Inequities Demonstrated for Students With Disabilities by North Carolina Least Restrictive Environment Data

• In Event: A Systems Approach: Identifying and Addressing Systemic Barriers for Students With Disabilities

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the variability in placement for students with disabilities in NC, and potential factors that might influence placement decisions.

Perspective(s) or theoretical framework
According to the 41st Annual Report to Congress (2019), the percentage of students aged 6-21 served under IDEA ranged from 83.7% to 40.6% for students in a Regular Placement, and 5.5% to 19.8% for those in Separate Placement across the nation. These inconsistencies are demonstrated across multiple states, and across districts within states (Cosier et al., 2020). Few studies attempt to identify the potential reasons for this variability (Cosier et al., 2018). This is concerning because students in a Separate Placement are less likely to have access to the general education curriculum (Kurth et al., 2014).

Methods
We examined 19 variables from five publicly available sources for 115 traditional school districts in NC during 2018-2019. We examined district-level data related to the LRE placements of all students with IEPs to determine the extent of variability across districts in Separate and Regular placements. Based on standard deviations from the mean we identified which districts fell 1, 2 or 3 standard deviations above and below the mean for each placement. We conducted bivariate correlations to determine if significant relationships exist between any of the identified factors and the percentages of students in the two placements. Finally, we used backward multiple regression analysis to explore which factors might best predict the variability found in each placement.

Data sources
● LEA Annual Performance Report (Indicator 5)
● Public School Review: number of students, per-pupil
expenditure, graduation rate, percent of minority students
● United States Census Bureau: median family income, percent of persons in poverty, population per square mile
● NC Teacher Working Conditions Survey (2018 and 2020): need for/participation in PD for children with disabilities
● Child Count reports: race, disability (students with extensive support needs)

Results
The percentage of students ranged from 35% to 87% in Regular Placements, and 5% to 30% in Separate Placements. The percentage of students in Regular Placements was negatively correlated with the percentage of (a) minority students in the district, and (b)Black or African American students with IEPs. The percentage of students in the Separate Placement was positively correlated with the percentage of (a) families in poverty, (b) minority students within the district, and (c) Black or African American students with IEPs. Additionally, higher percentages of students labelled with Extensive Support Needs correlated with higher percentages of students in Separate Placement.

Significance
The variability in the percentages of students in each placement seems to indicate that districts in N.C. interpret LRE differently. The variables with which these placement data correlate in our study are consistent with variables reported in other research (Cosier et al., 2018; Kurth et al., 2014). While we cannot claim these correlations are causal, there is compelling evidence that these factors need to be better understood so students across these variables have better access to age-grade level learning opportunities in Regular Placements.

Authors

• Dale Baker, University of North Carolina - Greensboro

• Somer Matthews, University of North Carolina - Greensboro