How Special Education Preschool Graduates Finish: Status at 19 Years of Age

This article reports the academic and special education status of 129 graduates of special education preschools at 19 years of age. Participants had been randomly assigned to either direct instruction or mediated learning preschool classrooms. At age 19, their achievement was approximately one standard deviation below average. Consistent with results at earlier follow-up points, program main effects were not significant; however, the Aptitude × Treatment interactions (ATIs) documented at earlier ages were absent. Sample differences among follow-up groups may account for the changed ATI findings. A combination of preschool child characteristics and early achievement accounted for 78% of final achievement variance. Male participants had higher achievement than female participants but were disproportionately placed in special education. Special education placement and disability classifications fluctuated over the course of schooling.