DISPROPORTIONATE

REPRESENTATION IN Samantha
Bowman

SPECIAL EDUCATION
 INTRODUCTION

1. Definition of Disproportionate Representation

2. What groups or factors influence disproportionate
representation?
3. How does it happen?
4. Why is this a problem?
5. Percentage of students by ethnicity
6. Best practices in assessments
7. Conclusion
8. Resources
 DISPROPORTIONATE REPRESENTATION
DEFINITION

Over representation of minority

students identified with a learning
disability or other type of disability
under the IDEA. When a minority
groups numbers in special education
are statistically higher than they
should be, they are considered
disproportionate.*
*Ann Logsdon
WHAT GROUPS OR FACTORS INFLUENCE
DISPROPORTIONATE REPRESENTATION?
Most Notable
Race
Ethic background

Other Factors
National origin
Socioeconomic status
Gender
Sexual orientation
English proficiency
Language
Poverty
Assessment practices
Systemic issues
Professional development opportunities for teachers
 HOW DOES IT HAPPEN?

Failure to identify and adapt to cultural

differences among minority groups.
Use of unsuitable assessment tactics for English
Language Learners and racial and ethnic
minorities.
Failure to accommodate parents of students with
Limited English Proficiency or language
minorities.
Lack of receptiveness to cultural and
socioeconomic differences among students and
their families.
 WHY IS THIS A PROBLEM?

It can inhibit children from reaching their academic

potential.
Cause undesirable stereotypes regarding minority
groups.
Result in a type of racial profiling that places
minority students at a disadvantage throughout their
education.
Result in decreased expectations among teachers,
parent, and the students themselves.
Prevents schools from recognizing the need to adjust
curriculum and teaching methods.
 PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS BY
ETHNICIT Y
General population
Black (non-Hispanic)
14.8 students in general population
20.2 students in special education population
American Indian
1 student in general population
1.3 students in special education population
Hispanic
14.2 students in general population
13.2 students in special education population Special Education Population
Caucasian (non-Hispanic)
66.2 students in general population
63.6 students in special education population
Asian/Pacific Islander
3.8 students in general population
1.7 students in special education population*

EMSTAC*
 PASSAGES ON MINORITIES
FROM IDEA, 2004
As the number of minority students in special education increases, the number of
minority teachers and related services personnel produced in colleges and
universities continues to decrease.
Studies have found that schools with predominantly White students and teachers
have placed disproportionately high numbers of their minority students into special
education.
The opportunity for full participation by minority individuals, minority organizations,
and Historically Black Colleges and Universities in awards for grants and contracts,
boards of organizations receiving assistance under this title, peer review panels, and
training of professionals in the area of special education is essential to obtain
greater success in the education of minority children with disabilities.
More minority children continue to be served in special education than would be
expected rom the percentage of minority students in the general school population.
Section 1412 of IDEA 2004 includes two new subsections that will be of interest to
parents and teachers. Subsection (24) about Over -identification and
Disproportionality focuses on preventing schools from over -identifying children with
disabilities by race and ethnicity. Subsection (25) prohibits school district personnel
from requiring children from taking medication as a condition of attending school,
being evaluated, or receiving special education services.
Americas ethnic profile is rapidly changing. In 2000, 1 of every 3 persons in the
United States was a member of a minority group or was limited English proficient.
Minority children comprise an increasing percentage of public school students.
Greater efforts are needed to prevent the intensification of problems connected with
mislabeling and high dropout rates among minority children with disabilities.
 BEST PRACTICES IN ASSESSMENTS

Early inter vention for Students struggling to learn

As soon as a problem arises, it must be addressed and new strategies must be
implemented to help the student
Typically, general educations failure to intervene in a timely fashion, not the presence
of a disability, may be the real source of students difficulties. Its evident that
teachers dont always act promptly when a problem comes up, and if its ignored for
long enough, theyll feel like they cant go back and fix it and they will put a student in
a special education class as an easy way out.
Teachers can use different teaching approaches to validate the source(s) of difficulty
that the student is having. Using other techniques may help more students in the
classroom rather than the one in question. There is never one way to solve a problem.
Availability of general education problem -sol ving suppor t systems
Peers or experts can work with the general education teacher to brainstorm multiple
options to develop the students learning. They can observe their classroom and offer
suggestions.
Teacher Assistance Teams (TAT), a group of 4 -6 general education teachers (including
the teacher needing assistance) design interventions to help struggling learners. At
meetings they can determine the problem, set priorities, decide on problem solving
methods to implement, assign responsibility for conducting the suggestions, and plan
follow up meetings to monitor progress.
Family counseling, one-on-one tutoring, and family and student support groups can
provide temporary services to students, outside of the classroom to encourage
perspectives from people other than the educational and administrative staff.
 CONCLUSION

Its important for every teacher to be knowledgeable in every

aspect of teaching, whether youre a general education or
special education teacher.
Dont jump to conclusions about a student without a thorough
analysis or it could cause more harm than good.
I aspire to be an art teacher one day, and itll be vital that I
keep a close eye on students motor skills and problem solving
skills while working with dif ferent materials. This information
will be very helpful for the future to ensure that I identify
problems early and can come to the best conclusion for each
student I teach.
When in doubt, reach out to the students family, and other
teachers or peers who know them. The more you know, the
greater chance you have at successfully helping a student.
 RESOURCES

Logsdon, A . (2014, June 16). Dispropor tionality What is

Dispropor tionality in Special Education Programs?
Retrieved May 02, 2017, from https://www.ver ywell.com/
dispropor tionality -in-special-education- programs-2162684
EMSTAC. (1997). Dispropor tionality: The Disproportionate
Representation of Racial and Ethnic Minorities in Special
Education. Retrieved May 02, 2017, from http://
www.emstac.org/registered/topics/disproportionality/
intro.htm
Garcia, S.B., & Or tiz, A .A . (2006). Preventing Dispropor tionate
Representation: Culturally and Linguistically Responsive
Pre-referral Inter ventions. Retrieved May 02, 2017, from
http://www.r ti4success.org/sites/default/files/pre -
referral_brief.pdf
Wright, P. W. (2004). The Individuals with Disabilities Education
Improvement Act of 2004. Retrieved May 02, 2017, from
http:// www.wrightslaw.com/idea/idea.2004.all.pdf