In Indiana, officials struggle with AYP for special ed students

  A combination of poverty and a high number of special needs students often leads to schools that fail to meet guidelines of the federal No Child Left Behind law, Indiana and regional officials say. If a Title 1 school misses AYP for two consecutive years, corrective action can include replacing school staff and implementing new curriculum. Special education remains the most commonly missed target among schools that fall short of making AYP in a single area.

Lake Station Superintendent Dan DeHaven said it is very difficult for special education students to pass the tests, placing schools with larger populations of special needs students at a disadvantage. Of the 1,489 students in Lake Station, DeHaven said 15% are in special education. Read more in The Times online.