Blog #4 by Courtney Cruz

            Disproportionate representation in special education was a new topic for me.  I was intrigued by the topic in this module.  After learning what disproportionate representation was, I thought to myself “being a minority cannot be the reason so many of these students are placed into special education”.  Obviously, what I read in chapter 5 in Education For All, was much different from what I thought.  Many of the points the authors made really struck home with me. 

            Due to being so intrigued by this topic, I thought I would further my research.  I read an article from the Harvard Graduate School of Education about this debate on disproportionate representation in special education.  According to the Civil Rights Project at Harvard University they “believe(s) that special education programs need to be reassessed by researchers, policy makers, advocates, and educators in terms of the positive and negative implications for minority students. In commissioning this new research and bringing it to the attention of policy makers on the federal level, the Civil Rights Project hopes to contribute sound research to the current debates surrounding education reform and federal oversight.” (http://www.gse.harvard.edu/news_events/features/2001/speced03022001.html).  Their findings “offer(s) new understanding and insights about how regular and special education together must be improved to better serve all children in this country”.

            Where does our attention need to be focused?  I would say one of the first steps is in our undergrad education programs.  Throughout my own experience in urban settings, I couldn't  agree more with the statement. “schools with higher concentrations of low-income, minority children are more likely to have teachers who are less experienced and less well trained” (p.142).  Teachers need to have more experience in classrooms instead of in books.  I was very privileged to have a variety of teaching experiences in a variety of settings.  And no, I am not referring to observations.  We are great at observing and critiquing what teachers do, but it seems that some education programs wait until student teaching to have education students truly experience the teaching field. 

            I also think that if we are going to have inclusive classrooms in our schools then our education programs need to have inclusive education.  It seems that once we hit college courses in education, everything is segregated.  We isolate early, middle, and high school educators from the special educators, and then we wonder why teachers aren't prepared to teach in inclusive classrooms or work with ELN students.  Special education is no longer its own domain.  Identifying ELN students is a huge part of the general educator’s responsibility now.  Of course, the special ed. educators have to write the IEPs and complete the evaluations, but it’s imperative for the general educator to have a clear understanding of the process.  This can’t happen with just one class or by reading one book.  General educators need to be able to follow the framework in implementing culturally responsive practices and the 3 tiers of response to intervention models (RTI) as explained on pages 148 and 149 of Education For All, before they recommend a student for special education. 

            In our undergrad education programs I would love to see more guest speakers from the special education department, from parents of all races and ethnicities, and from experienced teachers (all races and genders).  Discussions amongst those who have “been there” would allow for more openness and could help upcoming teachers get a “true” understanding of the field.  Let’s teach teachers in training how to network so that when they get out into field they aren't afraid to tell someone they don’t know what they are doing or throw their hands up and give up.  I really feel that this would benefit the teachers in training to have a broader perspective on education and perhaps, enter the field more able to adapt to their surroundings.