Disproportionate Representation in Special Education.

The representation of minorities in special education is a multifaceted issue. Black males are disproportional in their placement in special education classes at a higher rate then others. The factors that contribute to this reach outside the school into the communities and society, along with the education system.
Teacher education and community education are a must to remedy the situation. Diversity training go a long way in understanding cultural , community, and other factors such as socioeconomic status utilized in the understanding of why the disproportional representation takes place.

Blog Post #4 - Disproportion Representation

 

I personally do not think that anything will change over the disproportionately representation of racial and ethnic minorities. Think of it as a form of racism. In this society, racism has been a more relevant issue and is occurring everywhere and being recognized.  As stated in one of my earlier blogs I mentioned that the African culture views disabled children and or adults as witchcraft, an omen for doing bad things. That is a belief of the culture so that won’t change. Usually things will happen coincidently such as no rain for weeks due to a child disabled living in the village or the mother and father can no longer conceive a child. This is all seen as black magic. So therefore attention needs to be put towards helping any disabled individual and not looking at the race of the person. People need to be open-minded and caring towards this low population.

When it comes to being misrepresented, teachers and doctors should properly evaluate children with an honest and caring heart to place them in the right services. I have not been in a school where I have seen any misrepresentation but working at the group home I have seen clients being placed in wrong programs due to their behavior or diagnosis.  For example, one guy is completely deaf and we take him to the movies twice a week. The movie doesn’t have any captions so I don’t see the point of him attending the movie. Another client has the verbal language but refuses to speak unless its about something he needs, like shower or bathroom. The agency would like to get him a communication device and I believe that he doesn’t need a communication device because it will impair him even more and he will rely on than trying to speak.

I think placing labels on individuals is wrong, people with special needs aren't given a chance to prove that they are well knowledgeable in certain subjects or areas. We place clients as severe retardation but that same individual can cut up fruits and vegetables and cook a meal but no one would guess that if they did not put him in that situation to show you what he can do. We need to give special needs individuals more credit than what society has been.

Disproportionate Representation

The disproportionate representation of children of color in special education is a long-standing problem that continues to concern educators. I see this every day in the Youngstown City Schools just with providing LLI services to third grade students.

The newly reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, IDEA (P.L.108-446), once again addresses the concern and requires states to take more aggressive steps to monitor and respond. 

Of course the extent of disproportionality varies considerably across states and school districts.

 While information or results in this type of monitoring has focused on unusually high rates of identification of minority children in some disability categories, I think that changing practices in order to reduce those numbers will not necessarily improve educational services and outcomes.

Appropriate responses depend on a comprehensive understanding of disproportionality. This is something new teachers are still being trained on. A starting point for a better understanding of disproportionate representation and its significance is to accurately define and report rates of representation.

Chapter 5 did a great job at discussing the issue and ways to be aware of it and work towards changing it.

Disproportionate representation - Blog #4

This is a very interesting topic for me to discuss. The reason is that for my project in our other class I learned from my students parent that Pennsylvania is notorious for the over identification of its students qualifying for special education services.  For the purposes of this blog, I didn't research the accuracy of that statement. However, based upon what we have learned from our reading, I suspect that any district would love the opportunity to inflate their numbers regarding students requiring services. The logic is simple to compute once you learn that every district receives additional state funding per student with disabilities. For instance, you can triple or sometimes quadruple the revenue per student that qualifies for services. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the temptation in that. When you are already a lower income school district that struggles with increasing your capital by utilizing the traditional methods like levies and fundraisers, you might be inclined to fudge the numbers. Now, unfortunately I don't want to stereotype any group, but we all know that the African-american population tends to be among the largest cohort that falls into that low socio-economic status. This explains why we have learned that young black males are among the most disproportionately accounted for group in special education. Take for instance, Youngstown City Schools, which is quite a mess. For example, because of poor parental involvement in the schools and community, you have horrible results for levies, fundraisers and the like. The teachers are completely overwhelmed with the job in front of them due to lack of support from across the board. I guess, simply put, it's a systemic failure from the word "Go!" Where is the school going to get any funding from now? Where is the teacher going to get support from now? At least by putting these kids on IEP's, they will get some of the attention they are not receiving at home. The same thing has been going on fifty miles away in Cleveland for just as long. Their inner city schools are grossly under-staffed and supported. The sad thing is that these children probably don't need special education services, they need a good home.

