IDEA: Examining the Overrepresentation of African American Students with Disabilities from 2013-14 Lakysha Robinson Kent State University Texas a&m University, National Science Foundation

Overview Introduction Background Literature Review Research Question Methodology Results References Acknowledgements Tables

Introduction Civil Rights Movement Title IV IDEA: Individuals with Disabilities Act All public schools obligated to provide education for students with disabilities Individualized Special Education Inequalities 30-40% of African American and White students are arrested About 50% are unemployed two years after leaving school

Background Wisconsin General education inequalities Black students performed below black students’ national average in all Nation’s Report Card categories Only 10% of black students are math proficient, 8% are reading proficient Milwaukee on of the most hyper-segregated cities in the country Serves over 50% of Wisconsin’s black students

Literature Review Teacher Quality Frog Pond Effect Certified teachers lead to greater student learning gains (Darling-Hammond, 2000) Strongest negative predictor of student outcomes is proportion of new teachers who are uncertified (Darling-Hammond, 2000) Frog Pond Effect Racial Composition Schools with high minority concentration experience under placement of minority students (Hibel, Farkas, & Morgan, 2010) Produces advantages and disadvantages; students in minority concentrated gain a class rank advantage (Goldsmith, 2010) Magnet Schools and Charter schools not evident in research

Research Question Is there an over representation of African American students with disabilities being served under IDEA and if so, what school factors explain this variation? Does an overrepresentation of African American students with disabilities being served under IDEA exist within schools where they are the minority?

Methodology Civil Rights Data Collection 2013-14 School characteristics, programs, and outcomes on all United States public schools Analyzed high schools from grades 10-12 Variables from data set: % of Black students under IDEA % of Black Students Enrolled in Schools % Teacher Absent > 10 days Percentage of Certified FTE Teachers Magnet Schools Charter Schools School District

Results In schools with more teachers that are certified there are less black students under IDEA Magnet and Charter Schools Not significant Frog pond effect not evident in districts

Limitations Data Set Sample size Achievement data Not able to specify disabilities Sample size Achievement data

Directions for Future Research Merge Common Core Data set for a greater measure of academic achievement Include all school districts in Wisconsin Contrast IDEA and Talented and Gifted

References Jordan, K. A. (2005). Discourses of difference and the overrepresentation of black students in special education. The Journal of African American History, 90(1/2), 128-149. Losen, D. J., & Orfield, G. (2002). Racial inequity in special education. Harvard Education Publishing Group, 8 Story Street, 5th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02138. Hibel, J., Farkas, G., & Morgan, P. L. (2010). Who is placed into special education?. Sociology of Education, 83(4), 312-332. Wayne, A. J., & Youngs, P. (2003). Teacher characteristics and student achievement gains: A review. Review of Educational research, 73(1), 89-122. Hosp, J. L., & Reschly, D. J. (2004). Disproportionate representation of minority students in special education: Academic, demographic, and economic predictors. Exceptional Children, 70(2), 185-199. Artiles, A. J., & Trent, S. C. (1994). Overrepresentation of minority students in special education a continuing debate. The Journal of Special Education, 27(4), 410- 437. Farkas, G. (2003). Racial disparities and discrimination in education: What do we know, how do we know it, and what do we need to know?. Teachers College Record, 105(6), 1119-1146. Coutinho, M. J., Oswald, D. P., & Best, A. M. (2002). The influence of sociodemographics and gender on the disproportionate identification of minority students as having learning disabilities. Remedial and Special Education, 23(1), 49-59. Oswald, D. P., Coutinho, M. J., & Best, A. M. (2002). Community and school predictors of overrepresentation of minority children in special education. Racial inequity in special education, 1-13. Skiba, R. J., Simmons, A. B., Ritter, S., Gibb, A. C., Rausch, M. K., Cuadrado, J., & Chung, C. G. (2008). Achieving equity in special education: History, status, and current challenges. Exceptional Children, 74(3), 264-288.

Acknowledgments National Science Foundation, Research Experiences for Undergraduates Texas A&M University, Sociology and Urban Planning Dr. Pat Goldsmith

Contact Information Lakysha Robinson lrobin34@kent.edu Patrick Goldsmith pgoldsmith@tamu.edu

Questions?

Tables

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