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

To Assure the Free Appropriate Public Education of All Children with Disabilities - 1996

Number and Disabilities of Children and Youth Served Under IDEA, Part B

Total Number of Children and Youth Served

In 1994, IASA amended the ESEA by eliminating the Chapter 1 Handicapped Program and including funding for all eligible children and youth with disabilities under IDEA.

This adjustment affects the way data on students served are reported. Prior to 1994-95, infants and toddlers served through Chapter 1 Handicapped Program funds were reported under both the Chapter 1 Handicapped Program count, which was combined with the IDEA, Part B count for reporting purposes, and the Part H count. As of December 1, 1994, more than 100,000 infants and toddlers who would have been served under Chapter 1 Handicapped Program were reported exclusively under Part H. Therefore, this section will only discuss data on children and youth with disabilities ages 3-21 served under the IDEA, Part B program.

TABLE 1.2 Students Ages 3-21 Served: a/
Number and Percentage Change, School Years 1987-88 through 1994-95
                        Change in Total
                       Number Served from
School Year            Previous Year (%)             Total Served
-----------            ------------------            ------------   1987-88b/                  ---                      4,455,985   1988-89                    1.7                      4,533,793   1989-90                    2.3                      4,638,605   1990-91                    2.5                      4,756,517   1991-92                    3.4                      4,920,227   1992-93                    3.3                      5,081,023   1993-94                    3.8                      5,271,847   1994-95                    3.2                      5,439,626
a/ The data for 1987-88 through 1993-94 include children 3 through 21 years of age served under IDEA, Part B and Chapter 1 of ESEA (SOP). For 1994-95 all children ages 3-21 are served under Part B, which includes children previously counted under the Chapter 1 Handicapped Program.

b/ The number of children with disabilities reported for the most recent year reflects revisions to State data received by the Office of Special Education Programs between the July 1 of the fiscal year and the following October 1. Updates received from States for previous years are included, so totals may not match those reported in previous Annual Reports to Congress.

c/ Although States must make FAPE available to all eligible children with disabilities as reported here, funds are based only on the number of children with disabilities served for up to 12 percent of the State's total school population. This is commonly referred to as "the 12 percent cap."

Source: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, Data Analysis System (DANS).

Table 1.2 shows the number and percent change of children and youth with disabilities provided special education under Part B and the Chapter 1 Handicapped Program from 1987-88 through 1994-95.3 A total of 5,439,626 children and youth with disabilities ages 3-21 were served under IDEA, Part B during the 1994-95 school year, an increase of 167,779 (3.2 percent) from the previous year (see table 1.3). While this increase was somewhat less than in the previous year, the rate of growth in the number of students receiving special education continues to exceed the rate of growth in the ages 3-21 resident population (which increased by 793,570, or 1.1 percent, in 1994-95) and the rate of growth in the number of children enrolled in school (which increased by 671,161, or 1.5 percent, in 1994-95). In the resident population, the percentage of children ages 3-21 served under IDEA, Part B increased from 7.5 percent in 1993-94 to 7.7 percent in 1994-95.

TABLE 1.3 Number of Children Served by Age Group:
School Years 1993-94 through 1994-95
                              Number of Children          Change          Percentage of
Age       1993-94      1994-95    Number Percentage  Total 3 through 21
---       -------      -------    ------ ----------  ------------------ 3-5       491,685      524,458    32,773    6.7             9.6 6-11    2,458,924    2,520,863    61,939    2.5            46.3 12-17   2,079,094    2,154,963    75,869    3.6            39.6 18-21     242,144      239,342    -2,802   -1.2             4.4 3-21    5,271,847    5,439,626   167,779    3.2           100.0
NOTE: For 1993-94, funding for children and youth with disabilities includes children counted under IDEA, Part B and the Chapter 1 Handicapped Program. For 1994-95, all children and youth ages 3 through 21 with disabilities are included under IDEA, Part B.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, Data Analysis System (DANS).

