Disability differentials in educational attainment in England: primary and secondary effects

Area of Science:

• Sociology of Education
• Disability Studies
• Social Stratification

Background:

• Childhood disability is under-researched in social stratification and life course studies.
• Limited understanding of mechanisms driving educational outcome disparities for disabled youth.
• Existing research often overlooks social factors contributing to educational inequalities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate educational transitions for disabled youth in England.
• To explain disability differentials in educational outcomes using social stratification and stigma theories.
• To examine the roles of primary and secondary effects, educational expectations, and bullying.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England.
• Applied social stratification concepts (primary/secondary effects) and stigma/labeling theories.
• Analyzed transition rates to upper secondary education and university for disabled and non-disabled youth.

Main Results:

• Disability differentials in educational transitions are primarily driven by differences in school performance (primary effects).
• Secondary effects are evident: similarly achieving disabled students are less likely to enter academic upper secondary education.
• Lower educational expectations significantly impact transitions; bullying has a smaller effect.

Conclusions:

• Educational disparities for disabled youth stem from both academic performance gaps and social factors like suppressed expectations.
• Findings challenge medical models by highlighting social processes, not inherent limitations, behind educational inequalities.
• Demonstrates parallels between disability and other ascriptive inequalities in educational attainment.