This study analyzes national demographic data in the field of intellectual disability (ID). The data derive from the recent reports to Congress on IDEA by the US Department of Education (USDOE, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018). The findings include data on school prevalence, ethnicity, educational environments, school exit patterns (i.e., diploma completion, dropout rates), and school disciplinary actions. Discussion focuses on these respective demographic areas and highlights information as related to participation in educational programs of students identified as ID. Particular emphasis is placed on the apparent status of mild intellectual disability in contemporary educational programs.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AbramowiczH. K.RichardsonS. A.Epidemiology of severe intellectual and developmental disabilities in children: Community studiesAmerican Journal of Mental Deficiency8018–391975
2.
BouckE. C.The post-school outcomes of students with mild intellectual disability: Does it get better with timeJournal of Intellectual Disabilities Research58534–5482014
3.
BouckE. C.Educational outcomes for secondary students with mild intellectual disability. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities52369–3922017
4.
BouckE. C.SatsangiR.Is there really a difference? Distinguishing mild intellectual disability from similar disability categories. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities50186–1982015
5.
CohenD. R.BurnsM. K.Riley-TillmanC.HospJ. L.Are minority students underor overrepresented in special education?NASP Communique4422–232015
6.
DefurS.Education reform, high-stakes assessment, and students with disabilitiesRemedial and Special Education23203–20112002
7.
GargiuloR.Special education in contemporary societySageThousand Oaks, CA2012th ed.
8.
GargiuloR. M.BouckE. C.GargiuloR. M.BouckE. C.Understanding intellectual disabilityInstructional strategies for students with mild, moderate, and severe intellectual disabilitySageThousand Oaks, CA3–282017
9.
GreenspanS.PollowayE. A.DCEvolving concepts of adaptive behaviorThe death penalty and intellectual disabilityAmerican Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities173–1852015Washington
10.
GrossmanH. J.Classification in mental retardationAmerican Association on Mental DeficiencyWashington DC1983
11.
HartwigR.SitlingtonP. L.Employer perspectives on high school diploma options for adolescents with disabilitiesJournal of Disability Policy Studies195–142008
12.
Federal Register1562004Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
13.
Neurological, psychiatric, and developmental disorders: Meeting the challenge in the developing worldNational Academies PressWashington, DChttp://www.nap.edu/2001
14.
JasperA. D.BouckE. C.Disproportionality among African American students at the secondary level: Examining the MID disability category. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities4831–402013
15.
LuckassonR.CoulterD. L.PollowayE. A.ReissS.SchalockR. L.Stark. .J. A.Mental retardation: Definition, classification, and systems of supportAAMRWashington, DC1992th ed.
16.
MacmillanD. L.Mental retardation over five decades: Lessons we might have learned. Presentation at the Next Generation of Research in Intellectual Disability: Charting the Course (Special Olympics working conference)Miami, FL2007. December
17.
McdonaldA. D.Severely retarded children in Que ébec: Prevalence, causes, and careAmerican Journal of Mental Deficiency78205–2151973
18.
MclarenJ.BrysonS. E.Review of recent epidemiological studies of mental retardation: Prevalence, associated disorders, and etiologyAmerican Journal of Mental Retardation92243–2541987
19.
MorganP. L.FarkasG.HillemeierM.MattisonR.LiH.CookM.Minorities are disproportionately under-represented in special education: Longitudinal evidence across five disability conditions10.3102/0013189X15591157Educational Researcher44278–2922015
20.
MorganP. L.FarkasG.CookM.StrassfeldN.HillemeierM. M.PunW. H.SchusslerD. L.Are black children disproportionately overrepresented in special education? A best-evidence synthesis10.1177/0014402916664042Exceptional Children831–182016
21.
MorganP. L.FarkasG.HillemeierM. M.Replicated evidence of racial and ethnic disparities in disability identification in U.S. schoolsEducational Researcher46305–3222017
22.
NewmanL.WagnerM.CametoR.KnokeyA.NCSER 2009 -3017The post-high school outcomes of youth with disabilities up to 4 years after high school. A report from the National Longitudinal Transition StudyU. S. Government Printing OfficeWashington, DC2009
23.
PollowayE. A.Mild mental retardation: A concept in search of clarity, a population in search of appropriate education and supports, a profession in search of advocacyExceptionality14183–1892006
24.
PollowayE. A.AugusteM.SmithJ. D.PetersD.An analysis of state guidelines for intellectual disability. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities52332–3392017
25.
PollowayE. A.BouckE.PattonJ. R.LubinJ.KauffmanJ. M.HallahanD. P.PullenP.Intellectual and developmental disabilitiesThe handbook of special educationRoutledgeLondon265–2852017nd ed.
26.
PollowayE. A.LubinJ.SmithJ. D.PattonJ. R.Mild intellectual disabilities: Legacies and trends in concepts and educational practices. Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities4554–682010
27.
PollowayE. A.PattonJ. R.SmithJ. D.PollowayE. A.The death penalty and intellectual disability: An introductionThe death penalty and intellectual disabilityAmerican Association on Intellectual and Developmental DisabilitiesWashington, DC3–92015
28.
SchalockR. L.Borthwick-DuffyS. A.BradleyV. J.BuntinxW. H ECoulterD. L.Yeager. .M. H.Intellectual disability: Definition, classification, and systems of supportsAAIDD2010th ed.). Washington
29.
SipersteinG.CollinsM. A.PollowayE. A.Intellectual disabilityThe death penalty and intellectual disabilityAmerican Association on Intellectual and Developmental DisabilitiesWashington, DC21–362015
30.
SkibaR. J.Poloni-StaudingerL.GalliniS.SimmonsA. B.Feggins-AzzizR.Disparate access: The disproportionality of African-American students with disabilities across educational environmentsExceptional Children72411–4242006
31.
SmithT. E CPollowayE. A.DoughtyT.PattonJ. R.Teaching students with special needs in inclusive settingsPro-EdAustin, TXin press. th ed.
32.
SnellM. E.LuckassonR.Borthwick-DuffyS. A.BradleyV. J.BuntinxW. H EYeager. .M. H.The characteristics and needs of people with intellectual disability who have higher IQs47220–2332009Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
33.
SullivanA.BalA.Disproportionality in special education: Effects of individual and school variables on disability riskExceptional Children79475–4942013
34.
U.S. Department of Education.28th report to Congress on the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Washington, DC: Author.(2006)
35.
U.S. Department of Education.37th report to Congress on the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Washington, DC: Author.(2015)
36.
38 th annual report to Congress on the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education ActAuthorWashington, DC2016
37.
39 th annual report to Congress on the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education ActAuthorWashington, DC2017
38.
40 th annual report to Congress on the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education ActAuthorWashington, DC2018
