State Accountability Reports: What Are States Saying about Students with Disabilities? Technical Report 20

This report summarizes a study that analyzed the inclusion of students with disabilities in the accountability systems of 48 state education accountability reports and that of Washington, D.C. Extreme variability was found to exist in the reporting practices across states and there was little information on students with disabilities. Eleven states included test-based outcome data for students with disabilities in their reports and only five states produced a separate special education report. Many states include input/context and/or process indicators for students with disabilities, but few reported outcome data for these students. Finally, every state was unclear on at least one educational indicator in their accountability system and whether students with disabilities were included. The report contains the following recommendations about reporting on students with disabilities: (1) be clear about the role of students with disabilities in data and standards; (2) while special education reports can be useful in providing detailed information about students with disabilities, general accountability reports should also include information on students with disabilities; and (3) when making comparisons among schools, districts, and states, comparisons should be based on similar populations. (Contains 28 references.) (CR)