States Report Significant Increase in Special Education Complaints for 2025-2026 School Year

Data from 33 states reveals a nearly 48% increase in written special education complaints during the 2025-2026 school year, a significant jump attributed to recent upheaval within the U.S. Department of Education and its Office for Civil Rights. The Council for Exceptional Children and the National Association of State Directors of Special Education collected this data, showing over 12,000 complaints compared to fewer than 8,400 annually in previous years.