Students with disabilities represented 8 percent of all graduates in 2009. Compared with students without disabilities, students with disabilities earned, on average, lower GPAs overall and in core academic, other academic, and other courses.
Grade Point Averages by student disability status and course type: 2009
| Students with disabilities |
Students without disabilities |
| Overall GPA |
Overall GPA |
|---|
| Average GPA |
Standard error |
Average GPA |
Standard error |
|---|
| Overall |
2.65 |
* |
(0.017) |
3.03 |
|
(0.008) |
|---|
| Core academic |
2.43 |
* |
(0.016) |
2.82 |
|
(0.010) |
|---|
| Other academic |
2.74 |
* |
(0.024) |
3.18 |
|
(0.009) |
|---|
| Other |
3.02 |
* |
(0.025) |
3.43 |
|
(0.009) |
|---|
* Significantly different (p<.05) from students without disabilities.
NOTE: Core academic courses are English, mathematics, science, and social studies. Other academic courses are fine arts, foreign languages, and computer-related studies. Other courses include courses such as vocational education, personal health, and physical education.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, High School Transcript Study (HSTS), 2009.