Closing The Educational Achievement Gap For Students With Learning Disabilities PDF Download

The United States education system triggers a debate since it is characterized by educational inequities and disparities. Despite many efforts towards ensuring equality and many years since segregation was banned in public schools, African American male students still face discrimination and unfair treatment. The purpose of this research is to explore the overrepresentation of African American male students in special education programs and bridge the existing racial achievement gap. The main research questions include: Are African American male students overly represented in special education programs? How does teacher bias contribute to the overrepresentation of African American males in special education? And, what is the impact of racial disproportionality in disciplinary practices on African American male students in special education programs? The overrepresentation of African American male students in special education programs is one of the significant causes of the achievement gap; thus, the current study will comprehensively discuss the issue and contribute to the lasting solution to the problem. The researcher engaged students at a northern California school. Specifically, the researcher focused on the special education teachers' caseload of student's Individualized Education Programs (IEP's) from 9th-12th grades enrolled in Special Day Classes (SDC) identified with mild and moderate learning disabilities. Besides, the researcher will adopt a qualitative case study design. The inter-coder approach and triangulation will help ensure the study's reliability and validity, respectively. The findings of the study revealed that African American male students are overly represented in special education programs. Also, they are referred to these programs due to various disabilities, including intellectual, emotional, and learning disabilities. The study outcome also revealed that teacher bias is a significant cause of African American male students' overrepresentation in special education. Further, the study found that African American male students are more likely to be suspended than their counterparts. Undoubtedly, this overrepresentation adversely impacts the student's academic performance; thus, lagging behind their peers. Solving the problem requires adopting a cultural proficiency lens when training educators and leaders to overcome the barriers to equal access to education. Teacher bias and racial disproportionality are significant causes of African American male students' overrepresentation in special education programs. The study's outcome will help address the challenges facing African American male students and close the achievement gap.