Question:
What percentage of students with disabilities are educated in regular classrooms?
Response:
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), enacted in 1975, mandates that children and youth ages 3� with disabilities be provided a free and appropriate public school education.
In fall 2009, some 95 percent of 6- to 21-year-old students with disabilities were served in regular schools; 3 percent were served in a separate school for students with disabilities; 1 percent were placed in regular private schools by their parents; and less than 1 percent each were served in one of the following environments: in a separate residential facility, homebound or in a hospital, or in a correctional facility.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (2012). Digest of Education Statistics, 2011 (NCES 2012-001), Chapter 2.| Percentage distribution of students 6 to 21 years old served under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part B, by educational environment and type of disability: Fall 2009 | |||||||||
| Type of disability | All environments | Regular school, time outside general class | Separate school for students with disabilities | Separate residential facility | Parentally placed in regular private schools | Homebound/ hospital placement | Correctional facility | ||
| Less than 21 percent | 21� percent | More than 60 percent | All students with disabilities | 100.0 | 59.4 | 20.7 | 14.6 | 3.01 | 0.41 | 1.22 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Autism | 100.0 | 37.4 | 18.3 | 34.8 | 8.01 | 0.61 | 0.72 | 0.3 | # |
| Deaf-blindness | 100.0 | 21.6 | 13.3 | 33.3 | 19.11 | 9.91 | 0.62 | 2.3 | 0.2 |
| Developmental delay | 100.0 | 61.6 | 20.5 | 16.2 | 0.91 | 0.11 | 0.62 | 0.2 | # |
| Emotional disturbance | 100.0 | 40.6 | 18.8 | 22.2 | 13.21 | 2.01 | 0.22 | 1.1 | 2.0 | Hearing impairments | 100.0 | 54.6 | 17.0 | 14.7 | 8.21 | 4.01 | 1.32 | 0.2 | 0.1 | Intellectual disability | 100.0 | 17.4 | 26.7 | 48.2 | 6.31 | 0.41 | 0.32 | 0.5 | 0.3 | Multiple disabilities | 100.0 | 13.2 | 16.2 | 45.5 | 19.61 | 1.91 | 0.42 | 2.9 | 0.2 | Orthopedic impairments | 100.0 | 52.2 | 16.3 | 23.6 | 5.11 | 0.21 | 0.92 | 1.7 | 0.1 | Other health impairments3 | 100.0 | 61.4 | 23.8 | 10.8 | 1.61 | 0.21 | 1.12 | 0.9 | 0.3 | Specific learning disabilities | 100.0 | 63.3 | 26.6 | 8.0 | 0.61 | 0.11 | 0.92 | 0.2 | 0.4 | Speech or language impairments | 100.0 | 86.3 | 5.6 | 4.6 | 0.31 | #1 | 3.12 | 0.1 | # | Traumatic brain injury | 100.0 | 46.4 | 23.8 | 21.5 | 5.21 | 0.61 | 0.72 | 1.7 | 0.2 | Visual impairments | 100.0 | 62.6 | 13.5 | 12.0 | 6.21 | 3.61 | 1.42 | 0.7 | # |
# Rounds to zero.
1 Data for 2006 and later years combine public and private schools and combine public and private residential facilities.
2 Students who are enrolled by their parents or guardians in regular private schools and have their basic education paid through private resources, but receive special education services at public expense. These students are not included under "Regular school, time outside general class."
3 Other health impairments include having limited strength, vitality, or alertness due to chronic or acute health problems such as a heart condition, tuberculosis, rheumatic fever, nephritis, asthma, sickle cell anemia, hemophilia, epilepsy, lead poisoning, leukemia, or diabetes.
NOTE: Data are for the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, and the Bureau of Indian Education schools. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2012). The Digest of Education Statistics, 2011 (NCES 2012-001), Table 47.
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