Exploring the Impact of Race on Special Education Due Process Usage in California

• In Event: Intersectionality Within the Field of Inclusive and Special Education

Abstract

Embedded in IDEA is a due process to file a complaint for inadequate services. Educational attainment, school jargon, restricted time, language barriers, and general confusion around the policies can prevent families from enacting this measure. Using California OAH and enrollment data, we conducted a zero-inflated poisson and logit analysis to determine the association between demographic characteristics of school districts and counties with the frequency of special education hearings. We found that racially diverse districts and counties had increased prevalence of hearings, with increased impact at the county level. Additionally higher percentages of FRPL in the county the lowered the prevalence of hearings. These findings indicate that there are disparities across LEA charactersiticts and policies, necessitating further study.

Authors

• Ja’Nya Banks, University of California - Berkeley

• Carla Z. Glave, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Taylor Kincaid Odle, University of Wisconsin - Madison