Age Groups of Students Served under IDEA, Part B

The two largest age groups served under IDEA, Part B in 1994-95 were ages 6-11 (2,520,863) and 12-17 (2,154,963) (see table 1.3). The remaining age groups, ages 3-5 (524,458) and 18-21 (239,342) comprised less than 15 percent of all students served under IDEA, Part B. Analyzing the growth in the number of children by age range provides some insights into the dynamics of the 3.2 percent increase (from 5,271,847 to 5,439,626) in the number of children ages 3-21 served under IDEA, Part B. Students ages 6-21 comprised about 90 percent of the special education population. However, they accounted for only 80 percent of the increase in total number of children served. Preschool children ages 3-5, who were only 9.6 percent of all children receiving special education, accounted for about 20 percent of the growth in the number of students served. Preschool children also had the largest growth rate of all age groups served with a 6.7 percent increase (from 491,685 to 524,458), followed by students ages 12-17 with a 3.6 percent increase (from 2,079,094 to 2,154,963). The number of students ages 18-21 served decreased by 1.2 percent (from 242,144 to 239,342). This decrease may be attributable to the 1.8 percent decrease in the 18-21 resident population between 1993-94 and 1994-95.

TABLE 1.4 Number and Percentage Change of Students Ages 6-21 Served:
School Years 1993-94 through 1994-95
                         Total                 Change        Percent of
Disability        1993-94     1994-95      Number  Percent   Total 6-21
----------        -------     -------      ------  -------   ---------- Specific  learning disabilities      2,428,062   2,513,977    85,915    3.5       51.1  Speech or  language  impairments       1,018,208   1,023,665     5,457    0.5       20.8  Mental  retardation         553,869     570,855    16,986    3.1       11.6  Serious emotional  disturbance         415,071     428,168    13,097    3.2        8.7  Multiple  disabilities        109,730      89,646   -20,084  -18.3       -1.8  Hearing  impairments          64,667      65,568       901    1.4        1.3 Orthopedic  impairments          56,842      60,604     3,762    6.6        1.2  Other health  impairments          83,080     106,509    23,429   28.2        2.2  Visual impairments          24,813      24,877        64    0.3        0.5  Autism               19,058      22,780     3,722   19.5        0.5  Deaf-blindness        1,367       1,331       -36   -2.6        0.0  Traumatic brain  injury                5,395       7,188     1,793   33.2        0.1  All disabilities  4,780,162   4,915,168   135,006    2.8      100.0
NOTE: For 1993-94, funding for children and youth with disabilities included children counted under IDEA, Part B and the Chapter 1 Handicapped Program. For 1994-95, all children were counted under IDEA, Part B.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, Data Analysis System (DANS).

Disabilities of Students Served Under IDEA, Part B

IDEA, Part B served 4,915,168 students ages 6-21 during the 1994-95 school year. The number of students in each disability category is reported in table 1.4.4 The information in this section refers only to children ages 6-21 because the 1986 Amendments to EHA, P.L. 99-457 (now IDEA) ended the practice of collecting disability category data on children less than 6 years old.

Students with specific learning disabilities continue to account for more than half of all students with disabilities (51.1 percent). During the 1994-95 school year, 2,513,977 students with specific learning disabilities were served under IDEA, Part B, 3.5 percent (85,915) more than in 1993-94 under the Part B and Chapter 1 Handicapped Programs. However, the 1994-95 percentage of students with learning disabilities in the resident population ages 6-21 is identical to the 1993-94 percentage. Students with speech or language impairments (20.8 percent), mental retardation (11.6 percent), and serious emotional disturbance (8.7 percent) made up an additional 41.1 percent of all students ages 6-21 with disabilities. Again, these percentage distributions are similar to the 1993-94 distributions.

The increases within several disability categories were proportionately greater than the 2.8 percent increase across all categories (see table 1.4). The largest increase occurred in the traumatic brain injury category, which increased by 33.2 percent (from 5,395 to 7,188). Significant increases also occurred in the categories of other health impairments (28.2 percent from 83,080 to 106,509) and autism (19.5 percent from 19,058 to 22,780). There was a significant decrease in the category of students with multiple disabilities (from 109,730 to 89,646, or -18.3 percent).

The increases in the number of students with autism and traumatic brain injury are probably due to the relative newness of those reporting categories. The 1994-95 school year was the third year States were required to report the number of students in those categories (reporting was optional for those categories in 1991-92). Many States attributed these increases to the provision of technical assistance to districts on the identification and evaluation of students with autism and traumatic brain injury. States also indicated that during triennial review and evaluations, these relatively new categories were likely used for students who previously were reported under other disability categories.

