Dismantling Disproportionality

This book positions disproportionality as not solely a special education issue but, rather, a broader issue of educational inequality. Disproportionality in special education parallels a persistent history of chronic socioeconomic and racial inequalities relating to the country’s history of denying educational opportunities to students of color, multilingual students, students with disabilities, and those at the intersections of these identities. This book draws on the authors’ experiences as technical assistance providers with the Center for Disproportionality, coupled with the latest research findings on the causes of racial disproportionality in general and special education. Dismantling Disproportionality examines four district case studies, showing how each progresses from theory to practice in delivering educational services to all students. The authors conclude that the most effective way to address disproportionality is to use a culturally responsive educational systems approach that critically engages practitioners at the intersection of beliefs, policies, procedures, and practices. Book Features: Offers a concrete, multipronged approach to disrupt and dismantle disproportionality in education.Takes a systemic approach to disproportionality that centers culturally responsive and sustaining education. Describes a framework that can be used at the teacher and school building level, in teacher and leadership preparation programs, and with districts and state education agencies. Provides useful reflection questions, key takeaways, and tools for readers.

"This resource offers processes and concrete tools to help school districts confront disproportionate outcomes of special education placement and exclusionary discipline for students of color"--

This resource offers culturally responsive processes and concrete tools to address disproportionality and create more equitable schools. The authors draw on their work with school districts to demonstrate how using a theory of change can address disproportionate outcomes of special education placement and exclusionary discipline for students of color. Educational institutions can use this application guide to build educators’ capacities so that they respond better to the needs of racially, culturally, and linguistically marginalized students, families, and communities. The book includes chapters dedicated to the process of an equity audit to identify and tackle the root causes of disproportionalities; approaches for partnering with young people toward creating an environment every student deserves; and the critical self-reflective work that is foundational to shift the experiences and outcomes of Black, Latinx, Indigenous, multilingual learners, and students with an IEP, as well as students with intersecting identities. Use Dismantling Disproportionality in Practice to guide your work with district and school leaders and staff, teachers, families, and youth. Book Features: This companion to Dismantling Disproportionality: A Culturally Responsive Sustaining Systems Approach (2023) offers lessons learned from a former state-funded technical assistance center. Applicable tools and processes to help school districts confront beliefs, policies, procedures, and practices that result in disproportionate outcomes and experiences. A holistic look at what equitable and culturally responsive schools look like and actionable steps for creating these spaces. Tangible exercises and examples from two decades of experience centering equity within school systems. Guidance for partnering with youth to create equitable, systemic change alongside school leadership.

This book positions disproportionality as not solely a special education issue but, rather, a broader issue of educational inequality. Disproportionality in special education parallels a persistent history of chronic socioeconomic and racial inequalities relating to the country's history of denying educational opportunities to students of color, multilingual students, students with disabilities, and those at the intersections of these identities. This book draws on the authors' experiences as technical assistance providers with the Center for Disproportionality, coupled with the latest research findings on the causes of racial disproportionality in general and special education. Dismantling Disproportionality examines four district case studies, showing how each progresses from theory to practice in delivering educational services to all students. The authors conclude that the most effective way to address disproportionality is to use a culturally responsive educational systems approach that critically engages practitioners at the intersection of beliefs, policies, procedures, and practices. Book Features: Offers a concrete, multipronged approach to disrupt and dismantle disproportionality in education. Takes a systemic approach to disproportionality that centers culturally responsive and sustaining education. Describes a framework that can be used at the teacher and school building level, in teacher and leadership preparation programs, and with districts and state education agencies. Provides useful reflection questions, key takeaways, and tools for readers.

