School Special Education Disproportionality of Race in Special Ed Programs By Ann Logsdon Ann Logsdon Ann Logsdon is a school psychologist specializing in helping parents and teachers support students with a range of educational and developmental disabilities. Learn about our editorial process Updated on August 06, 2020 Fact checked by Adah Chung Fact checked by Adah Chung LinkedIn Adah Chung is a fact checker, writer, researcher, and occupational therapist. Learn about our editorial process Print gradyreese / Getty Images Disproportionality is the over-representation of minority students identified with a learning disability or other type of disability under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). When a minority group's numbers in special education are statistically higher than they should be, they are considered disproportionate. Why Is Disproportionality a Problem? When schools have higher numbers of certain ethnic or minority students enrolled in special education that they should have by statistical standards, it signals the possibility that some of the students may not be truly disabled and may have been incorrectly identified. There may also be under-representation of minorities in gifted education. Disproportionality is a problem because it can:Prevent children from reaching their academic potentialFuel negative stereotypes regarding minority groupsResult in a type of racial profiling that places minority students at a disadvantage throughout their school yearResult in lowered expectations among teachers, parents, and the students themselvesPrevent schools from recognizing the need to adjust curriculum and teaching methods to reach a broad range of instructional needs of a diverse student body Causes Disproportionality may be caused by: Failure to recognize and accommodate cultural differences among minority groups; Use of inappropriate assessment strategies for English Language Learners and racial and ethnic minorities; Failure to accommodate parents of students with Limited English Proficiency or language minorities; and Lack of responsiveness to cultural and socioeconomic differences among children and their families. Special Education 2 Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Cooc N, Kiru EW. Disproportionality in Special Education: A Synthesis of International Research and Trends. J Spec Educ. 2018;52(3):163-173. doi:10.1177/0022466918772300 Bruce SM, Venkatesh K. Special education disproportionality in the United States, Germany, Kenya, and India. Disabil Soc. 2014;29(6):908-921. doi:10.1080/09687599.2014.880330 By Ann Logsdon Ann Logsdon is a school psychologist specializing in helping parents and teachers support students with a range of educational and developmental disabilities. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit