Special Education
IEPs. Learning disabilities. Inclusion. IDEA. Response to intervention. Gifted education. Explore all EdWeek coverage of special education
A Guide to Special Education Terms
The number of students in special education has increased steadily in the last four decades. Here are some of the common terms used.
- Special Education Schools Lag in IDing Kids Who Need Special Education. Are They Catching Up?Schools in one state are making progress addressing a pandemic-fueled backlog of special education identifications.Special Education 3 Things Every Teacher Should Know About Learning DifferencesA researcher, a teacher, and a student all weigh in: What do you wish all teachers knew about students with learning differences?Special Education How Special Education Might Change Under Trump: 5 TakeawaysLess funding and more administrative chaos could be on the horizon—but basic building blocks like IDEA appear likely to remain.Special Education How Trump's Policies Could Affect Special EducationThe new administration's stance on special education isn't yet clear—but efforts to revamp federal policy could have ripple effects.Special Education The Essential Skill Students With Learning Differences NeedSchools must teach students with learning differences how to communicate about their needs.Special Education A Guide to Bringing Neurodiverse Learners Into the FoldThree tips for teachers and principals to accommodate learning differences.Special Education K-12 Essentials Forum Understanding Learning DifferencesJoin this free virtual event for insights that will help educators better understand and support students with learning differences.Special Education 5 Key Ways to Support Students With Learning DifferencesTeachers are often uncertain about how to support students who have dyslexia, dysgraphia, or dyscalculia.Special Education How Students With Disabilities Fare in Both Charter and Regular Public SchoolsStudents with disabilities experienced inequities in both types of schools, a new analysis shows.Special Education Interactive 5 Common Learning Differences in Students: A Data SnapshotSome key facts and figures about students with learning differences.Special Education Video Dyscalculia FAQ: The Math Disability Teachers Should Know AboutDyscalculia is a math learning disability that affects 5 to 8 percent of the population. Here's what teachers should know.Special Education How Teachers Can Motivate and Engage Neurodiverse StudentsA balanced approach of addressing students' strengths and weaknesses is best, experts say.Special Education Explainer Talking to Students About Their Learning Differences: A Guide for TeachersTeachers who talk to kids about why learning is difficult equips students to understand themselves and become their own advocates.Special Education 'Handcuffed and Pushed Out': How Schools Fail Some Students With DisabilitiesWhat can happen to students and schools when disabilities are over- and under-identified in children.Special Education Q&A Is Dyslexia a ‘Superpower’? What Students Want Their Teachers to Know5 students with dyslexia discuss what it feels like to be described as having special "powers."