The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) ensures that students with a disability are provided with Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and helps fund schools to develop and implement a program of special education tailored to the student's needs. IDEA was last reauthorized in 2004. This series of fact sheets documents key changes in the program nationally and by state to assist in understanding needs for full funding and modernization of the law. This first fact sheet in the series calls attention to two facts: (1) close to 7 million children nationally are served by IDEA each year; and (2) the pre-school age children special education population is growing faster compared to the school-age population. The fact sheet also provides a table documenting the number of students receiving special education services by state in 2017, as well as the share of 3-5 year olds (pre-school and Kindergarten age) and 6-21 year olds (school age). Policy and governance considerations for school boards conclude the fact sheet.