Background: People with learning disabilities are over-represented amongst Sexual Assault Referral Centre service users. This work aims to explore the similarities and differences between service users with and without learning disabilities. Method: Medical notes of 52 service users likely to have a learning disability were compared with 52…

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine the underrepresentation of twice-exceptional students in gifted programs. The study focused on the underrepresentation of twice-exceptional students in being recommended for gifted testing (Missett et al., 2016). The participants of the study encompassed kindergarten through fifth grade…

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…

African American male students are disproportionately represented in special education. The purpose of the current study is to examine the disproportionality of African American male students who are referred to special education programs and are identified special education services, specifically in the areas of Emotional Disturbance (ED),…

The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between the representation of African American and Hispanic students in gifted education programs, professional development and teacher training in gifted education, and teacher referral of these students to gifted programs. Administrators, general education teachers, and gifted education…

Background: The youngest children in an academic year are reported to be educationally disadvantaged and overrepresented in referrals to clinical services. In this study we investigate for the first time whether these disadvantages are indicative of a mismatch between language competence at school entry and the academic demands of the classroom.…

A higher percentage of African American students in a local school district were referred to special education than were students in other ethnic groups. Placement of a student in a special education program results in that student receiving a curriculum that has modified achievement standards. This correlational study examined patterns in…

The present study investigated differences between students sent to out-of-school facilities (N = 148), also called rebound facilities, and non-referred students (N = 411), in junior vocational high schools. Self-reports on externalizing and antisocial behaviors were used to compare the two samples. Referred students scored significantly higher on…

Research has widely documented the over-representation of office disciplinary referrals (ODRs) among specific student groups (e.g., African American, boys). Despite extant research documenting individual-level predictors of ODRs, few studies have accounted for the nested structure of the settings in which these events occur. Guided by critical…

Chronic underachievement, as characterized by disproportionate placement of low-income African-American students in low-ability coursework, special education programs, and behavioral remediation persists despite various efforts to address these problems (Children's Defense Fund, 2003; Harris, Brown, Ford & Richardson, 2004; Harry & Klingner, 2006;…

The disproportionate representation of minority students in special education programs has been a persistent problem in American education. Being labeled as disabled often has a negative impact on social relationships and self-concept and long-term outcomes such as graduation and employment. Disproportionate identification of students from certain…