69´«Ã½

Special Report
Special Education Interactive

5 Common Learning Differences in 69´«Ã½: A Data Snapshot

By Lesli A. Maxwell & Vanessa Solis — October 08, 2024 1 min read
An array of vibrantly colored brain illustrations arranged in a grid for easy examination. Categories, classifications, learning differences, brain scans.
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

Roughly , with a range of learning and thinking differences. Those differences have nothing to do with intelligence—but derive from how their brains receive, process, and respond to information.

In a short span of years that included the pandemic, students identified as being eligible for supports and services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act surged, with 7.5 million students qualifying under IDEA in the 2022-23 school year, up from 7.1 million in 2019. While not all students who are identified as being neurodiverse receive formal services, many benefit from more informal supports provided by their schools and teachers.

For educators to more effectively support such students, they need to first understand some basic facts and figures. Here are data snapshots of five common types of neurodiversity and learning differences in students.

NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS:   

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD

A neurodevelopmental disorder, ADHD can affect a child’s ability to pay attention, sit still, and resist acting impulsively. Those behaviors can make school a difficult setting for children with ADHD who don’t have supports.

ADHD’s prevalence varies across demographic groups. Its symptoms can be mild, moderate, or severe, meaning that schools must serve students whose needs are widely variable.

Autism

Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder that has grown in prevalence over the past two decades. It can affect many aspects of a person’s life, including how they receive, respond to, and process information, how they respond to social cues, and how they communicate.

SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITIES:   

Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, and Dyslexia

These three learning disabilities—dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and dyslexia—affect students’ ability to do math, write, and read, respectively.

Images/Getty

See also

special populations getty 920 wide
Collage by Gina Tomko/Education Week and Getty

Coverage of students with learning differences and issues of race, opportunity, and equity is supported in part by a grant from the Oak Foundation, at . Education Week retains sole editorial control over the content of this coverage.

Events

School & District Management Webinar Crafting Outcomes-Based Contracts That Work for Everyone
Discover the power of outcomes-based contracts and how they can drive student achievement.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Harnessing AI to Address Chronic Absenteeism in 69´«Ã½
Learn how AI can help your district improve student attendance and boost academic outcomes.
Content provided by 
School & District Management Webinar EdMarketer Quick Hit: What’s Trending among K-12 Leaders?
What issues are keeping K-12 leaders up at night? Join us for EdMarketer Quick Hit: What’s Trending among K-12 Leaders?

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

Special Education The Essential Skill 69´«Ã½ With Learning Differences Need
69´«Ã½ must teach students with learning differences how to communicate about their needs.
4 min read
Vector illustration of three birds being released from a cage.
iStock/Getty
Special Education A Guide to Bringing Neurodiverse Learners Into the Fold
Three tips for teachers and principals to accommodate learning differences.
3 min read
Neurodiversity. Thinking brain. Difference concept.
iStock/Getty Images + Education Week
Special Education 5 Key Ways to Support 69´«Ã½ With Learning Differences
Teachers are often uncertain about how to support students who have dyslexia, dysgraphia, or dyscalculia.
4 min read
Black teacher smiling and giving a student a high five in a classroom of Black elementary students.
E+/Getty
Special Education How 69´«Ã½ With Disabilities Fare in Both Charter and Regular Public 69´«Ã½
69´«Ã½ with disabilities experienced inequities in both types of schools, a new analysis shows.
6 min read
An illustration of a small person of color dragging a very large bookbag on their back.
DigitalVision Vectors