Telling Statisitics: From the IDEAdata website and Maryland Public Schools website.

Maryland is #1 in the nation according to Education Week, The College Board, and Newsweek. State special education statistics paint a different picture. 62% of students with special needs are served in the Least Restrictive Environment (80% of the day in general education). That puts us 21st in the nation. Yet, we have the 3rd highest percentage of students placed in nonpublic special education schools. That is 7.3%. We are 19th in the nation for students with special needs graduating with a high school diploma. Only 61% graduate. Worse yet, 27% of our students with special needs drop out of school.

The stats on the Maryland public schools website paint a better picture, but they are still cause for concern. If we are truly #1, shouldn't we give the same level of education to our children with special needs?