Preventing Special Education Assignment for Students With Learning or Behavioral Difficulties: A Review of Programs

Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk

Hingstman, M., Neitzel, A. J., et al. (2023).

Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk, 28(4), 380-411.

<div>This systematic review investigates the effects of elementary-based tiered support programs on special education referrals in students who demonstrate risk for a specific learning disability, speech or language impairment, or another high-incidence disability category (i.e., attention deficit hyper activity disorder, autism, behavioral disorder, emotional disability, intellectual disability). This summary highlights intervention programs targeting academic and literacy outcomes within the scope of speech-language pathology.</div>

Not stated

1990 to 2019

<div>Randomized experiment or quasi-experiment (matched control group)</div>

12

<div>Multi-tiered, Tier 2, and Tier 3 intervention programs demonstrated mixed effects on student referrals to special education services. Specific program outcomes include the following:</div> <div> <ul> <li><strong>Fast Track</strong> multi-tiered program resulted in less time in a special education classroom (1 study), decreases in special education diagnosis (1 study), and no effect on special education placements in self-contained classrooms (1 study).</li> <li>The<strong> School-Based Intervention Team (SBIT)</strong> project showed lower referral rates (1 study).</li> <li><strong>Success for All (SFA)</strong> multi-tiered intervention demonstrated mixed results (2 studies).</li> <li><strong>Structure of Intellect (SOI) Model Schools</strong> multi-tiered program showed no significant effect on special education assessment referral rates (1 study).</li> <li><strong>Start Making a Reader Today (SMART)</strong> tutoring program showed non-significant decreases in special education placements (1 study).</li> <li><strong>Individualizing Student Instruction (ISI)/Assessment to instruction (A2i)</strong> participation did not predict later special education placements (1 study).</li> <li><strong>Reading Recovery</strong> tutoring program demonstrated significantly fewer referrals for special education testing (effect size [ES]=0.16) and special education placements (ES=0.17; 1 study).</li> </ul> </div> <div>Limitations of this review include the small number of included studies, a lack of detailed program descriptions, and potential issues in program implementation fidelity. Additional research is needed to investigate the influence of special education policies on student referrals and the accuracy of special education placements.</div>