Disciplinary Exclusion of English Learners in Special Education

• In Event: Bilingual Aspects in Special Education

Abstract

Although roughly 12% of the school population in 2011-12, students with disabilities accounted for 19% of in-school suspensions, 20% of single out-of-school suspensions, 25% of multiple out-of-school suspensions, and 19% of expulsions (USDOE, 2014). Furthermore, over the past decade, the number of English Learners has increased more than 50%, yet English Learners, particularly those in special education, are a frequently overlooked population in school discipline research. The purpose of this study was to conduct initial analyses to examine the exclusionary discipline practices that have been used with English Learners in special education who are in public schools across the United States. U.S. Department of Education data for 587,391 English Learners in special education were analyzed and reported.

Author

• Denise Katherine Whitford, Purdue University