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Education Week: Test scores for students with learning disabilities improve after they are classified into special education, and the gains are greatest for students who entered special education before they reached middle school, according to a study from the Annenberg Center at Brown. Using data from the New York City schools, the researchers found that, on average, scores improved in both English and math for special education students, and the effects were largest for students who entered special education in grades 4 and 5. Students in grades 4 and 5 "were more likely to be placed, and remain, in less restrictive service settings" than students who began later, the researchers found. The findings suggest that support services that help students remain in the general education classrooms may be "particularly effective" for students with learning disabilities.