Research Alliance for New York City Schools, Aug 1, 2019
Nearly one in five New York City public school children is diagnosed with a disability, making th... more Nearly one in five New York City public school children is diagnosed with a disability, making them eligible to receive special education services. Historically, students with disabilities have had less access to learning opportunities and lower academic outcomes than their general education peers. This brief presents a snapshot of the landscape of special education in New York City, exploring the background characteristics of students who have an Individual Education Plan (IEP), the settings in which they are served, and their engagement with school. Among our key findings:
-Who Has an IEP?
Boys outnumber girls with IEPs by two to one. Boys were especially overrepresented among students classified with autism, emotional disturbance, and other health impairments, such as attention deficit disorder.
Black and Latino students are also overrepresented in special education, and within specific disability classifications. Black students were more than twice as likely as other students to have an IEP for emotional disturbance. Latino and Asian students were disproportionately classified with speech or language impairments. Asian and White students were diagnosed with autism at higher rates than their Black and Latino peers.
Students with disabilities are not spread out evenly across the City. The percentage of students with IEPs varied greatly by census tract, ranging from less than 5 percent in some parts of the City to more than 25 percent in others. Generally speaking, disability rates were higher in low-income neighborhoods.
-Where Are Students with Disabilities Served?
More than 80 percent of NYC’s students with disabilities were served in traditional public schools (i.e., Community School Districts 1-32). An additional 11 percent were served in District 75, a special district in the City that serves students with low-incidence disabilities or highly specialized needs. About 7 percent were served in charter schools.
For a majority of NYC students in special education, their IEPs recommend placement in an inclusive setting for some part of the day. However, students classified with autism, emotional disturbance, and intellectual disabilities were predominantly recommended for self-contained classrooms.
Students with disabilities who are served in inclusive environments rated their school climate somewhat more positively than those in self-contained classrooms.
-How Engaged Are Students with Disabilities?
Students with disabilities have high rates of chronic absenteeism. But these rates varied substantially by disability type. Students with an IEP for emotional disturbance were the most likely to be absent.
As with attendance, suspension rates varied greatly by disability type, and students classified with emotional disturbance were the most likely to be suspended.
-Intersecting Vulnerabilities
Because Black students were disproportionately classified with emotional disturbance, they also had disproportionately high rates of suspensions and chronic absenteeism. Likewise, Black students and students from low-income neighborhoods were more likely to be recommended for self-contained settings.
The brief draws on these findings to highlight a number of important questions for policymakers and educators. We hope this work provides a useful foundation for discussion and the development of new lines of research.
Many individuals contributed to this evaluation and report. Thanks are due to Nancy Nevárez and K... more Many individuals contributed to this evaluation and report. Thanks are due to Nancy Nevárez and Kari Nelsestuen who conducted research for the evaluation. Ann Cola also conducted interviews and observations. Dr. Sandra Langley and Jodi Paroff conducted data analyses and helped write the report. Dr. Ann O’Connell conducted the multilevel analyses and wrote the summary of results from those analyses. Drs. Langley and O’Connell also reviewed the report and provided helpful feedback. Eliana Orellana provided research support, Wanda Dallas entered the teacher survey data, and Noemi Corujo provided administrative assistance. Elayne Archer edited the report. Dr. Alexandra Weinbaum served as the senior technical advisor to the evaluation project. Thanks are also due to all the staff and teacher consultants of the Teacher Leaders for Mathematics Success (TL=MS) project for their assistance and support with data collection and feedback on the findings. I am especially grateful to all the TL=M...
2021 Conference on Research in Equitable and Sustained Participation in Engineering, Computing, and Technology (RESPECT)
Strong, equitable research practice partnerships (RPPs) center both researcher and practitioner p... more Strong, equitable research practice partnerships (RPPs) center both researcher and practitioner perspectives and priorities. These RPPs facilitate rigorous, relevant research that practitioners can use to improve program implementation. Our project, The Maker Partnership, is an RPP focused on building knowledge about how to help elementary level teachers integrate computer science (CS) and computational thinking (CT) into their regular science classes using maker pedagogy. In this experience report, we use the Henrich et al. framework to assess the Maker Partnership's effectiveness along five dimensions and share practical advice and lessons learned. This paper contributes to the CS and RPP literature by providing insight into how an RPP can address critical problems of practice in computer science education.
