How do School-level Dynamics Impact Mainstreaming Practices in American Schools?

How do school-level dynamics impact the everyday experiences of students with disabilities, compared to their abled peers? Extant research has mostly focused on the experiences of individual students with disabilities, and their teachers. We know far less about how school-level dynamics shape students’ experiences. Historically, American schools formally separated students with and without disabilities, though the specific mode varied over time -- ranging from explicit institutionalization to segregation in special education programs. At least since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, efforts to educate students with disabilities alongside their abled peers in mainstreamed settings have increased dramatically. To what extent do the students’ experiences differ based on school-level factors and resources? To address this question, I analyze data from the 1999-2000 National Teacher and Principal Survey, administered by the National Center for Education Statistics. Analyses examine the impact of sectoral and school-level dynamics related to teacher support and student demographics on the extent to which students are mainstreamed in a focal school. I situate the empirical findings in light of organizational theories grounded in sociology of education. Advisor: Regina Werum