Minnesota Estimates Special Education Enrollment Will Rise 6% Between 2018 & 2020

The number of Minnesota students receiving special education services is projected to increase by 6%, from 141,237 in 2017 to more than 150,000 by fiscal year (FY) 2020. In 2016, 16.1% of Minnesota students received special education services, up 1.3 percentage points over a decade. Minnesota school districts spent $2.2 billion on special education services during 2017. Special education costs are projected to rise by 4.1% in 2018, 4.8% in 2019, 4.8% in 2020, and 4.9% in 2021. By 2021, special education costs are projected at more than $2.6 billion . . .