Significant Disproportionality

Significant Disproportionality Resources 01 Significant Disproportionality: Why We Measure it and What it Means 02 Significant Disproportionality Resources CONTENTS

Why are we addressing significant disproportionality? “…we need to address racial and ethnic disparities in special education. This important step forward is about ensuring the right services get to the right students in the right way.” — Former US Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. Source: https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/fact-sheet-equity-idea 1.7X 1.9X African American students with disabilities in MA are 1.7 times as likely to receive a disciplinary removal than all other students with disabilities Hispanic students in MA are 1.94 times as likely to be identified as a student with an Intellectual Disability than students in other racial/ethnic groups

Calculations Calculations 01

IDEA Requirement Each state must examine data to determine if significant disproportionality based on race and ethnicity is occurring in the State and in school districts with respect to– 1) the identification of children as children with disabilities, including in specific disability categories; 2) the placement in particular educational settings; 3) the incidence, duration, and type of disciplinary removals from placement, including suspensions and expulsions. 34 CFR § 300.646(a)(1)-(3)

DESE must calculate disproportionality with respect to… Identification The identification of children ages 3 through 21, as children with : A disability An intellectual disability A specific learning disability Emotional disturbance Speech or language impairments Other health impairments Autism Placement Placements of children with disabilities ages 6 through 21: Inside a regular class less than 40% of the day Inside separate schools and residential facilities Discipline Discipline incidents, including, for children with disabilities ages 3 through 21: 10. Out-of-school suspensions and expulsions of 10 days or fewer 11. Out-of-school suspensions and expulsions of more than 10 days 12. In-school suspensions of 10 days or fewer 13. In-school suspensions of more than 10 days 14 . Disciplinary removals in total

How will DESE calculate disproportionality? For each of the 7 racial/ethnic groups in each of these 14 categories, DESE will calculate a risk ratio (or alternate risk ratio), and flag those districts whose risk ratio or alternate risk ratio is 4.0 or greater for each of the past 3 years. Racial and ethnic groups listed in the regulation – American Indian or Alaska Native Asian Black or African American Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander White; and Two or more races Risk – the likelihood that a student will experience a particular outcome (here, that a student will be identified, placed in a specific setting, or disciplinarily removed). Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Key Terms Risk ratio Calculation performed by dividing the risk of a particular outcome for children in one racial or ethnic group within an LEA by the risk for children in all other racial and ethnic groups within the LEA. In SY19-20, a district will be flagged if its risk ratio for a particular racial/ethnic group in a particular category is 4.0 or greater for each of the previous 3 years.

Risk Ratio Example #1 - Identification Example: The likelihood that an African American child will be identified as a child with a disability, compared to children in all other racial and ethnic groups. Compare the risk for African American children to the risk for non-African American children 80 African American children identified 80 ÷ ÷ 400 total African American children in LEA 400 0.2 Risk Ratio __________________________________________________ = _____________ = ________ = 2.0 200 non-African American children identified 200 0.1 2,000 total non-African American children in LEA 2,000 African American children in the LEA are 2.0 times as likely to be identified as a child with a disability, compared to children in all other racial and ethnic groups. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Risk Ratio Example #2 - Placement Example: The likelihood that a Hispanic/Latino child’s placement will be in a general education classroom less than 40% of the day, compared to that likelihood for a child in all other racial and ethnic groups. Compare the risk for Hispanic/Latino children to the risk for non-Hispanic/Latino children 105 Hispanic/Latino children placed in a general education classroom than 40% of the day 105 ÷ 250 Total Hispanic/Latino children with IEPs in the LEA = 250 0.42 Risk Ratio 4.2 200 Non-Hispanic/Latino children placed in a general education classroom than 40% of the day 200 0.1 2,000 Total Non-Hispanic/Latino children with IEPs in the LEA 2,000 Hispanic/Latino children in the LEA are 4.2 times as likely to be placed in a general education classroom less than 40% of the day, compared to children in all other racial and ethnic groups. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

What if my district is very small? We will only calculate a risk ratio for groups that meet the minimum cell size (6) and n-size (20). Cell size: Number of children in the racial/ethnic group(s) experiencing a particular outcome. Numerator in the risk calculation. N-size: Number of children in the racial/ethnic group(s) enrolled in a district with respect to identification, and the number of children with disabilities enrolled in an LEA with respect to placement and discipline. Denominator in the risk calculation. Explain why we cannot calculate if cell and n-sizes are not met

