The Effects of Special Education on the Academic Performance of Students with Learning Disabilities

Autor/inn/en	Schwartz, Amy Ellen; Hopkins, Bryant Gregory; Stiefel, Leanna
Titel	The Effects of Special Education on the Academic Performance of Students with Learning Disabilities
Quelle	In: Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 40 (2021) 2, S.480-520 (41 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0276-8739
DOI	10.1002/pam.22282
Schlagwörter	Special Education; Academic Achievement; Students with Disabilities; Learning Disabilities; Outcomes of Education; Educational Legislation; Equal Education; Federal Legislation; Classification; Attendance; Gender Differences; Racial Differences; New York (New York) + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Special needs education; Sonderpädagogik; Sonderschulwesen; Schulleistung; Student; Students; Disability; Disabilities; Schüler; Schülerin; Studentin; Behinderung; Learning handicap; Lernbehinderung; Lernleistung; Schulerfolg; Bildungsrecht; Schulgesetz; Bundesrecht; Classification system; Klassifikation; Klassifikationssystem; Anwesenheit; Geschlechterkonflikt; Rassenunterschied
Abstract	In the 40-plus years since the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act," special education has grown in the number of students and amount spent on services. Despite this growth, academic performance of students with disabilities remains troublingly low compared to general education students. To some extent, these differences reflect persistent underlying disabilities, but they also may reflect ineffective services. Does special education improve academic outcomes for students with disabilities? There is surprisingly little evidence to guide policy and answer this question. This paper provides an answer for the largest disability group, students with specific learning disabilities (LDs), using rich New York City public school data. Because the majority of LDs are classified after school entry, we observe outcomes before and after classification, allowing us to estimate impacts using within-student pre/post comparisons (student fixed effects) and an intent-to-treat specification. We find that academic outcomes improve for LDs following classification into special education and impacts are largest for those entering special education in earlier grades. Attendance, however, shows little change after classification. Results are robust to alternative specifications and falsification tests bolster confidence in a causal interpretation. Differences in impacts by gender, race/ethnicity, grade of classification, and settings illuminate possible mechanisms. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01