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Youth with disabilities are overrepresented in the juvenile justice system, but few studies have investigated the mechanisms by which this occurs. In this study, we considered how juvenile court adjudication and length of commitment in secure facilities contributed to disproportionality in court involvement and detention, addressing an important gap in the intersection of disability and juvenile justice literature. Using linked educational and juvenile justice records of 41,812 youth, we sought to ascertain whether, among juvenile offenders, youth with disabilities had higher likelihood of adjudication as delinquent or placement in secure facilities for longer periods of time compared to youth without disabilities. Results indicated that youth with and without disabilities were adjudicated and placed similarly, suggesting that disparities contributing to overrepresentation of youth with disabilities in detained populations may manifest earlier in youths' involvement in the justice system. We conclude with implications for research, policy, and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although disproportionality has been a focus of special education research for more than 50 years, relatively few researchers have addressed potential inequitable or inappropriate treatment of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students in the United States, particularly in quantitative research. This multistudy investigation explored patterns and predictors of AAPI representation in special education using (a) data from states' federal child count reports and (b) a subsample of 4,290 participants from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Kindergarten Class of 2010–11 (ECLS-K:2011). Descriptive analysis of states' child count data indicated that, compared to White students, Asian and Pacific Islander students' relative risk of identification differed for most disabilities, with Pacific Islanders generally demonstrating higher relative risk. Multivariate analysis of the ECLS-K:2011 subsample indicated that ethnic group differences in risk of special education identification were not robust to sociodemographic and performance controls. We discuss potential contributors to these patterns and implications for research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nearly 50 years of research show persistent racial disproportionality in the identification of special education disabilities, but the underlying mechanisms for these disparities remain largely unexplored. Because ambiguous regulations defining disabilities may allow subjectivity and unlawful differential treatment (i.e., racial bias or discrimination) in the special education eligibility process, an important target of study is disparate treatment of students by race in evaluations required to determine eligibility. School psychologists have long been recognized as highly influential in this process and in schools' resultant decisions. We used a 3 × 2 mixed factorial experimental design in three studies with simulated case report data to measure the influence of race and assessment data on school psychologists' perceptions of students' eligibility for special education in cases centering on emotional disturbance, intellectual disability, or autism, respectively. Participants included 302 practicing school psychologists in three states across the three experiments. There was little evidence of racial disparity, but participants tended to render decisions unsupported by, and even contrary to, evaluation data. Implications for research, practice, and professional development are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disproportionality research has been subject to multiple reviews, but there has been less critical examination of the policy dimension of this enduring educational problem. Given the relevance of federal policies, and interpretations thereof, to educators' and scholars' conceptualization of disproportionality and schools' resultant policies and practices, we provide a brief overview of disproportionality scholarship before focusing on its policy dimensions. We describe the role of federal policy and resultant interpretations to how disproportionality is addressed and our approach to identifying and synthesizing these interpretations. We then analyze the themes apparent in these interpretations: requirements for states' numerical analysis of "significant disproportionality," parameters for school systems' allocation of resources for early intervening services when significant disproportionality is found, and schools' obligations for nondiscriminatory application of policies and procedures. Finally, we distill implications for school policies, practices, and procedures. We close with discussion of implications for how disproportionality is conceptualized and studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of specific learning disabilities (SLD) remains fraught with controversy and uncertainty about professionals' capacity to appropriately identify special education eligibility. For students from linguistically minoritized backgrounds, the exclusionary clause prohibits the identification of learning difficulties primarily attributable to contextual or linguistic factors. Yet the ambiguity of the federal language may hinder application, making critical states' interpretation and corresponding guidance for professional practice in eligibility determination. In this archival study, we systematically reviewed state departments' education policies and related guidance on the identification of multilingual learners with SLD, with a focus on how states have articulated policies and procedures related to the federal exclusionary clause. Our findings demonstrate variability and depth of information across states pertaining to guidance regarding the exclusionary clause. Implications for practice and policy are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies report the cumulative prevalence of behavioral disorders among school‐age children to be second only to anxiety disorders. Unfortunately, by the time behavior has been identified as needing special education services, patterns of disruptive and externalizing behavior have often become unremitting. If at‐risk behavior can be reliably identified at school entry, there is potential to intervene early to reduce severity and chronicity of behavior. Thus, with the aid of a nationally representative sample (n = 17,490), this study aimed to ascertain if teacher‐observed disruptive behavior in kindergarten predicted children's categorical identification for special education and receipt of behavior goals in their individualized education plans in third grade. Results indicated externalizing behaviors and approaches to learning at school entry, predicted identification with emotional disturbance, and other health impairment due to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in third grade. In addition, externalizing behaviors at school entry increased the likelihood of a child receiving an individualized education plan with an appropriate behavior goal. Self‐control was not a significant predictor of any outcome. Finally, the covariates of sex, reading achievement, and race at school entry were significantly associated with a child's need for behavior‐related services. Implications for early intervention are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When youth experience psychosocial difficulties, multiple sectors of care may intervene. The present study examined the prevalence and sociodemographic predictors of multisector involvement related to psychosocial difficulties among adolescents with disabilities. Using