How do race, language, and socioeconomic status influence identification and access to services?
You are a new special education teacher. You notice that some students with similar academic needs are identified for services quickly, while others are not. You also observe that families with greater familiarity with the school system and stronger communication skills tend to receive more support and guidance than others.
What factors contribute to these differences in identification and access to services?
Race / cultural background
- Students from marginalized racial or cultural groups are more likely to be: under-identified or misinterpreted; viewed through deficit-based assumptions
- Cultural differences may be mistaken for lack of ability or behavior issues
Language
- Families with limited English proficiency: have reduced access to information about services; may not fully understand evaluation or IEP processes; are less likely to challenge school decisions;
- This leads to delayed or reduced access to support
Socioeconomic status
- Higher-SES families: have more time, knowledge, and confidence to advocate; can access private evaluations or additional resources
- Lower-SES families: may lack time, resources, or familiarity with systems; depend more on school-initiated identification
You are a new special education teacher reviewing school data. You notice that students with similar learning needs are not always diagnosed in the same way: some receive learning disability labels, while others are more likely to be identified as having autism, intellectual disabilities, or emotional disturbance.
What patterns of disparity appear in autism and other disability diagnoses?
Under Identification:
- Some students’ disabilities are not recognized or diagnosed
- Leads to delayed or missing access to support services
Over Identification:
- Certain groups are disproportionately labeled with specific disabilities
- Especially more stigmatized categories (e.g., ID, emotional disturbance, sometimes autism)
Discipline disparities:
- Students from marginalized groups may face higher rates of punishment or exclusion
- Behavioral differences may be interpreted as disability-related behavior issues
Placement disparities:
- Unequal placement in restrictive vs inclusive settings
- Some students are more likely to be placed in segregated programs
One family is familiar with the school system, speaks fluent English, and actively requests evaluations and services. Another family, who speaks limited English and is unfamiliar with their rights, trusts the school’s initial decision that no support is needed.
Why do these families experience advocacy differently, and what should educators do to ensure equitable access to support?
Differences in Advocacy
- Access: Some families know how to navigate the system; others lack information
- Knowledge: Some understand their rights; others rely on school decisions
- Power: Language and confidence affect whose voice is heard
What should educators do?
- Don’t assume silence = agreement
- Provide clear information and language support
- Take proactive responsibility for support
- Create inclusive, participatory spaces
What is masking? Why does it lead to inequities?
What should you do when you notice that a student has these certain behaviors?
Forcing eye contact; mimicking peers (using facial expressions that do not come naturally); reducing stimming (Hand-clapping/playing with a pen); etc
Masking results in under-identification of learning and emotional disabilities, often inhibiting access to special education.
UDL; flexible participation options; provide private check-ins; look beyond behaviors (shift focus from academics to wellbeing)
You are a new special ed teacher. After an IEP meeting, you notice that several agreed-upon supports are not being implemented consistently in the classroom. At the same time, the student’s family (who's culturally and linguistically diverse) seem hesitant to speak up or question the school’s decisions. What should you do?
Case adapted from Kurth, J. A., Zagona, A. L., Miller, A. L., & Love, H. (2019).
I knew you all came up with amazing answers!
A few possible things that you can do:
1. Take responsibility for communicating with the teaching team, clarifying expectations, and advocating for accountability
2. Build a close relationship with the family (Kristen Stacy, Director of Early Childhood at P.A.W.S.: You gotta love your babies!)
3. Explaining their rights, offering guidance on how to advocate, providing translations, and creating space for their concerns to be heard (Dr. Simone Dufresne)