- Randomly selected 11,512 students aged 7-17 in special education attending public schools
- Students’ math scores were collected in three different academic years, on two math achievement tests: one consisting of more applied mathematics problems (identifying numbers, reading a clock, counting items, basic operations), and one with calculation problems designed to assess computational skills (basic operations plus some geometric, trigonometric, logarithmic, matrix, and calculus problems).
- To compare to the general population, national norms were calculated from a sample of 8,782 people aged 2-90

Macalester College

This study aimed to investigate the extent to which students with disabilities differed in math growth trajectories when compared to students in disability categories other than learning disabilities, gender, race-ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. The data indicated that there are significant achievement gaps in students with disabilities even when compared to other disabled students, indicating that the steps for assisting disabled students with math growth can not be considered universal. 

Math Growth Trajectories of Students With Disabilities: Disability Category, Gender, Racial, and Socioeconomic Status Differences From Ages 7 to 17

Wei, X., Lenz, K. B., & Blackorby, J. (2013). Math growth trajectories of students with disabilities: Disability category, gender, racial, and socioeconomic status differences from ages 7 to 17. Remedial and Special Education, 34(3), 154–165. https://doi.org/10.1177/0741932512448253

The study found that math achievement for students with disabilities did significantly improve over time, though not to the same extent demonstrated by students without disabilities. They also found that the level of improvement differed, leading to significant achievement gaps when students’ math ability scores were compared within each of the following groups:
- Disability status
- Gender
- Race-ethnicity
- Socioeconomic status (SES)

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