Mathematics Performance of Learners with Special Educational Needs (LSENs)

Abstract

This study primarily aimed to determine whether there are significant differences in the mathematics performance of learners with special educational needs (LSENs) across selected demographic variables—namely gender, age, economic status, type of learning difficulty/disability, grade level, parents’ educational attainment, and number of siblings. It also sought to describe the demographic profile of the respondents and assess their overall level of mathematics performance using a descriptive-comparative quantitative research design. The study was conducted during the School Year 2025–2026 in selected public secondary schools in a district in Davao Oriental, Philippines, involving 106 Junior High School LSENs enrolled in Mathematics through complete enumeration. Data were gathered using a researcher-made instrument that collected demographic information and official mathematics grades, and were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, and range) and inferential tests (Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis). Findings revealed that LSENs demonstrated a fairly satisfactory level of mathematics performance (mean = 77.10%). Significant differences were noted across gender, economic status, type of learning difficulty/disability, parents’ educational attainment, and number of siblings, while age and grade level showed no significant differences. However, the findings are limited to selected public secondary schools in the Tarragona District and are based on school-recorded mathematics grades, which may limit generalizability to other contexts. These results indicate that mathematics performance among LSENs is influenced by selected demographic factors, highlighting the need for targeted and inclusive interventions to improve their academic outcomes.