The Special Education Paradox: Equity as the Way to
Excellence
Skrtic Notes
10/2/2010 10:58:00 PM
REI = Regular Education Initiative (1991)
Current debate over inclusion (REI) reflects earlier mainstreaming (EHA)
debate. In both:
 1. Ethics and efficacy of SPED practices criticized and a new
approach proposed
 2. Occur during period of public education reform
 3. Forms of naïve pragmatism (analysis and problem solving that
accepts the current assumptions behind educational practices)
“Thus, the problem with the mainstreaming and REI debates is that their
criticism stops at the level of special education practices; neither one
questions the assumptions in which these practices are grounded.”
Problem-solving requires critical pragmatism (our assumptions require
evaluation and reappraisal and be problematic themselves)
Purpose: critically deconstruct practices to show that
 Grounding assumptions inadequate and in need of change


Alternative assumptions possible and desirable
Choosing grounding assumptions political and moral act
Functionalism = social reality is objective and rational and human
problems are pathological
 School failure = inefficient organizations and defective students
o SPED = remove defective students
 Assumptions:
 1. Disabilities pathological conditions
 2. Differential diagnosis objective and useful
3. SPED rational and coordinated system that
benefits students
 4. Progress comes from technology improvement
in diagnostics and instruction
distortion of cause of failure = prevents schools from living up to
democratic ideals


“Special education provides the structural and cultural insights that are
necessary to begin reconstructing public education . . . and for reconciling it
with its democratic ideals.”
Criticsim of Current System:
 Some mild disabilities are pathological – others are not, many go
undiagnosed
o The whole notion of pathology is socially constructed
 Diagnosis is not objective
o Argues that IEPs are not found useful by teachers


Only rational benefit of SPED system is instructional benefit, which
is not currently happening
o Instructional benefits are outweighed by negative social
stigmas
REI proponents argue progress in diagnosis is not possible because
concept is flawed/opponents think progress is possible
REI proponents believe: completely new system should be formed
REI opponents believe: current systems and practices should be retained for
political purposes and fact htat improvements can happen
Both proponents and opponents inconsistent about 3rd and 4th assumptions
= organizational rationality of education
Structural Frame = school organization inherently non-adaptable, twostructure arrangement premised on standardization
 Schools = both professional & machine bureaucracies
o Professional: deal with complex work
Unite theory and practice – performers, not problemsolvers
 Work closely with clients/not with other professionals
 Fit into existing specialities or force client out of system
 CHANGE requires changing what each
professional does
o Machine: deal with simple rational tasks
 Minimize discretion and separate theory from practice

Workers highly dependent on each other
 CHANGE the existing rationalization and
formalization structure (ex: adding new
classes/programs)
“managing and governing schools as if they were machine bureaucracies
increases rationalization and formalization and thus decreases professional
thought and discretion, which reduces even further the degree to which
teachers can personalize instruction.”

Cultural Frame = school organizations as cultures/ corrigible systems of
meaning
 Organizations as Paradigms: shared systems of beliefs about causeeffect relationships and standards of practice/behavior
o CHANGE requires paradigm shift
 Organizations as Schemas: a cognitive entity/members actively
create and recreate the paradigm (filtered by prior beliefs/values)
o CHANGE occurs when members think change caused by their
own actions
The underorganized nature of schools that prevents structural change is
condition that makes cultural change possible
Adhocracy = innovation, not standardization/ problem-solving organization
 Work collaboratively/joint responsibility/ reflective thought/
informal communication
 Accountability = shared interest in common goal/ well-being of
organization w/ respect to mission
EHA seeks adhocracy (parents/teachers/profs collaborate) which conflicts
with professional bureaucracy of schools
 EHA methods are machine bureaucracy (rationalization of
instruction program and formalization of procedures)
 Creates professionalism over personalization
o RESULT: increase in # students classified
disabled/disintegration of instruction/decrease in
personalization in GenEd and SPED classrooms
REI proposals also include same value contradictions as EHA
“In terms of the adequacy of its grounding assumptions, special education
cannot be considered a rational and just response to the problem of school
failure.”
The restructuring schools debate rejects organizational rationality but
accepts human pathology
 Debates on excellence and equity in public education reject
functionalist presuppositions of school failure
Commonalities Between Reform Efforts:
 Elimination of formalization, rationalization (machine structure)
 Elimination of specialization, professionalization (professional
structure)
 Seek adaptable system w/increased teacher discretion, more
personalization, collaborative problem-solving
 Require adhocratic school organization and professional culture
Student diversity only a problem within performance based standard
programs of instruction
Professional innovation is not a solitary act – separating SPED teachers
doesn’t allow collaboration or development of worthwhile instruction
Eliminating the classroom (barrier to collaboration/adhocracy)
“In political terms, the institution of public education cannot be democratic
unless its practices are excellent and equitable. In organizational terms, its
practices cannot be excellent and equitable unless school organizations are
adhocratic. In structural and cultural terms, school organizations cannot be
adhocratic – and thus cannot be excellent, equitable, or democratic –
without the uncertainty of student diversity. In the adhocratic school
organization, educational equity is the precondition for educational
excellence.”
 Argument against ability-grouping and tracking

Successful school = prepares young people to work responsibly and
independently under conditions of uncertainty
10/2/2010 10:58:00 PM
10/2/2010 10:58:00 PM