Date of Award
8-2023
Culminating Project Type
Thesis
Styleguide
apa
Degree Name
Special Education: M.S.
Department
Special Education
College
School of Education
First Advisor
Bradley Kaffar
Second Advisor
Brian Valentini
Third Advisor
Hsueh-I Lo
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Keywords and Subject Headings
Mathematics, Special Education, Employment
Abstract
Children in the United States have not made adequate gains on national assessments in mathematics (Strickland & Maccini, 2012). Based on the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), 65% of 8th graders and 76% of 12th graders scored below proficiency level, along with over 90% of secondary students (Strickland & Maccini, 2012). This is especially troubling since math is used outside of the classroom setting so commonly in the workplace, especially vocational (trade) jobs. Students with disabilities tend to have a hard time with basic math facts and this can become problematic later on when trying to obtain employment (Leach, 2016). According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 18.4% of youth with a disability who are 16 to 19 years old are employed compared to their non-disabled peers who are employed at 31.4%. Then, approximately 40.2% of people with a disability between the ages 20-24 are employed, compared to their non-disabled peers at 68.5% (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020). These statistics indicate that having a strong mathematical foundation helps with employment opportunities, especially trade jobs. This study will survey local trade employers to see what mathematical skills are necessary for employment.
Recommended Citation
Mumford, Elisabeth, "Math and Employment" (2023). Culminating Projects in Special Education. 151.
https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/sped_etds/151