This study presents findings from a randomized controlled trial of an afterschool program intende... more This study presents findings from a randomized controlled trial of an afterschool program intended to develop mathematics identity for students from grades 4 and 5 in groups underrepresented in STEM. Mathematics identity refers to the ways that students think about themselves in relation to mathematics and the extent to which they have developed a commitment to, and have come to see value in, mathematics. While the impact analyses showed no effects of the intervention on mathematics identity or achievement, the exploration of the longitudinal data collected over 2 years provided several insights. On average, student mathematics identity remained constant over the study period; however, the overall averages mask large variations in individual students and sites. Some students saw improvement in mathematics identity, while others saw decreases. Counter to findings in previous literature, we found no overall differences by gender suggesting that boys and girls report similar mathematics identity. Importantly, we found a positive relationship between mathematics identity and achievement. This finding holds in both directions and suggests that boosting mathematics identity could lead to improving mathematics achievement and vice versa. This study contributes to our understanding of mathematics identity, how it is measured, how it evolves over time, what relationship it has to mathematics achievement, and what its potential for development in afterschool environments could be.
the value of programming. To satisfy these demands and make the most of funding opportunities, pr... more the value of programming. To satisfy these demands and make the most of funding opportunities, practitioners must develop strong partnerships with external evaluators. However, developing afterschool evaluation partnerships that work well for all parties is often far more difficult than program directors or evaluators anticipate. When research is conducted in K–12 schools, educators often bring some experience in assessment methods, and researchers often have at least a basic knowledge of pedagogy. In contrast, in the out-ofschool time (OST) field, program directors with little formal research experience are frequently paired with evaluators who lack experience in OST programs. This research-practice gap, if not addressed, can translate
Full text at https://rdcu.be/cKfGi
This study presents findings from a randomized controlled tr... more Full text at https://rdcu.be/cKfGi This study presents findings from a randomized controlled trial of an afterschool program intended to develop mathematics identity for students from grades 4 and 5 in groups underrepresented in STEM. Mathematics identity refers to the ways that students think about themselves in relation to mathematics and the extent to which they have developed a commitment to, and have come to see value in, mathematics. While the impact analyses showed no effects of the intervention on mathematics identity or achievement, the exploration of the longitudinal data collected over 2 years provided several insights. On average, student mathematics identity remained constant over the study period; however, the overall averages mask large variations in individual students and sites. Some students saw improvement in mathematics identity, while others saw decreases. Counter to findings in previous literature, we found no overall differences by gender suggesting that boys and girls report similar mathematics identity. Importantly, we found a positive relationship between mathematics identity and achievement. This finding holds in both directions and suggests that boosting mathematics identity could lead to improving mathematics achievement and vice versa. This study contributes to our understanding of mathematics identity, how it is measured, how it evolves over time, what relationship it has to mathematics achievement, and what its potential for development in afterschool environments could be.
Trend data show that girls and women have made substantial gains in the last three decades in ter... more Trend data show that girls and women have made substantial gains in the last three decades in terms of educational equity (NCES, 2000). They are doing as well or better than their male peers on many indicators of educational achievement and attainment. However, they still lag behind their male peers in
2020 Research on Equity and Sustained Participation in Engineering, Computing, and Technology (RESPECT), 2020
Computer science for all initiatives have broadened the participation of students enrolled in ele... more Computer science for all initiatives have broadened the participation of students enrolled in elective computer science (CS) courses and introduced compulsory CS instruction in many areas of the United States. However, there is a shortage of K-12 teachers with the background, preparation, and experience necessary to teach CS. To build capacity to deliver this instruction, districts must provide teacher preparation that includes not only CS content, but also high-quality pedagogical approaches that will meet the needs of all students enrolled in a wide variety of school settings. In this paper, we explore teacher outcomes across multiple CS professional development opportunities, in one large urban district. The teacher outcomes were measured via a survey administered between eight months and two years after teachers received training to implement CS. Though our findings are from a single district, we believe these findings are relevant to other settings and provide useful informatio...
