The Effect of Charter Schools on Identification, Service Provision, and Achievement of Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities (SWDs) encompass a sizable share of charter students and have an array of individualized needs. Charter schools may operate differently than traditional public schools with respect to SWDs and special education (SPED), as funding incentives may induce charter schools to underserve SWDs. Nonetheless, there is little empirical evidence regarding how enrollment in charter schools affects SWDs’ educational environments and outcomes. We use data from Michigan to estimate charter impacts using a heterogeneous difference-in-differences model that compares students who enter charters to students who have not yet but will eventually enter charters. We find that charters are slightly more likely to identify students as SWDs after charter entry. While assignments to SPED programs increase comparably, there is a significant reduction and subsequent reversion in time spent in SPED-specific environments and services provided. Despite these changes, SWDs realize achievement and attendance gains after charter entry at similar levels to non-SWDs.