Amanda Johnson / Disproportionate Representation in Special Education. What Are Some Promising Solutions?

As I read Education for All - Chapter 5, I became more aware of how Disproportionate Representation has been a problem for almost a century in the educational system. Oswald (2012) writes, “Children are not to be identified as disabled because of poor achievement due to environmental “disadvantage” or ethnic, linguistic, or racial difference.” As much as Oswald may be stating the ‘obvious’ our education system still doesn’t completely reflect it. We base intelligence off of standardized test and grades that reflect the understanding of the Common Core Standards but what exactly is ‘common’ or ‘standard’? What is the ‘norm’ that we use to create/build these standards and test?

We face many obstacles while trying to teach a specific content in a way that interest and is grasped by every student. Jimenez and Graf (2008) have some great strategies that can be implemented in the classroom to relieve disproportionate representation such as Culturally Responsive Instructional Approaches and Response to Intervention. Both of these strategies require the educator to adapt an understanding of the students’ sociocultural and background.  With that being said – why not train our educators to become more culturally and linguistically diverse and aware during professional developments.

We know that not every child learns the same or has the same interest. With the educational world becoming more aware of these issues future teachers (like me) are being taught different approaches and learning styles to implement the content to my classroom. Too often it is assume that when a child struggles with a lesson that he/she isn’t ‘smart’ enough to grasp the content. What needs to be thought about is the different ways the lesson can be taught in that will begin to help the child understand and grasp the content. Through experience I have learned that connecting the content to real world experiences has a great outcome of success. During my student teaching I implemented a fraction unit to a second grade classroom.  While giving my pre-assessment I asked the questions “what is the numerator of a fraction represent?” Not one student in the class was able to answer that question correctly but when they were ask to explain what it meant if I eat 1/3 of a pie 80% of the class was able to tell me that I ate one of the three pieces of the pie. I was then able to tie the academic language into their real-world connection of fractions with pie and meet the unit’s objectives.

Connection and building relationships with each student can go along way for both the student and the teacher. Educators can use interest inventories, observations, and journals to get to know their students and their strengths. Understanding each child’s learning preference and prior knowledge can help build a foundation for the teaching styles and material needed to implement a successful lesson. Tying the students’ strengths, schema, interest, and personal life together will result in lifelong knowledge.

Response to Intervention is another great solution that I have personally witnessed. RTI is a three tier system that helps misrepresent student’s lack of interest/motivation or understanding as special needs. This practice is a great way to tangibly individualize student’s learning instead of throwing him or her in the system. We used to say “if you don’t pass the test you’re special needs” well now you need to ‘pass the test’ to be special needs.This procedure requires observations and documentation of the child and his/her learning. Once the student goes through all three tiers and is observed over a period of time in all academic settings, the educators then have data to prove and back them up when saying that the child needs special services.

Blog #4: Disproportionate Representation in Special Education!

