Do Black Children Attend Special Education At A Disproportionately High Rate?

The study aimed to evaluate whether Black children are disproportionately overrepresented in special education. 22 studies were identified, with previous reports showing a persistent and substantial overrepresentation of Black students in special education for forty years. Black children are over twice as likely to have elevated blood lead levels as whites, and low-income children are over three times as likely. The poor are more likely to live near hazardous waste sites. Special education expert Laura Schifter discusses how students of color and low-income students are disproportionately assigned to special education.

Research that finds black students are overenrolled in special education are not adjusting for factors other than race that could result in the appearance of overrepresentation. In general, students of color are disproportionately overrepresented among children with disabilities: black students are 40% more likely, and American Indian students are 40% more likely. Contrary to federal legislative and policy efforts to reduce Multidiscrimination in special education, the study failed to find any evidence that racial, ethnic, or language-minority children in the United States are being overrepresented.

In 2016, 12 percent of black children across the nation received services at school for disabilities ranging from emotional disturbances to physical disabilities. Black children ages 6 to 21 are already 40% more likely to be identified with disabilities than their peers. This controversial research article argues that the research does not provide empirical evidence of overrepresentation in special education for Black children.

What is a disproportionate representation of culturally diverse groups in special education?

The term “disproportionality in special education” is used to describe the phenomenon of unequal representation of students from specific racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds as a result of discriminatory practices.

Which category of people has the highest prevalence of disability?

In 2022, the disability rate increased due to the larger representation of seniors in the population, with individuals aged 65 and older being more likely to have a disability. Mental health-related disabilities experienced the largest increase, with pain-related disability being the most common type. Flexibility, mobility, and mental health-related disabilities were the second most prevalent types.

Mental health-related disabilities, including seeing, learning, memory, and developmental, also increased from 2017 to 2022, with mental health-related disabilities experiencing the largest increase, rising by 6 percentage points from 33 in 2017.

What race has the most learning disabilities?

Black students are more likely to be diagnosed with a learning disability than other students, as they have unique family situations, academic needs, and backgrounds. In public schools, children with learning disabilities require an educational or medical diagnosis for in-school support. Between 2021 and 2022, 7. 3 million American students aged 3-21 received special education and related services for disabilities, equivalent to 15 of all U. S. public school students.

The most common group of students receiving special education services were those experiencing “specific learning disabilities”, comprising approximately 1 in 3 pupils receiving special education services.

What are the racial ethnic disparities in disability prevalence?

The SIPP data shows that women are more likely to have health conditions that limit their daily activities, with Asian adults reporting the lowest rates (17. 2), while Black adults (31. 8) and those with Other or multiple-race non-Hispanic identity (42. 9) have higher rates. The data provides insight into how health conditions contribute to disability, focusing on arthritis, diabetes, and hypertension as three common conditions.

What race has the most Down syndrome?

Down syndrome, also known as trisomy 21, affects 5, 100 infants born annually in the United States. The condition occurs in all races and ethnicities, with small differences in live birth prevalence. Of the people with Down syndrome, 67 are non-Hispanic and White, 13 non-Hispanic and Black, 16 Hispanic, 3 Asian or Pacific Islander, and 1 American Indian or American Native. Racial differences exist in prenatal screening for Down syndrome, with Latinas and African American women being less likely to undergo prenatal diagnosis than White and Asian women. Economic and insurance barriers also impact decision-making, with unemployed and uninsured African American and Latino women being less likely to opt into prenatal testing.

A 1996 survey found that all women had some knowledge of Down syndrome, but misconceptions and beliefs varied among racial-ethnic groups. Many Hispanic and African American women reported only seeing or knowing of White people with Down syndrome and requested culturally diverse educational material. White women reported that pregnancy with Down syndrome was more common in women 35 years and older, and minority women reported that pregnancy with Down syndrome was due to environmental factors, drug use, and older age.

