State of Schools
How every state does on special education, side by side with State of Support, and a combined grade.
Two report cards, one picture
State of Schools grades each state on special education in its public schools: following the law, learning together, results, school funding, family protections, and options and transition.
State of Support (on the Disability Atlas (on Disability Atlas)) grades each state on services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities outside school. The combined grade averages the two, because families live with both systems at once.
First edition. These grades are new (November 2026) and the weights may still change. Texas graduation data is being confirmed with the state.
Grades for every state
| State | State of Schools | State of Support | Combined | IDEA 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | C+ #16 | A #2 | B+ #1 | Needs Assistance (1 year) |
| New Hampshire | B #2 | B+ #7 | B+ #2 | Meets |
| Vermont | C #25 | A+ #1 | B+ #3 | Needs Intervention |
| Rhode Island | C+ #9 | A #3 | B+ #4 | Meets |
| Massachusetts | C+ #11 | B #13 | B- #5 | Meets |
| Connecticut | B #1 | C+ #26 | B- #6 | Meets |
| Oregon | C- #32 | A- #5 | B- #7 | Needs Assistance (2 or more years) |
| Wisconsin | B- #6 | B- #16 | B- #8 | Meets |
| Kentucky | B #3 | C+ #23 | B- #9 | Meets |
| Arizona | D+ #45 | A- #4 | B- #10 | Needs Assistance (2 or more years) |
| Indiana | B #4 | C+ #21 | B- #11 | Meets |
| Washington | C- #41 | A- #6 | B- #12 | Needs Assistance (2 or more years) |
| New Jersey | B #5 | C+ #24 | B- #13 | Meets |
| Maryland | C #22 | B #10 | B- #14 | Needs Assistance (1 year) |
| North Dakota | C- #39 | B+ #8 | B- #15 | Needs Assistance (1 year) |
| Michigan | C #27 | B #12 | B- #16 | Needs Assistance (2 or more years) |
| Delaware | C- #31 | B+ #9 | C+ #17 | Needs Assistance (2 or more years) |
| Ohio | C+ #18 | B- #17 | C+ #18 | Meets |
| Pennsylvania | B- #7 | C+ #29 | C+ #19 | Meets |
| California | C- #37 | B #11 | C+ #20 | Needs Assistance (2 or more years) |
| New Mexico | C- #36 | B #14 | C+ #21 | Needs Intervention |
| Missouri | C #20 | C+ #27 | C+ #22 | Meets |
| Colorado | C- #29 | C+ #22 | C #23 | Needs Assistance (2 or more years) |
| District of Columbia | C- #42 | B- #18 | C #24 | Needs Intervention |
| New York | D+ #46 | B- #15 | C #25 | Needs Intervention |
| Iowa | C- #34 | C+ #25 | C #26 | Needs Assistance (2 or more years) |
| Nebraska | C+ #12 | C- #32 | C #27 | Meets |
| Virginia | C+ #15 | C- #33 | C #28 | Meets |
| Wyoming | C+ #10 | C- #35 | C #29 | Meets |
| Alaska | D+ #47 | B- #19 | C #30 | Needs Assistance (2 or more years) |
| Idaho | D+ #48 | B- #20 | C #31 | Needs Assistance (2 or more years) |
| Maine | C- #38 | C #30 | C #32 | Needs Intervention |
| Kansas | C+ #17 | D+ #36 | C #33 | Meets |
| Oklahoma | C+ #14 | D+ #37 | C #34 | Needs Assistance (2 or more years) |
| South Dakota | C- #35 | C #31 | C- #35 | Meets |
| Montana | D+ #49 | C+ #28 | C- #36 | Needs Assistance (2 or more years) |
| Alabama | C+ #8 | D- #43 | C- #37 | Meets |
| Utah | C- #43 | C- #34 | C- #38 | Needs Assistance (2 or more years) |
| West Virginia | C #24 | D #39 | C- #39 | Needs Assistance (2 or more years) |
| Georgia | C #28 | D #38 | D+ #40 | Needs Assistance (2 or more years) |
| Florida | C+ #13 | F #47 | D+ #41 | Meets |
| Louisiana | C #23 | D- #46 | D+ #42 | Needs Assistance (2 or more years) |
| Tennessee | C #26 | D- #45 | D+ #43 | Needs Assistance (2 or more years) |
| South Carolina | C- #44 | D- #41 | D+ #44 | Needs Assistance (2 or more years) |
| Illinois | C+ #19 | F #48 | D #45 | Meets |
| North Carolina | C- #40 | D- #44 | D #46 | Needs Assistance (2 or more years) |
| Hawaii | D #50 | D #40 | D #47 | Needs Assistance (2 or more years) |
| Nevada | D #51 | D- #42 | D #48 | Needs Assistance (2 or more years) |
| Arkansas | C #21 | F #50 | F #49 | Needs Assistance (2 or more years) |
| Texas | C- #30 | F #49 | F #50 | Meets |
| Mississippi | C- #33 | F #51 | F #51 | Needs Assistance (2 or more years) |
Select a column heading to sort. Ranks run 1 (best) to 51.
How we grade
Every measure is public data. Read the method and sources.
Last reviewed: November 2026. Rules, programs and phone numbers change. Check with the office named on this page. Report outdated or wrong information.