2004 Acknowledgements Many individuals contributed to this evaluation and report. Thanks are due ... more 2004 Acknowledgements Many individuals contributed to this evaluation and report. Thanks are due to Nancy Nevárez and Kari Nelsestuen who conducted research for the evaluation. Ann Cola also conducted interviews and observations. Dr. Sandra Langley and Jodi Paroff conducted data analyses and helped write the report. Dr. Ann O'Connell conducted the multilevel analyses and wrote the summary of results from those analyses. Drs. Langley and O'Connell also reviewed the report and provided helpful feedback. Eliana Orellana provided research support, Wanda Dallas entered the teacher survey data, and Noemi Corujo provided administrative assistance. Elayne Archer edited the report. Dr. Alexandra Weinbaum served as the senior technical advisor to the evaluation project. Thanks are also due to all the staff and teacher consultants of the Teacher Leaders for Mathematics Success (TL=MS) project for their assistance and support with data collection and feedback on the findings. I am espec...
Research Alliance for New York City Schools, Aug 1, 2019
Nearly one in five New York City public school children is diagnosed with a disability, making th... more Nearly one in five New York City public school children is diagnosed with a disability, making them eligible to receive special education services. Historically, students with disabilities have had less access to learning opportunities and lower academic outcomes than their general education peers. This brief presents a snapshot of the landscape of special education in New York City, exploring the background characteristics of students who have an Individual Education Plan (IEP), the settings in which they are served, and their engagement with school. Among our key findings:
-Who Has an IEP?
Boys outnumber girls with IEPs by two to one. Boys were especially overrepresented among students classified with autism, emotional disturbance, and other health impairments, such as attention deficit disorder.
Black and Latino students are also overrepresented in special education, and within specific disability classifications. Black students were more than twice as likely as other students to have an IEP for emotional disturbance. Latino and Asian students were disproportionately classified with speech or language impairments. Asian and White students were diagnosed with autism at higher rates than their Black and Latino peers.
Students with disabilities are not spread out evenly across the City. The percentage of students with IEPs varied greatly by census tract, ranging from less than 5 percent in some parts of the City to more than 25 percent in others. Generally speaking, disability rates were higher in low-income neighborhoods.
-Where Are Students with Disabilities Served?
More than 80 percent of NYC’s students with disabilities were served in traditional public schools (i.e., Community School Districts 1-32). An additional 11 percent were served in District 75, a special district in the City that serves students with low-incidence disabilities or highly specialized needs. About 7 percent were served in charter schools.
For a majority of NYC students in special education, their IEPs recommend placement in an inclusive setting for some part of the day. However, students classified with autism, emotional disturbance, and intellectual disabilities were predominantly recommended for self-contained classrooms.
Students with disabilities who are served in inclusive environments rated their school climate somewhat more positively than those in self-contained classrooms.
-How Engaged Are Students with Disabilities?
Students with disabilities have high rates of chronic absenteeism. But these rates varied substantially by disability type. Students with an IEP for emotional disturbance were the most likely to be absent.
As with attendance, suspension rates varied greatly by disability type, and students classified with emotional disturbance were the most likely to be suspended.
-Intersecting Vulnerabilities
Because Black students were disproportionately classified with emotional disturbance, they also had disproportionately high rates of suspensions and chronic absenteeism. Likewise, Black students and students from low-income neighborhoods were more likely to be recommended for self-contained settings.
The brief draws on these findings to highlight a number of important questions for policymakers and educators. We hope this work provides a useful foundation for discussion and the development of new lines of research.
Many individuals contributed to this evaluation and report. Thanks are due to Nancy Nevárez and K... more Many individuals contributed to this evaluation and report. Thanks are due to Nancy Nevárez and Kari Nelsestuen who conducted research for the evaluation. Ann Cola also conducted interviews and observations. Dr. Sandra Langley and Jodi Paroff conducted data analyses and helped write the report. Dr. Ann O’Connell conducted the multilevel analyses and wrote the summary of results from those analyses. Drs. Langley and O’Connell also reviewed the report and provided helpful feedback. Eliana Orellana provided research support, Wanda Dallas entered the teacher survey data, and Noemi Corujo provided administrative assistance. Elayne Archer edited the report. Dr. Alexandra Weinbaum served as the senior technical advisor to the evaluation project. Thanks are also due to all the staff and teacher consultants of the Teacher Leaders for Mathematics Success (TL=MS) project for their assistance and support with data collection and feedback on the findings. I am especially grateful to all the TL=M...
