Introduction
Disproportionality refers to racial and ethnic differences that exist in the identification, placement in particular educational environments, and discipline (i.e., number, length, and type of suspensions/expulsions) of students with disabilities and risk (often expressed as a percentage) is a commonly-used indicator for referencing the extent to which disproportionality is occurring.
The Disproportionality Technical Assistance Tool (DTAT) was developed to assist state, district, school, and other education agency personnel in documenting the extent to which disproportionality is occurring. The DTAT methods for calculating disproportionality are those included in resources available from the IDEA Data Center funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs to provide technical assistance to build capacity within states for collecting, reporting, analyzing, and using high-quality IDEA data (cf. Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, & Bitterman, 2014; Bollmer & Bitterman, 2016; U.S. Department of Education, 2017). The outcomes of these methods include:
Risk and Total Removals per Child [3.1-3.4]
…what percentage of children from a specific racial/ethnic group receive special education and related services for a particular disability? [3.1/Identification]
…what percentage of children from a specific racial/ethnic group receive special education and related services in particular educational environment? [3.2/Placement]
…what percentage of children with disabilities from a specific racial/ethnic group experience a particular type of suspension/expulsion? [3.3/Discipline]
…what is the average number of disciplinary removals per child for children with disabilities from a specific racial/ethnic group? [3.4/Discipline]
Risk Ratio and Total Removals per Child Ratio [4.1-4.4]
…what is the risk for a specific racial/ethnic group receiving special education and related services compared to the risk for all other students? [4.1/Identification]
…what is the risk for a specific racial/ethnic group receiving special education and related services in a particular education environment compared to the risk for all other students with disabilities? [4.2/Placement]
…what is the risk for a specific racial/ethnic group being suspended/expelled as compared to the risk for all other students with disabilities? [4.3/Discipline]
…what is the average number of disciplinary removals for students with disabilities from a specific racial/ethnic group as compared to that for all other students with disabilities? [4.4/Discipline]
Alternate Risk Ratio and Alternate Total Removals per Child Ratio [5.1-5.4]
…what is the risk for a specific racial/ethnic group receiving special education and related services compared to state-level risk for all other students? [5.1/Identification]
…what is the risk for a specific racial/ethnic group receiving special education and related services in a particular education environment compared to the state-level risk for all other students with disabilities? [5.2/Placement]
…what is the risk for a specific racial/ethnic group being suspended/expelled as compared to the state-level risk for all other students with disabilities? [5.3/Discipline]
…what is the average number of disciplinary removals for students with disabilities from a specific racial/ethnic group as compared to that for all other students with disabilities in the state? [5.4/Discipline]
Weighted Risk Ratio and Weighted Total Removals per Child Ratio [6.1-6.4]
…what is the risk for a specific racial/ethnic group receiving special education and related services compared to the risk for all other children when the risk ratio is weighted according to the racial/ethnic demographics of the state? [6.1/Identification]
...what is the risk for a specific racial/ethnic group receiving special education and related services in a particular education environment as compared to the risk for all other students when risk is weighted according to racial/ethnic demographics of state? [6.2/Placement]
…what is the risk for a specific racial/ethnic group being suspended/expelled as compared to the risk for all other students with disabilities when risk ratio is weighted according to racial/ethnic demographics of the state? [6.3/Discipline]
...what is the average number of removals per student for students with disabilities from a specific racial/ethnic group compared to that for all other children with disabilities when the ratio is weighted according to the racial/ethnic demographics of the state? [6.4/Discipline]
Risk Difference and Total Removals per Child Difference [7.1-7.4]
…what is the difference between a specific racial/ethnic group’s risk of receiving special education and related services for a particular disability and the risk for all other children? [7.1/Identification]
…what is the difference between the risk of a specific racial/ethnic group receiving special education and related services in a particular educational environment and the risk for all other children with disabilities? [7.2/Placement]
…what is the difference between the risk of a specific racial/ethnic group being suspended/expelled and the risk for all other children with disabilities? [7.3/Discipline]
…what is the difference between the average number of disciplinary removals per student for students with disabilities from a specific racial/ethnic group and that for all other students with disabilities? [7.4/Discipline]
Composition, Difference in Composition, and Relative Difference in Composition [8.1-8.4]
Composition answers the question, “What percentage of children receiving special education and related services for a particular disability are from a specific racial/ethnic group?”
Difference in composition answers the question, “What is the difference between the percentage of children receiving special education and related services for a particular disability who are from a specific racial/ ethnic group and the percentage of enrolled children from that racial/ethnic group?”
