Five Current Trending Issues in Special Education

As schools continue to embrace inclusive practices, most students with disabilities now spend much of their days in general education classrooms. It’s a shift that’s reshaping classroom dynamics in significant ways. 

General education teachers are increasingly expected to support a wide range of learning needs, including many students with disabilities who may also be experiencing trauma, housing instability, and/or exceptional abilities in other areas. Additionally, there continues to be a considerable shortage of special education teachers, which limits the professional support available to both students and general ed teachers alike.

Often with limited resources, teachers are doing everything they can to support all the students in their classrooms. That’s why it’s important for all of us to stay informed. With a better understanding of today’s classroom dynamics, we can be better advocates for the support that students and teachers need.

With this goal in mind, let’s explore five critical issues in special education right now.

 1. AI and Other Emerging Assistive Technologies

Given the specific needs of special education students, the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI)—and other evolving assistive technologies like speech-to-text—has come at a pivotal time. While adopting these technologies certainly comes with challenges, they also hold great promise for special education students. When teachers are trained on how to use them effectively, they can help provide the highly individualized education that these students need. 

There’s still lots of work to be done in terms of research, professional development, and equitable access, but in the long term, leveraging emerging technologies like AI can help teachers provide truly differentiated instruction. 

 2. Trauma-Informed Teaching

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network defines a traumatic event as “a frightening, dangerous, or violent event that poses a threat to a child’s life or bodily integrity.” Sadly, these events are all too common. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), more than two-thirds of children in the U.S. have experienced trauma before age 16.

Students in special education are more likely than their peers to be exposed to trauma. Trauma-informed teaching—which involves not just recognizing the signs of trauma but also knowing how to respond—can provide these students with the social-emotional support they need. Most importantly, it helps create a sense of safety, which is essential for their full engagement in the classroom.

In an excerpt from her book Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Education, published in Edutopia, Alex Shevrin Venet emphasizes that educators can make their teaching more trauma-informed by focusing on four key priorities: predictability, flexibility, empowerment, and connection. She notes, “Focusing on these priorities can help make learning more equitable for trauma-affected students, but it’s also good practice for all students.”

 3. Housing Instability

Housing instability is a challenge that impacts millions of children across the country. Under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), schools are now required to track the academic progress of students experiencing housing instability. These students often don’t qualify for—or aren't identified—under special education, but they absolutely face barriers to learning.

For many of these children, school offers the only sense of stability in their daily lives. The classroom becomes a safe, vital space that can help them stay on track academically and emotionally.

When students who already receive special education services experience housing insecurity, the impact can be even more severe. Transitions are often especially difficult for children with disabilities, and constantly moving or not having a consistent place to sleep adds another layer of difficulty to their learning—and their overall well-being, of course.

Even students who aren’t in special education can struggle to concentrate or succeed when dealing with housing instability. Their needs may not fit into traditional categories, but they still require support.

 4. Twice-Exceptional (“2e”) Learners

Some students are both gifted and have a learning difference, and they’re known as twice-exceptional or “2e” learners. These students might excel in certain areas while also dealing with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dysgraphia, or dyscalculia. Their strengths can sometimes hide their struggles, or their struggles might hide their strengths. As a result, they’re often misunderstood and may be unfairly labeled as lazy or underperforming, even though that’s far from the truth. They simply need the right kind of support to succeed.

Even with growing awareness of twice-exceptionality and neurodivergence in general, there’s still lots of work to be done in terms of advocacy and support. This work begins with helping more people understand that 2e students exist. From there, the process of identifying these students often starts by noticing when a student’s performance is inconsistent. Using assessments like neuropsychological evaluations, which look at both cognitive strengths and learning differences, can help provide a more complete understanding of what each student needs.

When educators have a clearer picture of a 2e student’s profile, they can create learning experiences that challenge these students intellectually while also providing the accommodations or interventions needed for their areas of difficulty.

 5. Partnering With Adults in a Student’s Life

When a student is struggling, early communication can make a big difference. Being proactive—not just when there’s a problem, but also when there’s a small win—helps build strong partnerships between schools and families. Letting families know about the progress their child is making, no matter how small, helps build trust and reminds everyone that growth is happening.

Of course, these conversations aren’t always easy, especially when the topic is something difficult, like behavior. But when everyone stays focused on the shared goal of helping the student succeed, these discussions can become opportunities to work together.

This kind of collaboration also helps address concerns before they grow into bigger issues. And when families feel heard and respected, they’re more likely to feel like true partners in their child’s education.

Next Steps

Today’s classrooms include a wide range of students. Some have IEPs, while others are navigating challenges like trauma, housing instability, or twice-exceptionality. Teachers are doing their best to support all of them, often with limited resources.

To meet these growing needs, teacher preparation and professional development programs must keep up. Educators need high-quality, ongoing training that reflects the realities they face—training that covers emerging technologies, trauma-informed practices, housing instability, how to recognize and support twice-exceptional learners, and how to build strong, collaborative relationships with families and caregivers.

It’s important to note that this training should not be limited to special education programs. General education teachers also need to be prepared to support students with a wide range of learning needs, since most students receiving special education services now spend the majority of their day in general education classrooms.

But professional development is only part of the solution. Continued advocacy is essential. Raising awareness, improving policies, and pushing for more resources at both local and national levels can help ensure that schools are better equipped to meet students’ needs.

The future of special education depends on a strong, shared commitment to equity, collaboration, and support for all students. 

This article, originally published in October 2023, has been updated with current trends and information.