2021 Conference on Research in Equitable and Sustained Participation in Engineering, Computing, and Technology (RESPECT)
Strong, equitable research practice partnerships (RPPs) center both researcher and practitioner p... more Strong, equitable research practice partnerships (RPPs) center both researcher and practitioner perspectives and priorities. These RPPs facilitate rigorous, relevant research that practitioners can use to improve program implementation. Our project, The Maker Partnership, is an RPP focused on building knowledge about how to help elementary level teachers integrate computer science (CS) and computational thinking (CT) into their regular science classes using maker pedagogy. In this experience report, we use the Henrich et al. framework to assess the Maker Partnership's effectiveness along five dimensions and share practical advice and lessons learned. This paper contributes to the CS and RPP literature by providing insight into how an RPP can address critical problems of practice in computer science education.
This study presents findings from a randomized controlled trial of an afterschool program intende... more This study presents findings from a randomized controlled trial of an afterschool program intended to develop mathematics identity for students from grades 4 and 5 in groups underrepresented in STEM. Mathematics identity refers to the ways that students think about themselves in relation to mathematics and the extent to which they have developed a commitment to, and have come to see value in, mathematics. While the impact analyses showed no effects of the intervention on mathematics identity or achievement, the exploration of the longitudinal data collected over 2 years provided several insights. On average, student mathematics identity remained constant over the study period; however, the overall averages mask large variations in individual students and sites. Some students saw improvement in mathematics identity, while others saw decreases. Counter to findings in previous literature, we found no overall differences by gender suggesting that boys and girls report similar mathematics identity. Importantly, we found a positive relationship between mathematics identity and achievement. This finding holds in both directions and suggests that boosting mathematics identity could lead to improving mathematics achievement and vice versa. This study contributes to our understanding of mathematics identity, how it is measured, how it evolves over time, what relationship it has to mathematics achievement, and what its potential for development in afterschool environments could be.
the value of programming. To satisfy these demands and make the most of funding opportunities, pr... more the value of programming. To satisfy these demands and make the most of funding opportunities, practitioners must develop strong partnerships with external evaluators. However, developing afterschool evaluation partnerships that work well for all parties is often far more difficult than program directors or evaluators anticipate. When research is conducted in K–12 schools, educators often bring some experience in assessment methods, and researchers often have at least a basic knowledge of pedagogy. In contrast, in the out-ofschool time (OST) field, program directors with little formal research experience are frequently paired with evaluators who lack experience in OST programs. This research-practice gap, if not addressed, can translate
Full text at https://rdcu.be/cKfGi
This study presents findings from a randomized controlled tr... more Full text at https://rdcu.be/cKfGi This study presents findings from a randomized controlled trial of an afterschool program intended to develop mathematics identity for students from grades 4 and 5 in groups underrepresented in STEM. Mathematics identity refers to the ways that students think about themselves in relation to mathematics and the extent to which they have developed a commitment to, and have come to see value in, mathematics. While the impact analyses showed no effects of the intervention on mathematics identity or achievement, the exploration of the longitudinal data collected over 2 years provided several insights. On average, student mathematics identity remained constant over the study period; however, the overall averages mask large variations in individual students and sites. Some students saw improvement in mathematics identity, while others saw decreases. Counter to findings in previous literature, we found no overall differences by gender suggesting that boys and girls report similar mathematics identity. Importantly, we found a positive relationship between mathematics identity and achievement. This finding holds in both directions and suggests that boosting mathematics identity could lead to improving mathematics achievement and vice versa. This study contributes to our understanding of mathematics identity, how it is measured, how it evolves over time, what relationship it has to mathematics achievement, and what its potential for development in afterschool environments could be.
