Classroom Placements of Students With Disabilities in Public Day Schools in a Large School District.

This article examines classroom placements and placement changes for students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) in Grades 5 to 9 within a large urban southwestern U.S. school district's traditional public day schools. Using longitudinal special education administrative data from 21,314 students, the study found that 50% remained in general education (GE) classrooms throughout, 9% remained in self-contained special education (SE) classrooms, and 41% experienced at least one primary classroom placement change between GE and SE settings. The highest rate of switching from GE to SE occurred in sixth grade, coinciding with the transition to middle school, while the highest rate of switching from SE to GE occurred in ninth grade, aligning with entry to high school. Predictors of spending more time in SE classrooms included disability categories such as Autism, intellectual disability, emotional disturbance, and orthopedic impairment, as well as being African American, English learner status, qualification for free/reduced-price lunch, and participation in alternate curriculum; conversely, White students and those with specific learning disabilities were more likely to spend greater time in GE classrooms. The study highlights disparities in access to inclusive education and underscores the need for informed IEP team decisions and professional development to support equitable placements.