Is Special Education Effective? A Longitudinal Examination of Academic Outcomes for Students With Disabilities

• In Event: Park Central Roundtable Session 16
  In Roundtable Session: Roundtable Session: Issues in Special Education

Abstract

Students in special education receive services that should lead to improvements in ability to learn and academic growth. However, research assessing the effectiveness of special education programs and services has been mixed. Existing studies tend to employ matching methods, comparing students receiving special education services to those that do not, which has critical limitations. Drawing on longitudinal school records from Kentucky, we use within-person student fixed effects models to examine how student academic growth changes as a function of transitions into or out of special education placements. We find that students experience greater academic growth in reading and math during and following special education as compared to prior to receiving these services.

Authors

• Sarah Hurwitz, Indiana University - Bloomington

• Brea Perry, Indiana University - Bloomington

• Emma D. Cohen, Indiana University - Bloomington

• Russell J. Skiba, Indiana University