The effects of family college savings on postsecondary school enrollment rates of students with disabilities

This is the first study to examine whether parents’ college savings is positively associated with enrollment in postsecondary education of students in special education programs. In addition to examining postsecondary school enrollment among students with disabilities, we also examine whether students’ and parents’ college expectations act as a mediator between parents’ college savings and postsecondary school enrollment. We find that while not all types of college savings are associated with postsecondary enrollment, college bonds are a consistent and strong statistically significant predictor of postsecondary enrollment of students with disabilities. Further, we find evidence that students’ and parents’ college expectations act as a partial mediator between college bonds and enrollment in postsecondary school.

► We investigate whether students with disabilities whose parents have college savings are more likely to attend college.
► We investigate this question using longitudinal data from the ELS:2002/2006.
► Results indicate that some types of parents’ college savings are important.
► We also find evidence that students’ and parents’ college expectations act as partial mediators.