The Characteristics of Low-Performing Special Education and Non-Special Education Students on Large-Scale Assessments

• In Event: Roundtable Session 61
  In Roundtable Session: Large-Scale Assessments for Students With Disabilities and English Language Learners: Test Design and Student Characteristics

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to explore whether the demographic characteristics of persistently low performing (PLP) special education students are different from the characteristics of PLP students not in special education, and whether low performing special education students in the first year are more, or less, likely to move out of the low performing group than non-special education students. The results show that the demographic characteristics of PLP students were similar for students in special education and students not in special education. In addition, special education students identified as low performing in the first year of our data set were more likely than their low performing non-special education peers to be PLP on state reading and mathematics assessments.

Authors

• Yi-Chen Wu, National Center on Educational Outcomes

• Kristin K. Liu, National Center on Educational Outcomes

• Martha L. Thurlow, University of Minnesota

• Sheryl S. Lazarus, University of Minnesota

• Jason Richard Altman, University of Minnesota

• Elizabeth Christian, National Center on Educational Outcomes