In this study, we investigate the distribution of qualified special educators across elementary neighborhood schools and exclusionary public and private special education schools. Using the 2011-2012 Schools and Staffing Survey, we provide a descriptive analysis of measurable teacher qualifications (e.g., years of experience, preparation type,…

Since 1997, revisions to the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) have shown promise for addressing special education equity concerns: For example, states have the option to use response to intervention (RTI) for determining and thus reducing inappropriate disability determination, and states and districts are required to assess and…

In this article, I describe two of our field's most notable advancements for students with high-incidence disabilities. The first has been to enhance our knowledge of how to design effective instructional interactions between teachers and students (in both small and large groups) that lead to dramatic increases in student outcomes. The second area…

This article provides an overview of my experiences in special education as a teacher and subsequently as an intervention researcher providing background on where we were in providing instruction to individuals with disabilities 40 years ago (prior to legal protections and supports) compared with the present. This article acknowledges the progress…

Upon exiting high school, some African American students with disabilities experience difficulty accessing disability support services and appropriate accommodations. Many of these difficulties in access can be traced to high school transition planning as the source. To understand the underlying transitional barriers and sources of support, case…

A secondary analysis of the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 examined the relationship between demographic, disability-related, secondary school preparation, and transition planning variables and receipt of accommodations and other disability-specific services at the postsecondary level for 2,470 postsecondary students with disabilities.…

This study examined the extent to which transition components of students’ Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) were compliant with IDEIA 2004; the extent to which transition components provided evidence of best practices; the association among disability, ethnicity, compliance, and practices; and the relationship between compliance and best…

Assistive technology use in secondary school and postschool has been shown to improve the educational attainment and life outcomes of students with high-incidence disabilities. This study used data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2--collected in the early to mid-2000s--to explore the relationship between receipt of assistive…

Children in foster care compose a population of students very vulnerable to school failure. Placement and school instability and lack of collaboration between the school and child welfare agency are some of the barriers that impede their school performance. This study focused on the classroom context and questioned beginning general and special…

Over the past 10 years increasing numbers of charter schools have been considered a viable option for many students seeking to obtain a quality education. Public charter schools and their administrators and teachers are obligated to follow the principles enshrined in federal mandates, such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement…

The implementation of response to intervention requires that interventions for struggling students be provided through general education prior to referral for special education. The authors surveyed elementary teachers (K-3) in one state to examine the characteristics of the supplemental reading interventions that their students receive through…

The participation and performance of students in statewide accountability and assessment systems are measures of student and school success. These accountability systems theoretically reflect performance for all students, including students receiving special education. Yet few examine the participation and performance of students in special…

The authors describe findings from a research synthesis on content area instruction for students with disabilities. Seventy studies were identified from a comprehensive literature search, examined, and coded for a number of variables, including weighted standardized mean-difference effect sizes. More than 2,400 students were participants in these…

As the NCLB deadline for having all students proficient in reading and math approaches, schools are becoming increasingly anxious to promote success on high stakes tests for their students with disabilities. Embedded in a larger study of the potential effect of governance structures on the achievement of students with disabilities, this study…

The number of students enrolled in alternative settings for youth at risk of school failure has increased significantly in recent years. Students with disabilities, primarily students with emotional/behavioral disabilities and learning disabilities, are included in the population of students who are being educated in these settings. This article…