Outskirts Press, INC.

When Special Education Becomes Discrimination

Labels matter in education. There is a growing underclass of disadvantaged children, particularly Black and Hispanic minorities, who are behind the bell curve of their more privileged peers, as early as kindergarten. Despite government programs to help them catch up, the achievement gap widens as they progress through the grades. Unfavorable response to classroom intervention and poor performance on proficiency tests cause frustration among teachers, who are pressured by administrators to raise test scores. Disadvantaged children are therefore being referred for special education testing at earlier ages and in record numbers. With vague and ambiguous eligibility criteria, it is easy for disadvantaged children to qualify for special education. Once they are on that track, motivation and the desire to learn are dampened. Incorrect placement in special education is a disservice not only to these children, but to those who do need special education programs. Written by two longtime veterans of the education system, this book is a compassionate, dynamic assessment of what goes wrong, and how it can be fixed.