Family & Community Special Communities
Special Education

Preliminary Study of the Special Education Standard for Services - February 2000

Part 3: Outcomes: does Massachusetts' MPD standard result in different outcomes?

If the MPD standard can be shown to provide improved results for Massachusetts students in comparison to students in states with a FAPE standard, that would be compelling information. Unfortunately, seeking to determine if Massachusetts can show better results for students with disabilities is not an easy task. First, the goals for each student found eligible for special education are represented in an individualized education program (IEP) and, therefore, it is difficult to identify desirable systemic outcomes when each student's program is highly individualized. Additionally, to characterize how far we have come implies knowledge of where we have been. Prior to the enactment of the special education laws and regulations, many students with disabilities were not even present in an educational environment; therefore, information on baseline performance is unavailable.

Two main sources of data were reviewed seeking to identify outcome data that could assist in answering the question of whether the MPD standard results in different outcomes for students with disabilities:

1. The Annual Reports to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, prepared by the United States Department of Education.

   These reports have been prepared for a number of years. The most recent report is the 20th Annual Report which provides some statistical data and some reflections on outcomes for students with disabilities. Data on outcomes, however, is limited since the Annual Reports have primarily reviewed procedural outcomes (including numbers of students served, numbers of students in specific settings, and numbers of qualified personnel). The following limited information related to outcomes for students with disabilities has been excerpted:

   High School completion information:
   "The percentage of students with disabilities who completed high school with a diploma or certificate varied by disability and also varied considerably by state…Variables such as median household income, percent of households below the poverty level, percent of education revenues from state sources, average teacher salary, and population density were significant in predicting graduation for students with disabilities and for predicting graduation with a certificate of completion rather than a standard diploma…The percentage of all students and the percentage of students with disabilities completing high school has remained steady in the past few years. The analyses suggest that state economic, demographic, and education variables may affect graduation rates but in highly complex and inconsistent ways." ⁵

   The data in Table 3 below suggest that for students with disabilities whose educational outcomes may be characterized as positive or neutral, the vast majority of those students exit high school with a diploma, not only in Massachusetts, but also in all of the comparison states and the United States as a whole. However, information provided in the 20th Annual Report does not specify diploma standards for each state. In 1996, Massachusetts diploma standards were set at the local level and varied considerably from community to community. We also know that the national debate on diploma standards has included criticism of "seat time" as a common diploma standard. Therefore, we cannot characterize, with confidence, receipt of a diploma as indication of a skill level reached or a course of study completed. We can say, however, that Massachusetts does not significantly differ from other states in this outcome measurement. ⁶

   Table 3

   	Diploma	Max age	Certificate	All	% Diploma
   Mass.	5,596	210	0	5,806	96%
   US	126,051	4,176	26,142	156,369	81%
   RI	820	31	3	854	96%
   NJ	8,210	193	0	8,403	98%
   MI	4,134	404	257	4,795	86%
   VA	2,993	64	881	3,938	76%
   CT	2,200	34	79	2,313	95%
   MO	2,458	18	223	2,699	91%
   WI	3,174	60	186	3,420	93%

   Dropping Out of School: A review of the Annual Reports in relation to students with disabilities dropping out of school does not show any difference for Massachusetts as compared to the comparison states. Nationally, students with disabilities drop out at a higher rate than do students without disabilities. The limitations of the data gathered state-by-state, however, raise more questions than they answer so this area of research is not currently relevant to the questions of this study.

   Other post school outcomes: Comparative information for other states and for Massachusetts on other post school outcomes is unavailable due to the limited samples and scope of the studies conducted. No national or state-by-state comparison information is available. Information reviewed includes: students with disabilities reporting employment, participating in postsecondary education or training, and living independently or marrying, as well as studies of wage earnings of young adults with disabilities. Overall, the various studies provide disappointing outcome information for students with disabilities as compared to students without disabilities. No study results could be identified that suggested that Massachusetts' outcomes in these areas are different than other states.

2. Information from the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System - Academic outcomes

   The second major source of data reviewed for this part of the report is the data from the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) Tests given in the spring of 1998.

Participation of Students with Disabilities^a: Table 4 below provides information on the participation of students with disabilities in the MCAS on-demand tests.⁷ Table 4 shows the percentage of students with disabilities who participated in each of the content area tests. At least 91% of the students with disabilities at all grade levels were tested in all content areas. These figures include students with disabilities who were tested with and without accommodations.

^a In grades 4, 8, and 10, there were 509, 270, and 154 students respectively, who were identified by school personnel as both students with disabilities and limited English proficient students. These students are included in this table.

The numbers of students with disabilities participating in these academic tests were very high. These high participation numbers suggest that the results for students with disabilities may be considered representative. However, the comparison value of these Massachusetts tests will be limited against comparisons of tests nationally since they were created solely to test learning standards in the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks.

Performance of Students with Disabilities: Information on performance of students with disabilities in statewide academic assessments for any of our comparison states is, unfortunately, almost totally unavailable to date and reflects the low participation rate of students with disabilities in statewide assessments. Recent amendments in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requiring participation of students with disabilities in state and districtwide assessment will, over time, provide better documentation of academic performance.

Table 5⁸ below provides information on the MCAS performance levels of 4th grade students with disabilities as compared to students without disabilities on all subject areas tested at grades 4, 8 and 10. Performance information is reported by percentage. The first line of Table 5 can be read, for instance, to say that for all 4th graders considered to be in regular education, 1% performed at the advanced level, 22% at the Proficient Level, 69% at the Needs Improvement Level, and 8% at the Failing Level, with no students failing because of absence.

Note:

1. Percentages may not total 100 percent due to rounding.
   
2. For the purpose of computing school, district, and state results, students who were absent from any subject area MCAS test were assigned the minimum scaled score of 200 and a performance level of Failing for that subject area.

• Students with disabilities at the 4^th grade level scored disproportionately in the lower performance levels in all subject areas, with the possible exception of science and technology.
• At Grades 8 & 10, students with disabilities scored disproportionately in the lower performance levels for all subject areas, including science and technology.
• The Spring of 1998 was the first administration of these on-demand MCAS tests and performance data was considered baseline data.

The Massachusetts Education Reform Act emphasizes high academic standards for all students. Starting with the class of 2003, all students will have to meet state competency standards for grade 10 in order to qualify for a high school diploma. All Massachusetts schools are working to strengthen teaching and learning in light of the state curriculum standards. These educational standards for academic achievement, coupled with improved teaching and learning for all students, will, over time, likely prove to be of more significant benefit to students in special education than the MPD standard.

In sum, neither Massachusetts nor other states have produced comprehensive or comparable outcome data on special education students. The limited data available on student outcomes do not show measurable differences between Massachusetts and other states with different special education standards. The first 20 years of the federal special education law (now the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), have been focussed on ensuring that services and programs and procedures are in place. Recent changes in the law are aimed at providing for more accountability in the future, and will provide a basis for further research and analysis as data become available.

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