Special Education Funding Reform: A Review of Impact Studies

2010 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeff Sigafoos ◽  
Dennis Moore ◽  
Don Brown ◽  
Vanessa A. Green ◽  
Mark F. O'Reilly ◽  
...  

AbstractVarious models for funding special education services have been described in the literature. This paper aims at moving the debate concerning special education funding reform beyond the descriptive level by reviewing studies that investigated the impact of various models for funding special education. Systematic searches were conducted of ERIC and PsycINFO to identify studies that investigated the impact, implications, or outcome of one or more special education funding models. Ten studies were identified covering five major funding models. The results showed that the funding reforms investigated in these studies each had associated benefits, but also potential detriments. However, these studies mainly involved indirect outcome measures, often failed to fully assess impact on academic achievement or cost-effectiveness. Results highlight the need for additional research on the impact of special education funding reform.

1982 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 260-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clinton W. Bennett ◽  
Charles M. Runyan

Based on a recent federal clarification of "educational performance" related to PL 94–142, an appropriate interpretation of educational performance must include both academic and psychosocial competencies. Because educational performance is one of the assessment components used to determine eligibility for special education services, classroom teachers must provide information to the Eligibility Committee. Therefore, educators' perceptions of the impact of communication disorders on educational performance have important implications for the provision of special education services to communicatively impaired students. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate educators' perceptions of the effects of communication disorders upon educational performance. Results indicated that 66% of the 282 educators responding believed that communication disorders have an adverse effect on educational performance. The perceived impact of specific communication disorders on educational performance is also presented.


1997 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 261-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura L. Love ◽  
Ida M. Malian

The Arizona Follow-along Project assessed the impact of special education on the education and postschool outcomes of students with disabilities who had exited from special education services. Using the Oregon follow-along method with a computer-assisted telephone interview and data analysis technique resulted in a system-wide approach to interviewing students, parents, and teachers of individuals who had left special education. The results of the students' first year out of high school are reported in this article, and implications for educational programming and transition services are discussed. Statewide system changes in policies and procedures are recommended in light of the transition services mandates specified in the individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990.


2021 ◽  
pp. 002221942110608
Author(s):  
Deborah P. Waber ◽  
Ellen C. Boiselle ◽  
Peter W. Forbes ◽  
Georgios D. Sideridis

Learning disorders can have adverse impacts on children and families extending beyond the academic skills deficits. The goal of the present study was to assess the impact of the school’s response, following an independent evaluation, for child and family school-related quality of life (QOL). We hypothesized that a positive school response would be associated with improved QOL. Parents completed the LDQOL/15, a brief measure of school-related QOL, at the time that their child received an independent evaluation and again a year later ( N =155). At follow-up, parents reported the tenor of the school’s response to the evaluation and whether special education services had changed. QOL problems were very high in this referred population, with 66% of respondents rating a level of problems in the clinical range at baseline. Predicted interactions between time of assessment (baseline/follow-up) and the school’s response to the evaluation were confirmed for all outcome variables; a positive school response was associated with improved QOL. Nevertheless, the overall prevalence of school-related QOL problems remained high a year after the evaluation. These findings indicate that special education interventions can mitigate LD impacts, but even with these services, many children with learning disorders and their families continue to be significantly affected.


1986 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 313-322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary-Beth Fafard ◽  
Robert E. Hanlon ◽  
Elizabeth A. Bryson

Jose P. v. Ambach is a class action lawsuit involving the rights of handicapped students to be referred, evaluated, and placed in a timely fashion into appropriate educational programs and services in the New York City public schools. The role of this case as a vehicle in the restructuring of the delivery of special education services is discussed. The major issues, including timely evaluation and placement, due process procedures, accessibility of facilities, and systematic monitoring of the delivery of services, are analyzed in terms of the impact on the delivery of special education services. The current status of this ongoing litigation, the progress toward compliance, and some of the implications for special education are presented.


2020 ◽  
pp. 074193252093744
Author(s):  
Wendy M. Reinke ◽  
Melissa Stormont ◽  
Keith C. Herman ◽  
Nianbo Dong

Many children with disabilities receive the majority of their instruction in the general education classroom where many universal programs are implemented. It is therefore important to examine the impact of evidence-based universal interventions on children with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the Incredible Years Teacher Classroom Management (IY TCM) program has benefits for children in grades Kindergarten to third grade receiving special education services. Using data from a large randomized controlled trial conducted across 105 Kindergarten to third-grade classrooms and 1,817 children, we investigated the impact of IY TCM on children receiving special education services. Findings indicated that children who receive special education supports, who were in classrooms of general education teachers trained in the IY TCM intervention, had significant improvement in concentration problems, disruptive behavior, and social competence in comparison with children receiving special education in control classrooms.


Author(s):  
Justin A. Haegele ◽  
Xihe Zhu ◽  
Sean Healy ◽  
Freda Patterson

Background: The purposes of this study were to examine the proportions of youth receiving special education services in the United States who individually and jointly met physical activity, screen time, and sleep duration guidelines, and to examine the impact of meeting none, one, two, and three of the guidelines on overweight and obesity. Methods: This cross-sectional analysis utilized data from the 2016 to 2017 National Survey for Children’s Health data set on 3582 youth aged 10–17 years who received special education services. The frequency of the participants’ compliance with the 24-hour movement guidelines and body weight status (based on the age- and sex-specific percentile cutoffs) were estimated. Meeting guidelines was defined as: 9–11 hours/night (5–13 y) or 8–10 hours/night (14–17 y) of sleep, ≤120 minutes per day of screen time, and ≥60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity. A multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to estimate the impact of meeting none, one, two, or three guidelines on body weight status, adjusted for potential confounders. Results: Overall, 8.1% of youth met all three guidelines, 42.0% met two guidelines, 38.0% met one guideline, and 11.9% did not meet any guideline. Meeting all three guidelines was associated with an approximately 50% decreased likelihood of overweight than meeting no guideline, or sleep or screen time guidelines independently. Conclusions: This study extends the 24-hour movement framework to children receiving special education services and should prompt the continued study of its utility for understanding health disparities experienced by this population.


2017 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 197-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul L. Morgan ◽  
Michelle L. Frisco ◽  
George Farkas2 ◽  
Jacob Hibel

Editor’s Note Since the landmark enactment of Education of the Handicapped Act in 1975, special education supports and services have been provided to children with disabilities. Although costly, the intentionality of these specialized services has been to advance the educational and societal opportunities of children with disabilities as they progress to adulthood. For our republished article in this issue of JSE’s 50th anniversary volume, we have selected an article by Paul Morgan, Michelle Frisco, George Farkas, and Jacob Hibel. In this research, Morgan and his colleagues quantified the effectiveness of special education services on children’s learning and behavioral outcomes using large-scale longitudinal data. Their results challenge all education professionals to explore ways to increase the effectiveness of special education and to document research efforts that provide clear evidence that the services and supports provided to individuals with disabilities are improving the extent to which they fully experience the benefits of education and participate fully in society.


1987 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 325-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Stephen Lilly

The lack of focus on special education in the Sizer, Boyer, and Goodlad reports, as well as Nation at Risk, is analyzed. It is posited that mere neglect might not account for this lack of attention and that current shortcomings of special education services might lead the authors of the reports to focus on improvement of general education opportunities for all students rather than increased compensatory education. In its current state, special education for the “mildly handicapped” might well be seen by these authors as part of the problem, rather than part of the solution. To remedy this situation, special educators must increasingly see themselves as members of the general education community and work toward more effective integration of special and general education.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document