Poster Paper:
Does It Hurt to Go in or Does It Hurt to Go out? Inclusion Effects on Student Discipline Infractions and Achievement within Special Education
Thursday, November 3, 2016
Columbia Ballroom (Washington Hilton)
*Names in bold indicate Presenter
This research explores the extent to which classroom inclusion is associated with discipline infractions and academic achievement for special education (SPED) students in Arkansas. Using individual student level data encompassing six years (n= 383,410), we have explored the effects of special education only, integrated special education, regular, and other classroom placement on the aggregate number of discipline infractions and standardized test scores using a fixed effect within estimator. A disproportionate percentage of suspended students are SPED classified and upon their return to school they are often excluded from the entire student population. We have found within our state, being place in a less inclusive classroom environment, is associated with a decrease in the number of discipline infractions a child receives.
