Abstract
Objectives of this study included identifying the potential effects of educational reforms in the United States on three areas of special education: funding; instruction; and the graduation from high school by handicapped students. The nature of reforms also was of concern. A questionnaire was mailed to a regular and special educator in each of the 50 state departments of education. The questionnaire requested data on: (1) the nature of reforms being implemented; (2) the potential effect of reforms on special education funding; (3) the potential of reforms for altering special education instruction; and (4) the potential effect of new graduation requirements on the handicapped. Completed questionnaires were returned by 44 of 50 regular educators and 48 of 50 special educators, a rate of 92 percent. The DISTAT and ANOVAR routines were used to compute means, percentages, F-ratios, and probabilities. Two separate analyses determined consistency of responses by: (1) comparing special and regular educator responses; and (2) looking at differences in responses across six regions of the United States. Several findings should be of interest to advocates for handicapped students. Regarding the effect of reforms on special education funding, the data were unequivocal. Only two states reported reductions in special education funding. Six states reported increases; all others indicated no change. Shifts in special education instruction were indicated. Twenty-eight states reported that reforms have moved handicapped students more into the mainstream. Twenty states indicated no effect instruction; twenty-seven states indicated that the handicapped have more options. Only nine states reported fewer options. The data indicated that new graduation requirements may pose the greatest difficulty for for the handicapped. Two-thirds of the respondents felt that handicapped students will experience more difficulty in meeting graduation requirements, and about 20 percent predicted an increased dropout rate for special education students. The responses between regular and special educators were highly consistent. Only one variable of 43 reached statistical significance with the nationwide groups and no differences were significant on a regional level.
Wallace, Tabitha Ann (1985). Implications of the emerging revolution in American education on special education. Texas A&M University. Texas A&M University. Libraries. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /DISSERTATIONS -597391.