Abstract: An often underlooked issue is the importance of using the right methods to answer research questions that have significant policy implications. Specialized policies may be required to address issues specific to certain at-risk populations. Though understanding these populations is important, they can be difficult to study. A prime example are children with disabilities, who are legally entitled to a free and appropriate education in U.S. schools, usually through the receipt of special education services. Researchers have long struggled with the lack of an appropriate comparison group to children with disabilities, especially when assessing best-evidence practices or the impact of receiving specialized services. As a result, research on the education of children with disabilities has largely relied on correlational or descriptive statistics, which are then used to make decisions about laws, regulations, and funding allocations. In this talk, Dr. Woods explains how improving methodological choices about specialized populations can substantively change the conclusions we draw about how (in)effective specialized services might be. Obtaining a better understanding of how education impacts at-risk populations like children with disabilities would not only improve policy, but could also alter the way we value the education of children with disabilities.