1. FOR: MIRANDA MURPHY LINDSAY FIRN AGAINST: KAREN STEWART BRANDI WAINSCOTT Is Eliminating Minority Overrepresentation Beyond the Scope of Public Schools?

2. Issue Summary “While teachers can make a difference, environmental factors and poverty have a large impact and require interventions beyond schools.” Racial disproportionality should become a greater concern to schools and government agencies.

3. Reasons Why it is Beyond the Schools Ability

4. Factors Beyond School Control that Affect Minority Groups Minorities are generally in a lower socioeconomic bracket, which is associated with higher rates of exposure to toxins during early stages of development. Children are born with lower birth weight and have poorer nutrition. Are often raised in environments that are less supportive of early cognitive and emotional development. Parent advocacy may not be present.

5. Other Factors Categories that are not over represented (deaf, blind, orthopedic, etc), are diagnosed by the medical field, but over representation is apparent in the categories that are diagnosed in school (emotional disturbance and learning disabilities). Labels are used by schools to provide additional supports to students. Schools with a higher concentration of low income are less likely to have experienced, well-trained teachers. Low socioeconomic schools are less likely to offer advanced courses for their students, which provides less support for high academic achievement. Some teachers may be biased in their assessment and evaluation of performance and behavior.

6. Suggested Changes The current special education identification process relies on a “wait-to-fail” principle. Early supports are not in place. There are no mechanisms in place to guarantee that students will be exposed to state-of-the-art reading instruction or effective classroom management before they are identified as special education. Federal guidelines would need to be changed to elevate standards for eligibility to special education. Statewide regulations would need to be put in place to require a systematic problem-solving process that is centered around successful interventions. Schools do not have the proper resources, time or coordination.

7. How Schools can Eliminate Overrepresentation

8. Suggested Ways to Eliminate Overrepresentation Provide school readiness programs to minority groups before children enter Kindergarten. Provide advanced courses and foster an environment that supports high academic achievement. Create a less biased assessment for students being evaluated for special education. Need better legislation regarding minority children’s special education issues. Increases enforcement and oversight regarding current legislation by state and federal government. Provide better training for teacher and principles. Have the government collect data including disability category, educational setting, and race so that they can check for overrepresentation. Make sure that there is strong leadership at all levels.