STUDENT OUTCOMES (Table 5)

 

Four sources of data are likely to be accessed regarding student outcomes:

As mentioned previously, data from the last three school-based sources will be collected in years 2, 3, and 5 of the 5-year data collection cycle. Information on students’ schools and school programs will be collected in those same years. Thus, analyses of year 2 data will explore the relationships between variations in schools/school programs and variations in student outcomes. Analyses of data for year 3 can explore the relationships between variations in year 3 schools/school programs and the growth in student performance measured as change from year 2 to year 3. Analyses of year 5 can focus on trends in student performance over the 5-year period, as well as look for relationships between school programs and both variations and growth in student performance.

 

 

 

Table 5

Research Questions — Student Outcomes

 

High Priority

Lower Priority

Academic and Functional Literacy

   

k What is the academic functioning/performance of students in special education, as measured by:

   
    • A direct assessment of their reading abilities by an on-site professional (other than the student’s own teacher).

P

 
    • A direct assessment of their mathematics abilities by an on-site professional (other than the student’s own teacher).

P

 
    • A direct assessment of their academic problem-solving abilities by an on-site professional (other than the student’s own teacher).

P

 
    • Students’ grades in elementary school (school records).
 

6

    • Students’ grades in middle and high school (school records).
 

6

    • Scores on most recent standardized tests (school records indicating type and year of test and type of score).

P

 
    • Teacher reports of extent to which IEP goals are met.
 

6

    • Teacher reports of students’ functional grade level equivalents in reading and mathematics.

P

 
    • Parent reports of students’ voluntary reading behavior.
 

6

    • Parent reports of students’ ability to tell time, read common signs, count change, look up telephone numbers and use the telephone.

P

 

k What is the level of engagement in school of students in special education, as measured by:

   
    • Attendance.

P

 
    • Teacher assessment of students’ ability to stay focused on their work, participate in classroom discussions, and complete homework on time.

P

 
    • Student reports of extent to which they look forward to going to school.

P

 
    • Parent or school report of students’ dropping out.

P

 

k How well do students in special education communicate, as indicated by:

   
    • Parent reports of students’ ability to make needs/feelings known through speech and other means.

P

 
    • Teacher reports of students’ ability to make needs/feelings known through speech and other means.

P

 

 

 

Table 5

RESEARCH QUESTIONS — Student Outcomes (Continued)

 

High Priority

Lower Priority

k To what extent do students in special education use computer technology, as indicated by:

   
    • Teacher reports of students’ ability to use computers as part of the instructional program (e.g., keyboarding ability, find materials on the Internet); actual computer use at school.
 

6

    • Parent reports of students’ ability to use computers (e.g., to do school assignments, to play games); actual computer use at home.
 

6

k What are students’ past academic experiences, in terms of previous grade promotion and retention?

P

 

Personal and Social Adjustment

   

k To what extent are students in special education socially engaged,* as indicated by:

   
    • Parent reports of frequency of seeing friends, being invited over to others’ homes, receiving phone calls from peers.

P

 
    • Student reports of frequency of seeing friends, being invited over to others’ homes, receiving phone calls from peers.

P

 
    • Parent perceptions of whether students are lonely.
 

6

    • Student reports of loneliness and rejection.

P

 
    • Student reports of satisfaction with number of friends, quality of friendships.

P

 
    • Teacher reports of whether students have friends at school.

P

 

k To what extent do students in special education get along with others, as indicated by:

   
    • Teacher reports of students’ ability to control behavior in the classroom, get along with other students.

P

 
    • Parent reports of whether school has indicated students have a behavior problem at school involving other students or teachers (e.g., fights).

P

 
    • Parent reports of whether students’ behavior creates problems at home.

P

 

*Note: Group-related aspects of social engagement are included under nonschool factors in "presence and participation."

 

Table 5

RESEARCH QUESTIONS — Student Outcomes (Continued)

 

High Priority

Lower Priority

k To what extent are students in special education personally well adjusted, as indicated by:

   
    • Parent reports of students having a positive self-concept/outlook.

P

 
    • Parent reports of students having hobbies/interests.
 

6

    • Students having a positive self-concept/outlook as indicated in direct assessment by on-site professional (not the student’s own teacher).

P

 
  • Student reports of having hobbies/interests.
 

6

Contribution and Citizenship

   

k To what extent do students in special education abide by rules, as indicated by:

   
    • School records of suspensions, expulsions, other disciplinary actions.

P

 
    • Parent reports of whether students have ever been arrested; arrested in the last year (ages 13 and up only).

P

 
    • Parent reports of students being fired from a job.
 

6

    • Parent reports of how manageable students are at home.

P

 
    • Teacher reports of extent to which students follow directions in class.

P

 

k To what extent do parents report that students in special education are involved in volunteer/community service activities?

P

 

Responsibility and Independence

   

k How independent are students in special education, in terms of:

   
    • Self-care, as indicated by parent reports of students’ ability to dress and feed themselves and handle toileting.

P

 
    • Mobility, as indicated by parent reports of students’ ability to get around inside and outside the house.

P

 
    • Financial management, as indicated by parent reports of students having own money (e.g., allowance), making small purchases.

P

 
    • Contributing to household management, as indicated by parent reports of students doing chores (e.g., picking up own living area, making own lunch).

P

 

k How do students in special education spend their leisure time, as reported by parents?

P

 

 

 

Table 5

RESEARCH QUESTIONS — Student Outcomes (Concluded)

 

High Priority

Lower Priority

k To what extent are older students in special education beginning to take on adult roles in terms of:

   
    • Employment, as indicated by parent reports of students working for pay outside the home (type of work, hours worked, amount paid).

P

 
    • Having a driver’s license or learner’s permit (ages 15 and up only).

P

 

Physical health

   

k How healthy are students in special education in terms of:

   
    • Parent reports of students’ general health.

P

 
    • Parents reports of students’ emergency room visits in past year.
 

6

    • Parent reports of students’ overnight hospitalizations in past year.
 

6

    • Parent reports of students engaging in regular exercise.
 

6

k To what extent do students in special education participate in risk behaviors in their teen years, including smoking, gang activity, and substance use, as reported by students in year 5 only when all students are ages 13 to 17 (potentially through completing anonymous brief written questionnaire during direct assessment).

P

 

k To what extent have adolescents had/fathered children (as reported by students in year 5 only when all students are ages 13 to 17 (potentially through completing anonymous brief written questionnaire during direct assessment)?

P

 

Satisfaction

   

k How satisfied do parents of students in special education report being with:

   
    • The students’ schools.
 

6

    • The students overall school programs.

P

 
    • IEP goals for the students being challenging, appropriate.

P

 
    • Students getting the support and services from the school that are needed to succeed in school.

P

 
    • The amount and difficulty of homework assigned.

P

 

k How satisfied are students in special education with their schools and school programs, as indicated by the extent to which they report liking school?

P

 

 

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