This technical brief is part of an ongoing series the Center for Learner Equity (CLE) launched in 2015 that examines the enrollment and experiences of students with disabilities in different school settings. Using the 2017-2018 U.S. Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) data released earlier this year, this brief focuses on specialized charter…

While calls to reduce class size in school have considerable popular appeal, the related discussion of the scientific evidence has been limited and highly selective. The evidence about improvements in student achievement that can be attributed to smaller classes turns out to be meager and unconvincing. In the aggregate, pupil-teacher ratios have…

The study compared the physical fitness of 283 segregated resident, 64 segregated nonresident, and 137 integrated visually impaired subjects aged 10 to 17 years. Results indicated that educational environment (favoring the segregated environment) was a significant factor on four of the six items in the physical fitness test battery. (Author/DB)

This report provides 10 guiding principles for aligning school spending with the goal of creating a system of high-performing schools: (1) It is necessary to recognize that money matters--"you get what you pay for" applies to schools; (2) Aligning school spending to the goals of high performance requires investing in those things that…

This study compared perceptions of staff in self-contained programs and mainstreamed programs for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) in a district committed to inclusion, interagency coordination, and staff training. Well-established self-contained programs were perceived as superior to relatively new mainstream programs in…

Thirty-five studies on the efficacy of special class versus regular class placement for mildly handicapped students were reviewed for the power of their statistical tests. Twenty-one studies had adequate power to detect a large effect size but the power to detect a medium effect size was no better than chance. (Author/DB)

Thirty gifted education teachers were compared with 46 regular education teachers using the Teacher Perceiver Interview. Gifted teachers differed from regular teachers on six characteristics (Focus, Gestalt, Innovation, Mission, Rapport Drive, and Investment) but did not differ on two commonly cited characteristics of gifted teachers:…

The 1989/90 In-School Suspension (ISS) program of the Des Moines (Iowa) Independent Community School District provided an in-school setting for the suspension of students in 15 secondary schools for infractions of the discipline code while continuing their educational program and focusing on the offending behavior through counseling activities.…

An independent audit of the San Diego (California) special education department was commissioned to examine: (1) whether programs exceed mandates of federal and state law, (2) whether the district has maximized funding sources in reporting programs and costs; and (3) whether alternative service delivery models or community interagency…

Diagnostic and treatment histories of 85 children and adolescents served in 2 exemplary school-based day-treatment programs in California were analyzed. Findings suggest a significant lag time between first symptoms, referral for services, and treatment; marked instability of psychiatric diagnoses over time; and lack of concordance between…

Students, peers, teachers, principals, and parents (total N=180) responded to a questionnaire concerning a pullout program for gifted students in Israel. The questionnaire focused on the identification of the gifted, the level of parent involvement, teaching styles in the program, problems related to separation from home schools, relationships…

The report documents New York City's Office of Educational Assessment's evaluation of the Division of Special Education Public Law 89-313 program for the 1986-87 school year. The program is intended to provided supplemental services suited to the individual needs of participating handicapped students based upon their individual education plans…

Comparison of two matched groups of seven students with severe disabilities (placed in either general education classrooms or special education classes) found that students in the general education placement interacted more frequently with nondisabled peers, provided and received more social support, and had larger networks of peers without…

This study examined the nature of instruction provided in 40 self-contained special classes for students classified as learning disabled, emotionally handicapped, or educable mentally retarded. Few differences were identified in teacher communication patterns, learner involvement, and instructional methods for students with different categorical…

Teacher ratings on the Aberrant Behavior Checklist were collected on 666 students with mental retardation attending special classes. Classroom placement and age had significant effects on subscale scores, whereas sex failed to affect ratings. The study concludes that the original scoring method, developed for individuals in residential facilities,…