The purpose of this special issue is to explain the advantages of using administrative data generated by U.S. states and school districts for research in special education, illustrate their use in special education policy studies, and encourage more such analyses. In this introduction to the special issue, we define and distinguish large administrative data sets, discuss types of special education policy questions that are appropriate for addressing with administrative data, provide a high-level overview of methods that are commonly used with such data, discuss examples of published analyses that use each method, note some of the limitations to using administrative data, and briefly introduce articles in the special issue.
AbdulkadiroǧluA.AngristJ.PathakP. (2014). The elite illusion: Achievement effects at Boston and New York exam schools. Econometrica, 82(1), 137–196. https://doi.org/10.3982/ECTA10266
2.
AndersonK. P. (2021). The relationship between inclusion, absenteeism, and disciplinary outcomes for students with disabilities. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 43(1), 32–59. https://doi.org/10.3102/0162373720968558
3.
AngristJ. D.ImbensG. W.RubinD. B. (1996). Identification of causal effects using instrumental variables. Journal of American Statistical Association, 91(434), 444–455. https://doi.org/10.2307/2291629
4.
BallisB.HeathK. (2021). The long-run impacts of special education. American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 13(4), 72–111. https://doi.org/10.1257/pol.20190603
5.
BaluR.ZhuP.DoolittleF.SchillerE.JenkinsJ.GerstenR. (2015). Evaluation of response to intervention practices for elementary school reading (NCEE 2016-4000). https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED560820.pdf
6.
ColeS. M.MurphyH. R.FrisbyM. B.GrossiT. A.BolteH. R. (2021). The relationship of special education placement and student academic outcomes. The Journal of Special Education, 54(4), 217–227. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022466920925033
7.
ColeS. M.MurphyH. R.FrisbyM. B.RobinsonJ. (2023). The relationship between special education placement and high school outcomes. The Journal of Special Education, 57(1), 13–23. https://doi.org/10.1177/00224669221097945
ElderT.FiglioD.ImbermanS.PersicoC. (2021). School segregation and racial gaps in special education identification. Journal of Labor Economics, 39, S151–S197. https://doi.org/10.3386/w25829
10.
FengL.SassT. R. (2018). The impact of incentives to recruit and retain teachers in “hard-to-staff” subjects. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 37(1), 112–135. https://doi.org/10.1002/pam.22037
11.
FishR. (2019). Standing out and sorting in: Exploring the role of racial composition in racial disparities in special education. American Educational Research Journal, 56(6), 2573–2608. https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831219847966
12.
GerstenR.FuchsL. S.ComptonD.CoyneM.GreenwoodC.InnocentiM. S. (2005). Quality indicators for group experimental and quasi-experimental research in special education. Exceptional Children, 71(2), 149–164. https://doi.org/10.1177/001440290507100202
13.
GilmourA. F. (2020). Teacher certification area and the academic outcomes of students with learning disabilities or emotional/behavioral disorders. The Journal of Special Education, 54(1), 40–50. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022466919849905
14.
GilmourA. F.FengL.TheobaldR. (2024). Leveraging administrative data to study the special education teacher workforce. Remedial and Special Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/07419325241262971
15.
GilmourA. F.HarperJ.LloydB.Van CampA. (2024). Response to intervention and specific learning disability identification: Evidence from Tennessee. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 57(3), 168–180. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222194231215013
16.
GilmourA. F.NeugebauerS. R.SandilosL. E. (2022). Moderators of the association between teaching students with disabilities and general education teacher turnover. Exceptional Children, 88(4), 401–420. https://doi.org/10.1177/00144029221081239
17.
GilmourA. F.ShanksC.WintersM. (2023). The role of choice, mobility, and identification in the charter school special education gap. Remedial and Special Education, 44(4), 272–282. https://doi.org/10.1177/07419325221115421
18.
HanushekE. A.KainJ. F.RivkinS. G. (2002). Inferring program effects for special populations: Does special education raise achievement for students with disabilities?Review of Economics & Statistics, 84(4), 584–599. https://doi.org/d54s8m
19.
HurwitzS.PerryB.CohenE. D.SkibaR. (2020). Special education and individualized academic growth: A longitudinal assessment of outcomes of for students with disabilities. American Educational Research Journal, 57(2), 576–611. https://doi.org/gjkx2n
20.
JonesN.WintersM. A. (2022). Are two teachers better than one? The effect of co-teaching on students with and without disabilities. The Journal of Human Resources. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.0420-10834R3
21.
KalerL.Markham-AndersonJ.JonesN. (2024). Service delivery models and outcomes for students with disabilities. Remedial and Special Education. Advance online publication.
