It is widely acknowledged that girls are less likely to receive an autism diagnosis compared to boys (Gould, J. 2017. "Towards Understanding the Under-Recognition of Girls and Women on the Autism Spectrum." "Autism" 21 (6): 703-705), with growing recognition that girls are underserved by the current clinical diagnostic…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present a brief exploration of the disproportional representation of African American students in special education with a focus on addressing racial bias in the identification process at the school level. Design/methodology/approach: This inquiry was conducted through a literature search of data and extant…

Disproportionate representation of English learners in special education has been a longstanding and ongoing concern. However, research examining disproportionate representation of English learners receiving special education services for emotional and/or behavioral disorders (EBD) has been limited. To address this gap, a meta-analysis of…

This monograph, one of a series on youth with disabilities and the juvenile justice system, reviews current data on disabilities requiring special education and related supports. Statistics on the prevalence of juvenile crime are followed by statistics on the prevalence of special education disabilities in the system, specifically specific…

This brief paper analyzes the types of information about disproportionality of particular racial/ethnic groups in special education that states provided in the Biennial Performance Reports (BPRs) submitted to the U.S. Department of Education in 2002 (covering the academic years 1991-2000 and 2000-2001). A section on the study's background notes…

This brief paper summarizes information collected from state education agencies concerning: (1) state-level special education data collected by gender; and (2) gender and special education issues identified as concerns. A section on the study's background notes that about two-thirds of students receiving special education services are boys,…

Discusses how cross-gender misunderstanding can affect the educational process and can result in boys being mislabeled as emotionally and/or behaviorally disordered for displaying strong traditional male behavioral patterns. The tendency for boys to challenge authority and to display aggression is examined, along with the overrepresentation of…

This article discusses the disproportional placement of African-American males in programs for students with serious emotional disturbance and their poor school outcomes. It urges educators to focus more attention on appropriate and successful interventions within a continuum of educational services for this population. Case examples are provided…

Argues that gender bias among referring agents is a major factor in the unequal distribution of males and females in learning disabilities programs. Discusses the role of male hyperactive or disruptive classroom behavior in the disproportionately large number of males referred to learning disabilities programs. (Author/CR)

This monograph addresses issues associated with the disproportionate representation of culturally diverse students in special education for students with emotional or behavioral disorders (E/BD). Chapter 1 considers identification, assessment, and intervention strategies for culturally diverse students with E/BD. Chapter 2 discusses the impact of…

This report contains the proceedings of a hearing on the overidentification of students with disabilities that was conducted on October 4, 2001, before the United States House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce. The report includes opening statements by Chairman John Boehner and Representative George Miller and the…

This issue describes how researchers are studying ways to reduce the overrepresentation of students from minority backgrounds in special education. It begins by discussing problems associated with inappropriate classification and placement of minority students, including being denied access to the general education curriculum, being placed in…

This reports offers a synthesis of the current knowledge and theoretical positions concerning the disproportionate representation of minorities in special education. It is divided into five broad sections: (1) an introduction which clarifies the terminology and purpose of the report; (2) an overview of the position of minority students in the…

This report synthesizes the key themes and ideas discussed at two 1-day workshops addressing issues in the use of IQ tests in special education evaluation and placement. The first section considers the background and legal context of the issue. The next section looks at IQ tests in school settings. Key ideas raised include the importance of never…