Where Do Students with Disabilities Enroll in Texas Postsecondary Institutions?

Although a wealth of research has explained how postsecondary institutions can support students with disabilities, no studies have articulated which postsecondary institutions are best suited to enroll students with disabilities through quantitative measures over long periods of time. Given the contentious history of special education in Texas, it is critical to investigate how Texas postsecondary institutions support students with disabilities and which institutional characteristics best predict the enrollment of these students. This study explored which Texas postsecondary institutions have enrolled students with disabilities over a five-year period (2013-2017), ultimately informing how Texas education policies could be changed to support greater postsecondary access for this population. Data suggest institutions of lower research intensity and private non-profit postsecondary institutions in Texas have enrolled greater percentages of students with disabilities from 2013 to 2017. Additionally, instructional expenses and institutional grant aid positively predicted enrollment from 2013 to 2017, suggesting Texas postsecondary institutions could strategically spend funds to increase postsecondary access for students with disabilities. Implications for research, practice, and policy are addressed.