Students with disabilities account for almost 15% of the K-12 student population in the United States. Yet they are often underrepresented in charter schools, which are publicly funded schools open to all students. While there are discussions about what type of school environment best supports these students, it is important to take a closer look at the difference in learning environments.

New research from Michigan State University found that after students with disabilities switched from a traditional public school to a charter school, their attendance and academic outcomes were comparable and, in some cases, even improved.

The study, published in the journal Education Finance and Policy, was led by Scott Imberman, a professor in MSU’s Department of Economics in the College of Social Science. The research was supported by the National Center for Research on Education Access and Choice, or REACH.

“Educators and parents have worried that charter schools don’t provide students with disabilities the educational environment that they need to thrive,” Imberman said. “This work shows that in Michigan’s charters, while it does seem that charters tend to provide fewer special education services, the students with disabilities who enroll see similar improvements in achievement as other charter students.”