Special Education in California: Trends & Issues
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In California, 2.9% of children under 18 had a disability that consisted of a serious impairment in vision, hearing, walking, or cognition, according to 2008 data from the American Community Survey. However, a much higher percentage of children in the state are estimated to have special health care needs, based on a broader definition (see graph in right column).
About one in 10 California public school students was enrolled in special education in 2010 (11%), similar to recent years. Among the state's 680,000 students in special education, learning disabilities and speech or language impairments are the most common disabilities. Special education enrollment for autism grew at a particularly fast rate in recent years, more than tripling from 17,508 students statewide (2.6% of special education students) in 2002 to 59,690 (8.8%) in 2010. African American/Black and Caucasian/White students often are over-represented in the special education system when compared to their overall enrollment figures for public schools, while Asian American students often are underrepresented.
Key Data Findings for the State
Related Report: Children with Special Health Care Needs: A Profile of Key Issues in California