for children ages 3 through 21 served under IDEA, Part B:
| Hearings (fully adjudicated): | 3,263 |
| Resolved without hearing: | 11,571 |
8. There were 3,546 written, signed complaints initiated through dispute resolution procedures for children ages 3 through 21 served under IDEA, Part B.
9. Personnel employed to provide special education and related services to children and students ages 3 through 21 under IDEA, Part B, by personnel type:
| Audiologists | 1,461 |
| Speech-Language Pathologists | 55,508 |
| Interpreters | 7,046 |
| Psychologists | 28,867 |
| Occupational therapists | 16,754 |
| Physical therapists | 7,783 |
| Physical education teachers and recreation | 13,472 |
| Social Workers | 17,646 |
| Medical/Nursing service staff | 15,316 |
| Counselors and Rehabilitation counselors | 14,617 |
| Orientation and Mobility Specialists | 1,183 |
10. Teachers employed to provide special education and related services to students ages 6 through 21 under IDEA, Part B, by qualification:
| Highly qualified | 354,298 |
| Not highly qualified | 44,924 |
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services last report for school year 2006 – 2007
