| The Research Alliance for New York City Schools |
| | Special Education in New York City: Understanding the Landscape |
|
In New York City, nearly one in five public school children is diagnosed with a disability, making them eligible to receive special education services. Historically, students with disabilities have had less access to learning opportunities and lower academic outcomes than their general education peers. Our new brief, Special Education in New York City: Understanding the Landscape, presents a snapshot of the landscape of special education in New York City, exploring the background characteristics of students who have an Individual Education Plan (IEP), the settings in which they are served, and their engagement with school. Our findings highlight:- Disparities associated with race, gender, and neighborhood. Boys and Black and Latino students were overrepresented in special education—and within specific disability categories. For example, Black students were more than twice as likely as other students to have an IEP for emotional disturbance. Asian and White students were diagnosed with autism at higher rates than their Black and Latino peers. The brief describes these and other differences linked to race, gender, and neighborhood income.
- Where students with disabilities are served. Over 80 percent of students with disabilities were served in traditional public schools (Community School Districts 1-32); about 7 percent were served in charter schools, and 11 percent in District 75, which is designed for students with highly specialized needs. A majority of IEPs recommended that students spend at least part of their day in an inclusive classroom setting. The brief examines which groups of students were more and less likely to be served in an inclusive environment, and how perceptions of school climate varied for students in different educational settings.
- Challenges with student engagement. Students with disabilities had high rates of chronic absenteeism, but these rates varied substantially by disability type. For example, 38 percent of students with an IEP for emotional disturbance were “severely chronically absent,” compared with 17 percent of those with learning disabilities and just 6 percent of those with speech or language impairment. As with attendance, suspension rates varied greatly by disability type, and students classified with emotional disturbance were the most likely to be suspended.
The brief draws on these and other findings to highlight a variety of important questions for educators, policymakers, and future research. |
|
|
|
| The Research Alliance for New York City Schools is a nonpartisan research center housed at the New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. The Research Alliance conducts rigorous studies on topics that matter to the city’s public schools. The organization strives to advance equity and excellence in education by providing evidence about policies and practices that promote students' development and academic success.
Learn More at Our Website |
|
| |
