The characteristics of schools can affect the quality of the education they provide. SEELS could capture many dimensions of schools as part of creating a comprehensive picture of the experiences of students in special education. Possible factors for task force consideration include:

• Size — A school’s size has much to do with the logistics of its operation and its ability to change.
• Type — Schools of all types serve students in special education. Some types of schools are oriented toward the grade levels they serve (e.g., elementary, middle, and high schools, whereas others are created with specific purposes regarding their student population or educational approach (e.g. special schools, alternative schools, charter schools).
• Diversity of student population — Schools are serving increasingly diverse student populations. This diversity has particular relevance for special education, with the long-term debate regarding the overrepresentation of minority students in special education.
• Access to resources — American education has changed dramatically since the days where teachers, textbooks, and students were the primary players in the educational process. Today, many schools make use of technological (e.g. instructional support, Internet access) and/or service delivery innovations (e.g. integrated health services) to improve outcomes.
• Leadership — Research has indicated the link between successful schools and effective leaders.
• Mission — A decade of school reform activities has suggested that schools, like other organizations, function better when the schools’ mission is clearly articulated for both internal and external audiences.
• Climate — Many factors comprise a school’s climate, some of which are believed to be linked to improved student results, such as strong connection between the school, the parents of its students, the broader community, and the professional development of its staff.
• Policies related to students in special education. A variety of policies impact the school experiences of students in special education, including those related to pre-referral strategies the referral process, IEP development, and discipline.
• School reforms — A number of educational reform efforts over the last decade often have been vague or silent with regard to their meaning in philosophy and practice for students in special education. SEELS could examine the presence of school-wide reforms and the degree to which schools consider and involve students in special education in them.

Potential research questions related to school characteristics appears in Table 6.

Table 6

Potential Research Questions — School Characteristics

Descriptive Questions

• What types of schools serve students in special education?

• How large are schools that serve students in special education?

• What are the missions of schools that serve students in special education?

• What are the characteristics of the study body in schools attended by students in special education?

• What is the school climate and leadership like in schools attended by students in special

• What policies and practices related to special education are pursued by schools? E.g., to what extent are schools using pre-referral strategies? What referral processes do schools employ to determine eligibility for special education? What disciplinary policies are enforced?

• What placement and service options are available at the schools?

• How are IEPs developed and used?

• What school-wide reforms have schools implemented and how are students in special education included in them?

• What assessment programs are in place? Are students in special education included in school-wide assessments?

• What resources are available to and used by students in special education in the schools they attend?

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Comparative and Explanatory Questions

• How do school characteristics vary among disability categories and for students with different demographic and household characteristics?

• How do the schools attended by students in special education compare with those attended by the general student population?

• How do school characteristics and policies relate to variations in individual students’ school programs?

• What school characteristics are associated with improved student outcomes?

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