Students with Disabilities in Charter High Schools: Curriculum and College Preparation - October 8, 2024

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by James

This brief examines students with disabilities in U.S. charter high schools and how their access to college-preparatory opportunities compares with traditional public schools. Drawing on 2020–2021 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) data from 97,575 schools, it analyzes participation in SAT/ACT testing, Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) coursework, and dual enrollment programs. Findings highlight overall access trends and key differences tied to disability categories and eligibility under IDEA and Section 504.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages13

Reading Time33 min

AccessFree to download

Key Takeaways

Key Questions for Policymakers and Researchers

How does access to AP/IB courses affect students’ academic trajectories?

How can overlapping opportunities complicate analysis?

FAST FACTS Students with Disabilities in Charter High Schools: Curriculum and College Preparation OCTOBER 8, 2024 5 In recent decades, the overall [goals of U.S. education](goals of U.S. education)[ ](goals of U.S. education)have centered around postsecondary life, with a particular emphasis on building students’ “college and career-ready skills .” THIS FOCUS IS ECHOED in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which says the purpose of special education is both to meet students’ unique needs and “prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living.”1 Critical to the right to a free appropriate public education for students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment is an education that points toward life after high school, including providing students with disabilities equal access to the opportunities afforded by higher education. This fifth of six briefs exploring data from the 2020-2021 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) data, released earlier this year, explores the access of students with disabilities to the educational opportunities that make college possible for most students: SAT and ACT testing, Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) coursework, and dual enrollment programs in colleges and universities. This fifth brief explores the access of students with disabilities to the educational opportunities that make college possible for most students. 1 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. 33 § 300.1.a. [https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/a/300.1](https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/a/300.1) Students with Disabilities in Charter High Schools: Curriculum and College Preparation | OCTOBER 8, 2024 2 The Center for Learner Equity (CLE) is committed to catalyzing student success and eradicating the complex, pervasive, and systematic barriers that prevent students with disabilities from accessing quality educational opportunities and choices, robust support, and inclusive environments. We accomplish this through research, advocacy, coalition formation, and capacity building with national, state, and local partners. The Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC), maintained and released biennially by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) since 1968, publishes data on leading indicators related to access and barriers to education opportunities from early childhood through grade 12. With each biennial release, CLE analyzes similarities and differences in student populations and student experiences in public charter schools and traditional public schools for students with disabilities. Understanding these national-level data supports success for students with disabilities without regard to educational setting and placement. The findings shared in this brief are based on data reported in the 2020-2021 CRDC, collected from 97,575 schools. This report uses a data-cleaning methodology that selected a sample of these schools. For more information about the methodology used in these briefs, including a data file and accompanying instructions, see our methodology brief here. Students with disabilities receive services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and both or neither of those laws. Unless otherwise noted, statistics in this brief refer to students eligible to receive services under IDEA. Key Takeaways The percentage of high school students with disabilities participating in AP and IB programs, enrolling in dual enrollment programs, and taking the SAT/ACT has generally continued to increase over time. The percentage of enrolled high school students who are identified as students with disabilities is functionally equal between traditional public schools and charter schools. ‐ However, traditional public high schools enroll a substantially higher percentage of students with low-incidence disabilities, while charter high sch

FAQs

Which data source and time period does the brief use?

The brief uses data reported in the 2020–2021 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC), collected from 97,575 schools.

What college-preparatory opportunities are analyzed?

It examines access to SAT and ACT testing, AP and IB coursework, and dual enrollment programs in colleges and universities.

What trend does the brief report for participation in AP/IB and dual enrollment over time?

The percentage of high school students with disabilities participating in AP and IB programs, enrolling in dual enrollment programs, and taking the SAT/ACT generally increased over time, with specific differences across years and school types for AP, IB, and testing.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by James