Jan 19, 2017, Texas Tribune: Expecting spike in special ed students, advocates push for better services
https://www.texastribune.org/2017/01/19/advocates-pushing-increase-quality-not-just-number/
TEA spokeswoman Lauren Callahan said that the number of students identified for special education services will probably increase — because that count has been increasing in Texas over the past few years, though the percentage has remained low.
"We would anticipate this trend will continue," she said.
Childhood Lost
Children today are noticeably different from previous generations, and the proof is in the news coverage we see every day. This site shows you what’s happening in schools around the world. Children are increasingly disabled and chronically ill, and the education system has to accommodate them. Things we've long associated with autism, like sensory issues, repetitive behaviors, anxiety and lack of social skills, are now problems affecting mainstream students. Blame is predictably placed on bad parenting (otherwise known as trauma from home).
Addressing mental health needs is as important as academics for modern educators. This is an unrecognized disaster. The stories here are about children who can’t learn or behave like children have always been expected to. What childhood has become is a chilling portent for the future of mankind.