![Sample our Education journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5932/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Education.jpg"})
ABSTRACT
Literature on racial disproportionality in special education has recently been situated within a polarized debate about the sources of racial inequities: specifically, the benefits and harms of special education. In this article, we consider this debate from a historical perspective by examining special education policies and their implementation. By doing so, we aim to bridge theory to practice by attending to systemic, institutional, and organizational oppression that becomes enacted through policy aimed at achieving racial equity and educational access. More specifically, we provide a model for local school districts to revise, develop, enhance, and implement policy changes to address disproportionality and racial inequities in special education using a cultural-historical framework and culturally responsive practices.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Additional resources
Additional resources can be used to facilitate conversations in the classroom.
1. American Association for the Advancement of Science. (2023). STEMM Equity Achievement (SEA) Change framework. https://seachange.aaas.org/about/resources
2. Au, W. (2021). A pedagogy of insurgency: Teaching and organizing for radical racial justice in our schools. Educational Studies, 57, 109–123.
3. Kramarczuk Voulgarides, C., Fergus, E., & King Thorius, K. A. (2017). Pursuing equity: Disproportionality in special education and the reframing of technical solutions to address systemic inequities. Review of Research in Education, 41, 61–87.
4. Thorius, K. A. (2019). Facilitating en/counters with special education’s cloak of benevolence in professional learning to eliminate racial disproportionality in special education. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 32, 323–340.