School achievement of children with intellectual disability: The role of socioeconomic status, placement, and parents’ engagement

The objective of this study was to describe the selected conditions for school achievement of students with mild intellectual disabilities from Polish elementary schools. Participants were 605 students with mild disabilities from integrative, regular, and special schools, and their parents (N = 429). It was found that socioeconomic status (SES) was positively associated with child placement in integrative and regular schools rather than special schools, as well as with higher parental engagement in their children's studies. Parental engagement mediated the positive effects of SES and placement in regular and integrative schools on school achievement. The results are discussed in the context of inclusive education theory.

► Children of parents with higher SES more frequently receive inclusive education.
► The social inequalities observed in this study discredit the principle of the least restrictive environment concept.
► The only factor (among explored) that explains achievement is the engagement of parents in learning at home.
► The findings shed some light on the mechanisms of the operation of the system of education of children with disabilities.