Racial and Ethnic Disparities in School-Based Disability Identification

• In Event: Equity and Inclusion in Special Education: Exploring Bias, Disparities, and Transformative Research

Abstract

Whether racial and ethnic disparities are occurring in the disability identification of U.S. elementary students is unclear. We analyzed a population-based cohort (N = 15,140) using discrete-time event history models with time-invariant and -varying covariates. Black (aOR, 0.47) and Hispanic (aOR, 0.45) students were less likely than observationally similar White students to be identified with disabilities. Language minorities also were less likely to be identified (aOR, 0.57). Students who are racial, ethnic, or language minorities are less likely to be identified as having disabilities than observationally similar students who are White or from English-speaking families while attending U.S. elementary schools.

Authors

• Paul L. Morgan, University at Albany - SUNY

• Eric Hengyu Hu, University at Albany - SUNY

• George Farkas, University of California - Irvine

• Yoonkyung Oh, University of Texas - Health Science Center at Houston

• Marianne Hillemeier, Pennsylvania State University