How Do Persons with Disabilities Earn a Living?: Findings from the Field Survey Conducted in
Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings
description
Transcript of Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings
![Page 1: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings
Todd Grindal Abt Associates
School Mental Health: Treating Students K - 12 February 1, 2014
Research work conducted in collaboration with Dr. Thomas Hehir,., Monica Ng, Laura Schifter, Hadas Eidelman, & Dr. Shaun Dougherty
![Page 2: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Primary Research Questions
Question 1: What are the student and district-level characteristics associated with placement in out-of-district programs?
Question 2: What are the processes and pathways through which students with disabilities are referred to and placed in out-of-district programs?
Question 3: What are the implications of enrolling students in out-of-district programs?
![Page 3: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Massachusetts’s students with disabilities, on average, outperform students with disabilities across the country on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
Massachusetts’s students with disabilities are educated in classrooms with their typically developing peers at similar (slightly higher) rates as students with disabilities across the country.
Massachusetts’s students are identified as eligible for special education vary substantially by category. In some categories MA students are identified at the same rate as students across the country and in other categories MA students are identified at rates higher than other U.S students
Special Education in Massachusetts
![Page 4: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Displaying rates of disability identification in specific categories in MA and the U.S
Sources: MA DOE, 2011; IDEA 2010 Percentage of all Students in U.S. vs. Massachusetts
0.0% 1.0% 2.0% 3.0% 4.0% 5.0% 6.0%
Specific Learning Disabil ity
Health
Communication
Development Delay
Emotional
Autism
Intellectual
Multiple Disabil ities
Neurological
Physical
Sensory/Deaf blind
Sensory/Hard of Hearing
Sensory/Vision Impairment
U.S.
Massachusetts
4
![Page 5: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Instructional settings for students with disabilities in 2012 (n=198,875)
Total Number of Students with
Disabilities
Percentage of Students with Disabilities
Traditional public school 177,417 89.21%
Charter school 4,867 2.45%
Private special education school 6,635 3.34%
Private non-special education school 1,107 0.56%
Collaborative program 5,039 2.53%
Home-schooled (Related services only) 1,396 0.70%
Early intervention/preschool 1,779 0.18%
Institutional (SEIS program) 240 0.12%
Out of state 304 0.15%
Correctional facilities 91 0.05%
![Page 6: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Total Number of Students with
Disabilities
Percentage of Students with Disabilities
Traditional public school 177,417 89.21%
Charter school 4,867 2.45%
Private special education school 6,635 3.34%
Private non-special education school 1,107 0.56%
Collaborative program 5,039 2.53%
Home-schooled (Related services only) 1,396 0.70%
Early intervention/preschool 1,779 0.18%
Institutional (SEIS program) 240 0.12%
Out of state 304 0.15%
Correctional facilities 91 0.05%
Students for whom their local school district supported all or some of their tuition, transportation, or other special education associated costs. For more information on approved private special education schools see http://maaps.org/.
Instructional settings for students with disabilities in 2012 (n=198,875)
![Page 7: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Total Number of Students with
Disabilities
Percentage of Students with Disabilities
Traditional public school 177,417 89.21%
Charter school 4,867 2.45%
Private special education school 6,635 3.34%
Private non-special education school 1,107 0.56%
Collaborative program 5,039 2.53%
Home-schooled (Related services only) 1,396 0.70%
Early intervention/preschool 1,779 0.18%
Institutional (SEIS program) 240 0.12%
Out of state 304 0.15%
Correctional facilities 91 0.05%
Public regional inter-district partnerships that provide direct services for students with disabilities, transportation, and support for special education professionals.For more information on collaborative programs see http://moecnet.org/
Instructional settings for students with disabilities in 2012 (n=198,875)
![Page 8: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Rates of out-placement have remained stable over time, but the characteristics of
students who use these programs are changing.
Finding 1a:
![Page 9: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
01,
000
2,00
03,
000
4,00
05,
000
Num
ber o
f stu
dent
s ou
t-pl
aced
2006 2010 20122007 20082008 20112009
Emotional disability Autism Learning disability
Multiple disabilities Vision or hearing impairment Intellectual disability
*Data on the following disability categories are not displayed: developmental delay, physical disabilities,other health impairment, neurological impairment, and communication.
Number of students in out-of-district placements by disability category and year
![Page 10: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Percentage of students within each disability category in out-of-district placements, by year10
%20
%30
%40
%0%
Per
cent
age
of s
tude
nts
out-p
lace
d
2006 2008 2009 2010 2011 20122007
Emotional disability Autism Learning disability
Multiple disabilities Vision or hearing impairment Intellectual disability
*Data on the following disability categories are not displayed: developmental delay, physical disabilities,other health impairment, neurological impairment, and communication.
![Page 11: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Number of children in private special education schools and collaborative programs by disability category and year
![Page 12: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Low-income students enroll in private special education schools at substantially
lower rates than their non-low-income peers.
Finding 1b:
![Page 13: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Low-income students enroll in private special education schools at substantially lower rates than their non-low-income peers
![Page 14: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
Low-income students enroll in private special education schools at substantially lower rates than their non-low-income peers
![Page 15: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
Non-low income students with emotional disabilities are approximately twice as likely to be
placed in private special education school than their similar low-income peers.
