The Relationship between Reading and Mathematics Achievement of Students with Disabilities and Least Restrictive Environment Practices in Kentucky

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between Kentucky least restrictive environment (LRE) practices and KCCT assessment annual measureable objectives (AMO) in reading and mathematics for students with disabilities. This research was designed to determine whether districts achieved AMO targets for reading, mathematics and LRE. Also, it examined whether a relationship exists between special education students’ placement and assessment scores attained for the with disability subpopulation AYP category. This quantitative, correlation study utilized data from the Kentucky Department of Education Open House, 2011 No Child Left Behind Adequate Yearly Progress Reports for each school district, and KCCT Combined Reading and Mathematics Goal to Gap Comparison Report. Additionally, the 2011 KDE Expanded Data file and LRE district target data for students ages six through 21 were analyzed to investigate the questions. Results from this investigation indicated that one district achieved the scale score for reading achievement, and seven districts achieved the scale score for mathematics. Nine districts achieved reading and mathematics AMO targets due to safe harbor, while nine districts achieved reading AMO and fourteen districts achieved mathematics AMO due to confidence interval. LRE results indicated than 158 districts achieved LRE target for removal from regular education less that 21% of the school day, 157 achieved LRE target for removal from regular class greater than 60% of the day, and 146 achieved the LRE target for placement outside the regular school. The Pearson Correlation results indicated a weak, yet positive, relationship exists between the removal of students from the regular classroom less than 21% of the school day and reading achievement and a weak, but negative, correlation relationship between removal from regular education greater than 60% of the school day and reading achievement. Similar to the reading achievement, statistical analysis revealed a weak, but positive, relationship between students removed from regular education less than 21% of the school day and mathematics achievement. The strength of the relationship between removal from regular class greater than 60% of the school day and mathematics achievement revealed a negative degree of association between the two variables