While special education in the US is facing significant roadblocks both in terms of funding and staffing, there are actionable strategies which give us plenty of cause for hope for greater inclusivity and equal educational opportunities in the future.
This article explores the biggest challenges in special education today, examining the complexities that educators, policymakers, and parents grapple with in pursuit of an optimal learning environment for students with disabilities.
The special education landscape: An overview
- Numbers: As of the 2022-23 school year, approximately 7.5 million students — roughly 15% of all public school enrollment — received special education services under IDEA, continuing a slow recovery from the COVID-19 dip.
- Disparities: There are both regional and racial and ethnic disparities in special education: of all enrolled students, 19% are American Indian, 17% are Black, and 15% white, compared to only 8% of Asian students.
- Graduation: According to NCES data, 75.9% of students with disabilities aged 14–21 graduated with a regular high school diploma, while approximately 14% dropped out and 10% received an alternative certificate.
- Post-pandemic recovery: Five years after COVID-19, 94% of elementary and middle schools remain below pre-pandemic academic levels, with little disaggregated research specifically tracking students with disabilities — a critical data gap that advocates are pressing Congress to close.
The biggest challenges in special education
Let’s examine the overarching challenges in special education today that are garnering the attention of special education directors, leaders, legislators, and caregivers alike.
Workforce challenges in special education
The staffing shortages that we are seeing can be separated into two issues which are closely related to each other, namely the recruitment and retention of qualified special education teachers and support staff.
1. Recruitment – “Hiring them”
The shortage is getting worse, not better
The special education teacher shortage has reached a new peak. In 2024–25, 45 states reported special education as a shortage area — the most frequently cited shortage in the entire country. Nearly 80% of K–12 administrators surveyed in the 2024–25 K–12 Lens Report described the special education teacher shortage as a significant problem.
The numbers behind the shortage are stark: approximately 365,967 teachers across 48 states and DC were not fully certified for their special education roles, while another ~45,582 positions remained entirely unfilled across 31 states and DC. Combined, roughly 411,549 special education roles — nearly 1 in 8 — were either vacant or filled by uncertified educators. During 2022–23, 21% of schools had at least one special education vacancy and 55% reported difficulty filling positions.
Declining interest in education as a career
There seems to be a general lack of interest in pursuing education as a career path. Only 5% of surveyed students taking the ACT reported interest in education as a career — a 29% decrease from prior years. The number of completers in teaching programs has dropped significantly over the past decade:
This has a knock-on effect on the size of the talent pool from which hiring managers at special education schools can choose.
Shortage of qualified special education candidates
Schools are struggling to fill vacancies, with a large majority of US schools expressing that they’re having issues with hiring educators alongside challenges in recruiting classroom aides, transportation staff, and mental health professionals. This issue has persisted for more than 15 years and shows no sign of self-correcting without structural intervention.
2. Retention – “Keeping them”
High demands, low pay, high turnover
The annual turnover rate for special education teachers stands at approximately 15%, well above the general teaching profession. Desiree Carver-Thomas, a researcher with the Learning Policy Institute, notes that high demands and low pay in special education can lead to high turnover rates, especially when schools resort to hiring individuals lacking the proper training due to a shortage in licensed special education teachers.
Research from Texas found that 17% to 29% of teaching roles in special education are vacant due to attrition (low wages and lack of qualified staff willing to work under less-than-ideal conditions).
Lack of adequate mentoring support
Special education teachers are known for having to manage high levels of stress and pressure on the job. It is therefore crucial that they receive the necessary support and mentorship in order for them to show up to work and thrive.
Research by Smith and Ingersoll found that having a mentor in the same field reduces the risk of leaving at the end of the first year by 30%. With ~15% annual turnover, the cost of not investing in mentorship is very high.
New and emerging challenges in special education in 2025–2026
Beyond the longstanding workforce and funding challenges, three new challenges have emerged in 2025–2026 that every special education leader needs to understand.
Federal policy upheaval under the Trump administration
The most dramatic policy challenge in a generation is unfolding at the federal level. In October 2025, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) — the federal office responsible for implementing IDEA — saw 121 of its 135 employees laid off as part of a broader DOGE-driven federal workforce reduction. A federal judge subsequently blocked the move, but the episode sent shockwaves through the special education community about the stability of federal oversight.
The administration has also proposed transferring disability services from the Department of Education to the Department of Health and Human Services, a reorganization that would require an act of Congress and that disability advocates warn could fragment the unified rights framework built under IDEA. Project 2025—the policy blueprint aligned with the current administration—proposes converting IDEA funding to block grants and voucher programs and allowing states to self-police compliance, changes that disability rights organizations argue would erode the federal floor of protections that parents have relied on since 1975.
Special education leaders should closely monitor legislative developments and engage their congressional representatives to ensure IDEA’s core mandates remain intact.
The mental health crisis among students with disabilities
Students with disabilities are disproportionately affected by co-occurring mental health conditions, and the data in 2025–2026 paint a concerning picture:
- The suspension rate for students with emotional disturbances is 32% — far above the general student population.
- The dropout rate for students with emotional disturbance is 26.8%, compared to 8.9% for all students.
