Disproportionate Representation of
Minority Students in Programs for
Students with Behavioral Disorders
Ohio CCBD
June 26, 2009
Gwendolyn Cartledge, Ph.D.
The Ohio State University
cartledge.1@osu.edu
Lenwood Gibson
Gibson.476@osu.edu
Starr Keyes
Keyes.20@osu.edu
Presentation Outline
Disproportionality for Culturally Diverse
Learners (CLD)
Cultural Competence in Perceptions
Cultural Competence in Behavioral
Interventions
Cultural Competence in Academic
Interventions
Disproportionate Minority Representation in
Special Education
Minority students are disproportionately overrepresented in special education
 African American children are identified at 1.5 to 4
times the rate of white children in the disability
categories of LD, MR, and EBD. They make up
14.8% of pupil population but 26.4% of students in
EBD (Drakeford, Cramer, & Staples, 2006; Losen & Orfield, 2002)
 There is disproportionality in the representation of
Native and Hispanic Americans in some areas as
well
 Asian American children are under identified in
these areas, raising the question of whether the
special education needs of these children are being
met
Prevalence of EBD in CLD groups
EBD more prevalent in African-American
youth from low-SES households and
families without two parents
(Achilles, McLaughlin, & Croninger; 2007)
Rates of EBD by gender
Girls underidentified for EBD. Possible factors:
internalizing might not be detected by existing
measurement/identification tools
gender role assumptions
(Rice, Merves, & Srsic; 2008)
Sample population in Quality of Life study:
Out of 86 students, only 19 female (Sacks & Kern; 2008)
Ohio rates by gender
Males overwhelmingly identified with
EBD as opposed to females
ODE Power Report 2007-2008 enrollment
by student demographic:
Males comprised 80% of students enrolled
w/EBD
Ohio EBD prevalence by group
2007-2008
School Year
Percent of School
Population
Males
Females
Percent of EBD Population
Males
Females
Asian or Pacific
Islander
.7
.8
.2
.2
Black, NonHispanic
8.3
8.1
25
7
1.3
1.3
1.6
.3
.05
.05
.1
NC
1.7
1.7
3.6
.9
39
37
49
12
Hispanic
American Indian
or Alaskan Native
Multiracial
White, NonHispanic
Discipline and exclusion
Highest disciplinary rates for students w/EBD
EBD & ADHD more likely than LD to be excluded;
African-American & Hispanics more likely than Whites to be
excluded;
Male and older students more likely be excluded
(Achilles et al., 2007)
More severe disciplinary procedures used for students
with EBD (Bradley, Doolittle, & Bartolotta; 2008)
Setting
Students with EBD participate in general
education curriculum less:
are more likely to be serviced with other students
with EBD;
are excluded from instructional settings more than
any other disability category (Bradley et al., 2008)
More segregated settings for AA, Hispanic,
Native Am, & ELL students as opposed to
White, Asian/PI, other, and non-ELL students
(De Valenzuela, Copeland, Qi, & Park, 2006)
Outcomes for Students with EBD
Poor school and post-school outcomes for
students with EBD; with negligible change
over time (Bradley et al., 2008; Kern, Hilt-Panahon, & Sokol;
2009)
More likely to receive lower grades and have
the lowest high school completion rate (e.g.,
drop out at twice the rate of general education
students)
Difficulty with employment, postsecondary
education, personal relationships, and high
rate of involvement in justice system
(Bradley et al., 2008)
Outcomes (cont’d)
Consistently highest dropout rates for students with EBD and LD
Lower odds of dropping out if:
never have been retained;
prepared for class;
completed homework;
tardy less often
Greater odds of dropping out if:
misbehave more;
cut class;
absent
(Reschly & Christenson, 2006)
Data from One Elementary School:
Disciplinary Data Summary