Relative difference in composition answers the question, “What is the relative difference between the percentage of children receiving special education and related services for a particular disability who are from a specific racial/ethnic group and the percentage of enrolled children from that racial/ethnic group?”
[8.1/Identification]
[8.2/Placement]
[8.3/Discipline]
[8.4/Discipline]
E-Formula [9.1-9.4]
…is the percentage of children receiving special education and related services for a particular disability who are from a specific racial/ethnic group above the upper bound of what is expected given the percentage of enrolled children who are from that racial/ethnic group? [9.1/Identification]
...is the percentage of children with disabilities receiving special education and related services in a particular educational environment who are from a specific racial/ethnic group above the upper bound of what is expected given the percentage of children with disabilities from that racial/ethnic group? [9.2/Placement]
...is the percentage of students with disabilities experiencing a particular type of suspension/expulsion who are from a specific racial/ethnic group above the upper bound of what is expected given the percentage of students with disabilities who are from that racial/ethnic group? [9.3/Discipline]
...is the percentage of total disciplinary removals experienced by children with disabilities who are from a specific racial/ethnic group above the upper bound of what is expected given the percentage of children with disabilities from that racial/ethnic group? [9.4/Discipline]
Bollmer, J. & Bitterman, A. (2016) Spreadsheet application for calculating disproportionality measures (Revised)–User’s guide. Rockville, MD: Westat/IDEA Data Center. Retrieved fromhttps://ideadata.org/resource-library/5693cadd140ba0a4488b458d/
Bollmer, J., Bethel, J., Munk, T., & Bitterman, A. (2014). Methods for assessing racial/ethnic disproportionality in special education: A technical assistance guide (Revised). Rockville, MD: Westat/IDEA Data Center. Retrieved from https://ideadata.org/resource-library/54480c2b140ba0665d8b4569/
U.S. Department of Education. (2017). Significant Disproportionality (Equity in IDEA) Essential Questions and Answers and a Model State Timeline. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved fromhttps://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/memosdcltrs/index.html?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term
DTAT
3.1 Identification (Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, and Bitterman, 2014, pp. 11-12)
Focus: Risk of children from a specific racial/ethnic group receiving special education and related services for a specific category of disability
Example: What percentage of Black or African American children received special education and related services for intellectual disabilities?
- The percentage of Black/African American students that received special education and related services for intellectual disabilities was [Risk = 5.08%]
Required Data: Disability group child count and total child enrollment by race and ethnicity
Steps for Data Analysis:
[1.] Select Disability Group:
[2.] Update the table below with data for disability group (i.e. Intellectual Disabilities, Specific Learning Disabilities) Child Count, and Total Child Enrollment.
[3.] Use the calculator below the table to find the risk for each racial/ethnic group.
(1) H/L = Hispanic/Latino; AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; A = Asian; B/AA = Black or African American; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; W = White; and, Two or More = Two or More Racial or Ethnic Groups
Calculator
Percentage of
students that received special education and related services for
[ ]
Risk:
3.2 Placement Risk (Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, and Bitterman, 2014, pp. 12)
Focus: Risk of children from a specific racial/ethnic group receiving special education and related services in a particular educational environment
Example: What percentage of Hispanic/Latino children with disabilities received special education and related services in the regular classroom < 40% of the school day?
- The percentage of Hispanic/Latino students with disabilities that received special education and related services in the regular classroom < 40% of the school day was [Risk = 12.6%]
Required Data: Educational environment child count and total child enrollment by race and ethnicity
Steps for Data Analysis:
[1.] Select Educational Environment:
[2.] Update the table below with data for educational environment of interest (i.e. Regular Classroom < 40% of the School Day) and Total Child Enrollment).
[3.] Use the calculator below the table to find the risk for each racial/ethnic group.
(1) H/L = Hispanic/Latino; AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; A = Asian; B/AA = Black or African American; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; W = White; and, Two or More = Two or More Racial or Ethnic Groups
Calculator
Percentage of
students that received special education in
[ ].
Risk:
3.3 Suspension/Expulsion (Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, and Bitterman, 2014, pp. 13)
Focus: Risk of children from a specific racial/ethnic group receiving a specific type of suspension/expulsion
Example: What percentage of Asian children with disabilities experienced out-of-school suspensions/expulsions totaling 10 days or less?
