Special Education Overview

The United States Department of Education has an Office of Special Education Programs to help those individuals from birth to 21 years of age with disabilities. These programs help fund, support and lead the special education efforts in our communities across the country. The need for these programs is on the rise. With increasing awareness of special needs and disabilities as well as learning disabilities we now have more resources than ever to fit the needs of individual students.

The National Center for Learning Disabilities states that:

• 2.9 million students are currently receiving services in special education for their learning disabilities.
• Most people with learning disabilities have the disability affect their reading ability.
• 44 percent of parents that saw warning signs of learning disabilities in their children waited at least a year or more to take the signs seriously.
• 38 percent of kids with learning disabilities drop out of school.
• Students with learning disabilities are more at risk for substance abuse due to their lack of self esteem and trouble with their schoolwork.

There are thirteen different reasons (general) that qualify a student for special education services. These are: learning disabilities, autism, brain injury, deaf/blind, speech and language problems, visual impairments, hearing issues, multiple and cross over disabilities, orthopedic problems, mental retardation, serious health issues, behavior disorders (or emotional), and multi-sensory impairment.