Responding to Special Education Disproportionality

1. Responding to Special Education Disproportionality Understanding your Data Presenters: Nancy Fuhrman & Dani Scott, DPI

2. Presentation Topics Indicators 9 & 10 Criteria Risk Risk Ratio Weighted Risk Ratio

3. Indicator 9: Disproportionate Representation in Special Education & Related Services Percent of districts with disproportionate representation of racial and ethnic groups in special education and related services that is the result of inappropriate identification

4. Indicator 10 : Disproportionate Representation in Specific Disability Areas Percent of districts with disproportionate representation of racial and ethnic groups in specific disability categories that is the result of inappropriate identification Six Specific Categories

5. Criteria A total enrollment of 100 students for any given racial group; There must be 10 students with disabilities in the particular racial group in question; and The specific criteria must be met for three consecutive years

6. Additional Criteria Risk levels for a racial group that are 1% or higher than the state risk for White students Weighted risk ratio that is at least 2.0 times compared to risk for all others in the district Other criteria may be applied depending on unique circumstances

7. Sources of Data ISES 3rd Friday September Count October 1 Child Count

8. What Is Risk? Risk is a particular racial group�s likelihood of being identified for special education or for a given disability category Risk answers the question, �What percentage of a particular racial group is receiving special education or has been identified as having a particular disability?�

9. What Is Risk? Calculation: Number of students from racial/ethnic group in disability category Number of enrolled students from racial/ethnic group Multiply by 100 to express as a percentage

10. Risk For Example: Black students with CD = 4 = 4% Black students enrolled = 100 The risk of an enrolled Black student being labeled as having CD = 4%.

11. Exercises for Calculating Risk Use your own data Calculate for �all disabilities� within your district Example: Statewide all disabilities: # Hispanic students with disabilities for 2006-07 7,127 Total Hispanic public enrollment = 59,450 *100 = 11.99

12. Exercises for Calculating Risk (continued) Calculate the risk for all special education categories and for the specific disability category in which you were identified Explore racial gaps � graph your results Comparison to White risk

13. What Is Risk Ratio? Risk Ratio---Compares the risk for one racial/ethnic group to the risk for all other groups If there were no differences between racial/ethnic groups, the risk ratio would be 1.0 (everybody would have equal risk)

14. What Is Risk Ratio? Calculation: Risk for racial/ethnic group for disability category Risk for comparison group for disability category

15. Risk Ratio For example: Black students with CD = 4 = Risk = 4% Black students enrolled = 100 White students with CD = 2 = Risk = 2% White students enrolled = 100 Risk Ratio = 4% 2% = 2.0

16. Exercises for Calculating Risk Ratio Calculate risk ratio for disability category your district was identified for Criteria for district identification � examine risk ratios of one racial group as compared to all others Still may want to look at individual risk levels

17. Weighted Risk Ratio Risk ratios are not comparable across districts Weighted risk ratio adjusts for district variability Allows for comparisons across districts Use weighted risk ratio for identification (per federal guidelines)

18. Resources Westat TA Guide: Methods for Assessing Racial/Ethnic Disproportionality in Special Education https://www.ideadata.org/docs/Disproportionality%20Technical%20Assistance%20Guide.pdf Wisconsin State Performance Plan � Indicators 9 & 10 http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/sped/spp-disp.html