Factors Influencing Parents' Selection of Schools for Children With Disabilities

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

Abstract

School choice has become one of the most controversial issues in the United States. However, little is known about how parents of children with disabilities chose schools. The present systematic literature review found that parents of children with disabilities consider a large variety of factors when choosing schools, including the availability of special education programs, distance of the school, social continuities, class size, teachers’ characteristics, parent- teacher communication, beliefs about disability, and the children's well-being. Socioeconomic status and parents’ areas of residence had a mixed influence on the decision-making process. The studies found a dire need for research on how parents from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds choose education programs for their children with disabilities.

Authors

• Dian Mawene, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Aydin Bal, University of Wisconsin - Madison