Government and public statistics
Students With Disabilities (Condition of Education indicator)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), US Department of Education, 2024
Read the originalRead on October 16, 2026
- What it is
- The NCES Condition of Education indicator on US public school students aged 3 to 21 who receive special education and related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), by year, disability type, state and other characteristics. Last updated May 2024, covering school year 2022-23.
- How much weight it carries
- Official federal statistics based on state counts reported to the Department of Education. Counts only students served under IDEA, not students with Section 504 plans only.
Facts taken from this source
- In school year 2022-23, 7.5 million US students aged 3 to 21, equal to 15 percent of all public school students, received special education or related services under IDEA.
“In 2022-23, the number of students ages 3-21 who received special education and/or related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was 7.5 million, or the equivalent of 15 percent of all public school students.” (Introduction)
- Specific learning disabilities were the most common disability category among US students served under IDEA in 2022-23, at 32 percent.
“Among students receiving special education and/or related services, the most common category of disability was specific learning disabilities (32 percent).” (Introduction)