Based on public and residential schools, the report includes Office of Education statistics for 1963 and estimates for 1966. Results indicate the following: advances in enrollment, with about 1,666,000 children enrolled in 1963 and 2,100,000 in 1966, more than 90% of whom were in local public schools; a narrowing of the gap between children needing and receiving special education, with about 10 or 12%, or 6,000,000 of the school age population who would benefit from special education; a rapid development in nursery school and kindergarten programs, with about 33,000 children in such programs in public day schools in 1963; a continued rise in enrollment in special programs for youth age handicapped; an increase in public school system programs, with more than one-half of the schools providing programs either by themselves or cooperatively; and an increase in teachers and speech and hearing specialists, with over 71,000 in 1963 and 82,000 in 1966. Additional information is provided concerning the above areas and trends; implications are considered. Specific data concern trends by the following areas of exceptionality: visually handicapped, hearing impaired, speech handicapped, crippled and health impaired, emotionally disturbed and socially maladjusted, mentally retarded, and gifted. Enrollment by states is also treated. Eleven tables present statistics. (JD)