Almost 200 years after public schools moved toward free education for all children, educators are still exploring the best approaches for promoting equitable student growth. In early 2020, Covid-19 operational changes and the challenge to confront America's most profound racial problems exposed many equity issues in schools. As a result, educators were called to reimagine the field of education as the curtain closed on the first quarter of the 21st century. The essays in this book challenge classroom instructors to consider new approaches to education theory, classroom praxis and teaching content. The chapters herein draw on mixed-methods and narrative form essays to provide practical tools and techniques for building equitable schools. Viewing schools as extensions of society-at-large, this book delivers innovative curricular approaches to STEM education, the Humanities and applied theater. The authors offer methods for empowering student voices, managing moments of crisis, increasing representation in computer science and implementing restorative justice disciplinary practices in learning institutions. Essays provide all educators with proven instructional models for curricular equity with the goal of moving America closer to a multicultural democracy.

The decades-long problem of disproportionate school discipline and school-based arrests of students with disabilities, particularly those who also identify as Black or Native American, is explored in this authoritative book. A team of interdisciplinary scholars, attorneys, and education practitioners focus on how disparities based on disability intersect with race and ethnicity, why such disparities occur, and the impacts these disparities have over time. A DisCrit and research-based perspective frames key issues at the beginning of the book, and the chapters that follow suggest promising practices and approaches to reduce the inequitable use of school discipline and increase the use of evidence-supported alternatives to prevent and respond to behaviors of students with disabilities. The final chapter recommends future research, policy, legal, and practice goals, suggesting an agenda for moving the field forward in years to come. Contributors: Amy Briesch, Sandra Chafouleas, Donald Chee, Lindsay Fallon, Pamela Fenning, Amy Fisher, Benjamin Fisher, Emma Healy, Heather Hoechst, Miranda Johnson, Kathleen Lynne Lane, Patrice Leverett, Laura Marques, Thomas Mayes, Markeda Newell, Angelina Nortey, Wendy Oakes, Kristen Pearson, Michelle Rappaport, Monica Stevens, Carly Tindall-Biggins, Margarida Veiga, Elizabeth Marcell Williams, Perry Zirkel

Based on the author's experience leading equity-focused technical assistance centers, this book details approaches to partnering with educators and other stakeholders to eliminate racial disproportionality in special education. Because of its historical and current relevance as an indicator of systemic oppression, Thorius centers disproportionality as a crucial issue to be addressed through technical assistance partnerships. For these partnerships to be successful, technical assistance providers must: (1) support partners in engaging with systemic and individual oppressions that contribute to inequities at the intersections of racism and ableism, and (2) introduce partners to resources that mediate learning about, and development of, locally relevant solutions that abolish racism and ableism in tandem. Equity Expansive Technical Assistance for Schools provides a research-based framework for conducting technical assistance, including vignettes and facilitation guides that educational leaders can use to address disproportionality in special education within their local contexts. Book Features: Detailed protocols for professional dialogue toward eliminating racial disproportionality in special education. Expanded definitions and descriptions of disproportionality as an issue of ableism, as well as racism. Real-life examples of technical assistance and professional development partnership activities that improve conditions leading to, and outcomes of, disproportionality.

Step outside of the IEPs and behavioral paperwork currently generated in schools, go where disabled people are thriving today, and see the results in learning, growth, and expression. This authoritative book offers readers alternative ways to think about learning and behavior in special education. Through illustrative case studies and a disability studies lens, author Erin McCloskey uses the voices of people with disabilities to show how these students progress creatively outside the classroom and school building—at the dojo, the riding arena, the theater stage, the music studio, and other community-centered spaces where disabled students can make choices about their learning, their bodies, and their goals. Balancing theory and practice, the book describes alternative learning spaces, demonstrates how disabled students learn there, and passes on the important lessons learned in each space. The ideas apply to students of all ages with a wide variety of disabilities. Book Features: Uses the voices of people with disabilities to promote alternative ways to think about learning and behavior in special education.Presents rich case studies and briefer interludes to illustrate how disabled students are learning and thriving in surprising ways outside of school where they have opportunities to explore. Distills important key takeaways from each case study through chapter sections of “lessons learned.”Promotes informed discussion of the concepts in the book with questions at the end of each chapter. Combines theory and practice to help readers put the concepts into action in a variety of settings with a variety of disabled students.