Trend data show that girls and women have made substantial gains in the last three decades in ter... more Trend data show that girls and women have made substantial gains in the last three decades in terms of educational equity (NCES, 2000). They are doing as well or better than their male peers on many indicators of educational achievement and attainment. However, they still lag behind their male peers in
2020 Research on Equity and Sustained Participation in Engineering, Computing, and Technology (RESPECT), 2020
Computer science for all initiatives have broadened the participation of students enrolled in ele... more Computer science for all initiatives have broadened the participation of students enrolled in elective computer science (CS) courses and introduced compulsory CS instruction in many areas of the United States. However, there is a shortage of K-12 teachers with the background, preparation, and experience necessary to teach CS. To build capacity to deliver this instruction, districts must provide teacher preparation that includes not only CS content, but also high-quality pedagogical approaches that will meet the needs of all students enrolled in a wide variety of school settings. In this paper, we explore teacher outcomes across multiple CS professional development opportunities, in one large urban district. The teacher outcomes were measured via a survey administered between eight months and two years after teachers received training to implement CS. Though our findings are from a single district, we believe these findings are relevant to other settings and provide useful informatio...
2004 Acknowledgements Many individuals contributed to this evaluation and report. Thanks are due ... more 2004 Acknowledgements Many individuals contributed to this evaluation and report. Thanks are due to Nancy Nevárez and Kari Nelsestuen who conducted research for the evaluation. Ann Cola also conducted interviews and observations. Dr. Sandra Langley and Jodi Paroff conducted data analyses and helped write the report. Dr. Ann O'Connell conducted the multilevel analyses and wrote the summary of results from those analyses. Drs. Langley and O'Connell also reviewed the report and provided helpful feedback. Eliana Orellana provided research support, Wanda Dallas entered the teacher survey data, and Noemi Corujo provided administrative assistance. Elayne Archer edited the report. Dr. Alexandra Weinbaum served as the senior technical advisor to the evaluation project. Thanks are also due to all the staff and teacher consultants of the Teacher Leaders for Mathematics Success (TL=MS) project for their assistance and support with data collection and feedback on the findings. I am espec...
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Papers by Cheri Fancsali
-Who Has an IEP?
Boys outnumber girls with IEPs by two to one. Boys were especially overrepresented among students classified with autism, emotional disturbance, and other health impairments, such as attention deficit disorder.
Black and Latino students are also overrepresented in special education, and within specific disability classifications. Black students were more than twice as likely as other students to have an IEP for emotional disturbance. Latino and Asian students were disproportionately classified with speech or language impairments. Asian and White students were diagnosed with autism at higher rates than their Black and Latino peers.
Students with disabilities are not spread out evenly across the City. The percentage of students with IEPs varied greatly by census tract, ranging from less than 5 percent in some parts of the City to more than 25 percent in others. Generally speaking, disability rates were higher in low-income neighborhoods.
-Where Are Students with Disabilities Served?
More than 80 percent of NYC’s students with disabilities were served in traditional public schools (i.e., Community School Districts 1-32). An additional 11 percent were served in District 75, a special district in the City that serves students with low-incidence disabilities or highly specialized needs. About 7 percent were served in charter schools.
For a majority of NYC students in special education, their IEPs recommend placement in an inclusive setting for some part of the day. However, students classified with autism, emotional disturbance, and intellectual disabilities were predominantly recommended for self-contained classrooms.
Students with disabilities who are served in inclusive environments rated their school climate somewhat more positively than those in self-contained classrooms.
-How Engaged Are Students with Disabilities?
Students with disabilities have high rates of chronic absenteeism. But these rates varied substantially by disability type. Students with an IEP for emotional disturbance were the most likely to be absent.
As with attendance, suspension rates varied greatly by disability type, and students classified with emotional disturbance were the most likely to be suspended.
-Intersecting Vulnerabilities
Because Black students were disproportionately classified with emotional disturbance, they also had disproportionately high rates of suspensions and chronic absenteeism. Likewise, Black students and students from low-income neighborhoods were more likely to be recommended for self-contained settings.
The brief draws on these findings to highlight a number of important questions for policymakers and educators. We hope this work provides a useful foundation for discussion and the development of new lines of research.
