This study investigated the relationship among teacher efficacy, child socioeconomic status (SES), child ethnicity, and educational placement recommendations concerning children with behavioral or emotional disorders (E/BD). For the study, 350 special education teachers were randomly selected from 10 school districts in the Denver metropolitan area. Participants completed the Expanded Teacher Efficacy Scale to measure Classroom Management/Discipline, External Influences, and Personal Teaching Efficacy. Participants also completed the Educational Placement Vignette. After reading the descriptive case study of a fourth grade boy identified as having E/BD, special educators indicated the placement option they would recommend for the student. Vignettes were identical except for variations regarding the child's SES and ethnicity. Results suggest that Classroom Management/Discipline, External Influences, and child SES are significant predictors of special education teachers’ placement recommendations. Knowledge acquired through this investigation provides a foundation for a theory concerning how educational placement decisions are determined. Recommendations are made for using the knowledge to reduce placement rates in restrictive environments, and suggestions are provided to advance the theory regarding how placement decisions are made.
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