wow! rates of autism

[Guest guest]

This is interesting…from the

national autism society…..fyi

Number of U.S. Students with Autism Jumped

1,300% in 8 Years

Figures from the most recent U.S. Department of Education's 2002 Report to

Congress on IDEA reveal that number of students with autism in America's

schools jumped an alarming 1,354% in the eight-year period from the school

year 1991-92 to 2000-2001. This rate of increase is almost 50

times higher than the rate of increase of 28.4% for all disabilities, or

26.75% for all disabilities excluding autism.

The number of students with autism being served in public schools under the

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) rose from 5,415 in 1991-92

to 78,749 in 2000-01. In comparison, the number of students with all

disabilities being served under IDEA rose from 4,499,824 to 5,775,722 during

the same period.

The rates in the report, entitled the " Twenty-fourth Annual Report

to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities

Education Act (U.S. Department of Education, 2002), " compare with a rate

of change of 173% for autism and 16% for all disabilities over the

nine-year period from 1998-89 to 1997-98, as reported in the Department of

Education's " Twenty-first Annual Report, " published in 1999.

Based on the rate of growth for autism, ASA estimates that the total number

of students with autism being served in U.S.

public schools currently exceeds 100,000.

To access the full report, click here, or visit the U.S. Department of

Education's Web site (www.ed.gov) and do a

search for " Twenty-fourth. "