About 15% to 20% of the global human population is estimated to be neurodivergent. These individuals learn differently than neurotypical individuals, and their brains process information in unique ways. Those differences often present challenges for public school systems and may increase the need for public investment in special education programs.

Straight Arrow News contributor Adrienne Lawrence examines the data behind this issue and then zooms in on one neurodivergent student in Irvine, California. Lawrence concludes there is an enormous reserve of untapped neurodivergent potential in America and argues that this potential can never be unlocked as long as special education remains underfunded and under-resourced.

One school district here in Irvine, California appears to be so intent on denying that a child is dyslexic that they’ve spent more than $1 million in legal fees to avoid paying about $40,000 a year for the girl to attend a special private school that can educate her. While that does not seem like a wise investment of funds, the reality here is that schools are forced to take up these high-stakes legal fights against special education disputes because, if they acquiesced, the cost would be astronomical. Ultimately, the only answer is to ensure that our schools are equipped to teach the growing number of neurodivergent minds.

The number of students with differences in learning is growing. It’s not because there’s a trend on social media, or there are people encouraging others to identify as something other than neurotypical. It’s because our society is finally realizing that people learn differently. They think differently. Not everything operates on a binary scale, and people are refusing to be forced to fit into a lazy, dichotomous system.

Nationally, 8.4 million students from the ages of 3 to 21 are classified as needing special education. That’s about 17% of all public school students. And that number is growing. In the 2021-22 school year, nearly 46,500 formal complaints or mediation requests on Special Education Assistance were filed nationwide. That’s according to federal data. And that is up 27% from the prior year, which was what: during the pandemic. Many people likely realized during that time that their child is not necessarily neurotypical, or that they finally maybe had time to advocate for their child’s needs.