Percent of students (ages 6-21) classified with disabilities and receiving special education services.
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.
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%.
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.
2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
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United States | 12% | 13% | 13% | 13% | 14% | 14% | 14% | 13% | 13% | 13% | 13% | 13% | 13% | 13% | 13% | 13% | 13% | 13% | 14% |
Pennsylvania | 12% | 13% | 13% | 14% | 14% | 15% | 16% | 16% | 17% | 17% | 16% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 18% | 18% | 19% | |
Berks County | 10% | 11% | 11% | 12% | 13% | 14% | 14% | 15% | 16% | 17% | 18% | 18% | 18% | 19% | 19% | 19% | 20% | 20% | 21% |
Berks County Regions | |||||||||||||||||||
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Northeast | |||||||||||||||||||
South | |||||||||||||||||||
Southeast | |||||||||||||||||||
West | |||||||||||||||||||
Reading city | |||||||||||||||||||
Berks County Peers | |||||||||||||||||||
Chester County | 11% | 11% | 12% | 13% | 13% | 14% | 15% | 16% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 18% | 18% | 18% | 19% |
Lancaster County | 13% | 14% | 15% | 15% | 16% | 16% | 16% | 16% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 16% | 16% | 16% | 16% | 16% | 17% | 17% | 18% |
Lebanon County | 11% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 13% | 14% | 14% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 16% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 18% | 18% | 19% | 19% | 20% |
Lehigh County | 11% | 10% | 11% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 13% | 15% | 15% | 16% | 15% | 16% | 16% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 18% | 18% | 19% |
Montgomery County | 12% | 12% | 13% | 13% | 13% | 14% | 14% | 15% | 16% | 16% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 18% | 18% | 19% | 19% |
Schuylkill County | 12% | 13% | 14% | 15% | 16% | 17% | 17% | 18% | 19% | 19% | 20% | 20% | 21% | 21% | 21% | 21% | 22% | 23% | 23% |
School Districts | |||||||||||||||||||
Antietam School District | 12% | 14% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 17% | 17% | 18% | 20% | 21% | 20% | 20% | 19% | 21% | 22% | 24% | 22% | 24% | 26% |
Boyertown Area School District | 10% | 10% | 11% | 12% | 13% | 14% | 14% | 16% | 16% | 17% | 18% | 18% | 18% | 18% | 19% | 20% | 21% | 22% | 23% |
Brandywine Heights Area School District | 13% | 15% | 15% | 16% | 17% | 18% | 20% | 20% | 21% | 20% | 19% | 19% | 19% | 19% | 20% | 20% | 20% | 21% | 22% |
Conrad Weiser Area School District | 11% | 12% | 13% | 14% | 15% | 16% | 17% | 18% | 18% | 19% | 19% | 21% | 22% | 22% | 21% | 21% | 22% | 22% | 22% |
Daniel Boone Area School District | 10% | 11% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 14% | 14% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 16% | 17% | 17% | 18% | 19% | 19% | 21% |
Exeter Township School District | 9% | 11% | 12% | 13% | 14% | 14% | 15% | 18% | 18% | 18% | 19% | 19% | 18% | 19% | 19% | 19% | 19% | 20% | 20% |
Fleetwood Area School District | 10% | 10% | 11% | 11% | 11% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 13% | 15% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 18% | 18% | 19% | 19% | 19% | 19% |
Governor Mifflin School District | 9% | 9% | 10% | 11% | 12% | 13% | 13% | 15% | 16% | 16% | 17% | 17% | 18% | 20% | 21% | 22% | 21% | 21% | 22% |
