Disproportionality of Special Education Students in Discipline Matters

Keenan Solutions. (2013, January). Disproportionality of Special Education Students in Discipline Matters. Retrieved from youtube.com

In this webinar Rowe-Gonzalez discusses the disproportionate rates in which special education students are disciplined in school. She specifically defines disproportionality in this case as “when students with disabilities receive formal discipline at higher rates than students in general education population”. The office of civil rights reported that in 2009-2010 13% of students with disabilities were suspended at least once compared to 7% of students in general education. Even more alarming, 25% of African American students with disabilities were suspended at least once. The higher instances of disciplinary infractions are reportedly due to defying authority, inability to cope with or follow school rules, students acting out due to stigmas, and students that are labeled have little incentive to change behavior. Rowe-Gonzalez includes, in accordance with IDEA the federal government has prioritized reducing the discipline rates of students in special education programs. Reducing the discipline rates are essential because, Rowe-Gonzalez talks about the harm of disproportionality in regards to discipline; students may not be receiving proper services; upon exclusion students are being denied access to education; students are being labeled and stigmatized as bad kids; students develop low self-esteem; higher drop-out rates; unemployment; and incarceration. In her webinar she also includes best practices such as actually proving the accommodations included on the child’s IEP which does not always happen. Additionally, she includes providing the students with strategies to respond to behaviors, behavior supports, and behavior interventions. She also provides a plethora of alternatives to suspensions which include community based resources.