Nearly 50% of school population had
disciplinary referrals.
Number of referrals increased dramatically in
the spring of each school year.
Males received more referrals than females:
60% year 1, 73% year 2.
African American males:
% in population
% referrals
Year 1
41.6%
53.1%
Year 2
38.5%
64.3%
Data from One Elementary School:
Frequent Repeaters
15 or more referrals (16 students)
5-14 referralsm (16 students)
1-4 referrals (9 students)
80
Number of office referrals
70
60
Year 1
50
40
30
20
10
0
Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May
00
00
00
00
01
01
01
01
01
01
01
01
01
02
02
02
02
02
Month
Culturally competent teachers are able to face
themselves - are introspective (Howard 2003)
When dealing with disciplinary actions,
for example, teachers need to ask:
• Are disciplinary actions disproportionate to
one subgroup?
• What messages are being sent to student
members of that group and to nonmembers?
• Are students punished for teachers’ lack of
skill in behavior management?
• Are students punished for culturally specific
behaviors?
School orientation begins to dwindle
at about the 4th grade. Boys begin to
seek other means to affirm
themselves, perhaps due more to
hostile school climate than to peer
pressure against “acting white.”
When removal from classroom life
begins at an early age, it is even more
devastating, as human possibilities
are stunted at a crucial formative
period of life. Each year the gap in
skills grows wider and more
handicapping, while the overall
process of disidentification …
encourages those who have problems
to leave school rather than resolve
them in an educational setting
(Ferguson, p. 230).
Cultural Competence
Ways in which schools aggravate social
adjustment problems of culturally
diverse learners:
Monocultural curriculum (fail to recognize
background of culturally diverse learner)
Individualistic/competitive environments
Disproportionate disciplinary referrals with
harsher penalties
More restrictive educational placements
Low expectations
Cultural Competence
Clash between culture of school
(control/authority) & males (need to be
empowered/affirmed)  cultural
discontinuities
Need for greater cultural competence by
school personnel
Reduce hostile school climate through culture of
caring
Develop positive student - teacher relationships
Provide direct and intense instruction in desired
social and academic skills
Cultural Competence
Empower and affirm males through:
Social skill instruction in needed
behaviors
Individualized behavior plans
Effective/intensive academic
instruction
Social Skills Instruction
Motivation and Rationale
Skill Components/Steps
Modeling
Guided Rehearsal and Practice
Independent Practice
Skill Review and Reinforcement
Maintenance and Generalization
“Responding to Conflicts and
Aggression” Instruction
Using folktale to teach social skills
(Cartledge & Kleefeld, 1994; in press)
A Lot of Silence Makes a Great Noise
Skill Components
When someone says or does something to
bother or threaten us, we:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Don’t look at the person.
Don’t talk to the person.
Think about how to get away.
If you can, get away.
Go to a safe place.
If necessary, call for help.
Modeling, Guided, and Independent
Practice
Situation: You are walking home from school.
Two bullies, both bigger than you are, call you
names and threaten you.
I’m not going to look at them.
I’m not going to talk to them.
I’m going to ignore them and continue
walking.
I’m going to walk faster so that I can
get home quickly and safely.
Reinforcement, Maintenance,
Generalization
Self-management
When someone teases me or challenges me,
I …..
Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri
Don’t look
X



