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When is National Special Education Day?

December 2nd is National Special Education Day.

What is National Special Education Day?

We do wrong to the people whose rights we forget. Education is a human right, and that right extends to disabled children as well. National Special Education Day reminds us of the importance of teaching children with disabilities in ways that accommodate them.

Education opens the world for a child. For a long time though, disabled children tended to get lost in the education system. Then, President Gerald Ford signed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) on December 2, 1975. The law requires public schools to offer free education appropriate to children who need learning accommodations.

Special education programs make it possible for these kids to graduate with skills they need to succeed in life. Unfortunately, the dropout rate for students with disabilities remains high in many parts of the country—above 40% for 16 U.S. states in the 2015-2016 school year. National Special Education Day encourages us to support the people and organizations that can turn that figure around.

Fun facts about National Special Education Day!

  • ADHD is common in children with learning disabilities, but it’s not actually considered a learning disability.
  • Learning disabilities and intellectual disabilities are not the same. Learning disabled students tend to have average or above average intelligence.
  • In the 2015-2016 academic year, 13% of children in public schools (about 6.7 million kids) used special education services.

How to celebrate National Special Education Day:

  • Look in your area for special education programs that need after-school volunteers, and offer your time to kids with special needs.
  • Donate to organizations that support special education and that research better ways to accommodate kids with disabilities.

What’s the hashtag for National Special Education Day?

Support special education on social media with #SpecialEducationDay.