By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.
If you’re a parent or educator, you might have heard the term equity floating around recently. It sounds complex, but at heart, it’s pretty straightforward. Equity in special education means ensuring all students, no matter their racial or socioeconomic background, receive appropriate and fair support. Here’s the catch: many schools fall short of this goal more often than you might think.
Why does equity matter? Because when special education decisions aren’t equitable, students can miss out on critical support that could positively change their academic paths, or they might receive services they don’t actually need. The impact on students can be huge, influencing everything from their classroom experiences, to how they view themselves, to the long-term opportunities they have access to. On a larger scale, when inequity happens repeatedly across the country, entire communities can be affected.
Let’s Look at the Real-World Impact
Let’s say you have two students. One student is from a fairly wealthy neighborhood with plenty of resources, while the other is from a lower-income neighborhood. Even if both have the exact same needs, research shows the student from the lower-income community, particularly if they’re from a racial minority, is more likely to be quickly referred for special education services. On the flip side, some students of color might face delayed or inaccurate diagnoses because cultural differences or biases affect how their needs are perceived.
Either way, a lack of equity creates uneven outcomes. It can cause students to feel misunderstood, unfairly labeled, or stuck in placements that aren’t right for them. Hopefully, no parent, teacher, or education leader wants a student to experience this, so it’s crucial we face this issue head-on.
Why Does This Happen?
Inequity isn’t usually driven by intentional discrimination. Instead, it largely results from implicit bias (i.e. those unconscious assumptions or stereotypes most of us hold without realizing it). When left unchecked, these biases shape how educators interpret student behavior and performance.
Culturally different ways of communicating or showing frustration might wrongly signal an emotional or learning disability to someone unfamiliar with that student’s background. For example, a student may come from a culture which speaks passionately and uses expressive hand gestures while speaking. Someone unfamiliar with the culture may think they’re angry. Misinterpreting this behavior can unfairly lead to the student being labeled as emotionally disturbed.
Additionally, students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds may face educational gaps that lead educators to misinterpret their academic challenges as disabilities. Instead of addressing real issues, like inadequate early intervention or unequal access to quality instruction, these students may simply be shuffled into special education. This not only harms the students involved but also disadvantages the community as a whole.
How Can We Change This?
The good news is there’s a lot of schools can do right now to ensure greater equity. By the way, throughout this post, I chose to use the word “equity” instead of “disproportionality” because equity is clearer and easier to understand.
Here are five actions schools can take:
- Teach with Culture in Mind
Teachers should learn about their students’ cultures and use teaching methods that respect their backgrounds.
- Improve Regular Classroom Support
Giving extra help early, like small-group lessons, can help teachers identify the true nature of a student’s challenges and prevent inappropriate special education placements.
- Train Teachers on Hidden Biases
Teachers benefit from training about biases they might not even realize they have. Regular discussions can help prevent unfair decisions and actions affecting students.
- Make Special Ed Decisions as a Team
While decision-making teams often include teachers, families, administrators, and special education staff, too often one person’s opinion dominates, with others simply co-signing. Don’t rely on just one voice. Listen to everyone and allow team members to freely share their perspectives without fear of consequences.
- Partner with Families
Schools should clearly explain the entire process to parents and actively invite them to share their experiences and insights about their child. Providing translation services, welcoming questions, and encouraging parents to involve their own experts, advocates, or attorneys helps families advocate more effectively.
Start the Conversation
Change starts by talking openly about fairness. Every student deserves the right support. Let’s work together to make it happen!
