Racial Disproportionality in Identification of Behavioral Disorders: A Longitudinal Analysis of Contextual Factors

• In Event: Roundtable Session 56
  In Roundtable Session: Transforming Schools Into Healthy Learning Environments: An Examination of Behavior and Wellness Disproportionalities

Abstract

Racial disparities in behavioral outcomes continue to trouble the local education systems. Much of the empirical work on special education identification for behavioral disorders has been derived from cross-sectional analyses of national data sets, missing the complexities of local academic, social, and policy contexts and arriving at contradictory findings. We analyzed multiyear longitudinal data to examine racial disproportionality in the state of Wisconsin in order to inform the state’s systemic prevention and intervention efforts and policies. We analyzed individual student- and school-level predictors. We found Black students are more likely to be identified with behavioral disorders. Our analyses suggested the best strategy to isolate the predictors of behavioral disorder label is with longitudinal data and controlling for context.

Authors

• Aydin Bal, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Peter Trabert Goff, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• So Jung Park, University of Wisconsin