A record 72,800 Oregon students qualified for special education services this year, with the biggest growth among students with attention disorders or other health problems that make it hard for them to concentrate in school, the state reported Wednesday.
In addition, 9,000 preschoolers qualify for early intervention services, the Oregon Department of Education reported in its yearly count of special education students.
Among school-age children, one of every eight students qualifies for special education. Learning disabilities are the leading cause, with about 28,000 Oregon students in that category, the report said.
The fastest-growing group of special education students are those labeled "other health impaired," a catch-all for students who have "limited strength, vitality or alertness" in class because of a chronic or acute health problem. Most of them have attention-deficit disorder or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.