Why are so many minority students in special education? : understanding race and disability in schools

This powerful book examines the disproportionate placement of Black and Hispanic students in special education. The authors present compelling stories representing the range of experiences that culturally and linguistically diverse students are apt to face in school. They examine the children's experiences, their families, interactions with school personnel, the teachers, and schools' estimation of the children and their families, and the school climate that influences decisions about referrals. Based on the authors' work in a large, culturally diverse school district, the book concludes with recommendations for improving educational practice, teacher training, and policy renewal. Overview: Ethnic Disproportionality In Special Education -- School Structure: Institutional Bias And Individual Agency -- Cultural Consonance, Dissonance, And The Nuances Of Racism -- In The Classroom: Opportunity To Learn -- The Construction Of Family Identity: Stereotypes And Cultural Capital -- At The Conference Table: The Discourse Of Identity Construction -- Bilingual Issues And The Referral Process -- Constructing Educable Mental Retardation: Cracks And Redundancies -- Constructing Learning Disabilities: Redundancies And Discrepancies -- Constructing Behavior Disorders: From Troubling To Troubled Behavior -- Into Special Education: Exile Or Solution? Beth Harry And Janette Klingner ; Foreword By Lisa D. Delpit. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 185-193) And Index. This powerful book examines the disproportionate placement of Black and Hispanic students in special education. The authors present compelling stories representing the range of experiences that culturally and linguistically diverse students are apt to face in school. They examine the children s experiences, their families interactions with school personnel, the teachers and schools estimation of the children and their families, and the school climate that influences decisions about referrals. Based on the authors work in a large, culturally diverse school district, the book concludes with recommendations for improving educational practice, teacher training, and policy renewal