Don’t talk

X


Walk away
X



Tell my teacher




Touchdown
Reinforcement, Maintenance,
Generalization
Integrated curriculum (e.g., culturally specific
literature, journal writing)
Classwide and schoolwide instruction
Collaboration with family and community
members
Group contingency
As peer coach
Affirmation
For his good team work and
leadership…
By the power invested in Ms.
Jones’ 3rd grade class… we
hereby announce…
James Brown
as our very own
Quarterback
Reinforcing Appropriate Behavior
“[B]ehaviors which are supported and recognized
are the ones which will increase” (Rhode, Jenson, &
Reavis, 1992, p. 27).
“Good job, James, for following directions.”
vs.
“Stop it, James. You are interrupting the class.”
If the student’s appropriate behavior does not
increase, whatever you are doing is not
reinforcing to the student (not working).
James
Academic Instruction
Good teaching as first line of defense
Many students’ problem behavior are results of
poor academic achievement
•
“I can’t do the work. I’m bored. So let’s find
something else to do!!” (academic escape)
Good teaching produces “double” effects
Good teaching requires
Maximum number of instructional trials (fast pace
+ no down time)
Students’ overt responses
Error correction with repeated practice
(Lambert et al., 2006)
Early Identification
Identify children at-risk as early as
possible
Children born into high risk situations
considered for intervention from birth
High quality in home and preschools
programs
•
4 and 5 year olds participating in a half day
preschool had 32% fewer special ed
placements
(Conyers, Reynolds, & Ou, 2003)
Early Academic Intervention
School-based assessment to identify atrisk students
Link between academic deficits and
behavior problems
Increased focus on early reading skills
Dynamic Indicator of Basic Early Literacy
Skills (DIBLES)
•
Focuses on phonemic awareness and oral
reading fluency
Importance of P.A. and ORF
Students still behind in third grade rarely catch
up to peers
These skills should be assessed and taught
early
Research demonstrates intervention for PA and
ORF successful in increasing targeted skills
and reducing behavior disruptions
(Kourea, Cartledge, & Musti-Rao, 2007; Koutsofats, Harmom, & Gray, 2008; Lane, Menzies,
Munton, Von Duering, & English, 2005; Staubitz, Cartledge, Yurick, and Lo, 2005)
Reading Intervention
First-graders in two schools
6 boy and 2 girls
Ages 6 to 8 years old
African-American
Low-income, urban schools
Identified as “at-risk”
•
DIBELS winter benchmark
Oral reading fluency scores
All students were either “at-risk” or “some risk”
Intervention
Computer based reading program
•
•
•
•
Focused on increasing reading fluency
Repeated reading sequence
Stand alone
Supplemental reading curriculum
Students used program:
• 30 minutes per day
• 3 to 4 times per week
• 5 months (Jan to May)
Results
Oral Reading Fluency Rates (measured as correct words per minute)
Treatment
Generalization
Student
BL
TX1
TX2
BL
TX1
TX2
Lance
13
44
58
11
15
27
Stevie
11
51
70
8
14
25
Sheba
20
70
100
24
22
44
Ashley
28
70
80
22
36
50
Marvin
12
42
46
19
17
30
Clyde
16
52
70
22
20
41
Malik
15
64
74
24
28
43
Tyrone
20
61
71
27
34
38
DIBELS Winter and Spring Benchmarks
Student
DIBELS Winter
DIBELS Spring
1st Grade-Benchmarks
1st Grade-Benchmarks
ORF
Risk Status
ORF
Risk Status
Words Gained
Lance
6
At Risk
21
Some Risk
+15
Stevie
7
At Risk
21
Some Risk
+14
Sheba
16
Some Risk
40
Low Risk
+24
Ashley
15
Some Risk
49
Low Risk
+34
Marvin
7
At Risk
21
Some Risk
+14
Clyde
9
Some Risk
31
Some Risk
+22
Malik
14
Some Risk
27
Some Risk
+13
Tyrone
9
Some Risk
25
Some Risk
+16
Summary of Results
School 1
School 2
Tx
Gen
Tx
Gen
Baseline
16 CWPM
24 CWPM
18 CWPM
17 CWPM
Intervention
52 CWPM
32 CWPM
63 CWPM
30 CWPM
+ 36 CWPM
+ 8 CWPM
+ 45 CWPM
+ 13 CWPM
Gains
5 out of 8 students lowered risk status on DIBELS
References
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Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 15(1), 33-45.
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and outcomes of students with emotional disturbance. Journal of Behavior Education, 17, 4-23.
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Thank You!
Gwendolyn Cartledge
cartledge.1@osu.edu
Lenwood Gibson
Gibson.476@osu.edu
Starr Keyes
Keys.20@osu.edu