This dissertation explores how federal education policies affect outcomes for special populations and their teachers. The first study uses a differences-in-differences design and data from the Stanford Education Data Archive to determine if "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB) waivers reduced district-level white-black and white-Hispanic achievement gaps. I find that waivers significantly reduced the white-black math and ELA achievement gaps, while the white-Hispanic ELA gap expanded. Effects are stronger at earlier grade levels and among racially diverse testing populations. Additionally, states defining proficiency using a performance index that combines non-test accountability measures (e.g. chronic absenteeism) with traditional math and ELA test scores were able to reduce achievement gaps more than states following traditional NCLB proficiency calculations. This study is the first to document that NCLB waivers were successful in reducing some national achievement gaps. The second paper is a descriptive analysis of mobility and attrition trends for special education teachers (TSEs) before and after New York City's (NYC) district-wide 2012 special education reforms. Using rich, employee- and student-level data from NYC public schools, I find that TSEs were slightly less likely to experience a between-school move or leave the district after the policy change. Additionally, after 2012, TSEs with higher classroom achievement were less likely to move out of tested classrooms, switch schools, or leave the NYC district. The last paper, co-authored with Amy Ellen Schwartz and Leanna Stiefel, assesses the efficacy of special education services for NYC public school students with specific learning disabilities (LDs). Because most LDs are classified after school entry, we observe outcomes both before and after classification, allowing us to estimate impacts using within-student pre/post comparisons and an intent-to-treat specification. We find that math and ELA outcomes improve for LDs following classification into special education, and impacts are largest for those entering special education in earlier grades. Attendance, however, shows little change after classification. Overall, this dissertation has implications for our understanding of how federal policy decisions can impact both aggregate and regional outcomes for special populations and their teachers. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]