Preparedness gap:
✅ 75% of special educators felt “very well prepared” to teach students with LD overall
❌ Only 27% felt “very well prepared” to teach science

Barriers to science instruction for students with LD:
• Reading/math remediation often replaces science time (68%)
• Testing pressures push schools to prioritize only tested subjects (39%)
• Assemblies & special events eat into the little time left for science (18%)

Pull-out services for reading (60%) and math (53%) often overlapped with science instruction. About one-third of special educators said students with LD “sometimes” or “often” missed science altogether because of this.

General ed teachers deliver most science instruction, but feel unprepared to adapt it for students with disabilities. Special educators feel prepared to support LD overall, but not in science. The result: no group is positioned or supported to guarantee access.

Bottom line: This isn’t a teacher problem, it’s a system problem. Science for students with LD is marginalized—pushed aside by remediation, testing pressures, and scheduling conflicts. Until science is treated as a core subject, these students will keep losing meaningful chances to learn it.

Crowdsourced data in action—this RiSE study tracks special education faculty hiring using an open, ongoing database. A model for transparency in the field.

👩‍🏫 Teachers face challenges like limited time and competing priorities but remain dedicated to providing science education for all students.

Science is important for all students, and so we must continue working to ensure equitable access and opportunities in STEM.

💡 Key Finding: Students with IEPs are often pulled out of science for other services, reducing access to critical STEM learning.
⏳ Students’ access to science varies widely—some receive 36 hours/year, others up to 174 hours/year.

This study is part of a comprehensive NSF-funded project with SERA research partners to understand what science education looks like for students with LD in 4th and 5th grade.

Together, we’re building a clearer picture to create equitable STEM opportunities.