AN EXPLORATION OF GRADES (3-5) TEACHERS’ PRACTICES TO PREVENT THE DISPROPORTONATE REPRESENTATION OF BLACK STUDENTS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION.

Abstract

This study analyzes the factors that contribute to the misidentification of school age Black students who are unjustly placed in special education settings. While several factors have been identified in the research, a major factor has been the special education screening and evaluation process (Flores, 2014; Thacker-King, 2019). The general education teacher has been identified as playing a crucial role in the special education identification process (see Heller, et.al, 1982; Donovan & Cross, 2002). These teachers initiate referrals for special education evaluations and provide vital information to the eligibility decision (Chu, 2011). Pre-referral interventions designed to be implemented in general education classrooms have been used for some time to support students who struggle academically or behaviorally without formal referral to special education. Therefore, it is important to examine the role of the general education teachers in the special education identification process and their understanding of how to reduce the disproportionate numbers of Black students identified as having a disability and requiring special education. Over the past 20 years, school districts have adopted pre-referral processes that call for moving a student experiencing a learning or behavior problem through a series of interventions (Tiers of instruction) that begin in general education and require documenting the student’s progress prior to issuing a request for a referral for a special education evaluation. This study was conducted in one elementary school in a Maryland school system that adopted a tiered pre-referral process called the Collaborative Decision-Making Model (CDM) in 2008 to reduce its history of over-representation of Black students identified for special education. Using a web based anonymous survey, the study examined the grades 3-5 general education teachers’ understanding of the CDM process and their knowledge of specific interventions and resources available to support their implementation of the CDM. The IEP Chair in the elementary school was also asked to indicate what support and resources were available to the general education teachers. Results indicated that teachers in this one elementary school are not particularly familiar with either CDM or the expectations for them to implement specific supports, including progress monitoring, to address the academic and/or behavioral needs of a struggling learner. Among the 13 teachers who responded to the survey, only one reported being extremely familiar with the CDM process and having implemented it at various times and could mentor others. Another four reported that they understood the process and had implemented it more than once, and two teachers indicated only having heard of but not implemented it, one teacher reported being not at all familiar with the CDM process. Further, many teachers reported that two of the Wilson Reading research-based intervention programs, (Wilson Reading and Wilson Fundations) were implemented more than any other of the reading interventions, followed by one math intervention (FASTT Math). All of the teachers were most familiar with both Wilson programs; however, four other programs were frequently utilized; however, none of the teachers who participated in the survey indicated that they would be likely to use these. The lack of familiarity with the CDM process was also reported by the IEP chair. The IEP Chair also reported that teachers often do not understand the IEP process, or the strategies that should be used in classrooms to differentiate instruction for struggling learners. In addition, most general education classroom teachers have limited knowledge of who to contact when a student requires a pre-referral and involvement in the screening process, including designing and implementing interventions and data tracking/data collection and progress monitoring as required in the CDM process. Results of the study suggest the need for school-based professional development such as training and coaching in delivering differentiated instructional supports to struggling learners and systemic efforts to reduce inconsistencies across schools in use of the CDM or other pre-referral models.