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Allocation of Low-Threshold Special Educational Support in Lower Secondary Education: The Role of Individual and Class-Level Characteristics

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Title: Allocation of Low-Threshold Special Educational Support in Lower Secondary Education: The Role of Individual and Class-Level Characteristics
Language: English
Authors: Eva-Maria Holzer (ORCID 0000-0001-5197-6407), Maria Wehren-Müller (ORCID 0000-0001-7279-7272), Janina Kraft (ORCID 0009-0000-8548-7142), Mireille Tabin (ORCID 0000-0002-2930-7810), Elisabeth Moser Opitz (ORCID 0000-0002-5243-4770)
Source: Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs. 2026 26(2).
Availability: 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
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 18
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Descriptors: Special Education, Student Characteristics, Classes (Groups of Students), Heterogeneous Grouping, Ability Grouping, Foreign Countries, Socioeconomic Status, Gender Differences, Mathematics Achievement, Behavior Problems, Student Behavior, Immigrants, Secondary School Students
Geographic Terms: Switzerland
DOI: 10.1111/1471-3802.70096
ISSN: 1471-3802
Abstract: It is vital that students with learning or behavioural difficulties receive special educational (SE) support from professionals. However, allocation criteria are often unclear. This issue is particularly important in lower secondary schools, where ability tracking is common and external differentiation strategies accommodate achievement differences. This cross-sectional study examines associations between low-threshold SE support and individual characteristics, class composition and school type (mixed-ability versus low-ability classes) among 941 students (aged 11-18) from 74 classrooms in German-speaking Switzerland. Logistic multilevel regression analyses revealed that SE support is more often allocated to students with low mathematics achievement, low socioeconomic status (SES), and boys, while migration background and disruptive behaviour are not significant predictors. At the classroom level, lower mean mathematics achievement is associated with a higher likelihood of SE support, although this pattern is partly explained by school type. Importantly, gender and SES remain associated with SE support even when individual mathematics achievement is considered. These findings highlight social disparities in support allocation. Merely identifying students as requiring SE support may lead to unintended consequences, such as lower expectations or stigmatization. Further research is needed to examine how structural and institutional factors determine low-threshold SE support allocation and shape students' educational trajectories.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1503925
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Allocation of Low-Threshold Special Educational Support in Lower Secondary Education: The Role of Individual and Class-Level Characteristics
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Eva-Maria+Holzer%22">Eva-Maria Holzer</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5197-6407">0000-0001-5197-6407</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Maria+Wehren-Müller%22">Maria Wehren-Müller</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7279-7272">0000-0001-7279-7272</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Janina+Kraft%22">Janina Kraft</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0000-8548-7142">0009-0000-8548-7142</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mireille+Tabin%22">Mireille Tabin</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2930-7810">0000-0002-2930-7810</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Elisabeth+Moser+Opitz%22">Elisabeth Moser Opitz</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5243-4770">0000-0002-5243-4770</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Research+in+Special+Educational+Needs%22"><i>Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs</i></searchLink>. 2026 26(2).
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  Label: Availability
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  Data: 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
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 18
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Special+Education%22">Special Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Characteristics%22">Student Characteristics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Classes+%28Groups+of+Students%29%22">Classes (Groups of Students)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Heterogeneous+Grouping%22">Heterogeneous Grouping</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ability+Grouping%22">Ability Grouping</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Socioeconomic+Status%22">Socioeconomic Status</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender+Differences%22">Gender Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematics+Achievement%22">Mathematics Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Behavior+Problems%22">Behavior Problems</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Behavior%22">Student Behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Immigrants%22">Immigrants</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Secondary+School+Students%22">Secondary School Students</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Switzerland%22">Switzerland</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1111/1471-3802.70096
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
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  Data: 1471-3802
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: It is vital that students with learning or behavioural difficulties receive special educational (SE) support from professionals. However, allocation criteria are often unclear. This issue is particularly important in lower secondary schools, where ability tracking is common and external differentiation strategies accommodate achievement differences. This cross-sectional study examines associations between low-threshold SE support and individual characteristics, class composition and school type (mixed-ability versus low-ability classes) among 941 students (aged 11-18) from 74 classrooms in German-speaking Switzerland. Logistic multilevel regression analyses revealed that SE support is more often allocated to students with low mathematics achievement, low socioeconomic status (SES), and boys, while migration background and disruptive behaviour are not significant predictors. At the classroom level, lower mean mathematics achievement is associated with a higher likelihood of SE support, although this pattern is partly explained by school type. Importantly, gender and SES remain associated with SE support even when individual mathematics achievement is considered. These findings highlight social disparities in support allocation. Merely identifying students as requiring SE support may lead to unintended consequences, such as lower expectations or stigmatization. Further research is needed to examine how structural and institutional factors determine low-threshold SE support allocation and shape students' educational trajectories.
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  Data: As Provided
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1503925
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        Value: 10.1111/1471-3802.70096
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 18
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Special Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Characteristics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Classes (Groups of Students)
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      – SubjectFull: Heterogeneous Grouping
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      – SubjectFull: Ability Grouping
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      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
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      – SubjectFull: Socioeconomic Status
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      – SubjectFull: Gender Differences
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      – SubjectFull: Mathematics Achievement
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      – SubjectFull: Behavior Problems
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      – SubjectFull: Student Behavior
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      – SubjectFull: Immigrants
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      – SubjectFull: Secondary School Students
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      – SubjectFull: Switzerland
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      – TitleFull: Allocation of Low-Threshold Special Educational Support in Lower Secondary Education: The Role of Individual and Class-Level Characteristics
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