▁having ▁a ▁specific ▁learning ▁dis ability . ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁the ▁district ▁administration ▁reported ▁that ▁ 4 5 7 ▁pup ils ▁or ▁ 1 2 . 2 % ▁of ▁the ▁district ' s ▁pup ils ▁received ▁Special ▁Education ▁services , ▁with ▁ 4 5 . 5 % ▁of ▁the ▁identified ▁students ▁having ▁a ▁specific ▁learning ▁dis ability . ▁Special ▁education ▁services ▁in ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁are ▁provided ▁to ▁students ▁from ▁ages ▁three ▁years ▁to ▁ 2 1 ▁years ▁old . ▁In ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 - 1 1 ▁school ▁year , ▁the ▁total ▁student ▁en roll ment ▁was ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 . 7 8 ▁million ▁students ▁with ▁approximately ▁ 2 7 5 , 0 0 0 ▁students ▁el ig ible ▁for ▁special ▁education ▁services . ▁Among ▁these ▁students ▁ 1 8 , 9 5 9 ▁were ▁identified ▁with ▁mental ▁ret ard ation ▁and ▁ 2 1 , 2 4 5 ▁students ▁with ▁aut ism . ▁ ▁The ▁largest ▁group ▁of ▁students ▁are ▁identified ▁as ▁Specific ▁Learning ▁Dis abilities ▁ 1 2 6 , 0 2 6 ▁students ▁( 4 6 . 9 ▁percent ) ▁and ▁Spe ech ▁or ▁Language ▁Imp air ments ▁with ▁ 4 3 , 5 4 2 ▁students ▁( 1 6 . 2 ▁percent ). ▁ ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁comp ly ▁with ▁state ▁and ▁federal ▁Ind ividual s ▁with ▁Dis abilities ▁Education ▁Act ▁rules ▁and ▁reg ulations , ▁the ▁school ▁district ▁eng ages ▁in ▁identification ▁procedures ▁to ▁ensure ▁that ▁el ig ible ▁students