The Political Orphanage Is Everyone Disabled Now? (WSPN)
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Dec 31, 2025 Dr. Andrea Jones-Rooy, a former university educator and policy expert, teams up with Michael Ira Kaplan, a New York real estate agent and involved parent, to explore the surge in disability registrations at elite colleges. They discuss whether this trend reflects better diagnosis or families gaming the system. The conversation dives into the implications of accommodations on learning and workplace readiness, as well as parental pressures shaping admissions strategies. With insights on academic integrity and the evolving definition of disabilities, this chat is both provocative and enlightening.
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Disability Rates Spike At Elite Colleges
- Elite universities show much higher rates of registered disabilities than community colleges, suggesting an uneven distribution.
- This pattern raises questions about diagnosis, resources, or strategic reporting at top schools.
Better Diagnosis Alone Doesn't Explain The Pattern
- One explanation: better diagnosis and accommodations explain rising registrations.
- But the concentration at elite schools challenges that simple interpretation.
Accommodations Can Become Competitive Advantages
- A competing explanation is strategic gaming: affluent families seek advantages via accommodations.
- Extended time and deadline flexibility can confer real competitive benefits in credentialist systems.