The COVID-19 pandemic adversely impacted K-12 education and its effects have been well documented. However, there has been less focus on how the pandemic affected the special education system and, specifically, that system here in Michigan.

To provide more insight and data, researchers at Michigan State University’s College of Education published a new study exploring learning gaps for students with disabilities and especially for those who are Black, Asian, and economically disadvantaged students — with the 2019-21 school years showing staggering declines in identifying students who could benefit from special education.

Declines in special education identification during remote learning

The study, published in Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, examined the number of students who were identified by school specialists as needing special education services from a sample size of over 2.9 million Michigan students from 2012 to 2023.

During the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years, identifications fell by a staggering 19% and 12%, respectively. Specific learning disabilities — brain-based disorders that affect a person’s ability to understand or use language, read, write, or do math — were the most impacted. Economically disadvantaged students and students from underrepresented backgrounds, particularly Black and Asian students, experienced disproportionately larger declines in special education services.