Special education expert Laura Schifter discusses how students of color and low-income students are disproportionately assigned to special education, and what can be done.

In many situations, students of color are less likely than their white peers to be identified and to receive special education services, despite demonstrating similar levels of academic performance and behavior, even when attending the same schools.

Research on disproportionate group differences in special education identification has to a great extent focused on the overrepresentation of Black students. Various studies have investigated differences in identification of intellectual disability, emotional disturbance, and learning disability.

Apr 16, 2024 · Educators chip away at racial and ethnic inequities in special education to support students, no matter their race, gender, the language they speak, or ability. Implicit bias can lead to students with disabilities to be misidentified and misplaced.

In this series, appropriately titled “Black Boys in Crisis,” I highlight the problems facing black boys in education today, as well as provide clear steps that will lead us out of the crisis. Special education classes have changed drastically in the past 20 years.

Aug 10, 2021 · Black or African American students with disabilities are more likely to be identified with intellectual disability or emotional disturbance than all students with disabilities and more likely to receive a disciplinary removal than all students with disabilities.

Feb 16, 2021 · Our analysis adds to recent evidence that underrepresentation of Black and Hispanic students in special education is the more pressing challenge in many settings. It also reveals how racial segregation influences classification decisions.

Mar 11, 2024 · For Black male students, being matched with educators who look like them means more than ever. A new study found that Black male elementary school students are less likely to be placed in special education if they have Black teachers.

Aug 19, 2019 · Across 11 southern states (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia), black students are 44 percent more likely than white students to receive special education services, compared to 41 percent nationally.

Jan 12, 2017 · To help educators, school communities, and education officials understand the challenges prompting these initiatives, here are five critical facts about racial and ethnic disparities in special education: 1 There are wide disparities in disability identification by race and ethnicity.