An Analysis of the Incidence of Special Class Placement: the Masses Are Burgeoning

Special education is growing at an accelerating rate. Over 4 million students are receiving special services; the federal cost for assistance to states in selected aspects of that education is approaching a billion dollars. For this article, the incidence figures in a sample of school districts were calculated. During the 1977-78, 1978-79, and 1979-80 school years, 4 to 5% of the students were referred and evaluated; 3% were placed in special education programs. Wide variation was evident in the data supplied by individual school districts (some reporting placement incidence as high as 21% of their school population). The results are viewed as evidence of a need for proactive thinking in special education with regard to a reasonable rate of growth relative to the likelihood of reduced financial support.