This report provides general background information on the State of Maryland's Special Education Nonpublic Placements program, which is responsible for approving the placement of Maryland students with disabilities in private schools. The report describes the program, analyzes the trends, and makes several recommendations. Findings of the report indicate State funding for nonpublic placements has increased from $9.1 million in 1985 to $46.9 million in 1995. Recommendations include: (1) reevaluating the appropriateness of including special education residential funds in the Subcabinet Fund; (2) centralizing data collection; (3) continuing the development by State and local entities of a plan for resource development; and (4) conducting additional research on disability trends. Appendices include lists of in-state and out-of-state nonpublic schools for students with disabilities; definitions of disabilities; charts showing the number of students in special education by county and their placement, the number of students in special education by disability, and the percent of students with each disability in the different placements; and charts showing the day and residential student count for 1985-95, student placement for these years, and disability trends. The final data sheet is a cost comparison of nonpublic in-state programs. (CR)