Special Education in America

ChristopherB.Swanson,Ph.D.DirectorEditorialProjectsinEducationResearchCenterNovember3,2008SpecialEducationinAmericaThestateofstudentswithdisabilitiesinthenation’shighschoolsAboutThisReportThisreportexaminingspecialeducationinthenation’shighschoolswaspreparedbytheEditorialProjectsinEducationResearchCenter,whichreceivedsupportfromtheBill&MelindaGatesFoundation.EditorialProjectsinEducationisanonprofit,tax-exemptorganizationbasedinBethesda,Md.ItsprimarymissionistohelpraisethelevelofawarenessandunderstandingamongprofessionalsandthepublicofimportantissuesinAmericaneducation.EPEcoverslocal,state,national,andinternationalnewsandissuesfrompreschoolthroughthe12thgrade.EditorialProjectsinEducationInc.publishesEducationWeek,America’snewspaperofrecordforprecollegiateeducation,TeacherMagazine,edweek.org,andtheTopSchoolJobsemploymentresource.Italsoproducesperiodicspecialreportsonissuesrangingfromtechnologytotextbooks,aswellasbooksofspecialinteresttoeducators.TheEPEResearchCenter,adivisionofEditorialProjectsinEducation,conductsannualpolicysurveys,collectsdata,andperformsanalysesthatappearintheQualityCounts,TechnologyCounts,andDiplomasCountannualreports.Thecenteralsoproducesindependentresearchreports,contributesdataandanalysistospecialcoverageinEducationWeek,TeacherMagazine,andedweek.org,publishesthemonthlyResearchConnectionsNewsletter,hostsliveWebchatsonresearchtopics,andmaintainstheEducationCountsandEdWeekMapsonlinedataresources.TheEPEResearchCentercanbefoundonlineat:CaroleVinogradBausell,RachaelDelgado,KathrynDorko,SterlingLloyd,PatrickMiller,andHajimeMitani.Copyright©2008byEditorialProjectsinEducationInc.Allrightsreserved.EditorialProjectsinEducationResearchCenterDirectorChristopherB.SwansonDeputyDirectorAmyM.HightowerSeniorResearchAssociateSterlingC.LloydResearchAnalystHajimeMitaniResearchAssociatesHollyKosiewiczAlexisReedRebeccaWittensteinResearchInternsBonnieHoErinPollardSaharSattarzadehLibraryDirectorKathrynDorkoNewsResearchLibrarianRachaelDelgadoEditorialProjectsinEducation▪6935ArlingtonRoad▪BethesdaMD20814▪■—DirectionsforPolicyandPractice........................................................................................25Endnotes.....................................................................................................................................................26RESOURCEAPPENDIX..................................................................................................................................29Organizations........................................................................................................................................29LegalResources....................................................................................................................................30SelectedReports/Studies.....................................................................................................................31SpecialEducationJournals...................................................................................................................33DataResources..................................