Ixtab
04-24-2007, 12:47 AM
Racial Disparities Persist in Special Education, Discipline
By Dwight R. Worley• Journal News (New York) • 4/23/07
Five school districts in Westchester and Rockland have been notified by state officials that they had disproportionate numbers of minority students in special-education classes or serving long-term suspensions.
A new Department of Education report on the 2005-06 school year said minority students in Nanuet, Ardsley, Port Chester-Rye and Irvington were identified as having learning disabilities or placed in restrictive settings at significantly higher rates than other groups. In Yonkers, black students served suspensions of over 10 days at nearly five times the rate of whites.
Overall, the report cites disparities related to 111 minority students in Westchester and Rockland, a tiny portion of the total student population. Local school officials say they have taken steps to correct any disparities, and most believe their districts will be removed from the list next year. Districts are required to develop performance plans to address the disparities and redirect funds for new or improved programs.
In Irvington, one-quarter of the district’s 85 black students were in special education, compared with 9 percent of white students, 13 percent of Hispanic students and 5 percent of Asian students.
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A third of black students in the Nanuet district were in special education compared with 14 percent of whites, 13 percent of Hispanics and 4 percent of Asians. It was the only district in Rockland cited for a disparity. Nanuet officials would not comment.
The issue of racial disparities in special education was highlighted last month in a forum held by the African-American Men of Westchester. The data show that in most districts, blacks and Hispanics are in special education at higher rates than whites and Asians.
“I think the public should go and ask the questions to our superintendents, to our school board members. What are they doing to address this issue?” said Fred Smith, a member of the African- American Men of Westchester and the assistant superintendent for pupil, personnel and curriculum services in New Rochelle. “Everyone that is part of the process of working with and educating children must be accountable, from Albany to local school districts to teachers to the parents.”
Port Chester was cited for placing 17 percent of 90 black students with disabilities in separate settings away from other students, compared with 8 percent of white disabled students and 5 percent of Hispanic disabled students. The district also identified 6 percent of its black students as emotionally disturbed, compared with 1 percent of whites and less than a half- percent of Hispanics.
In addition, the state issued Port Chester a warning for the high percentage of black students placed in special education: 26 percent compared with 12 percent of whites and Hispanics.
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The report also looked at disparities in long-term suspension rates. In Yonkers, one out of every 87 black students was suspended for more than 10 school days compared with one out of every 401 white students and one out of every 140 Hispanic students.
{snip}http://inverted-world.com/index.php/news/news/racial_disparities_persist_in_special_education_discipline/
By Dwight R. Worley• Journal News (New York) • 4/23/07
Five school districts in Westchester and Rockland have been notified by state officials that they had disproportionate numbers of minority students in special-education classes or serving long-term suspensions.
A new Department of Education report on the 2005-06 school year said minority students in Nanuet, Ardsley, Port Chester-Rye and Irvington were identified as having learning disabilities or placed in restrictive settings at significantly higher rates than other groups. In Yonkers, black students served suspensions of over 10 days at nearly five times the rate of whites.
Overall, the report cites disparities related to 111 minority students in Westchester and Rockland, a tiny portion of the total student population. Local school officials say they have taken steps to correct any disparities, and most believe their districts will be removed from the list next year. Districts are required to develop performance plans to address the disparities and redirect funds for new or improved programs.
In Irvington, one-quarter of the district’s 85 black students were in special education, compared with 9 percent of white students, 13 percent of Hispanic students and 5 percent of Asian students.
{snip}
A third of black students in the Nanuet district were in special education compared with 14 percent of whites, 13 percent of Hispanics and 4 percent of Asians. It was the only district in Rockland cited for a disparity. Nanuet officials would not comment.
The issue of racial disparities in special education was highlighted last month in a forum held by the African-American Men of Westchester. The data show that in most districts, blacks and Hispanics are in special education at higher rates than whites and Asians.
“I think the public should go and ask the questions to our superintendents, to our school board members. What are they doing to address this issue?” said Fred Smith, a member of the African- American Men of Westchester and the assistant superintendent for pupil, personnel and curriculum services in New Rochelle. “Everyone that is part of the process of working with and educating children must be accountable, from Albany to local school districts to teachers to the parents.”
Port Chester was cited for placing 17 percent of 90 black students with disabilities in separate settings away from other students, compared with 8 percent of white disabled students and 5 percent of Hispanic disabled students. The district also identified 6 percent of its black students as emotionally disturbed, compared with 1 percent of whites and less than a half- percent of Hispanics.
In addition, the state issued Port Chester a warning for the high percentage of black students placed in special education: 26 percent compared with 12 percent of whites and Hispanics.
{snip}
The report also looked at disparities in long-term suspension rates. In Yonkers, one out of every 87 black students was suspended for more than 10 school days compared with one out of every 401 white students and one out of every 140 Hispanic students.
{snip}http://inverted-world.com/index.php/news/news/racial_disparities_persist_in_special_education_discipline/