Low-income student
Disability category, grade, student race, student over-age for
grade, District percent low-income
Controls:
Odds Ratio = 1.9; p<0.001
Non-low income student
![Page 16: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
Towns vary widely in their use of out-of-district placements.
Finding 1c:
![Page 17: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
Town-level variation in the percentage of special education students enrolled in private special education schools (2012)
![Page 18: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Question 1: What are the student and district-level characteristics associated with placement in out-of-district programs?
Question 2: What are the processes and pathways through which students with disabilities are referred to and placed in out-of-district programs?
Question 3: What are the implications of enrolling students in out-of-district programs?
Primary Research Questions
![Page 19: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
The majority of children move into out-of-district placements in late middle and
early high school.
Finding 2a:
![Page 20: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
Profiles for initial placement in private special education schools by grade
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4Fi
tted
prob
abilit
y of
enr
ollin
g in
a p
rivia
te s
choo
l
K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12Grade
Emotional disabilities Autism Learning disabilities
Multiple disabilities Hearing or vision impairment
![Page 21: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
Special education directors cite safety as the main reason for referring students to
out-of-district programs.
Finding 2b:
![Page 22: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
• Distributed to 277 Directors of Special Education.• 239 Directors (86%) responded to at least one
question.• 221 Directors (79%) completed the survey.
Table of respondents by district size.
Number of Students in District Number of respondents
Percent of all respondents
Less than 1,000 students 35 15.09%
Between 1,000 – 2,000 students 64 27.59%
Between 2,000 – 4,000 students 80 34.48%
More than 4,000 students 53 22.84%
Survey
![Page 23: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
Reason for OOD referral across all categories.Reason % of all respondents
Access to related services 3%
Academic difficulty 21%
Problems with peers 23%
Inappropriate school behavior
46%
Social Emotional issues 60%
Survey Results
![Page 24: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
This pattern differs slightly by student disability type
![Page 25: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
• “This student physically harmed one of our staff members (broke ribs) when attempting to physically attack another student.”
• “She engaged in self harm, tantrums, acting out, disrupting others, and did not show any remorse/ or willingness to be learn appropriate coping strategies. The student has a history of cutting at home, bringing this to school… Safety is the concern. We could not guarantee her physical safety in the larger school environment.”
Quotes from Special Ed. Directors
![Page 26: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
The outplacement process for children with emotional, developmental and
learning disabilities is less contentious than placements for other types of
disabilities.
Finding 2c:
![Page 27: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
65%
16%13%
The district lawyer was somewhat or deeply involved
47%
24% 26%
A parent or advocate first suggested the out-of-district placement
64%
39% 36%
Special education di-rector believed that child's needs could have been met in-
district
Learning Disability
Emotional Dis-turbance
Autism
![Page 28: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/28.jpg)
“Students placed at private 766 schools to address specific learning disabilities is a disservice to students. The curriculum is not rigorous, students are removed from
their community and in reality, leave these schools with skills far more deficient
than when they left the district.”
Special education director commenting on private placements of children with learning disabilities
![Page 29: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/29.jpg)
“Student was receiving services in substantially separate program with all available district resources in place. The students behaviors continued to escalate and was unsafe despite the efforts of all
district service providers, outside consultants, and parent collaboration. “
Special education director commenting on private placements of children with emotional/behavioral disabilities
![Page 30: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/30.jpg)
Question 1: What are the student and district-level characteristics associated with placement in out-of-district programs?
Question 2: What are the processes and pathways through which students with disabilities are referred to and placed in out-of-district programs?
Question 3: What are the implications of enrolling students in out-of-district programs?
Primary Research Questions
![Page 31: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/31.jpg)
Relatively few out-placed students ever return to an in-district placement.
Finding 3a:
![Page 32: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/32.jpg)
17.8
Private Schools
25.4
Collaboratives
The percentage of out-placed students who ever return to an in-district program
17.8 % of students placed in private schools ever return to an in-district
program
25.4 % of students placed in collaboratives ever return to an in-district
program
![Page 33: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/33.jpg)
Students who enroll in out-of-district
settings, on average, do not experience greater or lesser gains in reading or
mathematics MCAS scores when compared to similar students who were not outplaced. Enrollment in an out-of-
district program is associated with greater increases in student attendance.
Finding 3b:
![Page 34: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/34.jpg)
Districts that place a larger percentage of special education students in private
schools, on average, receive a significantly larger per-pupil reimbursement from the
circuit breaker.
Finding 3c:
![Page 35: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/35.jpg)
Estimated Per Pupil Reimbursement from the Circuit Breaker (2012)
![Page 36: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/36.jpg)
Recommendations1. Improve General Education Approaches to Discipline
and Behavior2. Promote Inclusion and Universal Design for Learning3. Improve High School Options for Students with
Disabilities4. Provide Low-income Parents Access to Meaningful
Advocacy Support.5. Create Opportunities for Private Schools and Public
Schools to Collaborate to Help Support Students in a More Fluid Manner
6. Restructure the Circuit Breaker to Directly Support the Expenses Related to Children with Complex Needs
![Page 37: Massachusetts Students with Disabilities in Out-of-District Programs: Preliminary Findings](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062501/568166e8550346895ddb2a06/html5/thumbnails/37.jpg)
Thank you!
Please contact Todd Grindal with further questions or comments.