This study presents findings from a randomized controlled trial of an afterschool program intended to develop mathematics identity for students from grades 4 and 5 in groups underrepresented in STEM. Mathematics identity refers to the ways that students think about themselves in relation to mathematics and the extent to which they have developed a commitment to, and have come to see value in, mathematics. While the impact analyses showed no effects of the intervention on mathematics identity or achievement, the exploration of the longitudinal data collected over 2 years provided several insights. On average, student mathematics identity remained constant over the study period; however, the overall averages mask large variations in individual students and sites. Some students saw improvement in mathematics identity, while others saw decreases. Counter to findings in previous literature, we found no overall differences by gender suggesting that boys and girls report similar mathematics identity. Importantly, we found a positive relationship between mathematics identity and achievement. This finding holds in both directions and suggests that boosting mathematics identity could lead to improving mathematics achievement and vice versa. This study contributes to our understanding of mathematics identity, how it is measured, how it evolves over time, what relationship it has to mathematics achievement, and what its potential for development in afterschool environments could be.
-Who Has an IEP?
Boys outnumber girls with IEPs by two to one. Boys were especially overrepresented among students classified with autism, emotional disturbance, and other health impairments, such as attention deficit disorder.
Black and Latino students are also overrepresented in special education, and within specific disability classifications. Black students were more than twice as likely as other students to have an IEP for emotional disturbance. Latino and Asian students were disproportionately classified with speech or language impairments. Asian and White students were diagnosed with autism at higher rates than their Black and Latino peers.
Students with disabilities are not spread out evenly across the City. The percentage of students with IEPs varied greatly by census tract, ranging from less than 5 percent in some parts of the City to more than 25 percent in others. Generally speaking, disability rates were higher in low-income neighborhoods.
-Where Are Students with Disabilities Served?
More than 80 percent of NYC’s students with disabilities were served in traditional public schools (i.e., Community School Districts 1-32). An additional 11 percent were served in District 75, a special district in the City that serves students with low-incidence disabilities or highly specialized needs. About 7 percent were served in charter schools.
For a majority of NYC students in special education, their IEPs recommend placement in an inclusive setting for some part of the day. However, students classified with autism, emotional disturbance, and intellectual disabilities were predominantly recommended for self-contained classrooms.
Students with disabilities who are served in inclusive environments rated their school climate somewhat more positively than those in self-contained classrooms.
-How Engaged Are Students with Disabilities?
Students with disabilities have high rates of chronic absenteeism. But these rates varied substantially by disability type. Students with an IEP for emotional disturbance were the most likely to be absent.
As with attendance, suspension rates varied greatly by disability type, and students classified with emotional disturbance were the most likely to be suspended.
-Intersecting Vulnerabilities
Because Black students were disproportionately classified with emotional disturbance, they also had disproportionately high rates of suspensions and chronic absenteeism. Likewise, Black students and students from low-income neighborhoods were more likely to be recommended for self-contained settings.
The brief draws on these findings to highlight a number of important questions for policymakers and educators. We hope this work provides a useful foundation for discussion and the development of new lines of research.
This study presents findings from a randomized controlled trial of an afterschool program intended to develop mathematics identity for students from grades 4 and 5 in groups underrepresented in STEM. Mathematics identity refers to the ways that students think about themselves in relation to mathematics and the extent to which they have developed a commitment to, and have come to see value in, mathematics. While the impact analyses showed no effects of the intervention on mathematics identity or achievement, the exploration of the longitudinal data collected over 2 years provided several insights. On average, student mathematics identity remained constant over the study period; however, the overall averages mask large variations in individual students and sites. Some students saw improvement in mathematics identity, while others saw decreases. Counter to findings in previous literature, we found no overall differences by gender suggesting that boys and girls report similar mathematics identity. Importantly, we found a positive relationship between mathematics identity and achievement. This finding holds in both directions and suggests that boosting mathematics identity could lead to improving mathematics achievement and vice versa. This study contributes to our understanding of mathematics identity, how it is measured, how it evolves over time, what relationship it has to mathematics achievement, and what its potential for development in afterschool environments could be.