| School Selection
Data were collected in four secondary schools chosen by a National Advisory Panel as part of the Beacons of Excellence project. The schools were selected from a field of 114 schools that were nominated for the project due to their success. Fourteen of the nominated schools completed and submitted comprehensive applications. These schools were identified through a rigorous process that included school information disclosures and thorough analysis of each school's submitted information against selection criteria. Data reviewed for selection included: the extent to which students with disabilities were included in the general education curriculum, reviews of anecdotal descriptions of each school and its history, levels of school demands, school resources, descriptions of student populations, school completion outcomes (e.g., dropout rates), and post school outcomes (e.g., postsecondary education enrollment rates) of students with and without disabilities. In addition to the criteria listed previously, sites representing urban, suburban, and rural locations were purposely selected.
Information from the schools was organized and comparisons were made to national and state specific statistics, as well as project generated data. Members of the project's National Advisory Panel, consisting of researchers, practitioners, parents, school administrators, and professional organizations, reviewed the information from the 14 schools over the period of two days. Based on their recommendations, researchers validated applications by contacting references (parents, community members, and school staff ), and four schools in four different states were selected.
Selected schools varied in terms per pupil resource allocation, number of students enrolled, and the percentages of students receiving services for Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and special education, as well as the percentage of students qualifying for Free and Reduced Lunch. However, all selected schools had high rates of inclusion of students with Individual Education Plans (IEP's) within general education and high rates of graduation for all students, including students with disabilities.
The majority of students who receive special education services at the four sites do so under the category of learning disability (LD; 63%-88%). The percentage of students receiving services for emotional and behavioral disorders ranges from 3% to 18%. At one site, 31% of the students receive services for speech. The percentage of students labeled mentally retarded was similar across sites (3%-4%). Other special education categories, such as orthopedic, visual, and hearing impairments, were less common.
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