A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

FOR RELEASE:
March 12, 1999

Contact: Jim Bradshaw
(202) 401-2310

The number of students with disabilities who received high school diplomas jumped 31 percent from 1986-87 to 1995-96, reflecting the mandate of a "free appropriate public education" to which America's nearly six million special education students have been entitled since passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) almost a quarter-century ago.

Increased graduation rates have occurred as ever-greater numbers of disabled students have been educated alongside their nondisabled peers. "Increasing the high school completion rate of disabled children is very important to these young people, their families, and America," said Secretary Riley. "It opens doors of opportunity and self-sufficiency." A record 45.4 percent of disabled students ages 6-21 attended regular classes in the 1995-96 school year, extending a trend that began with enactment of IDEA in 1975.

The figures are contained in the 20th Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, released today by the U.S. Education Department. The volume has become a benchmark on the progress the nation is making toward promoting educational excellence for America's nearly six million students with disabilities.

"We've emptied the institutions that warehoused students with disabilities a generation ago that wasted their talents and energy," said Judith E. Heumann, assistant secretary for special education and rehabilitative services. "These numbers show that thanks to IDEA, disabled students can succeed in school and go on to become productive, taxpaying citizens while enabling schools to save money by keeping dual education systems to a minimum."

Among the highlights of the report:

• The number of students with disabilities ages 14-22 graduating with diplomas increased 31 percent -- from 96,210 in 1986-87 to 126,051 in 1995-96, the most recent year statistics are available.
• The number of disabled students ages 6 through 21 spending at least 80 percent of their day in regular classes has more than doubled -- from 1.1 million in 1986-87 to 2.3 million in 1995-96.
• Total numbers of students with disabilities ages 3 through 21 served under IDEA rose 29 percent from 4.5 million in 1987-88 to 5.8 million in 1996-97.
• (States with the highest graduation rates in 1995-96 - Hawaii 90 percent, Texas 81 percent and Pennsylvania, 77 percent. States with the lowest graduation rates - Alaska, 43 percent, Michigan, 44 percent and Iowa, 48 percent.)
• More than 90 percent of the school-aged students served under IDEA in 1996-97 were classified in one of four disability categories -- learning disabilities (51.1 percent or 2.7 million children), speech or language impairments (20.1 percent or 1.1 million children), mental retardation (11.4 percent or 0.6 million children) and emotional disturbance (8.6 percent or 0.4 million children).
• The per-child allocation of special education dollars from the federal government rose 107 percent -- from $258 per child in 1984 to $535 per child in 1997. (Additional figures compiled after the report went to press showed the per-child allocation in 1998 was $636 and the estimate for 1999 is $702.)
• States with the highest percentage of IDEA children ages 6 through 17 during the 1996-97 school year, based on the estimated resident population: Rhode Island and Massachusetts, 14.4 percent; New Jersey and West Virginia, 13.7 percent; and Connecticut, 13.2 percent.
• States with the lowest percentage of children ages 6 through 17 served under IDEA, based on the estimated resident population: Hawaii 7.6 percent; South Dakota, 8.6; and Idaho, 8.8. The District of Columbia's rate was 8.7 percent.
• Although males and females comprise equal proportions of the school-aged population, males account for approximately two-thirds of all students served in special education. The disproportionate representation of males in special education seems greatest in the learning disability and emotional disturbance categories.
• Significant increases have occurred in the number of students with learning disabilities and orthopedic impairments. From 1987-88 to 1996-97, learning disabilities grew 37.8 percent and orthopedic impairments 41.4 percent.
• Overall, girls with and without disabilities had better in-school results than boys with and without disabilities. However, despite their better academic performance, females with disabilities have less positive postschool results than their male peers. They are less likely to be employed, have lower wages and are less likely to enroll in postsecondary education or training.
• Students with emotional disturbance fail more courses, earn lower grade point averages, miss more days of school, and are retained at grade more than students with other disabilities. Fifty-five percent leave school before graduating.
• A "chronic" shortage exists of special education teachers who are fully certified in their positions.
• Graduation rates vary by disability. Students with speech and language impairments, specific learning disabilities, hearing impairments and visual impairments were most likely to graduate with a diploma or certificate.

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NOTE TO EDITORS: The 20th annual report will soon be posted on the department's web site at www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/OSEP/Research/OSEP98AnlRpt/. Copies are also available by calling the department's "ED Pubs" service at 1-877-4-ED-PUBS, faxing 1-301-470-1244 or writing ED Pubs, P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, Md. 20794-1398.

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