Learning disorders are one of the most common disabilities in children today. These children have a normal level of intelligence, and yet they struggle when it comes to connecting with the material given to them at school. Learning disability statistics show that these disabilities are common among the American youth, and it’s important that these young people are given the necessary tools to be able to learn and thrive as they grow up. They need to be taught by people in the health profession who understand their disability. And, when in doubt, parents should speak to healthcare professionals who have experience with learning disorders.
Unfortunately, there is still much stigma attached to learning disabilities, and that is why far more people need to be more informed when it comes to these disorders. The following statistics should be able to shed some more light on the matter and give you fresh insight into learning disabilities.
The Top 10 Learning Disability Stats and Facts
- The five most common types of learning disabilities are dyslexia, ADHD, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and processing deficits.
- Learning disability describes people with a normal level of intelligence who have a problem with learning.
- One in five children in the United States has a learning disability.
- 39% of students receiving special education receive it for learning disabilities.
- 70% of students with learning disabilities spend around 80% of their education in classrooms designed to educate the general population.
- According to school-going children with a disability, statistics show that the rate of students with learning disabilities who dropout is 18.1%, which is much higher than the general rate of dropout, where it sits at 6.5%.
- The best college for those with learning disabilities is Beacon College in Florida.
- Almost half of the parents (43%) claim that they would prefer that other people didn’t know about their child’s learning disability.
- The number of parents who think that children will lose their learning disability as they get older is still high.
- 81% of people who are in their initial adult years claim that they have not made it known at the workplace that they have a learning disability.
General Learning Disabilities Facts
These statistics and facts show general information on learning disorders — from what the most common types are to the definition of what learning disabilities actually entail. For example, you may be wondering, “Is ADHD a learning disability?” And you will find out here that it is.
1. Learning disability describes people with a normal level of intelligence who have a problem with learning.
(MedicineNet)
This can include issues with writing, language, mathematics, or information processing. The learning disability definition states that people with learning disabilities have issues in connecting information that they hear or read to different areas of the brain.
2. There are many different types of learning disabilities, but there are five that are most commonly diagnosed.
(Masters in Special Education)
These five are dyslexia, ADHD, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and processing deficits. There are other types, but these are most frequently found in young people today.
Prevalence of Children with Disabilities: Statistics and Facts
In this section, you will learn more about the prevalence of those with learning differences, from how many children with a learning disability there are in the United States to a little more about LD classes.
3. One in five children in the United States has a learning disability.
(Understood)
This just goes to show how common these disorders are and the problems that are among the American youth today. 20% of young people in the country suffer from one of the various learning disabilities, such as ADHD or dyslexia. If you’re looking at how common learning disabilities are in the United States, this number shows the prevalence of learning disabilities in the country.
4. Out of the 13 disabilities that are included in the special education law, a learning disability is the biggest issue faced by most of these children.
(National Center for Learning Disabilities)
39% of students receiving special education receive it for learning disabilities. This is more than double the amount of students being educated and treated for speech or language problems.
Special Education Statistics
Here, you will learn more about LD education in the United States and how children with learning disabilities are being taught in schools.
5. 70% of students with learning disabilities spend around 80% of their education in classrooms designed to educate the general population, according to special education statistics.
(National Center for Learning Disabilities)
Including these children in the general classroom can help them; however, many teachers say that they aren’t equipped with the resources and training to help them.
6. One in three students with learning disabilities has had to do the same grade twice.
(National Center for Learning Disabilities)
The rate of students with learning disabilities who dropout is 18.1%, which is much higher than the general rate of dropout, where it sits at 6.5%. These learning disability statistics show how children with learning disabilities struggle with education.
Programs for Learning Disability
Children with a learning disability test badly in general, depending on the form of LD they have, and so they must receive adequate attention at school so they can thrive.
