ERIC Number: EJ1080177
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015-Dec
Pages: 8
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1088-3576
EISSN: N/A
Educational Placement of Students with Autism: The Impact of State of Residence
Kurth, Jennifer A.
Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, v30 n4 p249-256 Dec 2015
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 autism spectrum disorders in inclusive, mainstreaming, self-contained, and separate schools. This variation suggests that factors beyond child characteristics, such as IQ, play a major role in educational placement decisions. Furthermore, states in the Eastern United States tend to have more restrictive placement rates than states in the Western United States. State special education funding was found to have a minimal impact on placement outcomes. As a whole, it is unlikely that child characteristics alone determine placement outcomes.
Descriptors: Autism, Student Placement, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Mainstreaming, Inclusion, Self Contained Classrooms, Special Schools, Geographic Location, Special Education, Educational Finance, Student Characteristics, Federal Legislation, Educational Legislation, Disabilities, Equal Education
SAGE Publications and Hammill Institute on Disabilities. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Laws, Policies, & Programs: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Part B
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A