Hamburg Area School District | 8% | 10% | 11% | 12% | 13% | 12% | 13% | 15% | 14% | 15% | 14% | 14% | 16% | 17% | 17% | 18% | 18% | 19% | 18% |
Kutztown Area School District | 11% | 13% | 14% | 16% | 18% | 19% | 20% | 21% | 20% | 22% | 22% | 22% | 22% | 22% | 23% | 22% | 22% | 22% | 21% |
Muhlenberg School District | 11% | 11% | 11% | 12% | 12% | 14% | 15% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 18% | 18% | 18% | 18% | 18% | 19% | 18% | 18% | 19% |
Oley Valley School District | 12% | 11% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 13% | 13% | 15% | 15% | 16% | 17% | 17% | 18% | 19% | 19% | 17% | 19% | 19% | 19% |
Reading School District | 10% | 11% | 10% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 12% | 13% | 14% | 16% | 19% | 19% | 20% | 20% | 20% | 20% | 20% | 20% | 21% |
Schuylkill Valley School District | 11% | 11% | 11% | 12% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 13% | 15% | 15% | 16% | 15% | 17% | 16% | 16% | 16% | 17% | 18% | 19% |
Tulpehocken Area School District | 11% | 11% | 13% | 15% | 18% | 21% | 21% | 21% | 19% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 19% | 19% | 19% | 22% | 23% | 23% | 24% |
Twin Valley School District | 12% | 13% | 13% | 14% | 14% | 14% | 14% | 14% | 14% | 15% | 16% | 16% | 18% | 18% | 18% | 18% | 19% | 20% | 20% |
Wilson School District | 11% | 14% | 15% | 15% | 16% | 15% | 15% | 17% | 16% | 15% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 18% | 18% | 19% | 20% |
Wyomissing Area School District | 7% | 8% | 8% | 9% | 9% | 10% | 14% | 16% | 15% | 16% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 18% | 18% | 18% | 18% | 19% |
2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
United States | 5,582,981 | 5,978,197 | 6,300,748 | 6,449,904 | 6,014,921 | 5,932,906 | 6,666,264 | 6,142,547 | 5,763,729 | 6,154,494 | 6,448,108 | 6,319,707 | 6,378,155 | 6,308,949 | 6,415,645 | 5,661,555 | 5,845,462 | 6,755,732 | 6,953,178 |
Pennsylvania | 222,584 | 232,056 | 242,837 | 253,129 | 260,909 | 267,682 | 292,649 | 293,865 | 295,028 | 294,592 | 295,077 | 294,963 | 295,501 | 294,997 | 296,959 | 302,540 | 310,244 | 319,733 | |
Berks County | 6,463 | 7,014 | 7,484 | 8,191 | 8,731 | 9,433 | 9,928 | 10,974 | 11,113 | 11,830 | 12,483 | 12,691 | 12,922 | 12,936 | 13,026 | 13,116 | 13,291 | 13,637 | 14,099 |
Berks County Regions | |||||||||||||||||||
Central | |||||||||||||||||||
Northeast | |||||||||||||||||||
South | |||||||||||||||||||
Southeast | |||||||||||||||||||
West | |||||||||||||||||||
Reading city | |||||||||||||||||||
Berks County Peers | |||||||||||||||||||
Chester County | 6,727 | 7,412 | 8,040 | 8,653 | 9,156 | 10,090 | 10,666 | 11,992 | 12,445 | 12,660 | 12,805 | 13,578 | 13,398 | 13,523 | 13,927 | 14,066 | 14,124 | 14,538 | 15,129 |
Lancaster County | 9,045 | 9,411 | 10,148 | 10,448 | 11,083 | 11,295 | 11,424 | 11,555 | 11,602 | 11,562 | 11,310 | 11,044 | 10,856 | 10,943 | 10,997 | 11,060 | 11,216 | 11,728 | 12,241 |
Lebanon County | 1,914 | 2,094 | 2,076 | 2,321 | 2,423 | 2,580 | 2,642 | 2,886 | 2,897 | 2,911 | 3,047 | 3,127 | 3,203 | 3,336 | 3,363 | 3,517 | 3,650 | 3,767 | 3,851 |
Lehigh County | 4,757 | 4,415 | 4,997 | 5,498 | 5,992 | 6,292 | 6,645 | 7,633 | 7,857 | 7,977 | 8,021 | 8,227 | 8,306 | 8,525 | 8,565 | 8,498 | 8,969 | 9,217 | 9,766 |
Montgomery County | 11,902 | 12,095 | 12,826 | 13,469 | 14,207 | 14,847 | 15,462 | 16,666 | 17,412 | 18,116 | 18,527 | 19,035 | 19,715 | 20,131 | 20,296 | 20,604 | 20,989 | 21,321 | 21,733 |