     The problems with disproportionate representation, in my opinion, still is concerned with applying stigmatizing labels and also inequalities based upon race,SES, and color.People today are still being looked down on based upon  their race and cultural heritage. Even if you have an education or come from a family of high economic influence and education, society still views the world as black and white and rich and poor. The racial inequalites and stigmatizing labels have been causing turmoil even when I was in school back in the 1970's and the 1980's and children today are still being exposed to negative attitudes that is causing emotional havoc and turmoil which leads into our educational system.
According to the textbook,  Education for All: Critical Issues in the Education and Youth with Disabilities by Jimenez and Graf; "evidence that per pupil expenditures in schools attended by low-SES students of color are lower, and these schools are less likely to offer advanced courses and other supplemental services for their students" (Jimenez and Graf 2008 p142). I was disturbed when I read that statement because everyone should be valued as equals especially when it comes to the education of our children. I feel that social media and also media in general has a huge impact on the views of our children and how they see others and their world.
    I am not an educator but I was employed as a Therapeutic Staff Support Worker within various different school systems. According to the textbook: Education for All: Critical Issues in the Education of Children and Youth with Disabilities; author has stated: "the role of educators is not solely to teach families how "to do school" but rather to get to know the families and take time to build the social relationships needed to create meaningful links between a child's home life and what happens in the classroom" (Moll,1999) &(Jimenez and Graf2008 p148)I have witnessed a few of my clients being stigmatized due to the lower socioeconomic background of their family and not receive the educational assistance that they so deeply needed. I was truly always advocating for my clients but because I was not employed by the school system that I was working out of and hired through an outside source my advocating for the client and their family did not have much of a standing.
    In conclusion, I feel that looking at the student with a disability without a label or racial stigma is important to locating appropriate tools and accommodations/recommendations that will help him/her to become successful in a least restrictive environment mainstreamed into inclusive general education classrooms. You want to get to know the child's history and not apply negative judgement based upon visual appearances. It is also important to maintain open communication and dialogue with the family and get to know them as well. Everyone needs to work together as one equal team and it only takes one person to cause emotional turmoil within the education of that student.All students no matter their race, SES level, cultural heritage, and disability deserve a well rounded education to become successful in their future goals and admirations.It is up to us as teachers and also outside professionals to guide them and get them to their goals of success.

Blog Post #4: Disproportionate Representation in Special Education

The overrepresentation of culturally and linguistically diverse students is a huge problem in special education.  While it is important for all students to get the education they deserve, it is unfair to inaccurately place students in special education programs if they don’t need it.  As stated in Education for All, “the overrepresentation of students of color means that they have limited access to general education experiences and the opportunities those experiences provide” (Jimenez & Graf, 2008, p. 132)

The misidentification of special education students seems to be one aspect of the problem.  After talking to a number of teachers (both general education and special education), the major consensus is that both parents and teachers are too quick to label students as special needs.  Some students just do not get good grades, and are placed in the special education program. 

While talking to a few teachers in the Austintown School District, there seems to be an overwhelming agreement that the students are mislabeled.  Austintown is one of the larger school districts in the area, and the special education program is very culturally disproportionate.  While I am not a teacher, it was very helpful talking to these teachers and getting their opinions.  They believe that some students are labeled as special needs, but they just do not apply themselves.  One example I heard, was a family asking for their child to be placed in the special education program because he was not getting good grades.  He was tested, and it was determined that he did not have a learning disability, but his mother was insistent of his placement in special education. 

I am not yet a teacher, but this is disappointing to hear that some families request unnecessary placement of their child in special education.   They believe that their child will receive specialized instruction; however, he or she is missing out of the opportunities provided in the general education curriculum.

I believe that one solution is more parent involvement.  If students can feel comfortable going to their parents for academic help, then they tend to do better in school.  They get the attention and extra assistance they need at home, and that translates in the classroom.  A good home life can help students perform better in class.  Focused attention from parents can give the student more confidence in school when asked to participate.  He or she will be better prepared going into the next school day.  This can lead to better grades, and not be inaccurately identified.

While I understand that this is easier said than done, I believe that there must be some way for students to get extra help.  I know that some students come from a very unhealthy home, and extra parent involvement is unlikely.  However, as teachers, we must evaluate a child properly, and not just immediately place him or her in special education.  Some students might benefit from a tutor, or an extra study hall.  The answer isn’t always to label them as special education.  

Blog 4 Disproportionate Representation in Special Education. Calhoun

Disproportionate Representation has been a problem for years in the Educational system of the United States.  Started with the complete segregation of African Americans as well as other non white immigrants.  Even some caucasian immigrants faced practices that forced them to learn English and become more "Americanized".  Multiple court decisions have made it so that every child is required to receive a free and substantial education, however problems still arise.
 Some promising solutions that were mentioned in "Education for All", such as Culturally Responsive Instructional Approaches, and Response to Intervention Models.  Culturally Responsive teaching according to Jimenez and Graf (2008), "requires that educators understand the sociocultural and historical context that influences their students's actions".   When trying to implement culturally responsive instructional approaches teachers must look at what environments there students are growing up in, and what is the best way to reach these students. This can come in all forms, whether its the cultural norms of the student body, or literacy practices of their students these factors need to be taken into account so that the students are receiving the best quality education.  RTI is another solution that is being implemented with a three tier system.  With the first tier  "quality instruction with ongoing monitoring of students' progress within general education classrooms". (Jimenez and Graf, 2008) At the second tier support is given to students who have yet to meet standards in the general education program.  Finally the last tier students who don't respond to the intervention they are then evaluated for placement in special education programs or in some they are put right into a special ed. program.  Culturally responsive instructional approaches and Response to intervention models are just some of the ways that educational systems are trying to solve disproportionate representation.

