How Do Charter Schools Serve Students with Disabilities? Lessons from Michigan

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Bintang

Charter schools in the U.S. have historically enrolled fewer students with disabilities, despite serving nearly 15% of the K-12 population. This policy brief uses Michigan K-8 data from 2013–2018 to examine how switching from traditional public schools to charter schools affects special education identification, placement in general versus special education classrooms, and attendance and academic outcomes. Results show largely stable identification rates, a temporary shift toward more general education time, less intensive services, and improved achievement and attendance for both students with disabilities and general education students.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

Overview

Background

Results

Special education identification rates

Time in general education classrooms

Service intensity and costs

Attendance and academic outcomes

How Do Charter Schools Serve Students with Disabilities? Lessons from Michigan Scott A . Imberman, Michigan State University & NBER Andrew Johnson, Boston University Policy Brief | January 2026 Overview Students with Disabilities (SWDs) make up nearly 15% of the K-12 student population in the U.S. but have historically been underrepresented in charter schools. Charter schools may offer different special education services than traditional public schools (TPS), raising concerns that they may be less attentive to the needs of SWDs. However, outcomes of SWDs are rarely the focus of research on charter schools. Using data from Michigan K-8 students from 2013 to 2018, we study how the educational setting and the attendance and academic outcomes of SWDs change after switching from a TPS to a charter school. We reach the following conclusions: • Special education identification rates remained largely the same after students entered charter schools before gradually increasing. • Students initially spent more time in general education classrooms after entering a charter school. • Charter schools use special education programs and service assignments that are less intensive and expensive than those used in TPS. • Academic achievement and attendance outcomes improved for SWDs and general education students after they enrolled in charter schools. Background Special education is a type of schooling that meets the needs of a child with a disability as defined by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This law plays a crucial role in supporting SWDs and usually involves an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), a document created between parents and school officials that outlines services, the learning environment, and developmental goals for SWDs. In 2020, approximately 7.5 million public education students in the United States were identified as having a disability. In the past, SWDs wereplaced in separate special education classrooms, but there has been a recent shift toward inclusive education. By 2020, 64% of SWDs spent at least 80% of their school day in general education classrooms. Families with SWDs express concern about the availability of services and qualified special education teachers in charter schools. Charter school leaders may be concerned about how SWDs affect performance statistics and the higher costs associated with educating SWDs, and may discourage parents from enrolling their children in their school. Inflexible behavior policies and inadequate resources are other factors that can deter families from enrolling their SWDs in a charter school. Existing research on how charter schools support SWDs primarily focuses on changes in academic achievement after they enter charter schools and has shown mixed results. Early research found no significant differences in reading and math scores between SWDs in charter schools and those in TPS, while a more recent causal analysis found that SWDs perform slightly better academically in charter schools than in TPS. Fewer studies examine changes in disability identification, or the learning environments charter schools provide for SWDs. In the causal analysis referenced above, researchers found that SWDs in Boston charter schools spent more time in general education classrooms and had lower special education identification rates. Past research suggests that SWDs who attend charter schools often have milder disabilities, such as speech/language impediments and learning disabilities, perhaps reflecting charter school efforts to reduce costs. Overall, we still know relatively little about SWDs experiences in charter schools beyond academic outcomes. Results Students initially spent more time in general education classrooms after entering a charter school. We start by examining whether enrolling in a charter school influences the likelihood that a student is identified for special education services. Under the federal IDEA, stude

FAQs

What does the brief study about charter schools and students with disabilities?

It examines how students’ educational settings, attendance, and academic outcomes change after switching from traditional public schools to charter schools.

Do special education identification rates change after students enter charter schools?

Identification rates remain largely the same after entry, followed by a gradual increase of about 1–2 percentage points two and three years later.

How do charter schools affect students’ classroom time and outcomes?

Students initially spend more time in general education classrooms temporarily. The brief also finds improved academic achievement and attendance outcomes for students with disabilities and general education students after enrollment.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Bintang