Educational Redlining in Special Education: Establishing New Civil Rights Protections for Students of Color With/Out Disabilities

• In Event: Equity, Justice, and Transformation in Special and Inclusive Education

Abstract

To protect the civil rights of Students of Color (Black, Latinx, and Multilingual students) in special education, we must challenge the limiting research base of special education that upholds forms of structural racism and ableism. Our goal is not only to critique existing systems but also to model anti-racist quantitative practices that support transformative change. A critical aspect to our inquiry is the methodological and theoretical application of QuantCrit via statistical tools (SEM and GIS). We aim to examine, interrogate, and challenge educational redlining in special education, including zones of resegregation. In collaboration with the Delaware Department of Education, we analyzed longitudinal data in the state (2016-2021). Our research has implications for advancing civil right protections for Students of Color.

Authors

• Nicholas S. Bell, University of Connecticut

• Zachary K. Collier, University of Connecticut

• Verónica Nelly Vélez, Western Washington University

• Donna Y. Ford, The Ohio State University

• David J. Connor, Hunter College - CUNY