Special Education Placement Factors for Latino Students

Abstract

The disproportionate representation of minority students in special education programs has been a problem for over forty years. Factors contributing to minority overrepresentation include the lack of primary prevention, inappropriate language and educational assessment, over-referral of minority students for suspected learning difficulties, duration of enrollment in language support services [i.e. English as a Second Language instruction (ESL)], and lack of cultural and linguistic knowledge by K-12 teachers, specialists, and administrators. The goal of the investigator was to determine pertinent placement factors used by Multidisciplinary Educational Team (MET) members when deciding whether or not to place Latino English Language Learner (ELL) students in special education for a suspected specific learning disability (SLD). Identification of such factors may elucidate why some ELL students are inappropriately placed in special education for a SLD while others who need services are not. The investigator also willdetermine the extent special education eligibility determination was based on standardized achievement test scores, Intelligence Quotient (IQ) test scores, IQ-achievement discrepancy criteria, and qualitative data such as MET report data.