Over Represented in Special Education: Minority Students at Risk

Over the past forty years, overrepresentation of minority students in special education has been studied and prevalent in the school system. Though it has been examined for a while, there are still significant amounts of disproportionality in special education in the United States, today. To ensure that all students are given equal access to the most beneficial school setting, addressing the variety of factors that cause racial disproportionality in special education is key to each student’s success. Through my analysis of peer reviewed research studies, I have focused this literature review on illustrating the racial groups most affected by disproporitonality, factors leading to disproportionate representation, and possible solutions to fix the inequality. With this information, present and future school personnel involved in the referral of students to special education can improve the statistics to ensure that overrepresentation is not present and provide each student with an education that yields success