NC Faces Challenge in Special Ed

RALEIGH — By 2013-14, the “No Child Left Behind” Act directs that all students, special education included, achieve proficiency. As data from state-level tests show, special education students are much farther behind in achievement than are their nondisabled counterparts. NC is no exception, although some districts are making progress. In Durham, a concerted effort to identify and correct reading difficulties in the early grades has reversed the trend in special ed. Instead of enrolling more kids every year, Durham’s literacy program has reduced special education enrollment by 100 students annually.