Schuylkill County | 2,414 | 2,460 | 2,582 | 2,768 | 2,866 | 3,051 | 3,048 | 3,369 | 3,504 | 3,520 | 3,609 | 3,638 | 3,706 | 3,784 | 3,692 | 3,731 | 3,782 | 3,893 | 3,954 |
School Districts | |||||||||||||||||||
Antietam School District | 124 | 149 | 161 | 155 | 166 | 190 | 193 | 200 | 213 | 225 | 211 | 208 | 203 | 223 | 229 | 255 | 233 | 258 | 299 |
Boyertown Area School District | 656 | 696 | 725 | 793 | 887 | 972 | 996 | 1,132 | 1,154 | 1,215 | 1,246 | 1,298 | 1,294 | 1,304 | 1,362 | 1,406 | 1,481 | 1,516 | 1,553 |
Brandywine Heights Area School District | 274 | 310 | 316 | 323 | 333 | 365 | 381 | 389 | 382 | 355 | 339 | 341 | 322 | 305 | 311 | 300 | 295 | 306 | 308 |
Conrad Weiser Area School District | 289 | 335 | 342 | 371 | 425 | 450 | 496 | 532 | 537 | 555 | 561 | 600 | 618 | 606 | 576 | 576 | 576 | 598 | 567 |
Daniel Boone Area School District | 277 | 344 | 383 | 407 | 461 | 486 | 512 | 575 | 567 | 582 | 590 | 576 | 605 | 626 | 628 | 635 | 647 | 664 | 696 |
Exeter Township School District | 354 | 403 | 469 | 514 | 554 | 587 | 639 | 774 | 784 | 814 | 817 | 825 | 786 | 779 | 799 | 767 | 752 | 791 | 779 |
Fleetwood Area School District | 241 | 255 | 271 | 287 | 300 | 308 | 327 | 348 | 362 | 411 | 444 | 452 | 457 | 473 | 488 | 487 | 486 | 469 | 477 |
Governor Mifflin School District | 376 | 387 | 428 | 479 | 503 | 539 | 559 | 630 | 663 | 674 | 727 | 734 | 758 | 826 | 848 | 880 | 858 | 867 | 894 |
Hamburg Area School District | 217 | 264 | 297 | 322 | 344 | 343 | 362 | 399 | 366 | 374 | 348 | 354 | 380 | 394 | 386 | 389 | 397 | 407 | 390 |
Kutztown Area School District | 211 | 229 | 260 | 292 | 322 | 335 | 353 | 363 | 340 | 365 | 357 | 341 | 326 | 332 | 321 | 301 | 292 | 286 | 279 |
Muhlenberg School District | 310 | 321 | 328 | 367 | 370 | 425 | 504 | 580 | 582 | 599 | 628 | 652 | 645 | 651 | 647 | 671 | 659 | 664 | 715 |
Oley Valley School District | 249 | 240 | 254 | 273 | 268 | 263 | 280 | 310 | 303 | 315 | 325 | 326 | 330 | 328 | 325 | 297 | 313 | 327 | 323 |
Reading School District | 1,525 | 1,650 | 1,693 | 1,897 | 1,978 | 2,222 | 2,202 | 2,417 | 2,510 | 2,924 | 3,377 | 3,467 | 3,612 | 3,459 | 3,445 | 3,401 | 3,418 | 3,541 | 3,759 |
Schuylkill Valley School District | 200 | 205 | 218 | 223 | 228 | 231 | 256 | 256 | 297 | 304 | 315 | 290 | 321 | 313 | 305 | 314 | 351 | 377 | 397 |
Tulpehocken Area School District | 185 | 191 | 223 | 263 | 310 | 359 | 354 | 348 | 312 | 265 | 261 | 261 | 288 | 283 | 278 | 312 | 321 | 325 | 348 |
Twin Valley School District | 360 | 382 | 402 | 428 | 451 | 445 | 458 | 487 | 491 | 517 | 536 | 556 | 594 | 603 | 613 | 619 | 652 | 659 | 646 |
Wilson School District | 258 | 324 | 342 | 348 | 359 | 333 | 341 | 375 | 358 | 351 | 375 | 379 | 370 | 365 | 361 | 397 | 398 | 419 | 447 |
Wyomissing Area School District | 133 | 140 | 149 | 164 | 175 | 182 | 267 | 303 | 285 | 293 | 314 | 310 | 319 | 324 | 341 | 342 | 351 | 343 | 368 |
INDICATORS | TREND | BERKS COUNTY |
---|---|
Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Price Lunch | ![]() |
Prekindergarten Participation | ![]() |
English Language Learners | ![]() |
Students Receiving Special Education Services | ![]() |
Per Student Spending | ![]() |
High School Cohort Graduation Rate | ![]() |
Education Levels of Adults | Not Applicable |
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity | Not Applicable |
Brain Drain/Gain | ![]() |
Plans of High School Graduates | Not Applicable |
Enrollment in Local Colleges | ![]() |