Kansas: 12,000 more special needs students in 10 years

July 1, 2025, The 74: Kansas Sees 12,000-Student Increase in Special Education Over the Past Decade 

https://www.the74million.org/article/kansas-sees-12000-student-increase-in-special-education-over-the-past-decade/  

Districts are struggling to find qualified special education teachers.

There were 82,000 special education students in Kansas public schools in 2024-2025. That’s 12,000 more than a decade ago.

The 12,000-student increase is not a massive share of the 500,000 students in Kansas public schools. But the steady increase in special education students is making more demands on already overworked teachers.

“We are feeling that as a district,” said Ryan Alliman, executive director of student support services at Wichita Public Schools.

The increase contributes to a broader trend in education. Teachers are handling more students with less help, leading to longer days and more stressful work. Districts are trying to hire additional staff, but they can’t find qualified applicants.

It’s a cycle that leads to burnout.

“I understand that it might sound like a broken record,” Alliman said. “I do think burnout is a thing with our teachers.”

From 2015 to 2025:

Wichita Public Schools went from 7,035 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act students, or IDEA, to 8,479 IDEA students.

Olathe went from 3,720 IDEA students to 4,638 IDEA students.

Shawnee Mission went from 2,601 IDEA students to 3,294 IDE students.

Blue Valley went from 2,320 IDEA students to 3,066 IDEA students.

Teaching is not easy, but special education teachers face unique challenges. A Texas-based teacher was killed when a student pushed them over. Others have concussions, bite marks and bruising from managing students.

These students aren’t all dangerous, teachers told Texas Public Radio. But these student populations may need more staff on hand. Sometimes that’s staff to take kids to the bathroom or manage behavioral outbursts.

“They may need an out-of-class cooldown,” a teacher told Texas Public Radio. “Well, then one person goes with them, and it leaves only one person left in the classroom. And then without extra staff there’s no moving anyone around. We have to call someone from somewhere else, and then now they’re short staffed.”

JaKyta Lawrie, executive director of special education at Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools, said the steadily increasing number is due to earlier identification of students who need extra attention, increasing complexity of student needs and improved awareness with families and teachers.