- The percentage of Asian students with disabilities that experienced out-of-school suspensions/expulsions totaling 10 days or less was [Risk = 0.45%]
Required Data: Suspension/expulsion child count and total child enrollment by race and ethnicity
Steps for Data Analysis:
[1.] Select Suspension/Expulsion Group:
[2.] Update the table below with data for type of suspension or expulsion child count (e.g. Out-of-School Suspensions or Expulsions Totaling 10 days or less) and Total Child Enrollment.
[3.] Use the calculator below the table to find the risk for each racial/ethnic group.
(1) H/L = Hispanic/Latino; AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; A = Asian; B/AA = Black or African American; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; W = White; and, Two or More = Two or More Racial or Ethnic Groups
Calculator
Percentage of
students with disabilities that experienced
[ ].
Risk:
3.4 Total Disciplinary Removals (Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, and Bitterman, 2014, pp. 13-14)
Focus: Disciplinary removals per child (DRPC) for children with disabilities from a specific racial/ethnic group
Example: What is the average number of disciplinary removals per child for children with disabilities from a specific racial/ethnic group?
- The average number of disciplinary removals per child for children with disabilities reported as two or more racial/ethnic groups was less than 0.01 [DRPC < 1%]
Required Data: Total disciplinary removals and total child count by race and ethnicity
Steps for Data Analysis:
[1.] Update the table below with data for total disciplinary removals and total child count.
[2.] Use the calculator below the table to find the risk for each racial/ethnic group.
(1) H/L = Hispanic/Latino; AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; A = Asian; B/AA = Black or African American; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; W = White; and, Two or More = Two or More Racial or Ethnic Groups
Calculator
Average number of disciplinary removals per child for children with disabilities reported as
DRPC:
4.1 Identification (Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, and Bitterman, 2014, pp. 16-17)
Focus: Risk for a specific racial/ethnic group receiving special education and related services compared to the risk for all other students
Example: In our district, what is the risk for Black or African American students receiving special education and related services for intellectual disabilities as compared to the risk for all other students?
- In our district, the risk for Black or African American students receiving special education and related services for intellectual disabilities is 5.08%. The risk for all other students is 1.98%, so risk for Black or African American students is [5.08/1.98 = 2.57] times higher than the risk for all other students
Required Data: Disability group child count and total child enrollment by race and ethnicity
Steps for Data Analysis:
[1.] Select Disability Group:
[2.] Update the table below with data for Disability Group (i.e. Intellectual Disabilities, Specific Learning Disabilities) Child Count, and Total Child Enrollment.
[3.] Use the calculator below the table to find the risk ratio for each racial/ethnic group.
(1) H/L = Hispanic/Latino; AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; A = Asian; B/AA = Black or African American; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; W = White; and, Two or More = Two or More Racial or Ethnic Groups
Calculator
Percentage of
students that received special education and related services for
[ ].
Risk:
Percentage for all other students receiving services for the same disability group
Risk:
Risk ratio of group to all other students:
4.2 Placement (Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, and Bitterman, 2014, pp. 18-19)
Focus: Risk for a specific racial/ethnic group receiving special education and related services in a particular education environment compared to the risk for all other students with disabilities
Example: In our district, what is the risk for Hispanic or Latino students with disabilities receiving special education and related services inside the regular classroom less than 40% of the school day as compared to the risk for all other students?
- In our district, the risk for Hispanic or Latino students receiving special education and related services inside the regular classroom less than 40% of the school day is was 12.60%. The risk for all other students was 11.24%, so the risk for Hispanic or Latino students was [12.60/11.24 = 1.12] times higher than the risk for all other students
Required Data: Educational environment child count and total child enrollment by race and ethnicity
Steps for Data Analysis:
[1.] Select Educational Environment:
[2.] Update the table below with data for Educational Environment of interest (i.e. Regular Classroom < 40% of the School Day) and Total Child Enrollment.
[3.] Use the calculator below the table to find the risk ratio for each racial/ethnic group.
(1) H/L = Hispanic/Latino; AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; A = Asian; B/AA = Black or African American; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; W = White; and, Two or More = Two or More Racial or Ethnic Groups
Calculator
Percentage of
students that received special education and related services in
[ ].
Risk:
Percentage for all other students receiving services in the same educational environment
Risk:
Risk ratio of group to all other students:
4.3 Suspension (Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, and Bitterman, 2014, pp. 19-20)
Focus: Risk for a specific racial/ethnic group for being suspended or expelled as compared to the risk for all other students with disabilities
Example: In our district, what is the risk for Asians being suspended or expelled as compared to the risk for all other students with disabilities?