Risk Ratio Example #1 - Identification Example: The likelihood that an African American child will be identified as a child with a disability, compared to children in all other racial and ethnic groups. Compare the risk for African American children to the risk for non-African American children 80 African American children identified 80 ÷ ÷ 400 total African American children in LEA 400 0.2 Risk Ratio __________________________________________________ = _____________ = ________ = 2.0 200 non-African American children identified 200 0.1 2,000 total non-African American children in LEA 2,000 African American children in the LEA are 2.0 times as likely to be identified as a child with a disability, compared to children in all other racial and ethnic groups. Cell size N-size Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

What if the comparison group is too small? If the groups meet the minimum cell and n-size, but there are not enough students in all other racial/ethnic groups in the LEA, we use an alternate risk ratio. A calculation performed by dividing the risk of a particular outcome for children in one racial or ethnic group within an LEA by the risk of that outcome for children in all other racial or ethnic groups in the State.

Risk Ratio Example #1 - Identification Example: The likelihood that an African American child will be identified as a child with a disability, compared to children in all other racial and ethnic groups. Compare the risk for African American children to the risk for non-African American children 80 African American children identified ÷ 400 total African American children in LEA __________________________________________________ 2 non-African American children identified 18 total non-African American children in LEA In this case, we cannot use a risk ratio (because the comparison group has a cell size of less than 6 and an n-size of less than 20), so we instead use an ALTERNATE RISK RATIO. Comparison Group Cell size Comparison group N-size Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Alternate Risk Ratio Example: The likelihood that a Hispanic/Latino child with an IEP will experience a disciplinary removal, compared to children in all other racial and ethnic groups. Compare the risk for Hispanic/Latino children with IEPs to the risk for non-Hispanic Latino children with IEPs Hispanic/Latino students with IEPs in the LEA are 7.0 times as likely to be disciplined, compared to students with IEPs in all other racial and ethnic groups across the state. 220 Hispanic/Latino students with IEPS disciplined ÷ 370 total Hispanic/Latino student with IEPs in the LEA _____________________________________________________________________ 11,000 non-Hispanic/Latino students with IEPs disciplined across the state 130,000 non-Hispanic/Latino students with IEPs across the state 220 ÷ 370 ______ 11,000 130,000 0.595 ______ 0.085 Alternate Risk Ratio 7.0 = = = Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Are there any other exceptions? A state is not required to make an identification of significant disproportionality if the district is making reasonable progress. Reasonable progress: lowering the risk ratio or alternate risk ratio for the group and category in each of the two prior consecutive years Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Reasonable Progress District 1 5.6 5.3 5.2 Meets Reasonable Progress District 2 4.9 4.8 4.6 District 3 4.7 4.3 Does Not Meet Reasonable Progress 1. https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/f/300.647/c

Identification Plans MA DESE plans to notify and provide data to all LEAs during Summer 2018-2019 Current MA DESE plan for notification and provision of data, but possible changes if we receive different guidance from OSEP and USED -We plan to contact all LEAs during the summer of 2018-2019 -This is current MA DESE plan for notification and provision of data, but possible changes if we receive different guidance from OSEP and USED

Significant Disproportionality Resources 02

Planned Webinar Significant Disproportionality Fiscal Responsibilities Webinar June 12, 2019 1:00 PM and 3:00PM http://www.doe.mass.edu/conference/?ConferenceID=10016

Significant Disproportionality Resources IDEA Data Center (IDC): Equity Requirements https://ideadata.org/equity- requirements/files/resources/59088ede150ba0dd678b4573/5912042f150ba01b1a8b456b/idc-equity- comparison/2017/05/09/idc-equity-comparison.pdf IDEA Significant Disproportionality: Essential Questions and Answers https://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/memosdcltrs/significant-disproportionality-qa-03-08-17.pdf CIFER Center for IDEA Fiscal Reporting (CIFER): Comprehensive Coordinate Early Intervening Services https://cifr.wested.org/resources/ceis/ceis-step-by-step/ IDC Success Gaps Toolkit https://ideadata.org/toolkits/

IDEA Data Center (IDC): Equity Requirements https://ideadata.org/equity-requirements/files/resources/59088ede150ba0dd678b4573/5912042f150ba01b1a8b456b/idc-equity-comparison/2017/05/09/idc-equity-comparison.pdf

IDEA Significant Disproportionality: Essential Questions and Answers https://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/memosdcltrs/significant-disproportionality-qa-03-08-17.pdf

Center for IDEA Fiscal Reporting (CIFR): Comprehensive Coordinated Early Intervening Services https://cifr.wested.org/resources/ceis/ceis-step-by-step/

IDC Success Gaps Toolkit https://ideadata.org/toolkits/

What are you left wondering? Questions What are you left wondering? What questions do you have about Significant Disproportionality calculations?