Students with disabilities in urban Massachusetts charter schools: Access, inclusion, and policy

These three related papers examine the access students with disabilities have to charter schools in thirteen urbanized areas of Massachusetts for the years 2002--07; relative inclusion rates in regular classrooms over the same period; and a variety of policy mechanisms that could improve access and inclusion of students with disabilities in charter schools. Paper 1 finds that the percentage of enrolled students with disabilities in urban charter schools is significantly lower than in urban traditional schools; it also finds that the enrollment of students in specific disability categories varies considerably by school type. Additionally, paper 1 finds that urban charter schools in Massachusetts enrolled significantly fewer students with mental retardation, emotional disturbance, multiple disabilities, autism, deaf-blindness, and traumatic brain injury compared to traditional schools. Paper 2 finds that urban charter schools educated significantly lower percentages of students with disabilities in substantially separate classrooms, compared to urban traditional schools. Both types of schools, over the past four years, are found to have increased regular classroom access considerably, while overall, access to regular classrooms showed high variability by city. Finally, paper 3 finds that Massachusetts' current charter school policies harm the interests of students with disabilities. Specifically, students with disabilities have persistently limited access to charter schools; funding for students with disabilities in charter schools is unfair; and oversight of special education in charter schools is limited. This paper presents in detail policy alternatives for consideration: (1) Require enrollment parity; (2) Support the formation of a charter school educational collaborative; (3) Allocate special education dollars to charter schools based on actual enrollment of students in charter schools who currently have the most limited access; (4) Develop a common application and enrollment procedure for charter schools; (5) Require individual charter schools to publicly report more data, and (6) Use the 5-year renewal process to improve student access, inclusion, and special education services in charter schools.