Educational Placement of Students With Autism

Abstract

Typically, child characteristics such as IQ and severity of autism symptoms are thought to determine educational placement. The present study examines external factors, including state of residence and state funding formulas, to determine their potential influence on placement outcomes. Findings reveal that considerable variations exist among states in placing students with ASD in inclusive, mainstreaming, self-contained, and separate schools, suggesting that external to the child factors play a major role in educational placement decisions. Further, states in the Eastern US tend to have more restrictive placement rates than states in the Western US. State special education funding was found to have a minimal impact on placement outcomes.

Location Matters

“…We noticed that in our analysis (Figure 1), and in previous analyses by P. Smith (2007) and Kurth (2014), states with the largest urban areas tended to be among those with the most restrictive placements. For example, New York State-home to the largest urban school district in the nation (i.e., New York City Department of Education)-has the lowest proportion of students with developmental disabilities placed in general education classrooms more than 80% of the school day, and the third highest proportion of students placed in segregated settings (U.S. Department of Education, 2014).…”

“…Identifying state-by-state and regional differences might offer opportunities for more targeted advocacy that could make a stronger impact than broad national efforts. State and regional differences in educational placement of students with developmental disabilities have not been studied thoroughly, although the few researchers who have published on this topic note tremendous variability between states that are the most inclusive and those that are the most restrictive (Kurth, 2014;P. Smith, 2007).…”

Ecological Factors Affecting Access to General Education Content and Contexts for Students With Significant Disabilities

“…Disability labels also are associated with more or less restrictive placements. Regional differences in placement in general education classes were found for students with autism (Kurth, 2014). Department of Education, 2013).…”

“…It is important to consider learning and behavioral characteristics separately from disability label, because these phenomena function differently in relationship to decisions about content and context. Kurth andMastergeorge (2010a, 2010b) found no relationship between students' intelligence and adaptive behavior skills, and placement in general education. However, social skills and challenging behaviors are likely to change depending on the context (Carr, 1994), so it is impossible to locate these descriptors as characteristics of the student.…”

Inclusion of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

“…Wide variance across states shows rates range from 8% in Washington, DC, to as much as 62% in Iowa. The states found to be the most favorable related to inclusive placement for students with ASD were Colorado, Connecticut, North Dakota, West Virginia, and Iowa (Kurth, 2015).…”