Current state guidelines for student-teacher ratios and/or caseloads in special education programs serving mildly handicapped students (including learning disabled, mentally retarded, emotionally disturbed, and speech impaired) were examined and compared with pupil-teacher ratios reported by the U.S. Department of Education. The study defined "mildly handicapped students" as "students who receive educational services partially in regular education and partially in special education." Guidelines that could be reviewed were provided by 39 of the 50 states; others either did not respond (N=2) or did not have state-level written guidelines (N=9). Extreme variability was found in state recommended ratios, in how ratios are defined, and in how they are presented. Significant discrepancies were found between ratios presented by individual special education guidelines and those represented in the federal report. Implications of these results for current special education practice are discussed. Tables are used to present data on methods used by states to determine caseloads and student-teacher ratios and on the comparison between state and federally reported statistics. An appendix provides a state-by-state breakdown of the defining characteristics used to determine ratios. (Author/VW)