A Preliminary Study of Disproportionate Representation and Response to Intervention

Authors

Jade A. Enrique, Valdosta State University
Katharine S. Adams, Valdosta State UniversityFollow
Lantry L. Brockmeier, Valdosta State UniversityFollow
Larry D. Hilgert, Valdosta State UniversityFollow

Abstract

Disproportionate representation occurs when the percentage of an identified group enrolled in special education varies significantly from that group’s overall percentage of the school population (Harry, 1994). Response to Intervention (RTI), a paradigm for educational intervention, is designed to minimize many factors contributing to disproportionality. The study examined disproportionality risk ratios for African American students, ages 6 through 21, who received special education services in a southeastern state supporting the RTI initiative during the 2006-2009 school years. Data suggest that African American students identified with a specific learning disability experienced increased referral and placement in special education in the three years corresponding to the initial RTI implementation efforts. Definitive conclusions about the fidelity of RTI implementation or effectiveness of intervention are beyond the scope of the current study, but disproportionality findings may be used as a comparative baseline for future research.

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Enrique, Jade A.; Adams, Katharine S.; Brockmeier, Lantry L.; and Hilgert, Larry D. (2013) "A Preliminary Study of Disproportionate Representation and Response to Intervention," Georgia Educational Researcher: Vol. 10: Iss. 1, Article 2.
DOI: 10.20429/ger.2013.100102
Available at: https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gerjournal/vol10/iss1/2