Minority Student Representation in Special Education and Gifted

1. Ailin Sanchez Katherine Perez Iris Viera Minority Student Representation in Special Education and Gifted

2. CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC DIVERSITYFASP MISSION STATEMENT • The guiding principle of this committee is to promote understanding, tolerance and sensitivity among all cultural groups. Our goal is to create awareness that cultural differences should not be regarded as disadvantages, deficiencies, or disabilities. • We recognize that each individual is a unique human being. • Thus, regardless of the educational problem presented by a student, his/her cultural and/or linguistic background may be a major component of the problem, a minor contributing factor, or another characteristic of his/her individuality (http://www.fasp.org).

3. Sora sono ________ 空ある _______ The Sky is _______

4. Special Education: Minority Overrepresentation

5. History • In the 1960s, minority students were placed in special education classes as a way to get around desegregation in schools. • In the 1970s, data collected from the Office of Civil Rights, showed that minority students were being improperly placed in special education classes. • In the 1980s, overrepresentation of minority students in special education classes continued to be a problem despite litigation and awareness of the issue. (Artiles & Trent, 1994).

6. Important Legislation • Hobson v. Hansen (1967)—Track systems, which used standardized tests as a basis for special education, were outlawed because there were numerous counts of misuse with minorities and poor children. • Diana v. State Board of Education (1970)—Children cannot be placed in special education on the basis of culturally biased tests. Also, children cannot be placed in special education because the tests given to them were not in their native language. • Larry P. v. Riles(1979)—California class-action case that focused on IQ testing of young black children, and argued that those children had been inappropriately placed in Educable Mentally Retarded (EMR) classrooms solely on the basis of an IQ score.

7. Racial Ratios in Special Education • Office of Civil Rights (OCR) 1990 Survey • Black students constituted 10% of the school general enrollment • 25% of total MMR enrollment were blacks • Formula: Total number of blacks classified with MMR__ Total number of students classified with MMR (MacMillan & Reschly, 1998)

8. Representation of Students in Special Education (1992)

9. Factors for overrepresentation of minority in Special Education • Subjective judgments • Mild diagnosis most commonly assigned (e.g. Mild Mental Retardation (MMR)) • Based on contextual factors (MacMillan & Reschly, 1998).

10. Why is overrepresentation a problem? • Stigma associated with specific labels. • People tend to have both strong and negative attitude towards categories like MR and SED (Serious emotional disturbance). • Unintelligent • Underachiever • Unqualified • Negative labels consequences in children self-esteem and self worth (MacMillan & Reschly, 1998 & Valles, 1998). • Negative perceptions on performance across ethnic groups. • High incident of labels reinforce negative portrayals and stereotypes of minority groups. (Valles, 1998). • Academic problems linked to disabilities. • Student problems may be associated to low SES, cultural or linguistic background when the presenting problem is biologically based (Thomas & Grimes, 2002).

11. Gifted Education:Underrepresentation of Minorities

12. African American, American Indian, and Hispanic American student under represented (Ford, 1998) White and Asian over represented States are not required to have gifted programs. It is difficult to regulate equality in gifted programs when it’s not even a mandated educational program Daniels, 1998). Underrepresentation of Minorities in Gifted

13. 1992 Statistics on Distribution of Students Within School System

14. Different definitions of gifted across districts means one child can be identified as gifted in one state or district, but not in another (Ford, 1998).

15. Different Criteria for Gifted • It was only until 1993 that the U.S. Department of Education set a culturally diverse definition of giftedness. • Before that most state adopted the 1978 definition which did not mention equality or diversity (Ford, 1998).

16. REASONS:Why the disproportion?

17. Low SES • Poverty levels positively predict children with LD and restrictive placement (Gilan & Kelman, 1997). • Lack of resources (McGray & Garcia, 2002). • Limited funds available for different programs, ex: special ed, honors, gifted, computer assistant programs) • Poor quality of teachers (e.g. use of substitute teachers/uncertified)(Barona, Barona & Faykus, 1993 and Patton, 1998).

18. Validity of Assessment Process • Controversy about IQ test. • Minority population differs from the norm for which tests were created • Individuals’ background and SES status influence scores • WISC-R weakness (Thomas & Grimes, 2002). • Focuses on classification and lacks strength on interventions

19. Lack of Cultural Awareness • Questioned efficacy of assessment/identification practices among culturally diverse learners Professional inattention to students’ cultural and racial differences (McGray & Garcia, 2002) • Little information about curricular approaches toward culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms. (Thomas & Grimes, 2002) • All non-white groups classified under same category. (Ford, 1998).

