More Kansas students are qualifying for special education special education services at school. Part of the increase is due to rising rates of autism. State education leaders say more than 91,000 students qualified for special education services last year. That’s about 18% of the total student population. Bert Moore, who oversees special-ed services for the state department of education, notes that much of the increase is due to rising rates of autism across the country.
He says there is a trend line that shows that autism is being found more often than not, and more and more physicians are diagnosing students with autism at younger and younger ages. A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says one out of every 36 children has autism. In 2006, the rate was 1 in 110.
