Over Identification In Special Education Essay

One huge controversial topic that comes from Special Education is over-identification that is taking place. This is when children are taken out for hours and are given specialized instruction according to their IEP. Individual Education Programs offer extra help to students who have learning disabilities which are oftentimes categorized in the classes as special education. This over-identification of people in special ed often stems from minorities being overrepresented. This is a huge issue as the National Center of Learning Disabilities “Students of color can be misidentified as needing special education, and are then placed in more restrictive settings and experience harsher discipline because of the intersectionality of race and special

Causing students who are from different backgrounds to have issues with learning which they act out because they are misunderstood and diagnosed inappropriately not allowing them to reach their full potential. The other downside is that students can be put onto medication then causing them to be put on medication they do not need which can cause health issues later down the road. There is test bias taking place as well as the study from the study conducted by Kelly Kresko who has a master’s in Special Education writing this paper from research she conducted under St. John Fisher University, in the short research she conducted to gather an overview of the issue she had learned that “Research indicates that factors such as test bias, poverty, poor general education instruction, and insufficient professional development for working with diverse students can cause this overrepresentation.” (Kresko). Leading to the question: how can over-identification in minorities come to a stop in special

The authors are collaborative in the evidence and the solution one most importantly being “Provide more inclusive environments for students with disabilities and provide additional training to lead and regular teachers.” (Council). In creating more of an enclosed environment, in Atlanta they took this step to make sure that over identification was not taking place in special ed. This gave them more one-on- one time with students. This also helps train teachers in what they need to look for in a disability. In the website it lists different ways that this idea of overrepresentation can be taken away in schools by having this more enclosed environment and allowing teachers one on one time with the teacher. In a guide to help parents understand what Special Education written by Los Angeles Unified School District is the steps being outline oe step to helping children learn at their own peace, along with getting the help they need they lost this by “Services in different models (i.e. collaborative planning and teaching, direct instruction to students, consultation with staff and parents.)” (Los Angeles). The different models being referred to ask one on one time with the child. The idea that they have this time with the children where they can help them and truly make sure they have diagnosed