Language-Minority Students Identified for Special Education: Proportional Representation Across Elementary Years

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 2
  In Roundtable Session: Using Longitudinal Data Sets to Answer Pressing Questions in Special Education (Table 17)

Abstract

This study investigated the proportional representation of language minority (LM) students in special education in second, third, and fifth grades. The researchers analyzed data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011) and controlled for contextual factors using school, family, and student-level variables. When controlling for race/ethnicity, LM students were not disproportionately represented in special education compared to non-LM peers. Asian and Hispanic students were underrepresented in third grade special education, and Black students were underrepresented in fifth grade special education when controlling for significant predictors of special education identification. Additionally, behavior was a stronger predictor of special education identification for non-LM students than LM students.

Authors

• Angela Klinger, Notre Dame of Maryland University

• Rachel E. Durham, Notre Dame of Maryland University