Education
Students Receiving Special Education Services


Students Receiving Special Education Services

What does this measure?

Percent of students (ages 6-21) classified with disabilities and receiving special education services.

Why is this important?

Students receiving special education services can be at greater risk for poor school performance, including lower test scores and a higher chance of dropping out. The proportion of students in special education can significantly affect a school district's budget, as some students may require intensive services. This proportion also can be an indicator of the effectiveness of intervention programs aimed at addressing problems in early years and preventing students from being classified with disabilities.

How is our county performing?

In 2018, 21% of Berks students received special education services, an increase of 11 percentage points since 2000. This rate was higher than the state (at 19%) which had seen an increase of 6 percentage points since 2001. Berks also had a higher proportion than the nation, at 14%, which has remained essentially flat since 2000.

Among local school districts within Berks County, Antietam had the highest proportion, at 26%, followed by Tulpehocken (24%), Boyertown (23%) and Brandywine, Conrad Weiser and Governor Mifflin (all at 22%). The proportion of students receiving special education services was lowest in Hamburg, at 18%. Berks' rate of special education students was similar to surrounding counties, with the exception of Schuylkill, which had a higher rate at 23%.

Notes about the data

Data are from the National Center for Education Statistics. Varying school district practices on classifying students as having disabilities can impact the numbers. Also, school districts known for effective special education programs may attract more students with disabilities.

There may be additional research available on this topic. Click on Reports and Resources to learn more.

Students Receiving Special Education Services
2000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018
United States12%13%13%13%14%14%14%13%13%13%13%13%13%13%13%13%13%13%14%
Pennsylvania12%13%13%14%14%15%16%16%17%17%16%17%17%17%17%18%18%19%
Berks County10%11%11%12%13%14%14%15%16%17%18%18%18%19%19%19%20%20%21%
Berks County Regions
Central
Northeast
South
Southeast
West
Reading city
Berks County Peers
Chester County11%11%12%13%13%14%15%16%17%17%17%17%17%17%17%18%18%18%19%
Lancaster County13%14%15%15%16%16%16%16%17%17%17%16%16%16%16%16%17%17%18%
Lebanon County11%12%12%13%13%14%14%15%15%15%16%17%17%17%18%18%19%19%20%
Lehigh County11%10%11%12%12%13%13%15%15%16%15%16%16%17%17%17%18%18%19%
Montgomery County12%12%13%13%13%14%14%15%16%16%17%17%17%17%17%18%18%19%19%
Schuylkill County12%13%14%15%16%17%17%18%19%19%20%20%21%21%21%21%22%23%23%
School Districts
Antietam School District12%14%15%15%15%17%17%18%20%21%20%20%19%21%22%24%22%24%26%
Boyertown Area School District10%10%11%12%13%14%14%16%16%17%18%18%18%18%19%20%21%22%23%
Brandywine Heights Area School District13%15%15%16%17%18%20%20%21%20%19%19%19%19%20%20%20%21%22%
Conrad Weiser Area School District11%12%13%14%15%16%17%18%18%19%19%21%22%22%21%21%22%22%22%
Daniel Boone Area School District10%11%12%12%13%14%14%15%15%15%15%15%16%17%17%18%19%19%21%
Exeter Township School District9%11%12%13%14%14%15%18%18%18%19%19%18%19%19%19%19%20%20%
Fleetwood Area School District10%10%11%11%11%12%12%13%13%15%17%17%17%18%18%19%19%19%19%
Governor Mifflin School District9%9%10%11%12%13%13%15%16%16%17%17%18%20%21%22%21%21%22%
Hamburg Area School District8%10%11%12%13%12%13%15%14%15%14%14%16%17%17%18%18%19%18%
Kutztown Area School District11%13%14%16%18%19%20%21%20%22%22%22%22%22%23%22%22%22%21%
Muhlenberg School District11%11%11%12%12%14%15%17%17%17%18%18%18%18%18%19%18%18%19%
Oley Valley School District12%11%12%12%13%13%13%15%15%16%17%17%18%19%19%17%19%19%19%
Reading School District10%11%10%12%12%13%12%13%14%16%19%19%20%20%20%20%20%20%21%
Schuylkill Valley School District11%11%11%12%12%12%13%13%15%15%16%15%17%16%16%16%17%18%19%
Tulpehocken Area School District11%11%13%15%18%21%21%21%19%17%17%17%19%19%19%22%23%23%24%
Twin Valley School District12%13%13%14%14%14%14%14%14%15%16%16%18%18%18%18%19%20%20%
Wilson School District11%14%15%15%16%15%15%17%16%15%17%17%17%17%17%18%18%19%20%
Wyomissing Area School District7%8%8%9%9%10%14%16%15%16%17%17%17%17%18%18%18%18%19%

