OBJECTIVES: To determine whether grade at entry to special education is associated with improved reading achievement in children with reading disorders (RD) and whether the effect of grade at entry to special education differs by socioeconomic status (SES). METHODS: The authors conducted a secondary data analysis using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K), a nationally representative cohort of children followed longitudinally from kindergarten through eighth grade (1998-2007). Using data from the fifth grade wave of ECLS-K, the authors identified children with RD (n = 290). The outcome of interest was change in score on the reading achievement test, which was developed by ECLS-K staff, between first and fifth grade. Using multiple linear regression, the authors modeled outcome as a function of a child's grade at entry to special education, controlling for several covariates. RESULTS: Early entry to special education (by first grade vs second or third grade) was associated with larger gains in reading achievement between first and fifth grade (p < .0001). Children who entered special education by first grade versus second grade gained 4.5 more points on the reading achievement test (p < .0001). Children who entered special education by first grade versus third grade gained 1.7 more points on the reading achievement test (p < .0001). There was no difference in the magnitude of gains associated with early entry to special education between children from families of low and higher SES. CONCLUSION: For children with RD, early entry to special education is associated with improved reading achievement during elementary school.
OBJECTIVES: To determine whether grade at entry to special education is associated with improved reading achievement in children with reading disorders (RD) and whether the effect of grade at entry to special education differs by socioeconomic status (SES). METHODS: The authors conducted a secondary data analysis using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K), a nationally representative cohort of children followed longitudinally from kindergarten through eighth grade (1998-2007). Using data from the fifth grade wave of ECLS-K, the authors identified children with RD (n = 290). The outcome of interest was change in score on the reading achievement test, which was developed by ECLS-K staff, between first and fifth grade. Using multiple linear regression, the authors modeled outcome as a function of a child's grade at entry to special education, controlling for several covariates. RESULTS: Early entry to special education (by first grade vs second or third grade) was associated with larger gains in reading achievement between first and fifth grade (p < .0001). Children who entered special education by first grade versus second grade gained 4.5 more points on the reading achievement test (p < .0001). Children who entered special education by first grade versus third grade gained 1.7 more points on the reading achievement test (p < .0001). There was no difference in the magnitude of gains associated with early entry to special education between children from families of low and higher SES. CONCLUSION: For children with RD, early entry to special education is associated with improved reading achievement during elementary school.
Authors: Peng Peng; Douglas Fuchs; Lynn S Fuchs; Eunsoo Cho; Amy M Elleman; Devin M Kearns; Samuel Patton; Donald L Compton Journal: J Learn Disabil Date: 2020-07-04
Authors: Bianca Arrhenius; David Gyllenberg; Roshan Chudal; Venla Lehti; Minna Sucksdorff; Ona Sourander; Juha-Pekka Virtanen; Jutta Torsti; Andre Sourander Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2018-06-15 Impact factor: 3.295