The issue of disproportionality, or the over-representation of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in special education, has long been a challenge for school districts. This issue predates the implementation of PL 94-192. School building administrators are seen as agents of change, responsible for setting expectations…

The purpose of this research study was to investigate the perspectives of educational diagnosticians regarding male and female students receiving special education services in central Texas public schools. Since educational diagnosticians are the professionals who determine if students are eligible for special education services by administering…

This study investigates the overrepresentation of Black students in special education by looking at the association of race and related variables with referral, identification, and placement. Analyses were performed on a statewide sample of students and teachers to investigate relationships between student, teacher and school demographics, and…

In this dissertation, I describe patterns of educational placement for students with disabilities, test the degree to which placement is impacted by student and school variables, and offer practical guidance for how schools can promote the principle of least restrictive environment (LRE) to promote access to general education classrooms to the…

The misrepresentation of certain student groups in special education is a multifaceted issue reflecting broader educational inequities. This article explores the complex dynamics of disproportionality, focusing on differences by race group and disability category in identification and placement for special education services. It examines the…

Researchers in the field of special education has voiced concerns about the disproportionality of diverse students identified for special education services for decades. However, most of the recent research has focused on showing this issue using quantitative data. The voices beyond the numbers are imperative in better understanding this decades…

The lack of involvement of students with disabilities in a regular classroom has remained a major concern in education. Every year, the number of special students escalates. For instance, in the United States, students with disabilities accounted for 13.7% of all students between the ages of three to 21 by 2018 (Kositsky, 2019). According to…

This study examines the effects of English Learner (EL) status on subsequent Special Education (SPED) placement. Through a research-practice partnership, we link student demographic data and initial English proficiency assessment data across seven cohorts of test takers and observe EL and SPED programmatic participation for these students over…

There is growing evidence that school starting age impacts children's likelihood of receiving special education services, but less is known about variations in this effect. Using a regression discontinuity design, I found that the youngest students in a kindergarten cohort are 40% more likely (p < 0.001) to be placed in special education than…

Research has indicated that African American children are placed in special education programs at a significantly higher rate than children from other races (National Center for Education Statistics, 2019b). Limited research has been conducted to address what is causing this overrepresentation. For this reason, research on African American…

Recent European and global trends in education have been to promote inclusive education and expand education, resulting in the increased provision of special education. In promoting inclusive education, recent special education reforms have also aimed to curtail the rise in identification rates for students in special education, for example, by…

The problem that was addressed in this study was a rural school district in southeastern Georgia was identified by the Georgia Department of Education as overidentifying African American students as having an intellectual disability (ID). The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of special education eligibility team members…

The United States' child population is becoming increasingly racially diverse, and the proportion of children identified with disabilities is on an upward trajectory, but persistent disparities in outcomes based on race and disability status across education systems endure. At the intersection of these populations are children of color with…

Although South Korea has a relatively short history of special education, the country has made remarkable improvements following the Special Education Act (1974) and Act on Special Education for Persons with Disabilities (2008) mandates. The meaningful social inclusion of individuals with disabilities is a fundamental goal documented through the…

Over the past 20 years, the education system in Guyana has significantly improved. Despite this improvement, students with disabilities in Guyana still face higher rates of poverty, lack of access to schools, and a lack of teachers who are trained in how to best meet their needs. Guyana has tried to address these problems with the drafting of…