Racial disparities are consistently present in the office discipline referral data for schools. Beginning in primary grades, African-American students are frequently punished more severely and more often than their peers who display similar behavior. Nationally, during the 2017-1018 school year, over two million K-12 public school students were…

This dissertation investigates the disproportionality of students of color enrolled in special education in the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD), with a focus on novice teachers' perceptions and experiences. By investigating the variables contributing to this disparity and obtaining views from early career educators, the research has…

The number of special education referrals continues to increase for African American students, which contributes to a disproportionate amount of African American students within the special education system. Teachers play a role in referring African American students to special education in urban schools. Therefore, this qualitative…

In 2017-18, the number of learners ages 3-21 who received special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was 7.0 million, or 14% of all public-school learners. Of that 7.0 million, 13% were Hispanic learners (NCES, 2019). Among ELLs with disabilities, nearly 50% had specific learning disability, and 21%…

Disproportionality in special education is a complex issue adversely impacting African-American students. African-American students experience disproportionality in referral to special education and identification with a disability, removing them from the general education setting and resulting in denial of access and socialization with their…

Students with disabilities (SWDs) face challenges in following rules and expectations. The problem addressed by this study was that SWDs experience disproportionate levels of exclusionary discipline when compared to their non-disabled peers. This quantitative causal-comparative study examined the impact of different levels of positive behavior…

Race-based over-representation in special education, or disproportionality, is a pervasive equity issue correlated with poorer educational outcomes. While racial disproportionality is described widely in literature as a persistent and significant problem, few studies suggest ways to positively disrupt this pattern. This study aimed to test whether…

This qualitative narrative study explored the perceptions of public-school general education teachers on the training they received for referring students to special education. Two key aspects of this were investigated: (1) navigating the special education referral process, and (2) using individualized interventions that are effective with African…

Bringing to life the voices of children, families, and school personnel, this bestseller describes in detail the school climates and social processes that place many children of color at risk of being assigned inappropriate disability labels. Now in its third edition, this powerful ethnographic study examines the placement of Black and Hispanic…

There is an overrepresentation of African American students in special education classes; placing African Americans disproportionately in special education classes lowers their self-esteem and compromises their academic performance. This study aimed to increase understanding of the meaning-making processes elementary school general education…

A long-standing issue in the United States has been the disproportionate representation of African American males in special education (Chin et al., 2020). This interpretive qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of implicit bias in the special education referral process for multidisciplinary team members and the…

This study examines the impact of an alternative to suspension program on second semester office discipline referrals for participating students. The study compares students who completed the intervention program with those who would have qualified during the school year prior to the program being available at the school district. The study was…

Despite various efforts to reduce disparities in discipline referrals among African American males in schools, the gap continues to persist. African American males are disciplined at a higher rate than any other demographic in the United States. What might be the root cause? Could the perceptions of adults in the classroom be a major contributing…

The problem addressed in this study is the disproportionality in office discipline referrals (ODRs) for Black students at a Northeast Florida Middle School despite the implementation of School-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS). The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand middle school teachers'…

Disproportionate representation of historically underserved students in advanced placement programs, such as the IB program, is a persistent issue nationwide. Despite being called "the great equalizer," public education often perpetuates systemic inequities for marginalized students, including those living in poverty or belonging to…