Enrollment trends for students with disabilities in Maryland are on the rise, with the percentage increasing from 11.9% in the 2015-2016 school year to 12.8% in the most recent year. This was a key highlight during the Maryland Department of Education's Blueprint Special Education Workgroup meeting held on August 23, 2023.

The meeting revealed significant disparities in the demographics of students with disabilities. Notably, Black or African American students represent 39% of the special education population, despite making up only 33% of the overall student body. This overrepresentation raises concerns about equity in identification and support for students with disabilities across various local education agencies (LEAs).

The data presented showed that specific learning disabilities are the most common, accounting for 26% of cases, followed by other health impairments at 22%, autism at 14%, and speech and language impairments at 13.8%. The meeting also highlighted that Black students are disproportionately identified with intellectual and emotional disabilities, with over half of Black students with disabilities falling into these categories.

In terms of educational outcomes, the meeting discussed high school completion rates, revealing that 80.9% of students with disabilities graduated with a regular diploma in the 2021-2022 school year. However, there remains a gap in post-secondary engagement, with only 34% of students with disabilities enrolled in higher education or competitively employed within a year of graduating high school.

The discussions underscored the need for targeted interventions and support systems to address these disparities and improve educational outcomes for students with disabilities in Maryland. The workgroup plans to continue analyzing data and developing strategies to enhance special education services across the state.