There has been a long-standing history of segregation and exclusion of students with disabilities from receiving a quality education in public school districts throughout the country. In response to the growing outcry for equal opportunities for students with and without special needs, Congress passed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975. This act, which is now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), assured that students with a disability are provided with Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) that is individualized to their specific needs. To conform to this federal law, state governments also created special education legislation. In New York State they are Part 200 and Part 201 found in the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education (NYSDE, 2018). Although these pieces of legislation were significant in the progression of equal rights for children with disabilities, there has and continues to be much controversy over the implementation of these mandated rights within public school districts. This research study was conducted with the intention of determining whether or not there are differences in the perceptions of special education teachers, supervisors, and principals with regard to the degree of compliance of their special education programs with current New York State and federal guidelines and regulations when providing an education to students with learning disabilities in grades 6 through 12. It also sought to examine and discover to what degree special education teachers, supervisors, and principals perceive their school district's general compliance with current legislation in the educational program of individuals with learning disabilities. In order to effectively determine whether there are differences in the perceptions of the aforementioned educators, a mixed-method study was conducted. The quantitative results were gathered using a survey that was administered to a sample of 82 willing participants consisting of special education teachers, supervisors, and building principals from seven out of 12 public school districts in Orleans and Niagara Counties, New York. The qualitative data was collected through interviews conducted with five consenting special education teachers, three supervisors, and three building principals who were randomly selected from the seven public school districts. The analyses of five special education teachers, three supervisors, and three building principals showed that there is a disconnect between the perceptions of compliance among the three groups of educators. Special education teachers do not feel that their districts are always in compliance with special education legislation. They feel that often decisions are based on student numbers, statistics, and finances instead of student needs. Directors of special education feel that they are in complete compliance with federal and New York State legislation for special education. They believe that they follow the mandates required by IDEA and the Commissioner's regulations. Building principals had very little knowledge or familiarity of special education law and depended on special education teachers and administrators for information. This study validates the belief that there is a need for more effective and consistent implementation of special education laws and regulations. The data provides evidence that public school districts would greatly benefit from an increase in communication between educators and administrators in the area of special education. The results of this study can assist administration and school staff in creating programs and strategies that make it possible for them to be in greater compliance. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]