a nationally representative sample of 9,230 students who participated in the National Longitudinal Transition Study–2, we estimated students’ rates of involvement in school, health, social service, and juvenile justice sectors and used logistic regression models to ascertain the relations to student characteristics. Students with disabilities were frequently involved with a variety of sectors of care, but schools remain the primary provider. Multisector involvement was commonplace, particularly for adolescents with emotional disturbance or autism. Disability and insurance type consistently predicted involvement of each sector, but other sociodemographic characteristics commonly related to disparities in involvement were not significant in most of our models. Communication and collaboration across systems can support the school-based problem solving and individualized planning for students with disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The debate surrounding disproportionality in the identification of culturally and linguistically diverse students for special education, and in the category of emotional disturbance in particular, remains highly contentious, particularly as scholars grapple with the meaning and causes of disproportionality. In this article, I discuss assumptions underpinning this line of scholarship and implications for the meaning we make of research findings related to disparities in special education and students' needs. Efforts to understand and address inequity must be juxtaposed with the imprecise, and at times inscrutable, conceptual, psychometric, procedural, and causal issues surrounding identification and potential disproportionality, even while maintaining a fundamental desire to benefit students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we discuss conflict between law and science relative to the presumption in special education law that multidisciplinary teams and others identify the causes of problems giving rise to special education needs. First, we explain eligibility criteria, highlighting ambiguities therein and why criteria constitute a mandate for causal inference, and present illustrative examples of how judges have interpreted this mandate. Second, we discuss as a counterpoint school psychologists' ethical duties to conduct evaluations based on the best available science, and highlight the clear conflicts between the law, ethics, and research. We present the biopsychosocial model of development as a potential framework for reconciling one's legal duty to infer causation with the current evidence base. We conclude with implications for policy and practice and suggestions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated how student and school-level socioeconomic status (SES) measures predict students’ odds of being identified for special education, particularly high-incidence disabilities. Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Kindergarten cohort, hierarchical models were used to determine the relations of student and school SES to special education identification. Results indicated neither student-level SES variables for parent education, prestige, and income, nor school-level aggregates of SES measures, predicted overall special education placement, but higher parent education attainment was negatively related to high-incidence disability identification (adjusted odds ratio = 0.73). These findings suggest that racial disproportionality is not attributable to racial differences in income and indicate a need for further investigation of the mechanisms by which the longstanding racial disparities in special education emerge and are maintained. In particular, we discuss the implications of this study for further research into the relations of indicators of parent’s status on educational decisions within special education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about psychopharmacological treatment among adolescents with educational disabilities. This study (a) describes pharmacotherapy among adolescents who received special education, and (b) examines the relations to adolescents' disability type and sociodemographic characteristics. The sample was 9,230 adolescents who participated in the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2, a nationally representative study of students with disabilities. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to estimate prevalence and predictors of pharmacotherapy. During the study period, 18.14% ot adolescents received pharmacotherapy with 11.75% receiving mono- pharmacy, 6.39% receiving polypharmacy, and 5.86% simultaneously receiving multiple classes of medications. Stimulants and antidepressants were the most commonly used classes of psychotropic medication. After adjusting for sociodemographics, pharmacotherapy was highest among adolescents with other health impairments, emotional disturbance, and autism. Disability type, race/ethnicity, marital status, head of household education, urbanicity, and private insurance type were significant predictors of polypharmacy. Overall, these results indicated rates of psychopharmacological treatment exceeded those in the general population and disparities across sociodemographic groups existed. Implications for research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the inception of special education, scholars and practitioners have been concerned about the disproportionate representation of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds among students identified with disabilities. Professional efforts to address this disproportionality have encompassed a range of targets, but scholars increasingly view disproportionality as a complex, multiply-determined problem that requires systemic change to ameliorate disparities. In this article, we describe a framework for systemic change to foster equity in special education identification and placement. We discuss the use of ecologically oriented organizational consultation as a means of facilitating systemic change, emphasizing the role of stakeholders, and the implications for school psychology practice and training. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Past researchers suggested there are a number of shortcomings in the psychoeducational evaluation process and practices used with English language learners (ELLs). In the present exploratory study, the authors descriptively examined the assessment practices used in the special education eligibility determination process for ELLs as documented in 34 psychoeducational evaluation reports in one southwestern state. The authors reviewed psychoeducational evaluation reports prepared by school psychologists to determine (a) the extent to which school psychologists adhered to legal and ethical guidelines in the evaluation of ELLs for special education eligibility and needs and (b) how school psychologists account for cultural and linguistic differences in the evaluation process. Results indicated that school psychologists rarely used culturally and linguistically responsive practices such as the use of interpretation and translation services and language proficiency data, as well as limited adherence to legal and ethical recommendations. We address implications for training and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholars and practitioners advocate for the use of social skills interventions for students with emotional disabilities because significant social skills deficits are common among these students. Yet contemporary practices must be vetted for empirical evidence of their efficacy and effectiveness to ensure students are provided appropriate services. In this systematic review, the authors evaluated research