Students With Disabilities

Read about the needs and experiences of students with disabilities in schools

Special Report

Understanding Learning Differences
This special report explores neurodiversity and some key issues shaping the experiences of students with learning and thinking differences.
Third-grade students learn about identifying story elements as part of an elementary school's Dual Language Program in August 2023.
Third-grade students learn about identifying story elements as part of Crestwood Elementary School's Dual Language Program in August 2023 in Tampa, Fla. Due to silos in the teaching profession, English learners with disabilities may miss out on language services such as dual language programs in favor of special education programming.
Douglas R. Clifford/Zuma Press/Tampa Bay Times via TNS
English Learners How Schools Are Failing English Learners With Disabilities
An EdWeek Research Center survey found gaps in trained staff for dually identified students.
Ileana Najarro, July 24, 2026
4 min read
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Dominic Di Palermo for Education Week
Special Education Video Inside a Summer School Program for Special Education Students
Academic support offered between school years is especially important for students with learning differences.
Marvin Joseph, July 17, 2026
1 min read
20250329 AMX US NEWS OSCEOLA PARENTS FEAR DISASTROUS FALLOUT 1 OS
Melanie Thomas plays with her autistic son, Luke, at their home in St. Cloud, Fla., on March 25, 2025. The local school district implemented changes that would merge more students with disabilities into mainstream classes. A new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office found that the number of students who have disabilities and spend at least 40% of their school day in general education classes rose about 25% between the 2012-13 and 2023-24 school years.
Stephen Dowell/Orlando Sentinel via TNS
Special Education More Students With Disabilities Are in General Education Classes. How's That Working?
New report examines states' efforts to educate students with disabilities in mainstream classrooms.
1 min read
Asia Screen, special education compliance monitor, center right, greets a student at Edward T. Steel School on the first day of school on Aug. 25, 2025, in Philadelphia.
Asia Screen, special education compliance monitor, greets a student at Edward T. Steel School on the first day of school on Aug. 25, 2025, in Philadelphia. A new report from Congress' nonpartisan watchdog finds students with disabilities are spending more time in mainstream classrooms, though the progress toward achieving that goal in federal law varied by state.
Jessica Griffin/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP
Special Education Students With Disabilities Are Spending More Time in Mainstream Classes
Under federal law, students with disabilities are supposed to learn in the least restrictive environment.
6 min read
Image of a student's silhouette with a sunrise in it. Overlay is a medical file.
Illustration with Laura Baker/Education Week + Getty
Special Education Opinion Why Moving Special Education Out of the Ed. Dept Will Not Help Students
We shouldn’t redefine special education as a medical service. What to know as it moves to HHS.
Jerell Hill, June 22, 2026
5 min read
Special Education Spotlight Spotlight on ADHD, Inclusion, and IDEA: How Schools are Redefining Support for Students with Disabilities
New ADHD research and inclusive practices are reshaping how schools support students with disabilities and learning differences.
June 3, 2026
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Beyond One-Size-Fits-All: Accessibility as a Superpower
The morning literacy block has begun, and Ms. Williams is watching children in her classroom use a literacy app she just added to her reading centers. She sees one student open the app and create a story that features them as the main character, while another asks for her help to turn on the read aloud feature. The app reads the story aloud for them, pointing to each word as it is read, allowing full control over the text displays with rich image descriptions.
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A gif with web accessible icons around a computer screen with a magnifying glass.
Shivendu Jauhari/Getty
Ed-Tech Policy Schools Have Another Year to Make Websites Accessible. Why That Matters
People with disabilities say inaccessible online content is a barrier to participating in public life.
Evie Blad, April 28, 2026
4 min read
Special Education Spotlight Knock Down the Barriers to Inclusive Literacy Instruction
Literacy for all: inclusive classrooms, accessible tools, and strong supports help students with disabilities learn, belong, and thrive.
April 15, 2026
Superintendent Roosevelt Nivens speaks after being announced as AASA National Superintendent of the Year in Nashville, Tenn. on Feb. 12, 2026.
Roosevelt Nivens, superintendent of the Lamar Consolidated Independent school district in Texas, speaks after being named superintendent of the year by AASA in Nashville, Tenn. on Feb. 12, 2026. The district Nivens leads will open a new charter school for students with autism in the 2026-27 school year.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Special Education Inside a K-12 District’s Plan for a Charter School for Students With Autism
A specialized charter school will serve a fast-growing segment of a Texas school district's student body.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, March 11, 2026
6 min read
Special Education Spotlight Spotlight on Moving From Awareness to Action for Neurodiverse And Autistic Students
See how schools can better support neurodiverse and autistic students, addressing barriers, elevating strengths, and building more inclusive classrooms for all.
February 27, 2026
Image of students in isolation in artistic manner with red evocative color and shadows.
Laura Baker/Education Week & Getty
Special Education Investigation Finds 'Shocking Overuse' of Seclusion and Restraint in This District
Restraint and seclusion should not be used in routine school discipline, the Justice Department says.
Evie Blad, February 24, 2026
5 min read
Classroom Student Star Sticker Award Progress Chart
Katie Dobies/iStock
Special Education New ADHD Research Challenges Former Assumptions. Why It Matters
New research may hold important insights for educators aiming to better engage students with ADHD.
Elizabeth Heubeck, February 23, 2026
5 min read