Racial Disparities in Preschool Special Education Eligibility for Five Southern States

Abstract

More than 67,000 preschoolers with disabilities across five states were examined for disproportionate special education eligibilities using risk ratios (RRs). Results indicated children classified as American Indian (RR = 2.25) and Black (RR = 1.64) were disproportionate in one state, whereas children classified as Asian, Hispanic, and White showed no disproportionality. Significant differences were found for preschoolers under orthopedic impairment (F = 43.99, p = .002, η² = .971). Child ethnicity was significant for speech or language impairments (F = 3.313, p = .034, η² = .424), mental retardation (F = 65.215, p = .001, η² = .963), multiple disabilities (F = 5.244, p = .048, η² = .636), hearing impairments (F = 4.181, p = .047, η² = .611), other health impairments (F = 24.148, p = .003, η² = .906), autism (F = 48.570, p = .001, η² = .930), and developmental delay (F = 6.407, p = .003, η² = .631).

Keywords

disproportionate representation preschoolers diversity eligibility

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