Estimating the Impact of Special Education Placement on Early Literacy Outcomes (Poster 54)

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Eight
  In Poster Session: 2023 AERA Undergraduate Fellows Research Poster Fair

Abstract

The study aims to estimate the impact of special education during transitional kindergarten (TK) on literacy skill development. Specifically, it will compare the mean squared difference in Fountas and Pinnell pre-literacy and literacy skills over the TK year. The data is from San Francisco Unified School District, which has special education students in 72 different elementary schools, during the 2015-2016 to 2021-2022 school years. The treatment group is comprised of students who were placed in special education during TK, and the control group is comprised of students who attended TK but were placed in special education during kindergarten or later. Weights from entropy balancing with age, race/ethnicity, English learner statuses, gender, percent-free or reduced lunch (school-level), and entry pre-literacy skills composite scores will be used to create a best possible comparison group. Preliminary results indicate a small positive or negligible impact on spring scores. However, next steps include further tests of different methods of handling missing data.

Author

• Alysson E. Farris, Stanford University
  Presenting Author