The Special Education Observatory

Special education in California

2024–25 school year · 1,365 districts reporting · 371 withheld for privacy

Students with IEPs

792,099

10.7% of the national total · 1st of 52

Source: U.S. Department of Education, IDEA Section 618 and Common Core of Data, 2024–25, via The Special Education Observatory.

Share of students

14.4%

0.9 points below the national rate · 32nd of 52

Source: U.S. Department of Education, IDEA Section 618 and Common Core of Data, 2024–25, via The Special Education Observatory.

80% or more of the day in general education

62.9%

5.0 points below the national rate · 39th of 52

Source: U.S. Department of Education, IDEA Section 618 and Common Core of Data, 2024–25, via The Special Education Observatory.

Less than 40% of the day in general education

18.5%

5.5 points above the national rate · 1st of 52

Source: U.S. Department of Education, IDEA Section 618 and Common Core of Data, 2024–25, via The Special Education Observatory.

Sources

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. IDEA Section 618 Part B Child Count and Educational Environments (file specifications 002 and 089), district level, 2024–25.
U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Common Core of Data, district membership, 2024–25 (final).

PULSE, The Special Education Observatory. Data retrieved Sep 25, 2026. Free to share with citation.