The increase in the number of students with other health impairments appears to be the result of an expansion of the service population. Many States indicated that the increase was primarily due to increased service provision to students with attention deficit disorder. This is the third year several States have reported increases in the number of students identified as having other health impairments because of increased services to students with attention deficit disorder. The decrease in the number of students with multiple disabilities was primarily due to Wisconsin's decision to stop using the category and report all students under their primary disability condition. In 1993-94, over 20 percent of all students with multiple disabilities were served in Wisconsin.

Five-Year Trends in Number of Students Served

The number of students ages 6-21 served increased by 12.7 percent (553,417) from 1990-91 through 1994-95 (see table 1.5). The increases within several disability categories were proportionately greater than the 12.7 percent increase across all categories. The largest increase occurred in the number of students with other health impairments, which increased by 89 percent (from 56,349 to 106,509). As noted earlier, much of the increase may be related to students with attention deficit disorder. A large increase also occurred in the category of students with orthopedic impairments (22.8 percent from 49,340 to 60,604). The increase in the percentage of students with orthopedic impairments and other health impairments is partly related to the relatively small number of students served in these categories. For a number of years, Michigan has combined the orthopedic impairments category with the other health impairments category. Students in both of these categories are reported under students with orthopedic impairments. Specific learning disabilities increased by 17.3 percent (from 2,144,017 to 2,513,977). There were also increases in the new categories of autism over a 4-year period (from 5,415 to 22,780) and traumatic brain injury5 (from 245 to 7,188). Two categories have decreased since 1990-91: deaf-blindness (-12.7 percent from 1,524 to 1,331) and multiple disabilities (-8.2 percent from 97,629 to 89,646). The decrease in the multiple disability category occurred in 1994-95 as a result of a decision by the Wisconsin SEA to report all students by their primary disability condition.

TABLE 1.5 Number of Students Ages 6-21 Served a/
During the 1990-91 Through 1994-95 School Years

School Year Change from 1990-91
through 1994-95
Disability Condition 1990-91 1991-92 1992-93 1993-94 1994-95 Number Percent
Specific learning disabilities 2,144,017 2,247,004 2,366,487 2,428,112 2,513,977 369,960 17.3
Speech or language impairments 987,778 998,904 998,049 1,018,208 1,023,665 35,887 3.6
Mental retardation 551,457 553,262 532,362 553,869 570,855 19,398 3.5
Serious emotional disturbance 390,764 400,211 401,652 415,071 428,168 37,404 9.6
Multiple disabilities 97,629 98,408 103,279 109,730 89,646 -7,983 -8.2
Hearing impairments 59,211 60,727 60,616 64,667 65,568 6,357 10.7
Orthopedic impairments 49,340 51,389 52,588 56,842 60,604 11,264 22.8
Other health impairments 56,349 58,749 66,063 83,080 106,509 50,160 89.0
Visual impairments 23,682 24,083 23,544 24,813 24,877 1,195 5.0
Autism NA 5,415 15,580 19,058 22,780 22,780 --
Deaf-blindness 1,524 1,427 1,394 1,367 1,331 -193 -12.7
Traumatic brain injury NA 245 3,960 5,395 7,188 7,188 --
All disabilities 4,361,751 4,499,824 4,625,574 4,780,212 4,915,168 553,417 12.7

a/ The data for 1990-91 through 1993-94 include children 6 through 21 years of age served under IDEA, Part B and Chapter 1 Handicapped Program. For 1994-95 all children ages 6-21 are served under Part B, which includes children previously counted under the Chapter 1 Handicapped Program. Autism and traumatic brain injury were introduced as separate reporting categories in the 1991-92 school year as a result of P.L. 101-476, the 1990 Amendments to IDEA.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, Data Analysis System (DANS).

3 From 1987-1994, these counts reflected the number of students with disabilities served under IDEA, Part B and the Chapter 1 Handicapped Program. These counts are now combined under IDEA, Part B. The 1987-88 school year was the first year that data were available for the 3-21 age group served under the Chapter 1 Handicapped Program.

4 Students are reported by the following disability categories: specific learning disabilities, speech or language impairments, mental retardation, serious emotional disturbance, multiple disabilities, hearing impairments, orthopedic impairments, other health impairments, visual impairments, autism, deaf-blindness, and traumatic brain injury.

5 Autism and traumatic brain injury were introduced as separate reporting categories in the 1991-92 school year as a result of P.L. 101-476, the 1990 Amendments to IDEA.
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