Disabled or young? Relative age and special education diagnoses in schools

This study extends recent findings of a relationship between the relative age of students among their peers and their probability of disability classification. Using three nationally representative surveys spanning 1988–2004 and grades K-10, we find that an additional month of relative age decreases the likelihood of receiving special education services by 2–5 percent. Relative age effects are strong for learning disabilities but not for other …