SNDT WOMEN'S UNIVERSITY

BMK Knowledge Resource Centre

Vithaldas Vidyavihar, Juhu Tara Road,
Santacruz (West) Mumbai - 400049

Teachers’ Special Education Referrals for Younger Children Vary by School Type

By: Contributor(s): Description: pp38-47Subject(s): In: Journal of Special Education New DelhiSummary: The prevalence of disability diagnoses among young children has risen significantly over recent decades. This growth has prompted inquiries into the identification processes, notably focusing on teachers who are the primary sources of referrals. While some studies have examined child age as a relevant predictor of disability referral, minimal attention has been paid to relative age—namely, if children are younger than their classmates. In this study, we examine whether teachers in the U.S. state of Arkansas refer children differently based on relative classroom age. We do so for traditional public schools versus magnet schools, as each type has been shown to serve different student populations. Results show no significant association between classroom age composition and referral rates in either school type. However, in traditional public schools, a higher proportion of younger children in classrooms correlated with a higher proportion of referrals for younger children, whereas magnet schools showed no such trend. Policy implications are discussed.
Tags from this library: No tags from this library for this title. Log in to add tags.
Star ratings
    Average rating: 0.0 (0 votes)
Holdings
Item type Current library Call number Vol info Status Barcode
Journal Article SNDT Juhu Available jp761.4
Periodicals SNDT Juhu P 371.9105/JSE (Browse shelf(Opens below)) Vol. 59, No. 1 (01/01/2025) Available JP761

The prevalence of disability diagnoses among young children has risen significantly over recent decades. This growth has prompted inquiries into the identification processes, notably focusing on teachers who are the primary sources of referrals. While some studies have examined child age as a relevant predictor of disability referral, minimal attention has been paid to relative age—namely, if children are younger than their classmates. In this study, we examine whether teachers in the U.S. state of Arkansas refer children differently based on relative classroom age. We do so for traditional public schools versus magnet schools, as each type has been shown to serve different student populations. Results show no significant association between classroom age composition and referral rates in either school type. However, in traditional public schools, a higher proportion of younger children in classrooms correlated with a higher proportion of referrals for younger children, whereas magnet schools showed no such trend. Policy implications are discussed.

There are no comments on this title.

to post a comment.