The U.S. Department of Education today released its 23rd annual report to Congress on the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), showing among other things: graduation rates on the rise, dropout rates falling and more students with disabilities being educated in regular classes than ever before.

A record 57.4 percent of students with disabilities graduated from high school with a standard diploma in 1998-99 -- up from the 55.4 percent who received diplomas in 1997-98 and 51.9 percent in 1993-94.

By contrast, the rate of dropouts among students with disabilities fell from 34.5 percent in 1993-94 to 28.9 percent in 1998-99.

"Progress continues to be made, but at a time when barely half of students with disabilities are graduating on time from high school, we still have a long way to go," said U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige. "That’s why we will take the opportunity of IDEA reauthorization to explore ways to improve all aspects of special education so that we leave no child behind."

To prepare for reauthorization, the department has held a series of public meetings across the country to gather input about how the act can be improved. Written comments have also been solicited. In July, the President’s Commission on Excellence in Special Education will issue recommendations for enhancing services to America’s six million students with disabilities.

Meanwhile, Congress has begun consideration of the administration’s largest-ever request for state grants for special education -- $8.5 billion.

Against this backdrop, the annual report provided these other findings:

• Graduation rates varied by disability. Students with visual impairments received diplomas at the highest rate – 75.1 percent -- followed by students with traumatic brain injury, 70.3 percent, and students with hearing impairments, 69.4 percent.
• Lowest graduation rates were recorded by students with mental retardation, 41.7 percent, and emotional disturbance, 41.9 percent.
• Dropout rates were lowest among students with autism, 9.5 percent; deaf-blindness, 11.5 percent and visual impairments, 11.8 percent. The highest dropout rates occurred among students with emotional and behavioral disorders: half of the students in that disability category quit school in 1998-99.
• Participation rates in state assessments varied from 33 to 97 percent of students with disabilities. Among the 1997 amendments to IDEA was a provision that states must provide alternate assessments for students with disabilities.
• Black students with disabilities exceeded their representation in special education among the resident population. The most striking disparities were in the mental retardation and developmental delay categories. In 1999-2000, of all the students served for mental retardation, 34 percent were black compared to 14.5 of all blacks in the general population. Likewise, of all the students served for developmental delay, 30 percent were black.
• The number of students ages 3-21 served under IDEA rose from 4.7 million in 1990-91 to 6.2 million in 1999-2000.
• Specific learning disabilities continued to be the most prevalent disability, representing half of the students with disabilities covered under IDEA.
• Inclusion continues to rise. During 1984-85, only one-quarter of the students aged 6-21 with disabilities spent more than 80 percent of their school day in a regular class. By 1998-99, that figure had risen to almost half – a record 47.4 percent.
• Of the students 6-21 served primarily in the regular classroom, about 70 percent were white, 14 percent black, 12 percent Hispanic, 2 percent Asian/Pacific Islander and 1 percent American Indian/Alaska Native.
• Poverty is the single greatest predictor of academic and social failure in America’s schools.
• Among children receiving early intervention services, a high incidence of children of very low birth weight in all racial/ethnic groups existed, but the proportions differed by race and ethnicity.

Congress in 1975 passed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, now known as IDEA. The law guarantees the entitlement of a "free appropriate public education" to the nation's children and youth with disabilities.

NOTE TO EDITORS: The 23rd annual report to Congress will be posted on the department's web site at www.ed.gov/about/reports/annual/osep/2001/index.html. Copies will also be available through the department's "ED Pubs" service on the Web at http://www.edpubs.ed.gov/ or by phoning 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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