Choice, Mobility, and Classification: Disaggregating the Charter School Special Education Gap
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| Title: | Choice, Mobility, and Classification: Disaggregating the Charter School Special Education Gap |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Gilmour, Allison F. (ORCID |
| Source: | Remedial and Special Education. Aug 2023 44(4):272-282. |
| Availability: | SAGE Publications and Hammill Institute on Disabilities. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 11 |
| Publication Date: | 2023 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Elementary Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Students with Disabilities, Special Education, Charter Schools, Disproportionate Representation, Urban Schools, School Choice, Student Mobility, Classification, Eligibility, Disability Identification, Elementary Secondary Education, Public Schools |
| Geographic Terms: | New Jersey (Newark) |
| DOI: | 10.1177/07419325221115421 |
| ISSN: | 0741-9325 1538-4756 |
| Abstract: | Growing numbers of students are educated in charter schools, including students with disabilities (SWD). Prior research suggests that charter schools educate a smaller percentage of SWD than traditional public schools, leading to a special education gap between sectors. We used data from a large urban district to examine how choice, mobility, and special education classification influenced the special education gap with descriptive statistics, gap decomposition, and causal analyses relying on a randomized component of school assignment. The driver of the gap was parental choice, with parents of SWD less often choosing charter schools. Enrolling in a charter school had no effect on the probability that a student was newly identified for special education services, but increased the probability that a student was deidentified for special education services. We discuss potential mechanisms underlying these results, with attention to factors that shape parental choice, and future research needed to understand parental choices. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2023 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1383507 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Growing numbers of students are educated in charter schools, including students with disabilities (SWD). Prior research suggests that charter schools educate a smaller percentage of SWD than traditional public schools, leading to a special education gap between sectors. We used data from a large urban district to examine how choice, mobility, and special education classification influenced the special education gap with descriptive statistics, gap decomposition, and causal analyses relying on a randomized component of school assignment. The driver of the gap was parental choice, with parents of SWD less often choosing charter schools. Enrolling in a charter school had no effect on the probability that a student was newly identified for special education services, but increased the probability that a student was deidentified for special education services. We discuss potential mechanisms underlying these results, with attention to factors that shape parental choice, and future research needed to understand parental choices. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0741-9325 1538-4756 |
| DOI: | 10.1177/07419325221115421 |