Many approaches to educate and address misinformation about Down syndrome exist, including standardized fact sheets, parent-friendly health information, evidence-based care, and policy statements from national professional organizations on best practices in delivering a diagnosis. Families report benefits from speaking to other parents of children with Down syndrome when receiving a prenatal or postnatal diagnosis, and Down syndrome parent groups often offer “first call” programs that provide information and direct parent-to-parent connections.

What is disproportionality and how does it relate to special education in the US?

Disproportionality in special education refers to racial and ethnic disparities in the identification, placement, and discipline of students with disabilities. The IDEA 2004 includes language on Significant Disproportionality, which requires districts to use 15% of Part B funds for Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CEIS) for children who are significantly disproportionately identified by race and ethnicity.

This is particularly important for over-identified groups. Disproportionality in special education is one of three monitoring priorities for all states, highlighting the need for effective strategies to address these disparities.

What are the most underrepresented groups in higher education?

Historically Underrepresented Minority Students (HURMS) are individuals who are members of racial, ethnic, or gender groups that have been disproportionately underrepresented for over ten years. These groups typically include African Americans, American Indians/Alaskan Natives, Hispanics, Asian and Pacific Islanders, and women. Bourke highlights that these groups are not only numerically underrepresented but also systemically through social structures and power structures. This systemic underrepresentation underscores the need for consideration of invisibility over time and how it continues to impact access and equity issues.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) statements from universities, colleges, and the AAC and U have emerged as working definitions of HURMS. Diversity is defined as the presence of difference in a given setting, reflecting individual and intersecting differences such as race, gender, sexuality, socioeconomic status, ability, and religion. It also reflects social and group differences, such as cultural capital, positionality, and privilege.

Sustainable efforts are needed to acknowledge, engage, and respect the diverse differences that make up our communities today and in the future. While diversity is merely compositional, it is essential to recognize that representation does not necessarily mean change or community. Sustainable efforts are needed to address the needs of HURMS and ensure equal opportunities for all students.

What are three major factors that contribute to disproportionality?

Racial Disproportionality in Child Welfare suggests that child abuse rates are not higher for children of color compared to white children. This is due to systemic racism, cultural misunderstandings, stereotypes, and biases that influence the decision to report alleged abuse or neglect to Child Protective Services (CPS). Child welfare professionals may knowingly or unknowingly let personal biases affect their decision-making.

Studies in Texas found that race, risk, and income all influence case decision, but African American families were more likely to have substantiated cases, have their children removed, or be provided family-based safety services.

This issue is also largely due to poverty, as children of color and their parents are more likely to attend community programs and be reported to CPS. Mandatory reporters often work at these programs, and poor families are more likely to be in the line of sight for these reporters, resulting in higher rates of child abuse.

What is ethnic disproportionality in special education?

Black or African American students with disabilities are more likely to be identified with intellectual disability or emotional disturbance, and are more likely to receive disciplinary removal. American Indian or Alaska Native students with disabilities are more likely to drop out and be less likely to be in regular class less than 40% of the day. Disproportionality in special education refers to the over- and under-identification and representation of culturally and linguistically diverse children, particularly in areas of discipline and placement. Patrick identifies four factors that harm students of color and multilingual learners through the IEP process.

Which race has the highest prevalence of mental health disorders?

The study found that Asians have the lowest lifetime prevalence of mental disorders, followed by Blacks, Latinos, and Whites. Even after adjusting for nativity, Asians and Blacks had lower lifetime risk for all disorders. Latinos and Whites had similar risk after adjusting for nativity. The risk of disorder onset was lowest for foreign-born respondents in years before migration. There were significant race/ethnicity and nativity interactions for mood and substance use disorders.

Whites with at least one US-born parent had higher odds of mood disorder onset, while Asians had higher odds of substance use disorder onset. Exposure to the US context may increase mental disorder risk for Latinos and Whites.

Are African American students are overrepresented in emotional disturbance diagnoses?

The prevalence of racial disproportionality is evident in high-incident disability categories, with African American students being diagnosed at a rate that is approximately twice as high as that of their White peers for Emotional Disturbance (ED) and nearly three times higher for Cognitive Impairment (CI).