Special Education Enrollment on Upward Trend in Charter Schools
February 28, 2018
By: Christina Samuels
Source: Education Week
Students with disabilities made up about 10.6 percent of the charter school population, compared to about 12.5 percent of the population for traditional public schools, according to a recent analysis of federal data by the National Center for Special Education in Charter Schools.
That enrollment percentage, based on 2013-14 (the most recent national data available) is up from 10.4 percent in 2012-13.
But a deeper dive into the federal data shows that special education enrollment differs depending on the type of charter school under examination.
State charter laws determine whether a charter school operates completely independently of the local school district, or if it is considered a part of the local district. Those that operate independently of the local school systems enroll more students with disabilities—about 11.5 percent. Most charter schools in Massachusetts, Michigan, and North Carolina fit into this category.
In contrast, charter schools that are considered part of a district’s overall portfolio of schools have a smaller special education enrollment, about 9.7 percent. Most charter schools in California, Colorado, and Florida fit in to this legal structure…