Although I do not have experience in the classroom with disproportionate representation I think that the best way to resolve it is by understanding the cultural backgrounds of each of your students.  I think that a lot of times teachers get lazy when dealing with students and think that since they don't understand something, or are acting out in class,  they automatically need to be in a special education classroom. Many times the student, I feel, is misunderstood.  They may have the ability to understand the lesson but they don't understand how it is being taught.  This is where the teacher needs to find out what helps the student to learn more efficiently. Whether its incorporating new methods of teaching a lesson, such as using popular music and having students make their own song incorporating material from the lesson.  This way could be effective because it allows kids to incorporate music and something they like into the lesson plan. It is also vital to understand the home life of the student.  Some come from a low socioeconomic group, and they might not be getting the resources needed at home to help support what they are learning at school. Teachers then have to understand that homework might not be the best thing because there is no one at home to help them if they have trouble completing it, which leads to it not getting done and that student feeling bad about their performance which will effect them in the classroom.  Our attention needs to be focused on the home life of students.  As mentioned in previous modules the key to success in an education system is good parent/ teacher relationships.  Teachers need to understand what students home lives and how students work at home the best so that they can implement them into the classroom.  Talking with parents and finding out what works best when learning at home, is vital to success in the classroom.  If students get consistency in the way that they learn, they will excel, which could lead to the diminishing of disproportionate representation.

Disproportionate Representation in Special Education

Some solutions in my professional judgment that can address disproportionate representation in special education are the different experience levels of teachers. Many teacher start out in inner city schools and “move up” to suburbs. I say it like this because I have heard a few teachers say this. I disagree with this completely. I do not believe going from inner city to a suburb is moving up. The pay may be different, but if you are teaching 2nd grade, the level does not change. All students learn at different speeds and each student learns differently. Getting to know a student will benefit the progress of that student no matter whether they are special ed., with a learning disability or gifted and talented. If a teacher understands the best ways for a student to learn, they will be able to guide each student to success.

As “Education for All” states, the panel found reason to believe that schools with higher concentrations of low-income, minority children are more likely to have teachers who are less experiences and less well trained. These schools are also less likely to offer advanced courses. I believe that our attention should be focused in these low-income schools because they should have the same opportunities as the other schools do. If children are gifted, they should be classrooms that are beneficial to them. If there are students with learning disabilities, there should be classrooms that are least restrictive to them as well. The teachers that are hired in these schools are not less well trained, however they do not have as much experience always. Having said this, a teacher who has an open mind while teaching and teaches students to their student’s zone of proximal development will be the most successful no matter what race or ethnicity they are.

I am not a teacher in the classroom every day, however I do tutor a girl three times a week at an inner city school. I am in the library and I see the librarian interact with some of the children when they first come into school. She asks them about their siblings, and parents. She asks them how their weekends are and what they did. I have also heard her state that she talked to some of their moms before outside of school. Doing this, the librarian showed me that she is trying to take accommodations one step further with incorporation. This is stated in “Education for All” as well. Although she is not a teacher, her asking the students what is going on at home and then talking to the teachers and telling them what the children’s responses were will benefit them all. The librarian, teachers, and other staff members should all work as a team to help improve the student in the classroom.