20. Biased Teachers and Assessors • 86% of teachers are white as compared to only 60% of the student population. • Cultural differences in behavior and learning styles may equal more referrals • Language differences interferes with communication and understanding • Lack of diversity among selection committees increases selection of minority student for special education (Ford, 1998)

21. Erroneous Beliefs • Jensen (1969) and others published books and articles about the genetic inferiority of minorities • Minority students intellectually inferior • Minority students have cultural deficits that contribute to poor performance • In a 1984 survey, more than 50% of the 661 measurement experts reported that differences in intelligence and aptitude tests between African Americans and White students were due to genetic factors (Ford, 1998).

22. Few teachers, school counselors, and psychologists sufficiently trained to identify special education or gifted students (Ford,1998) Poor training in minority and cultural variations and styles. Untrained Teachers/Assessors

23. Parent Involvement • Minority parents are less likely to be involved in the school system and are less likely to be informed about alternatives (Daniels, 1998). • Some minority parents are unable to help the child effectively with homework (if the are working too many jobs or are not proficient in the language) • Many states use parent referral as a means of identifying gifted students. However, many of these forms are too complex and parents with language difficulties or little educational background may find it difficult (Ford, 1998).

24. Underachievement • Students who are put at a level which is below their cognitive capacity are not challenged • Less learning occurs when teacher expectations are lower: Self fulfilling prophesy (Patton, 1998). • Fear of segregation discourages students from achieving higher academic goals (Daniels, 1998).

25. Insufficient Research • Not enough research directly addressing minorities • Little research and assessment measures made by minority professionals (Patton, 1998).

26. Research Articles on Gifted Students

27. Recommendationsfor Improvements

28. Early Recommendations • Reforms in the systemic procedures: diagnosis, placement, and instruction. • Mainstreaming • Intensive special education training for teachers (Dunn, 1968)

29. Current Recommendations

30. Cultural Diversity Training Include diversity, culturally relevant methods, strategies and knowledge about second language in teacher training programs that deal with curriculum, classroom management and assessment methods. Regulation of Referrals The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) is advocating the practice of pre-referral intervention (Artiles & Trent, 1994).

31. Unbiased Concept Refinement More attention to concept refinement and its dissemination are desperately needed to start developing conceptual frameworks that would enable us to elucidate the complex interactions among culture, learning, disability, and instructional outcomes. More minority involvement in education research and assessment creation Greater emphasis should be placed on the recruitment of minority individuals to pursue careers in teaching and educational research (Artiles & Trent, 1994).

32. Support Services for Minorities and Disadvantaged Children • Minority students and low SES students have been linked to lower achievement and placement in Special Education • Therefore, providing these groups with information and training them adaptive skills (e.g. time management and studying strategies) may improve their academic achievement (Ford, 1998).

33. Family Involvement Crucial • Including parents in the academic program will help the minority child achieve more. • Information and assessment instruments for parents must be culturally sensitive as well as sensitive to all reading levels and linguistic abilities. • Equal participation and access of resources is necessary

34. Multiple Resources for Assessment • Collecting forms of assessment that measure not only measure quantity, but also quality and measure objectively as well as subjectively. • Studies have demonstrated that minority students tend learn differently (e.g. African American students tend to be intuitive learners rather than field dependant learners)  Quantitative tests are not as valid with them (Ford, 1998). • Factors other than intellectual or cognitive abilities influence academic performance, therefore these should be given importance during the evaluation for placement. I have so many sources of assessment! Now I am more confident I am making the right decision!

35. Woodcock-Johnson Revised (WJ-R) (Thomas & Grimes, 2002). Theoretically based Measures cognitive ability Batteries of tests created to fit empirically supported theory Cognitive Assessment System (CAS) (Naglieri & Das, 1997). CAS does not include tests of verbal skills CAS does not include tests of achievement CAS links assessment to intervention Use Valid and Reliable Instruments to Measure Cognitive Ability

36. Raven’s Matrices • Raven’s Matrices effective at identifying gifted minority (Ford, 1998). • It is not based in previously learned material • Measures cognitive ability by presenting missing patterns in series