Moving Beyond Controlling for Local Context to Understand Disproportionality in Special Education

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 13
  In Roundtable Session: Examining Methodological and Conceptual Complexities in the Study of Racial Disproportionality in Special Education

Abstract

Objectives or purposes
School districts located near urban centers consistently struggle to abate racial/ethnic disproportionality in special education. In this paper, we investigate what district-level variables are associated with a federal citation for racial disproportionality in special education and how these factors covary with changes in citation status among suburban districts.

Perspective(s) or theoretical framework
Research evidence demonstrates that suburban schools face a constellation of school and social factors that contribute to and perpetuate inequality (Diem et al., 2015; Holme et al., 2014), including racial disproportionality in special education (Abram et al., 2011), suggesting there are complex social factors embedded in suburban contexts that sustain disproportionate outcomes.

Methods, techniques, or modes of inquiry
Considering the variation in findings around racial/ethnic disproportionality (Cruz & Rodl, 2018), using event history analysis (EHA) makes an important contribution. With EHA, we can determine at what time periods a citation is most likely to occur and explain why some districts receive a citation earlier than other districts or not at all, taking into consideration theoretically important contextual variables. As opposed to using student-level or aggregate classification rates, this study uses a citation for racial/ethnic disproportionality in special education as the outcome – thus the state has already determined that there is the case of racial/ethnic disproportionality.

Data sources, evidence, objects, or materials
The analysis is based on publicly available longitudinal datasets of 215 public suburban school districts in a Northeastern state for the 2004-2005 through 2011-2012 school years.

Results and/or substantiated conclusions or warrants for arguments/point of view
We find that various contextual factors contribute to a likelihood of a citation for disproportionality in special education. Specifically, as the percent non-white enrollment increases by one unit, all other variables are held constant, the rate of citation increases by 2.3%. Similarly, as the child poverty rate increases by one unit, the rate of citation increases by 5.8%. Also, as the percent of children scoring at or above proficient on the Math 8 increases by one unit, the rate of citation increases by 2.2%. If the attendance rate increases by one unit, the rate of citation decreases by (100% - 85.7%) = 23.5%. These results are based on Hazard ratios (Appendix Table 1).
The inclusion of attendance and performance in the analysis provides important information about how disproportionality may be occurring due to forces outside of poverty and student enrollment alone. Structures of opportunity, within the school culture come to bear on the educational chances of students of color to either expand or constrain their likelihood of achieving competitive educational outcomes (O’Connor & Fernandez, 2006).

Scientific or scholarly significance of the study or work
Regardless of the debate of under- of over-classification of students of color, disproportionality in special education of any race or ethnic group is problematic, as classification reduces opportunities for competitive higher education enrollment. This paper provides a broader understanding of how local organizational and sociodemographic contexts affects school districts’ performance with regard to citations.

Authors

• Alexandra Aylward, Montana State University

• Catherine Kramarczuk Voulgarides, Hunter College

• Adai A. Tefera, The University of Arizona

• Sarah Lopez Alvarado, Arizona State University

• Alfredo J. Artiles, Stanford University