Title page 1

Contents 3

Highlights 2

Letter 6

Background 11

The Number of Students with Disabilities in General Education Increased Nationally from School Years 2012-13 Through 2023-24, with Larger Growth... 13

The Number of Students with Disabilities in General Education for At Least 40 Percent of Their Day Increased Nationally from 4.6 Million... 13

Most States Experienced Increases in the Share of Students with Disabilities in General Education at Least 40 Percent of Their Day 17

State Data from School Year 2023-24 Showed Similarities in Where Students with Disabilities Were Educated Across States, While District... 19

School Resources, Parental Involvement, and School Environment Influenced Where Students with Disabilities Learned 22

Districts With Certain Poverty Levels and Without Special Education Schools Were Associated with Higher Rates of Students with Disabilities... 22

Officials and Educators in the 12 Districts We Visited Cited Resources, Parental Involvement, and School Environment as Factors That Influenced... 24

District Officials and School Educators in the Districts We Visited Described Mixed Success Creating a Sense of Belonging in School for Students... 29

Challenges for Creating a Sense of Belonging 29

Successful Approaches for Creating Belonging 31

Agency Comments 33

Appendix I: District Variation in Placement Decisions for Students with Disabilities 35

Appendix II: GAO Contacts and Staff Acknowledgments 37

Table 1. National Enrollment Trends for Students with Disabilities in the General Education Classroom (Gen Ed) for At Least 40 Percent of Their Day,... 15

Table 2. National Enrollment Trends for Students with Disabilities in the General Education Classroom (Gen Ed) for At Least 40 Percent of Their Day... 16

Table 3. National Enrollment Trends for Students with Disabilities in the General Education Classroom (Gen Ed) for At Least 40 Percent of Their Day... 16

Table 4. District Variation in Placement Decisions for Students with Disabilities in the General Education Classroom (gen ed) for At Least 40 Percent... 35

Figure 1. Educational and Related Services That May Be Included in an IEP 12

Figure 2. National Enrollment Trends for Student with Disabilities in the General Education Classroom (Gen Ed) for At Least 40 Percent of Their Day... 14

Figure 3. Changes in Shares of Students with Disabilities in General Education for At Least 40 Percent of Their Day, By State (School Years 2012-13... 18

Figure 4. Average Percentage of Students with Disabilities in the General Education Classroom (Gen Ed) for At Least 40 Percent of Their Day,... 20

Figure 5. Association Between District Poverty Level and Estimated Percentage of Students with Disabilities in the General Education Classroom... 23

Figure 6. Voices from the Field: How Staffing Can Affect Educational Placement Decisions for Students with Disabilities 25

Figure 7. Voices from the Field: How Availability of Programs and Services Affect Educational Placement Decisions 26

Figure 8. Selected Examples of Responses about Parental Involvement in Educational Placement Decisions 27

Figure 9. Voices from the Field: How School Environment Affects Educational Placement Decisions 28

Figure 10. Selected Examples of Students with Disabilities Not Feeling a Sense of Belonging in Their School Communities 31

Figure 11. Selected Examples of Participation in Extracurricular Activities from Students with Disabilities 33