Students with Disabilities
Updated August 5, 2020 |
Infoplease Staff
In 1998–1999, 6 million children (ages 0 to 21), or about 13% of public school children, were enrolled in special education programs. Slowly increasing numbers and proportions of children are being served in programs for the disabled. During the 1990–1991 school year, 11% of students were served in these programs compared with 13% in 1998–1999. Some of the rise since 1990–1991 may be attributed to the increasing proportion of children identified as learning disabled, which rose from 5% of enrollment to 6% of enrollment in 1998–1999.
| Percent of all students served by federally supported programs for students with disabilities1 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type of disability | 1976–1977 | 1980–1981 | 1990–1991 | 1995–1996 | 1999–2000 | 2000–2001 | 2001–2002 |
| All disabilities | 8.32% | 10.14% | 11.55% | 12.43% | 13.21% | 13.34% | 13.34% |
| Specific learning disabilities | 1.80 | 3.58 | 5.17 | 5.75 | 6.04 | 6.02 | 5.97 |
| Speech or language impairments | 2.94 | 2.86 | 2.39 | 2.28 | 2.30 | 2.30 | 2.27 |
| Mental retardation | 2.17 | 2.03 | 1.30 | 1.27 | 1.28 | 1.27 | 1.24 |
| Emotional disturbance | 0.64 | 0.85 | 0.95 | 0.98 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Hearing impairments | 0.20 | 0.19 | 0.14 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.15 |
| Orthopedic impairments | 0.20 | 0.14 | 0.12 | 0.14 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.15 |
| Other health impairments | 0.32 | 0.24 | 0.13 | 0.30 | 0.54 | 0.62 | 0.71 |
| Visual impairments | 0.09 | 0.08 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.05 | 0.05 |
| Multiple disabilities | — | 0.17 | 0.23 | 0.21 | 0.24 | 0.26 | 0.27 |
| Deaf–blindness | — | (2) | (2) | (2) | (2) | (2) | (2) |
| Developmental delay | — | — | — | — | 0.04 | 0.06 | 0.09 |
| Autism and traumatic brain injury | — | — | — | 0.09 | 0.17 | 0.20 | 0.25 |
| Preschool disabled3 | (4) | (4) | 0.95 | 1.21 | 1.24 | 1.25 | 1.28 |
NOTE: Because of rounding, details may not add to totals. (—) = not available.
1. Based on the enrollment in public schools, kindergarten through 12th grade, including a relatively small number of prekindergarten students. Includes students ages 3 to 21.
2. Less than .05%.
3. Includes preschool children ages 3 to 5.
4. Included in count by specific disability.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; National Center for Education Statistics. From Digest of Education Statistics 2003.
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