"Disproportionate Representation in Special Education: What Are Some Promising Solutions?"-Jamie Diemert

This subject is very interesting to me because it is about a topic I was totally unfamiliar with. I was raised, educated, and now live and work in an inner city areas. I have only known populations that were mainly minorities, so the idea that these individuals are disproportionate in special education because of their race or culture is a unbelievable idea to me. The school that I currently work at has 401 students with only 27 of them identified as Caucasian. There are only a total of 40 students identified and serviced on IEP’s, so this to me is not an extreme percentage of identified students. I have always assumed that students were strictly identified because they had a disability, not because of their race, culture, or economic level. When learning about special education I was not surprised to learn about the unfair treatment of individuals with disabilities because it was something I have learned and heard about my whole life where I grew up with the people of my neighborhoods, but I never imagined that the two would be connected in such a way. I understand now that the idea of disproportionate representation is being used as another way to limit the education and success of not only the disabled but the children of this country viewed as “not Native-born Americans”.

I feel the first step in finding a solution to this issue is to become more educated as to how children form disabilities and if they can be prevented somehow. This is being done with companies such as the March of Dimes that uses all of their resources and knowledge to limit the number of babies born prematurely, which can cause so many difficulties and disabilities in children as they become school age and beyond. By understanding why these disabilities are real and here, I would hope we could be more understanding and then begin to learn how to treat and teach these students. That leads me to agree with the book's Education for All and other research based solution of RTI in general education classrooms. In my school we do use RTI services for students that teachers feel are struggling and may need further evaluation. RTI is a wonderful service that “challenges educators and researchers to discover what works with which student in what context” Education for All pg 150. Teachers should give the students to learn on different levels of intervention. Change the way the information is presented, provide additional supports, communicate with families to provide home support of strategies, and give the student more opportunities to “catch up” or “catch on” before leaping to the step of identifying them with a disability. Through all my schooling and life I have always understood that no child is the same no matter where they came from, and that just seems like the most logical way people should think.

Our attention needs to first be to not look at a disability but to look at the student and begin to learn to understand how they learn. We need to ask ourselves how can we change things to get them to understand. I am kindergarten teacher and if I look at my students I am sure I could “label” so many of them with disabilities if I simply went by the characteristics of the disabilities, but that would be so unfair, and it is unfair that it is happening. I have changed my instruction sometimes to a preschool level, taken into account their level of home support, educational experiences, and will do all I can to help them learn. If, and only if, all these supports and interventions don’t help my students or any students, they should be placed in the position to be evaluated for their ability.

Promising Solutions to Disproportionate Representation in Special Education

This was a difficult module for me.  I am a nurse within the school system, not a teacher.  I do see students on 504’s, IEP’s and in multi-handicapped classrooms.  But as far as the students that are getting special education in general settings, I do not have information on that.  However, what I do have is experience with teachers asking parents and asking me to ask parents to give ADD/ADHD medications very often.  This happens with students, mostly boys, staring in the first weeks of Kindergarten.  Teachers want quick fix for what they refer to as behavioral issues.  Many times I have felt that the student’s behavior is a reflection of very limited resources aka poverty.  Are these behavioral issues or are these social norms for this particular student?  If a child has limited resources at home, they have less time for books and learning opportunities when their parents are just trying to pay rent.  Is it a socialization issue? Is it a cultural issue?

While the district I work in used to be more suburban, it really has a more urban feel now.  The community has many more renters than homeowners, many of our children are on free or reduced meals and there is a steady influx of Napoli immigrants.   There is also “open enrollment” in my district, so we get many inner-city students.  My point is many children are coming to school with no pre-school experience, little to no health care (their immunizations show this), and very limited resources in the home.  These children cannot be expected to “hit the ground running” with the learning process when they are dealing with limited resources, English as a second language, and minimal preparation for education.  I have heard from teachers “what am I supposed to do?”  This is so sad to me because I am not an educator.  I really don’t know what to do.  But medicating children or placing them in a special education class is not the answer.  While reading Chapter 5, I agreed that poverty does have effects on development.  Children have less health care, poor nutrition, and less early education.  But this can’t be true for each child in inner-city schools.  Not every child can be put in special education.  While I continued with the reading, I was disturbed to see that inner-city type schools had fewer opportunities for advanced learning.  I feel this sadly is about money, not talent or the potential of students.  So what is the answer?  I do not know.  But I do feel meeting children where they are is so very important.  Identifying them as needing special education instead of digging deeper and taking into account social, cultural or economical issues is a huge mistake. 

Perhaps more education and resources for teachers is a start.  Being a teacher is so difficult.  I do not envy teachers with 25 students in their classes.  I can see how one of several students can impede the learning process for the entire class.  

