Teachers Struggle to Support Students With Disabilities

As students head back to school, more students with disabilities are spending a larger part of their day in classrooms with their peers.

A recent report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office found that the number of students with disabilities spending at least 40% of their school day in general education classrooms increased by about 25% between the 2012-13 and 2023-24 school years.

Bar chart titled "Number of students with disabilities (in millions)" showing school years 2012–13 through 2023–24 on the x-axis and millions of students on the y-axis, from 0 to 6.

Each bar is split into two segments: a lighter blue lower portion representing students who spent 40–79% of their day in general education settings, and a darker blue upper portion representing students who spent at least 80% of their day in general education settings.

Estimated values by year:

12–13: ~4.7 million total (~1.5M lighter, ~3.2M darker)
13–14: ~4.8 million total
14–15: ~4.9 million total
15–16: ~5.0 million total
16–17: ~5.0 million total
17–18: ~5.1 million total
18–19: ~5.2 million total
19–20: ~5.3 million total
20–21: ~5.2 million total
21–22: ~5.5 million total
22–23: ~5.7 million total
23–24: ~5.9 million total

The overall trend shows a steady increase in the number of students with disabilities over the twelve-year period, with the darker segment (at least 80% of the day in general education) consistently making up the larger share of each bar.

Source note: GAO analysis of the Department of Education's IDEA Section 618 data products for school years 2012–13 through 2023–24. GAO-26-107814.

But schools are also facing challenges in making sure teachers have the training, time and resources to support students in these classrooms.

A national survey from the National Center for Learning Disabilities and WestEd found that only 42% of general education teachers felt completely confident adapting instruction for students with learning disabilities. Among teachers with fewer than three years of experience, that number dropped to just 17%.

Fewer than half of educators said they had enough time to consistently meet their students’ needs, and less than one-third said their school leadership team had the training and knowledge needed to support students with learning disabilities.

Limited funding for paraeducators and inclusive programs can also make it harder for districts to increase the time students with disabilities spend in general education classrooms.

Inclusion means making sure students have the support they need throughout the school day. That includes the right staffing, training and resources to support students.

As a new school year begins, that’s something students, families and educators will continue to navigate.

This article includes information from articles published in Education Week, here and here.

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