22.
KatanyoutanantT.KwonS.McNeillyM.HembergB.ThurlowM. L.LazarusS. S.HinkleA. R.LiuK. K. (2021). The 95 percent state assessment participation requirement: Current landscape, state challenges, and recommended strategies (NCEO Report 429). National Center on Educational Outcomes.
23.
KingG.NielsenR. (2019). Why propensity scores should not be used for matching. Political Analysis, 27(4), 435–454. https://doi.org/10.1017/pan.2019.11
24.
KingS.WangL.NylenB.EndersO. (2023). Prevalence of research design in special education: A survey of peer-reviewed journals. Remedial and Special Education, 44(6), 480–494. https://doi.org/10.1177/07419325231152453
25.
KuhfeldM.SolandJ.LewisK. (2022). Test score patterns across three COVID-19-impacted school years. Educational Researcher, 51(7), 500–506. https://doi.org/kmc8
26.
LombardiA. R.RifenbarkG. G.TaconetS. (2023). Quality indicators of secondary data analyses in special education: A preregistration guide. Exceptional Children, 89(4), 397–411. https://doi.org/10.1177/0014402922114102
27.
MastropieriM. A.BerkeleyS.McDuffieK. A.GraffH.MarshakL.ConnersN. A.DiamondC. M.SimpkinsP.BowdeyF. R.FulcherA.ScruggsT. E.Cuenca-SanchezY. (2009). What is published in the field of special education? An analysis of 11 prominent journals. Exceptional Children, 76(1), 95–109. https://doi.org/kmc9
28.
MorganP. L.FriscoM. L.FarkasG.HibelJ. (2010). A propensity score matching analysis of the effects of special education services. The Journal of Special Education, 43(4), 236–254. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022466908323007
29.
O’HaganK.StiefelL. (2024). Does special education work? A systematic literature review of evidence from administrative data. Remedial and Special Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/07419325241244485
30.
PiastaS. B.LoganJ. A. R.Zettler-GreeleyC. M.BailetL. L.LewisK.ThomasL. J. G. (2022). Small-group, emergent literacy intervention under two implementation models: Intent-to-treat and dosage effects for preschoolers at risk for reading difficulties. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 56(3), 225–240. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222194221079355
31.
RubinD. B. (1974). Estimating causal effects of treatments in randomized and nonrandomized studies. Journal of Educational Psychology, 66, 688–701. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0037350
32.
RubinD. B. (2005). Causal inference using potential outcomes. Journal of the American Statistical Association, 469(100), 322–331. https://doi.org/10.1198/016214504000001880
33.
SchulteA. C.StevensJ. J. (2015). Once, sometimes, or always in special education: Mathematics growth and achievements gaps. Exceptional Children, 81(3), 370–387. https://doi.org/10.1177/0014402914563695
34.
SchwartzA. E.HopkinsB. G.StiefelL. (2021). The effects of special education on the academic performance of students with learning disabilities. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 40(2), 480–520. https://doi.org/10.1002/pam.22282
35.
SeneseJ.WintersM. (2024). School choice and students with disabilities: Evidence from administrative data. Remedial and Special Education. Advance online publication.
36.
ShapiroA. (2023). Over diagnosed or over looked? The effect of age at time of school entry on students receiving special education services. Exceptional Children, 89(2), 161–177. https://doi.org/10.1177/00144029221108735
37.
StiefelL. M.GottfriedM.ShiferawM.SchwartzA. (2021). Is special education improving? Case evidence from New York City. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 32(2), 95–107. https://doi.org/10.1177/1044207320934810
38.
TheobaldR. J.GoldhaberD. D.GratzT. M.HoldenK. L. (2021). High school English language arts teachers and postsecondary outcomes for students with and without disabilities. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 31(4), 217–229. https://doi.org/kmdb
ThompsonB.DiamondK. E.McWilliamR.SnyderP.SnyderS. W. (2005). Evaluating the quality of evidence from correlational research for evidence-based practice. Exceptional Children, 71(2), 181–194. https://doi.org/10.1177/001440290507100204
41.
U.S. Department of Education. (2022a). Children 3 to 21 years old served under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part B, by type of disability: Selected years, 1976-77 through 2020-21. Office of Special Education Programs, Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d21/tables/dt21_204.30.asp
42.
U.S. Department of Education. (2022b). Percentage distribution of school-age students served under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part B, by educational environment and type of disability: Selected years, fall 1989 through fall 2020. Office of Special Education Programs, Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d21/tables/dt21_204.60.asp
