Referral-to-placement ratio: a finding in need of reassessment?

Previous research has reported that the number of evaluated children placed in special education is as high as three out of four. The purpose of the present study is to reassess, extend, and update referral-to-placement research. Subjects consisted of 236 predominantly white children referred for special education evaluation from 12 suburban and rural school districts. Of the 236 pupils referred, 128 were diagnosed as learning disabled (LD) by a multidisciplinary team (MDT). The 128 students identified as eligible for services for students with LD had a mean IQ of 96.43 and a mean age of 10.2. The majority of the subjects were male (70%). The results suggest that the number of students referred who are actually placed is lower (approximately one out of two) than previously reported. It is concluded that further research is needed to verify the current referral-to-placement ratio and to explore the factors influencing this ratio.