The U.S. Department of Education funds a multitude of studies that provide information on a range of issues regarding special education students in the U.S. Below are several ongoing studies and reports that provide a wealth of information.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) http://nces.ed.gov
NCES is the main federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education is the U.S. The NCES fulfills a Congressional mandate to collect, collate, analyze, and report complete statistics on the condition of American education; conduct and publish reports; and review and report on education activities internationally.

The Common Core of Data (CCD) http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/
The CCD, a program of the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics, is a comprehensive, annual, national statistical database of information concerning all public elementary and secondary schools (approximately 94,000) and local education agencies (approximately 17,000; of these, about 14,500 are regular school districts that operate schools).

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/
NAEP, also known as "The Nation's Report Card," is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America's students know and can do in various subject areas.

Annual Reports to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/osep/research.html 
The IDEA requires that the U.S. Department of Education issue an annual report to Congress. These reports provide summaries of findings by national studies and a wealth of data on the numbers and characteristics of students served by the law.

History of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act http://www.ed.gov/policy/speced/leg/idea/history.html
This site provides a brief overview of IDEA, the federal special education law.

IDEA Data http://www.ideadata.org/
This site provides the most recent data about children with disabilities served under the IDEA. Data are collected annually by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs in accordance with Section 618 of IDEA.

Office of Special Education Programs http://www.ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/resources.html
Technical assistance and information dissemination projects supported by the U.S. Department of Education.

The National Early Intervention Longitudinal Study (NEILS) http://www.sri.com/neils/
NEILS is a longitudinal study following more than 3,338 children with disabilities or at risk for disabilities and their families through their experiences in early intervention and into early elementary school. The study will provide information about the characteristics of children and families, the services they receive, and the outcomes they experience.

The Pre-Elementary Education Longitudinal Study (PEELS) http://www.peels.org/
PEELS is following a group of children who receive preschool special education services as they progress through the early elementary years. The information from PEELS will be used to help policymakers and researchers understand the variety and effectiveness of preschool special education programs.

The Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study (SEELS) http://www.seels.net/seels_textonly/txindex.htm
SEELS is a six-year study of school-age students that began in 2000. The study is documenting the experiences of a national sample of students as they move from elementary to middle school and from middle school to high school.

The National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2) http://www.nlts2.org
NLTS2 is studying a national sample of students who were 13 to 16 years of age in 2000 as they move from secondary school into adulthood. The study is focusing on issues such as high school coursework, extracurricular activities, academic performance, postsecondary education and training, employment, independent living, and community participation.

The Study of State and Local Implementation and Impact of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (SLIIDEA) http://www.abt.sliidea.org/
SLIIDEA is examining how states, school districts, and schools are implementing the Amendments of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1997. The study is focusing on student performance, curriculum access, behavioral supports, parental involvement, and how young children transition to school and youth to adult life.

The Study of Personnel Needs in Special Education (SPeNSE) http://ferdig.coe.ufl.edu/spense/
SPeNSE explored concerns about nationwide shortages in the number of personnel serving students with disabilities and the need for improvement in the qualifications of those employed. The study examined the extent to which personnel are adequately prepared to serve students with disabilities, variation in personnel preparation, and factors that explain that variation.

The Special Education Expenditure Project (SEEP) http://csef.air.org/
SEEP is the first comprehensive, nationally representative study of special education spending to be undertaken in more than a decade. Based on data analyses for the 1999-2000 school year, SEEP provides information on how federal, state, and local funds are used to support programs and services for students with disabilities.

Project Forum http://nasdse.org/forum.htm
Project Forum provides information on emerging issues, studies critical issues, assists with the maintenance of a library of State policy documents, and convenes small work groups to gather expert input related to specific topics. The National Association of State Directors of Special Education oversees this project.

The National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) http://education.umn.edu/nceo/default.html 
NCEO provides national leadership in the participation of students with disabilities in national and state assessments, standards-setting efforts, and graduation requirements. NCEO works with states and federal agencies to identify important outcomes of education for students with disabilities, conducts ongoing examinations of the participation of students in national and state assessments, including the use of accommodations and alternate assessments, and evaluates national and state practices in reporting assessment information on students with disabilities.

NCLD's LD News http://www.ld.org/newsltr/index.cfm
LD News is a free, monthly NCLD e-publication. Each issue includes a column called "Research Roundup," which discusses new research findings and their implications for people with LD.