7. There is special education available for children who have been diagnosed with a learning disability.
(National Institutes of Health)
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act states that all public schools should offer support for youth with disabilities in the form of special education. According to special education statistics by state, most states in the US require that these services are available for those as young as three and carry on until they are as old as 21 if need be.
8. There are unique ways to treat those who struggle with reading.
(Gulf Bend Center)
Treatment for those who suffer from a learning disability that impairs their reading includes the use of special teaching techniques, changes in the classroom (like allowing for extra time), and using technology that makes it easier for them to connect with the material. This is all according to special education stats.
9. There are unique ways to treat those who struggle to write.
(Gulf Bend Center)
Treatment for those who suffer from a learning disability that impairs their written expression includes special tools (like offering the student the option of performing orally for an exam), special technologies (like audio to text programs and more), and other methods that take away the need for the students to write.
10. There are unique ways to treat those who struggle with math in their learning.
(Gulf Bend Center)
According to learning disabilities statistics, treatment for those who have a learning disability impairing their ability to do math includes using various visual techniques, making use of aides that help with memory, and allowing children to use computers to help with their math.
Colleges with Learning Disability Programs
The information in this section will advise which colleges are best for those who suffer from learning disabilities.
11. According to Best Value Schools, the best college for those with learning disabilities is Beacon College in Florida.
(Best Value Schools)
The number two spot is Landmark College in Vermont, and in the third spot is Mitchell College in Connecticut. The rest of the top 10 colleges for learning disability students are Dean College (Massachusetts), Lynn University (Florida), Lesley University (Massachusetts), High Point University (North Carolina), Curry College (Massachusetts), College of Charleston (South Carolina), and Westminster College (Pennsylvania).
Living with Learning Disability: Statistics and Facts
These statistics show what it’s like to live with a learning disability.
12. Almost half of the parents (43%) claim that they would prefer that other people didn’t know about their child’s learning disability if they had one.
(Understood)
This just goes to show how much of a stigma learning disabilities still have attached to them.
13. The number of parents who think that children will lose their learning disability as they get older is still high.
(Understood)
48% of parents hold this belief, which has been proven to be a myth. There is much misinformation about learning disabilities out there, and those with children who have these disabilities need to be more aware of facts about the most common learning disabilities.
14. As people get older, they still hold onto the stigma of having a learning disability.
(Understood)
81% of people who are in their initial adult years claim that they have not made it known at the workplace that they have a learning disability. The percentage of those who actually ask for help with their learning disability in the workplace is as low as 5%.
FAQ
Does a learning disability ever go away?
No, it does not. Many people believe that you can outgrow a learning disability, but that’s not the case. What does happen, though, is that your brain changes as you grow up, and, in addition to this, you can learn skills that help you cope with a learning disability. These skills and coping mechanisms can help you find a career where your learning disability does not hold you back, and you can even thrive in specific settings. It’s all about knowing your strengths and weaknesses.
Is dyslexia the most common learning disability?
Yes, dyslexia is the most prevalent learning disability, and yet so little is known about it. Dyslexia is not just about not being able to read well. And it affects 5-10% of Americans. It can seriously affect the lives of those who have it, especially in their formative years, where they are at school and expected to learn through traditional mediums.
What percentage of students have learning disabilities?
Around 14% of all students in the public school system in the United States were reported to suffer from learning disabilities in the year 2017 to 2018. That works out to around 7 million students who have learning disorders. The ages that these statistics include are from three years old to 21 years old, which are the years that these children or young adults might still be at school and receiving special education.
How many children have dyslexia?
Around 43.5 million children in the United States have dyslexia. That’s around 5-15% of the population. This just goes to show how common this form of learning disability is in modern times. This is why it’s important that special techniques are employed to help these children learn while they are at school.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, many children suffer from learning disabilities, and it is important that they have proper help in the classroom so that they can thrive. What the above learning disability statistics show is that these types of disorders are not rare, and yet we don’t have as much information on them as we should. Learning disabilities in children should be taken just as seriously as epilepsy, chronic pain, or other health disorders.