examining the effectiveness of social skills interventions for students with emotional disabilities. The authors applied quality indicators to appraise the characteristics of the nine studies identified and found that they did not meet these rigorous methodological criteria. This review underscores the need for more and better studies of school-based social skills interventions within this population to support using such interventions with students with emotional disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The disproportionate representation of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in special education programs is a complex issue that has long troubled practitioners, educational leaders, and researchers. This article reports on a mixed-method collaborative case analysis that examined local patterns of disproportionality in an urban school district and the district’s systemic transformation effort to address disproportionality. In a close collaboration with the district’s special education leadership team, we utilized student-level quantitative data from 2006 through 2010 to examine temporal patterns of disproportionality along with qualitative data on the leadership team’s perceptions and actions. Our analyses showed that risk of overidentification was greatest for African American, American Indian, low-income, and male students. The study illustrates a method of collaborative analysis and the importance of such analyses for understanding and addressing variously localized patterns of disproportionality. The findings contribute to the literature on disproportionality and inform systemic change efforts in diverse sociocultural contexts of urban school districts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the average treatment effect of preschool special education services on children''s kindergarten academic skills. Using data from a nationally representative sample of United States children who participated in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study—Birth Cohort, we examined the effectiveness of preschool special education services by comparing reading and math outcomes for children who received special education services at preschool-age to a propensity-score-weighted sample of children who did not receive these services. Results indicated that the receipt of these special education services had a statistically significant moderate negative effect on children''s kindergarten skills in both reading (d =−0.21) and mathematics (d =−0.29). These findings have implications for the implementation and evaluation of services for young children experiencing developmental delays or disabilities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

There are ample research and position papers advocating response-to-intervention (RTI) frameworks to address the academic struggles of students identified as English language learners (ELLs) and to prevent inequitable outcomes such as overrepresentation in special education. However, some scholars have questioned how RTI is conceptualized and implemented with ELLs. This systematic literature review explores how the existing research on RTI for ELLs has addressed (a) the quality and appropriateness of Tier 1 practices for ELLs and (b) linguistic factors as contexts that impact this quality. A key finding is that current research is not sufficiently linked to general education instruction. Thus, we suggest that future RTI research address instruction for ELLs in general education settings, including the incorporation of Title I supports, bilingual education and language acquisition programs, and culturally responsive pedagogy into Tier 1 universal interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite decades of research examining the disproportionate representation of racial minority students in special education, our understanding of the complexity of disproportionality remains incomplete and much of the previous research was designed without a clear theoretical framework. This exploratory study applied a structural theoretical lens as a means of understanding racial inequity in special education across analytical scales, racial groups, and disability categories. The findings confirm differential risk of educational disability across racial groups. Based on the theory adopted, several hypotheses were tested regarding the relations of relative risk to district structural features, with conflicting results found. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study explored the extent of disproportionality in the identification and placement of culturally and linguistically diverse students identified as English language learners in special education. Descriptive statistics and regression analyses examined patterns and predictors of identification and placement in special education among English learners throughout the state relative to their White peers. The results indicate that these students are increasingly likely to be identified as having learning disabilities or mental retardation, and are less likely to be served in either the least or most restrictive educational environments relative to their White peers. The author also examined the influence of several district-level factors commonly explored in studies of racial disproportionality and found that these factors did not evidence similar relationships to the disproportionate representation of English language learners. The study presents implications for further research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides an overview of the editorial goals and perspectives of the journal Exceptional Children, which focuses on critical issues in special education. The editors emphasize the importance of viewing special education as a civil rights issue and promoting diversity and inclusiveness in the publication process. They identify four key issues impacting special education and invite scholarly works that address these issues and offer solutions. The article also discusses the importance of implementation science, technical assistance, and diverse methodologies in special education research. It includes summaries of five articles that cover various topics in special education. The authors express their commitment to learning from the past and advancing special education research. [Extracted from the article]

Many school psychologists spend a large portion of their time conducting evaluations for special education, but school psychologists' confidence in learning disability (learning disability[ies] [LD]) identification has not been examined experimentally. This study examined differences in 376 school psychologists' confidence in their identification decisions across LD identification methods, student evaluation data conclusiveness level, school psychologist experience, identification consistency, and identification methods used in practice, preferred identification methods, and identification methods taught in graduate school. The school psychologists reported lower levels of confidence when using response to intervention (RtI) compared with ability-achievement discrepancy, and they reported lower levels of confidence when student data were inconclusive compared with when student data were conclusive that a student did not have LD. Higher levels of experience and training did not increase the likelihood of greater confidence compared with lower levels of experience and training. However, school psychologists who reported "somewhat confident ratings" were more likely to make inconsistent identification decisions than school psychologists who reported "not very confident" ratings. Implications for practice and research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]