A qualitative analysis of teachers’ and psychologists’ perceptions of disproportionality within special education

Throughout the last few decades, the number of students receiving special education services in public schools has steadily increased (Education Week, 2019). As students serviced has increased, so has “disproportionality” – that is, the rate at which one racial group is overrepresented or underrepresented in special education or within specific disability categories (Skiba et al., 2008). This problem has roots deeper than just within education, connected to oppression, discrimination, and civil rights concerns due to special education settings being removed from the general education classes in certain circumstances depending on the disability category (Smedley, 2007; Skiba et al., 2008). A variety of interventions have been utilized to track and attempt to reduce this problem including providing improvements to federal policy and analyzing data on geographic location, student socio-economic status, and teacher education. This study is conducted in the Chicagoland area and interviewed 16 participants- eight special education teachers and eight school psychologists. This study utilizes the DisCrit theory which informed the research questions and interview protocols. Analysis of the data resulted in three themes: 1) knowledge of disproportionality and the overrepresentation of Black students; 2) perceived contributors to disproportionality; and 3) systemic barriers for Black students. Findings suggest that school psychologists have a breadth of knowledge of disproportionality and the overrepresentation of Black students. In contrast, teachers have less substantial knowledge of this concept. Perceived contributors to disproportionality by practitioners interviewed are family advocacy and involvement, school and family socioeconomic status, and administration and district involvement. Participants identified teachers' negative bias towards Black students’ behavior, practitioner knowledge gaps, and the influence of trauma as systemic barriers for Black students in regard to overrepresentation in special education.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ed.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp

Grantor

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2025

Author dc:creator

• Smith, Samantha K.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Nelson, Jennifer
• Roegman, Rachel
• Herrmann, Mary
• Meadan-Kaplansky, Hedda

• disproportionality
• overrepresentation
• special education
• disability categories

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2025 Samantha Smith

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/132483

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/132483