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A new brief from the American Institutes for Research’s Center for the Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research (CALDER) has unearthed a significant drop in the identification of children needing special education services during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to recent data from Washington state, approximately 8,500 children in grades K-5 were not evaluated for special education during the pandemic, marking a 23% and 20% decrease in identification rates in consecutive years. This decline reflects a nationwide issue highlighted by similar studies across different states.
The implications of these missed assessments are profound and potentially long-lasting. Early intervention is widely recognized as pivotal for children with disabilities, significantly impacting their academic progress and future outcomes. CALDER reports that children who receive specialized support early on are more likely to achieve academic milestones and require less intensive services in later years. However, with many students potentially missing out on critical years of intervention, there is a risk of exacerbating educational disparities and hindering long-term educational attainment.
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In Washington state, about 8,500 fewer children than typically expected — enough to fill 450 classrooms — in grades K-5 were identified as needing special education between March 2020 and the start of the 2021-22 school year, according to a new brief from CALDER, the American Institutes for Research’s Center for the Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research. Compared to 2018-19, the identification rate was 23% lower in 2019-20 and 20% lower in 2020-21.
