Addressing Disproportionality in Special Education A Wisconsin Perspective

1. Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Addressing Disproportionality in Special Education�A Wisconsin Perspective

2. Overview Wisconsin�s Annual Performance Report on Disproportionality in Special Education Wisconsin�s Action Plan for Addressing Disproportionality

3. What is Disproportionality? Disproportionate representation is defined as: �the extent to which membership in a given group affects the probability of being placed in a specific education disability category.� Oswald, et al 1999

5.

10. Workgroup Members Deborah Bilzing Janice Duff Nancy Fuhrman Debbie Gaffney-Dilley Donna Hart-Tervalon Anita Heisig John Humphries Courtney Reed Jenkins Jack Marker Brent Odell Patricia Williams

11. Expanded Workgroup Tim Boals Tom Grogan Jill Haglund Laverne Jackson Harvey Mary Kleusch JP Leary Mary Maronek Jean Whitcomb

12. Advisory Board Representatives CIFMS Stakeholders Great Lakes Inter-tribal Council State Superintendent�s Council on Special Education Wisconsin Family Assistance Center for Education, Training & Support, Inc. (WI FACETS) Wisconsin Special Education Stakeholders Others�To be Determined ..

13. Workgroup Goals Improve the quality of education statewide for all students, including students with disabilities, students of color and students living in poverty Increase our internal capacity to address statewide concerns relative to the disproportionate number of students of color referred and placed in special education Address disproportionality as an educational issue, not just as a special education issue

14. Workgroup Activities Needs Assessment 02-03 Develop a network of local, state, and national consultants with expertise and experience in facilitating statewide initiatives to address disproportionality. Identify and promote research-based strategies that reduce referral rates and improve outcomes for all students, particularly student�s of color and students living in poverty. Identify, support and develop partnerships with LEAs and CESAs who have developed materials, resources and training modules to address the issue of disproportionality.

15. Workgroup Activities 03-04 Developed an action plan Developed and piloted a Disproportionality Focused Monitoring Model Contracted with the University of Wisconsin�Madison to review and summarize research Employed a summer intern to develop a resource library (Markeda Newell) ..

16. Workgroup Activities 04-05 Attended conferences, workshops, and teleconferences related to addressing disproportionality Established formal partnership with NCSEAM Established formal partnership with NCCRESt Contracted with Daniel Losen, Legal and Policy Senior Associate, Harvard Civil Rights Project Developed a relationship with NCRRC (North Central Regional Resource Center)

17. Workgroup Activities 05-06 Revised action plan Expanded workgroup Employed an intern Developed a Summer Institute: Addressing Disproportionality Establishing a website Receiving training on disproportionality data analysis Reviewing and analyzing state and district policies and practices Developing procedures for identifying significant disproportionality based on race and ethnicity as required in IDEA 2004.

18. Significant Challenges in Addressing Disproportionality Understanding and addressing the new provisions in IDEA 2004 Refining criteria for determining significant disproportionality Identifying rigorous, measurable targets Continuing development of a monitoring process Developing a process and technical assistance plan for interpreting district-level disproportionality data