| This study examines the relationship between the performance of students with disabilities on state Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) measures and state inclusion rates since the enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) It draws upon the conceptual framework of systems change and chaos theory (Gleick, 1987; Kim & Cory, in press; Lewin, 1942; Lorenz, 1992; Senge, et al., 1999; von Bertalanffy, 1965) as applied to large-scale change within the public education system (Fullan, 1999; Guess & Sailor, 1993). Using a single group interrupted time series quasi-experimental design, the study employed correlation, regression, and trend analysis of extant data sets for the years 2002--2005, including (a) state inclusion rates as reported to the U.S. Department of Education (OSEP, 2005a) and represented on the National Center for Special Education Accountability Monitoring (NCSEAM, 2006) website, (b) the percentage of students with disabilities passing state NCLB assessments, and (c) the state AYP performance of the students with disabilities subgroup. Although no significant relationships are apparent between the performance of students with disabilities on state NCLB assessments and inclusion rates, the findings suggest that a significant trend exists between student performance and inclusion rates in 2004 and 2005. The study also offers evidence that there is a significant relationship between inclusion rates and minimum 'N' sizes used to determine if schools have met AYP expectations. |
