<p>Disabled students make up over one-fifth of U.S. college enrollments, yet they remain less likely than their nondisabled peers to enter postsecondary education, especially four-year institutions. The additional costs and complexity that disabled students experience in college access are part of the reason for these disparities. Therefore, higher-SES students and families can leverage their resources and privileges to avoid or diminish some of these barriers, which may lead to exacerbated inequality among disabled students. Grounded in the concept of cumulative (dis)advantage, this study examined how disparities in postsecondary enrollment based on disability varied across students’ SES. Analyses of data from the nationally representative High School Longitudinal Study confirmed persistent gaps by disability status, with the greatest inequalities concentrated among students from low-SES families. Disparities were attenuated, but not eliminated, after accounting for differences in academic preparation and educational expectations. These findings illustrate how disability and SES jointly structure opportunity in college access, with disadvantage accumulating in distinct ways across sectors. The study underscores the need for policies and institutional practices that target financial and structural barriers to ensure more equitable college access for disabled students.</p>

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Unequal Access: Disability and Socioeconomic Inequality in College Enrollment

  • Ryan Wells

摘要

Disabled students make up over one-fifth of U.S. college enrollments, yet they remain less likely than their nondisabled peers to enter postsecondary education, especially four-year institutions. The additional costs and complexity that disabled students experience in college access are part of the reason for these disparities. Therefore, higher-SES students and families can leverage their resources and privileges to avoid or diminish some of these barriers, which may lead to exacerbated inequality among disabled students. Grounded in the concept of cumulative (dis)advantage, this study examined how disparities in postsecondary enrollment based on disability varied across students’ SES. Analyses of data from the nationally representative High School Longitudinal Study confirmed persistent gaps by disability status, with the greatest inequalities concentrated among students from low-SES families. Disparities were attenuated, but not eliminated, after accounting for differences in academic preparation and educational expectations. These findings illustrate how disability and SES jointly structure opportunity in college access, with disadvantage accumulating in distinct ways across sectors. The study underscores the need for policies and institutional practices that target financial and structural barriers to ensure more equitable college access for disabled students.