Abstract
There is an overrepresentation of African American students in special education. Research on this phenomenon has primarily focused on educators within schools. School social workers are in unique positions to impact the disproportionality. Patricia Collins’ Domains-of-Power Framework is used to demonstrate how school social workers can practice transformational resistance to eliminate the overrepresentation of African American students in special education. School social workers should: 1) attend IEP meetings and conduct home visits and biopsychosocial evaluations with students who are being assessed for special education services, 2) offer to evaluate and conduct home visits with students whom teachers deem to be “at-risk” to prevent inappropriate assessments for special education, 3) create a school culture of acceptance of difference, and 4) ask themselves how they individually foster racial domination or emancipation in their daily actions.
Highlights
OF THE DISPROPORTIONALITY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS IN SPECIAL EDUCATIONAfrican American students are overrepresented in special education classrooms (Artiles et al, 2010; Skiba et al, 2006)
There is an overrepresentation of African American students in special education classrooms (Artiles, Kozleski, Trent, Osher, & Ortiz, 2010; Blanchett, 2006; Harry & Anderson, 1994; Mills, 2003; Skiba, Poloni-Staudinger, Gallini, Simmons, & FegginsAzziz, 2006; Skiba et al, 2008)
Patricia Collins’ Domains-of-Power Framework will be used to demonstrate how school social workers can practice transformational resistance to eliminate the overrepresentation of African American students in special education
Summary
African American students are overrepresented in special education classrooms (Artiles et al, 2010; Skiba et al, 2006). Scholars who argue that disproportionality is a problem report the negative impact of inappropriately placing African American students in special education. Longitudinal data shows that students with disabilities in special education are not improving their outcomes at the same rate as their peers in regular education (Artiles et al, 2010). Those who posit that disproportionality is not a problem argue that special education is a safety net for students who are falling behind in regular education classes. Freeman and Alkin (2000) found that children with mental retardation in general education did not attain social acceptance ratings as high as their typically developing peers. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA, 2004) mandated that special education classrooms have low teacher-student ratios, individualized education, and high expenditures per pupil, which are desirable characteristics
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