Inequity in the Classroom

Americans of color have a long history of disparate access to education compared to white Americans. Despite the many policy shifts and initiatives to address disparities since the end of legal segregation in schools, students of color continue to receive fewer educational resources than their white peers (Brookings, 1998; Camera, 2018; Morgan & Amerikaner, 2018). Educational inequity starts prior to kindergarten and impacts students far beyond grade 12, as it is associated with gaps in higher education attainment and income inequality (Garcia & Weiss, 2017; Brookings, 2018; Hewlett Foundation, 2016). Inequity in schools doesn’t only affect regular education but extends to special education as well.

Disproportionality in special education refers to the overrepresentation of minority groups identified with disabilities under the Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA 2004), meaning that minority students make up a larger share of students receiving special education services than is expected based on their percentage of the larger student population (NASP, 2013). Historically, this has meant that students from minority ethnic and racial backgrounds have had a higher likelihood of being placed in restrictive learning environments and inequitable access to quality education than their majority peers. Special education disproportionality is also associated with stigmatization, lowered expectations, fewer opportunities to learn, lesser quality instruction, and exclusion from the regular education environment (NASP, 2013).

There also exists disproportionality at the other end of the learning spectrum: gifted education. Gifted education is largely decided at the state and local level, and programs are dependent on how districts can allocate funding. While Black students make up about 17% of the overall student population in America, they only make up about 10% of the population in gifted programs (U.S. Department of Education, 2010). Participation in gifted programs has been linked to higher academic outcomes, engagement with learning, and increases in self-efficacy and non-academic self-concept (Grissom & Redding, 2016). There are many potential factors that contribute to the underrepresentation of Black students in gifted programs, including the greater likelihood they have to attend schools without gifted programs, local variability of what constitutes as gifted, and teacher referral (Grisson & Reading, 2016; McBee, 2006; Peters, Rambo-Hernandez, Makel, Matthews, & Plucker, 2019).

Although overall trends suggest the academic achievement gap between whites and minorities has been closing, there are still substantial differences, particularly in states with racial socioeconomic disparities (Stanford CEPA, 2020). The misrepresentation of Black students in both special education and gifted programs is a small piece of the systemic inequity Black Americans face, and yet, a significant one. School psychologists can play a pivotal role in addressing disproportionality to move schools towards equitable education. Practicing with cultural competence means educating oneself on how the different dimensions of diversity may impact a child’s performance in school, and keeping those factors in mind when determining educational interventions.

What are some concrete ways school psychologists can practice in a culturally competent way? To prevent overidentification of disabilities, consider implementing a multi-tier system of supports to provide targeted interventions that can help a student progress and eliminate the need for an educational evaluation. When a determination has been made that a child meets classification for special education services, carefully consider your recommendations: how can the school provide the services a student needs while also retaining as much access to regular education as possible? When making gifted determinations, consider using a matrix of criteria beyond standardized test scores; the expert observations of teachers who are aware of a student’s strengths could be the invaluable piece that provides the right placement. When a student falls short of the school’s criteria for gifted education, consult with regular education teachers regarding how to provide enrichment opportunities in the classroom.

School psychologists are positioned well to balance the scales and create greater equity in American schools. In this country, K-12 education sets the foundation for outcomes later in life, and as such, all students deserve the chance to build on solid ground.

Discussion Questions

1. How might inequity in public education contribute to larger, systemic inequity Black Americans face?
2. How can psychologists (both in school and out) help individuals address educational inequity?
3. How does inequity in education impact your own biases as a practitioner?

About the Author

Shanny Shmuel, Psy.D., is a clinical psychology postdoctoral associate and certified school psychologist in private practice in Philadelphia, PA. She received her doctorate in clinical psychology from Widener University.

References Cited

Camera, L. (2018, February 27). In most states, poorest school districts get less funding. US News and World Report. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2018-02-27/in-most-states-poorest-school-districts-get-less-funding

Darling-Hammond, L. (1998, March 1). Unequal opportunity: Race and education. Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/unequal-opportunity-race-and-education/

Garcia, E. & Weiss, E. (2017, September 27). Education inequalities at the school starting gate: Gaps, trends, and strategies to address them. Economic Policy Institute. https://www.epi.org/publication/education-inequalities-at-the-school-starting-gate/

Grissom, J. A., & Redding, C. (2016). Discretion and disproportionality: Explaining the underrepresentation of high-achieving students of color in gifted programs. AERA Open, 2(1).

Hewlett Foundation. (2016, February 5). Inequity is the problem in education. https://hewlett.org/inequity-is-the-problem-in-education/

McBee, M. T. (2006). A descriptive analysis of referral sources for gifted identification screening by race and socioeconomic status. Journal of Secondary Gifted Education, 17(2), 103–111.

Morgan, I. & Amerikaner, A. (2018, February 27). Funding gaps in 2018. The Education Trust. https://edtrust.org/resource/funding-gaps-2018/

NASP. (2013). Racial and ethnic disproportionality in education [Position statement]. https://www.nasponline.org/x26829.xml

Peters, S. J., Rambo-Hernandez, K., Makel, M. C., Matthews, M. S., & Plucker, J. A. (2019). Effect of local norms on racial and ethnic representation in gifted education. AERA Open, 5(2).

Stanford CEPA. (2020). Racial and Ethnic Achievement Gaps. Retrieved from https://cepa.stanford.edu/educational-opportunity-monitoring-project/achievement-gaps/race/#first

U.S. Department of Education. (2010). Civil rights data collection, 2009–2010: National and state estimations. Retrieved from http:// ocrdata.ed.gov/StateNationalEstimations/Projections_2009_10