Blog Post 4- Ronghi- Disproportionate Representation

According to the book, Education for All, it states that special education traditionally focuses on individual- level factors and less attention to the other levels. I agree with the authors of this book when they state “if only a given level is targeted, it is likely overrepresentation issues will not be addressed." In the book on page 144, there is a visual representation called “The Multiple Planes of Learning and Development (Figure 5.2).” It has an individual plane which focuses on cognition, affect, behavior, motivation, beliefs, attitudes, and values. The next is interpersonal plane of development which focuses on communication, dialogue, discourse, interaction, roles, cooperation, and conflict. The third is community/institutional plane of development which focuses on shared history, languages, rules, values, beliefs, identities, and activities. I think attention should be focused on looking at all the planes of learning and development because they all affect a student. For example, as an educator, I have seen special education students placed in a regular education classroom with instructional accommodations but are rejected because of their social skills. As a result, just focusing on the individual level factors and ignoring social interaction factors will not provide this student with the best education possible.  I have also seen misdiagnosing of special education students based on just looking at the individual plane of development. For example, a student who lacked motivation and low IQ was labeled ID. But in reality the student lacked experiences and fell behind in the regular education classroom because he/she did not attempt to do the work because it was too difficult and lacked the experiences (prior knowledge). I see students like this being placed in special education because general educators do not know what else to do with these students. Not to put blame on these teachers but teachers have a huge accountability piece for all students today. As a result, some solutions to decrease overrepresentation and misdiagnosis is to look at all planes of development and learning.

"Disproportionate Representation in Special Education: What Are Some Promising Solutions?"

            There are two approaches discussed in Education for All that address disproportionate representation.  They are response-to-intervention, and culturally responsive instruction.  The RTI model is beneficial in that it places all students in a general education classroom and they are closely monitored in this environment first to see how they progress.  The support is given within the general education class when needed (Jiminez and Graf, 2008). I am not a teacher in the classroom, therefore I don’t have any direct experience, however culturally responsive instruction should be used for every student.  One reason there are so many African American students requiring special education services is that they talk in a black dialect that is very different than the standard English textbooks they are using in the classroom.  Differentiated instruction and accommodations need to be made for them to interpret these books.  To them, it’s like reading a book in a different language.  In the early 1900’s many of our largest cities saw an influx of immigrants in its cities schools.  The immigrants went to schools where both the language and culture were different from their own.  Many of the immigrants had to repeat grades, and eventually dropped out of school.  This happened to my mom’s oldest brother Jake.  The only language he knew was Ukrainian, which was the only language spoken in the home when he was sent to school.  There weren’t any accommodations made for him and he eventually dropped out to go to work in the coal mines. 

            The previous school I was a school nurse at was in a poor urban area with a large percentage of African American students.  There are also a large number of poor students in my current school.  Poverty, along with a student’s family background is a huge factor in whether a student will have success in the classroom.  Many of my students lack the proper nutrition and do not have adequate healthcare that could give them the best opportunity to succeed.  They do not have the “luxury” of just worrying about having to study for a test or complete their homework at home in the evening.  Many have no food at home, or have incarcerated or drug addicted parents.  Some families are also facing homelessness. This is the reality in many of our city’s schools today.  As a nurse, I work closely with the families and school liaisons to determine who is most in need and what services are needed to help these families. I feel as a nurse I must act as the student’s advocate.  When a student comes into the health clinic I have to assess the “whole” student to determine what their needs are.  Are they sick, hungry or tired?  Do they just need a hug or an encouraging word or smile; because this may be the only positive action they receive the entire day.  Many mornings I deal with student’s coming in late who haven’t eaten anything since they got up.  Many also come dressed in dirty clothes or inappropriate clothes for the weather.  I work closely with churches in the area who are willing to donate items or food.  Many have been very generous.  All of us working in the school system must be cognizant of each student’s unique needs and deliver appropriate care and instruction that respects their culture.  Every student needs and deserves this.  As stated by Jiminez and Graf (2008), in Education for All, “When children and their parents are respected and valued, the entire learning environment benefits by creating a supportive and improved school climate.” (p.162)