- Students with disabilities represent 14% of enrollment but account for 68% of seclusions and 76% of physical restraints used in schools.
- The Keeping All Students Safe Act, filed in December 2025, seeks to ban seclusion in schools and restrict the use of physical restraints, with bipartisan support.
Addressing mental health is no longer an ancillary concern — it is central to keeping students with disabilities in school, learning, and on track for post-secondary success.
AI in special education: Promise and peril
Artificial intelligence has moved rapidly from novelty to widespread adoption in special education. In 2024–25, 57% of licensed special education teachers reported using AI tools for IEP and 504 plan development. Roughly one-third use AI to identify trends in student data, summarize content, and select accommodations.
The potential efficiency gains are real: AI platforms can save teachers up to 6 weeks of administrative time per year, with some tools reducing IEP preparation from three hours to as little as ten minutes. For a profession already stretched thin by paperwork, this represents meaningful relief.
However, significant legal and ethical concerns remain:
- IDEA compliance: The law requires that every IEP be unique and individually tailored to the specific student. AI-generated IEPs risk being generic, which can expose districts to compliance violations and due process complaints.
- Privacy: 60% of students with IEP or 504 plans have expressed concerns about the privacy of their data when AI tools are used in the IEP process. Districts must ensure that any AI platform used complies with FERPA and applicable state privacy laws.
The key principle: AI should augment the professional judgment of qualified special educators, not replace it.
A landmark Supreme Court ruling expands disability rights
In June 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling in A.J.T. v. Osseo Area Schools, holding that families pursuing disability discrimination claims under the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act no longer need to prove “bad faith or gross misjudgment” by the school — a demanding standard that had historically made these claims very difficult to win. The decision lowers the bar for families seeking remedies beyond what IDEA provides and is the third consecutive unanimous Supreme Court ruling in favor of children with disabilities.
Schools and districts should work with legal counsel to review their Section 504 policies and complaint procedures in light of this ruling.
The intertwined challenges in special education today make providing quality services to children with disabilities somewhat difficult. Recent federal funding increases and state-level initiatives, however, reflect the growing importance of sustainable, long-term strategies to resolve such issues.
1. Addressing staffing shortages and pay
Addressing the staffing shortages in special education requires a multi-faceted approach that includes improving the working conditions, providing adequate pay, and offering professional development opportunities for special education personnel.
Over $35 million has been allocated by the U.S. Department of Education to bolster schools’ special education teaching and administrative staff. A significant sum of this grant is allocated for scholarships and other efforts to help students cover the cost of completing special education programs under the Disabilities Education Act. States including Arizona, Mississippi, and Tennessee have also enacted grow-your-own pipeline programs to recruit paraprofessionals into licensed roles.
2. Mentoring and training program initiatives
In recent years, there has been a notable increase in the importance of delivering quality initial teacher education for special education trainees through program initiatives and mentorship opportunities.
The Personnel Preparation program is one such initiative by the US Department of Education aimed at meeting state-identified needs for adequate numbers of fully certified personnel to serve children with disabilities. One of the program’s aims is to foster teacher-faculty partnerships between local institutions and higher education providers to create high-quality mentoring and induction opportunities for trainees.
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3. Increased statewide funding and local advocacy
Both federal and state governments are working toward improving their special education budgets. For FY2026, Congress appropriated $15.43 billion for special education programs under IDEA — a modest increase over FY2025. However, given the post-ESSER fiscal cliff and the administration’s proposed structural changes to IDEA funding, local advocacy has never been more important.
There are also efforts on a state level to provide increased funding for special education, with all 50 states and the District of Columbia recognizing the need for equitable access to resources and support for special education students and staff.
4. Technology and AI-assisted IEP solutions
Training solutions like Ori Learning offer a systematic approach to streamline special education services in and outside the classroom. By providing a consistent framework, school principals simplify IEP goal management and compliance regulation, enhance performance with data monitoring, and facilitate ongoing professional staff development. When paired with AI tools thoughtfully and within the bounds of IDEA, districts can meaningfully reduce administrative burden while keeping the qualified educator — not the algorithm — in the driver’s seat.
More on challenges in special education
Why are schools failing to find special education teachers?
This failure is largely owed to an inability to attract and retain talented and qualified individuals to the profession due to unfavorable conditions, namely the long hours, below-average pay, and lack of professional support. In 2024–25, 45 states reported special education as a shortage area, and approximately 411,549 roles were either vacant or held by uncertified educators — nearly 1 in 8 positions nationwide.
How does inadequate federal funding impact special education?
The federal government committed to funding 40% of excess special education costs under IDEA, but the actual federal share is approximately 13%. This leaves districts to cover the remainder from local and state budgets. The post-ESSER fiscal cliff that hit in January 2025 has compounded this pressure, forcing many districts to cut or scale back programs they had expanded during the pandemic.
What have the U.S. government done to address staffing shortages?
Congress appropriated $15.43 billion for special education programs in FY2026, including $14.9 billion in IDEA Part B grants to states. The U.S. Department of Education has also allocated over $35 million specifically to bolster the special education teacher workforce through scholarships and pipeline programs. However, proposed structural changes to IDEA — including block grants and federal office staffing reductions — have raised concerns about whether these investments will be sustained.
