Significant Disproportionality: Information and Expectations

1. Significant Disproportionality: Information and Expectations Oregon Department of Education Dianna Carrizales & Sara Berscheit

2. Disproportionality and Overrepresentation

3. This module looks at... • Defining disproportionality • Why disproportionality is on the front burner • IDEA 2004’s provisions • Determination of “significant disproportionality” • Resources for SEAs and LEAs

4. What is Disproportionality? % of students of a specific ethnicity or race Overrepresentation In special education In school’s population

5. What is Disproportionality? % of students of a specific ethnicity or race Underrepresentation In special education In school’s population

6. Statistics • African-American childrenTwice as likely as Whites and American Indians/ Alaskan natives to be identified as having mental retardation. • African-American childrenHalf again more likely than White students to be classified with emotional disturbance.

7. Post-School Outcomes 75% African-American students 47% White Unemployed 2 years out of high school Still not employed 3-5 years out of school 52% African-American young adults 39% White young adults Arrest rate 40% African-Americans with disabilities 27% Whites with disabilities

8. Some Hypotheses Why? • Failure of general education to educate children from diverse backgrounds • Misidentification, misuse of tests • Lack of access to effective instruction • Insufficient resources • Teachers who are less well prepared • Poverty

9. What States Must Do §300.173

10. What States Must Do §300.646

11. Defining “Significant Disproportionality” State defines for LEAs and for state in general State determines criteria for what level of disproportionality is significant

12. Determining “Significant Disproportionality” Is based on collection and examination of data -- -- and not on a district’s policies, procedures, or practices.

13. How do you measure disproportionality? Technical Assistance Guide fromU.S. Department of Education: www.ideadata.org/docs/Disproportionality%20Technical%20Assistance%20Guide.pdf

14. What happens if there’s a determination of significant disproportionality?

15. For Determinations of Significant Disproportionality • Provide for the review and revision (if appropriate) of policies, procedures, and practices used in identification or placement of children* States must: * Do they comply with requirements of IDEA?

16. For Determinations of Significant Disproportionality States must: • Require LEAs to use 15% of Part B funds for early intervening services …particularly, but not only, for children in those groups significantly overidentified.

17. ForDeterminations of Significant Disproportionality The LEA must: • Publicly report on the revision of policies, practices, and procedures

18. IDEA 2004 • Disproportionality is now 1 of 3 monitoring priorities. • States must monitorLEAs’ levels of disproportionality.

19. Reporting • States must annually reportunder 6-year State Performance Plan (SPP) on: % of districts with DR of racial and ethnic groups in special education and related services that results from inappropriate identification. in specific disability categories

20. What Disability Categories? mental retardation specific learning disabilities emotional disturbance speech or language impairments other health impairments autism

21. Sources of Technical Assistance IDEA authorizes and supports: • Technical assistance • Demonstration projects • Dissemination of information • Implementation of scientifically based research www.nccrest.org

22. NCCRESt Resources Data maps. www.nccrest.org “How-to” guides. Practitioner briefs.

23. Oregon’s Formula for Identifying Significant Disproportionality • Formula is posted online: • http://www.ode.state.or.us/schoolimprovement/accountability/monitoring/sigdispthreshjust.doc • Data Collections used: • Special Education Child Count (SECC) • Total special education population; • Total special education population for each primary disability; • Total special education population for each federal placement • Discipline Incidents • Total special education population who received long-term suspensions/expulsions • Cumulative ADM (First Period) • Total student population

24. Important changes: Race/ethnicity reporting requirements • All student-level collections are now utilizing the two-part Race/Ethnicity question: • Ethnicity: • Hispanic/Latino (Yes/No) • Race: • American Indian or Alaska Native (Yes/No) • Asian (Yes/No) • Black or African American (Yes/No) • Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (Yes/No) • White (Yes/No) • Declined to Report is no longer an option • At least one Race must be reported (Yes) • Multiple Races can be reported (Yes) for all collections

25. Important changes: Race/ethnicity reporting requirements • All Race/Ethnicity reporting by ODE will be revised: • If Hispanic/Latino = Yes; Race/Ethnicity = Hispanic/Latino • If Hispanic/Latino = No, and two or more Races = Yes; Race/Ethnicity = Two or More Races • If Hispanic/Latino = No, and only one Race = Yes; Race/Ethnicity = the one Race

26. Helpful links • Dispropotionality under IDEA: http://idea.ed.gov/explore/view/p/%2Croot%2Cdynamic%2CTopicalArea%2C7%2C • Technical Assistance Guide from U.S. Department of Education: www.ideadata.org/docs/Disproportionality%20Technical%20Assistance%20Guide.pdf

27. Contact Information • Dianna.Carrizales@state.or.us • (503)947-5634