For the 15th consecutive year, Kentucky’s public school system has received the highest rating for special education. The report card from the U.S. Department of Education rates states on meeting the requirements and purposes of IDEA – the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Gretta Hylton, the state director of Special Education, credited local districts for Kentucky’s high grade.
“We report the data through the state education agency, but we get the data from our local education agencies. It's their implementation of special education programs. It's their work. You know, they are the boots on the ground.”
The report card notes Kentucky is one of just two states that’s received the “meets determinations” rating for each of the last 15 years.
“By and large, receiving a ‘meets determinations’ is indicative of a job well done across our local districts ensuring that students with disabilities are being provided with a free, appropriate public education.”
According to the state Department of Education, more than 114,000 students with disabilities between the ages of three and 21 attend public schools in Kentucky.
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