Source: National Center for Education Statistics




Number of Students Receiving Special Education Services
2000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018
United States5,582,9815,978,1976,300,7486,449,9046,014,9215,932,9066,666,2646,142,5475,763,7296,154,4946,448,1086,319,7076,378,1556,308,9496,415,6455,661,5555,845,4626,755,7326,953,178
Pennsylvania222,584232,056242,837253,129260,909267,682292,649293,865295,028294,592295,077294,963295,501294,997296,959302,540310,244319,733
Berks County6,4637,0147,4848,1918,7319,4339,92810,97411,11311,83012,48312,69112,92212,93613,02613,11613,29113,63714,099
Berks County Regions
Central
Northeast
South
Southeast
West
Reading city
Berks County Peers
Chester County6,7277,4128,0408,6539,15610,09010,66611,99212,44512,66012,80513,57813,39813,52313,92714,06614,12414,53815,129
Lancaster County9,0459,41110,14810,44811,08311,29511,42411,55511,60211,56211,31011,04410,85610,94310,99711,06011,21611,72812,241
Lebanon County1,9142,0942,0762,3212,4232,5802,6422,8862,8972,9113,0473,1273,2033,3363,3633,5173,6503,7673,851
Lehigh County4,7574,4154,9975,4985,9926,2926,6457,6337,8577,9778,0218,2278,3068,5258,5658,4988,9699,2179,766
Montgomery County11,90212,09512,82613,46914,20714,84715,46216,66617,41218,11618,52719,03519,71520,13120,29620,60420,98921,32121,733
Schuylkill County2,4142,4602,5822,7682,8663,0513,0483,3693,5043,5203,6093,6383,7063,7843,6923,7313,7823,8933,954
School Districts
Antietam School District124149161155166190193200213225211208203223229255233258299
Boyertown Area School District6566967257938879729961,1321,1541,2151,2461,2981,2941,3041,3621,4061,4811,5161,553
Brandywine Heights Area School District274310316323333365381389382355339341322305311300295306308
Conrad Weiser Area School District289335342371425450496532537555561600618606576576576598567
Daniel Boone Area School District277344383407461486512575567582590576605626628635647664696
Exeter Township School District354403469514554587639774784814817825786779799767752791779
Fleetwood Area School District241255271287300308327348362411444452457473488487486469477
Governor Mifflin School District376387428479503539559630663674727734758826848880858867894
Hamburg Area School District217264297322344343362399366374348354380394386389397407390
Kutztown Area School District211229260292322335353363340365357341326332321301292286279
Muhlenberg School District310321328367370425504580582599628652645651647671659664715
Oley Valley School District249240254273268263280310303315325326330328325297313327323
Reading School District1,5251,6501,6931,8971,9782,2222,2022,4172,5102,9243,3773,4673,6123,4593,4453,4013,4183,5413,759
Schuylkill Valley School District200205218223228231256256297304315290321313305314351377397
Tulpehocken Area School District185191223263310359354348312265261261288283278312321325348
Twin Valley School District360382402428451445458487491517536556594603613619652659646
Wilson School District258324342348359333341375358351375379370365361397398419447
Wyomissing Area School District133140149164175182267303285293314310319324341342351343368

Source: National Center for Education Statistics
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INDICATORS TREND | BERKS COUNTY
Early Prenatal Care Increasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children Living in Poverty Increasing
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families Increasing
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Disengaged Youth Decreasing
Live Births to Teen Mothers Decreasing
Population by Age Not Applicable
Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels Maintaining
Change in Population by Age and Gender Not Applicable
Change in Total Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households by type Not Applicable
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Seniors Living Alone Decreasing
Language Diversity Increasing
Unemployment Rate Decreasing
Change in Labor Force Decreasing
Employment to Population ratio Decreasing
Change in Jobs by Sector Not Applicable
Sector Share of Total Jobs Not Applicable
Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
Change in Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
People Entering/Leaving County/Region for Work Not Applicable
Public Assistance Maintaining
Spending for Local Governments Maintaining
Spending for Counties Maintaining
Spending for School Districts Maintaining
Prekindergarten Participation Increasing
Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Price Lunch Increasing
English Language Learners Increasing
Students Receiving Special Education Services Increasing
Per Student Spending Maintaining
High School Cohort Graduation Rate Increasing
Education Levels of Adults Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Brain Drain/Gain Maintaining
Plans of High School Graduates Not Applicable
Enrollment in Local Colleges Decreasing
Median Household Income Maintaining
Median Household Income by Household Type Not Applicable
Living Wage Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty Increasing
Working Poor Maintaining
People Receiving Federal Food Assistance Increasing
People Receiving Supplemental Security Income Increasing
Health Status Not Applicable
People Enrolled in Medicaid Managed Care Increasing
People Without Health Insurance Decreasing
Physically Inactive Adults Not Applicable
Adults Who are Overweight or Obese Not Applicable
Students in 7-12 Overweight or Obese Not Applicable
Cancer Incidence Decreasing
Students in K-6 Overweight or Obese Not Applicable
Prevalence of Mental Illness Maintaining
Vacant Housing Units Increasing
Homeownership Rates Decreasing
Cost of Homeownership Maintaining
Cost of Homeownership, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Rent Increasing
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Single-Family Home Sales Increasing
Median Single-Family Home Sale Price Maintaining
Tourism Spending Maintaining
Voter Registration Rate Decreasing
Voter Participation Rate Decreasing
Average Charitable Giving Maintaining
Contributions as a Percentage of Income Maintaining
Households With Internet Access Not Applicable
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Establishments Maintaining
Toxic Chemical Releases Decreasing
Violent Crimes Maintaining
Property Crimes Decreasing
Incarceration Rates Maintaining
Drug Abuse Offenses Increasing
Drug Abuse Arrests Increasing
Protection from Domestic Abuse Maintaining
Average Travel Time to Work Increasing
Crashes Involving Alcohol Decreasing
Households Without Vehicles Decreasing


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