- In our district, the risk for Asian students with disabilities in out-of-school suspension or expulsion for 10 days or less was .45%. The risk for all other students was .49%, so the risk for Asian students was [.45/.49 = 0.92] times the suspension or expulsion risk for all other students with disabilities
Required Data: Suspension/expulsion child count and total child enrollment by race and ethnicity
Steps for Data Analysis:
[1.] Select Suspension/Expulsion Group:
[2.] Update the table below with data for type of suspension or expulsion child count (e.g. Out-of-School Suspensions or Expulsions Totaling 10 days or less) and Total Child Enrollment.
[3.] Use the calculator below the table to find the risk ratio for each racial/ethnic group.
(1) H/L = Hispanic/Latino; AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; A = Asian; B/AA = Black or African American; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; W = White; and, Two or More = Two or More Racial or Ethnic Groups
Calculator
Percentage of
students that received special education and related services and received
[ ].
Risk:
Percentage for all other students with disabilities that received the same suspension/expulsion
Risk:
Risk ratio of group to all other students:
4.4 Total Disciplinary Removals (Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, and Bitterman, 2014, pp. 21-22)
Focus: Disciplinary removals per child (DRPC) for children with disabilities from a specific racial/ethnic group as compared to that for all other students with disabilities
Example: In our district, what is the average number of disciplinary removals per student for students with disabilities reported as two or more races as compared to the risk for all other students with disabilities?
- In our district, disciplinary removals per student for students with disabilities was reported as .46%, and the risk for all other students was 2.11%, so the average number of removals per student for students with disabilities reported as two or more races was [.46/2.11 = 0.22] times that for all other students with disabilities
Required Data: Total disciplinary removals and total child count by race and ethnicity
Steps for Data Analysis:
[1.] Update the table below with data for Total Disciplinary Removals and Total Child Count.
[2.] Use the Calculator below the table to find the risk ratio for each racial/ethnic group.
(1) H/L = Hispanic/Latino; AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; A = Asian; B/AA = Black or African American; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; W = White; and, Two or More = Two or More Racial or Ethnic Groups
Calculator
Average number of disciplinary removals per child for children with disabilities reported as
DRPC:
Average number of disciplinary removals per child for all other children with disabilities
DRPC:
Risk ratio of group to all other students:
5.1 Identification (Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, and Bitterman, 2014, pp. 24-25)
Focus: Risk for a specific racial/ethnic group receiving special education and related services compared to the state-level risk for all other students
Example: In our district, what is the risk for Black or African American students receiving special education and related services for intellectual disabilities as compared to the risk for all other students in the state?
- In our district, risk for Black or African American students receiving special education and related services for intellectual disabilities was 4.02%. The risk for all other students was 1.49%, so the risk for Black or African American students was [4.02/1.49 = 2.69] times that of all other students in the state
Required Data: Disability group child count and total child enrollment by race and ethnicity for district and state
Steps for Data Analysis:
[1.] Select Disability Group:
[2.] Update the table below with data for Disability Group (i.e. Intellectual Disabilities, Specific Learning Disabilities) Child Count, and Total Child Enrollment.
[3.] Use the calculator below the table to find the risk ratio for each racial/ethnic group.
(1) H/L = Hispanic/Latino; AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; A = Asian; B/AA = Black or African American; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; W = White; and, Two or More = Two or More Racial or Ethnic Groups
Calculator
Percentage of
students that received special education and related services for
[ ].
Risk:
Percentage for all other students receiving services for the same disability group
Risk:
Alternate risk ratio:
5.2 Placement (Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, and Bitterman, 2014, pp. 25-27)
Focus: Risk for a specific racial/ethnic group receiving special education and related services in a particular environment compared to the state-level risk for all other students
Example: In our district, what is the risk for Hispanic or Latino students receiving special education and related services inside the regular classroom less than 40% of the school day as compared to the risk for all other students with disabilities in the state?
- In our district, the risk for Hispanic or Latino students was 30.86%. The risk for all other students in the state was 12.06%, so the risk for Hispanic or Latino students was [30.86/12.06 = 2.56] times the risk for all other students with disabilities in the state
Required Data: Educational environment and total child count and total Child enrollment by race and ethnicity for district and state
Steps for Data Analysis:
[1.] Select Educational Environment Group:
[2.] Update the table below with data for Educational Environment of interest (i.e. Regular Classroom < 40% of the School Day) and Total Child Enrollment.
[3.] Use the calculator below the table to find the risk ratio for each racial/ethnic group.
(1) H/L = Hispanic/Latino; AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; A = Asian; B/AA = Black or African American; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; W = White; and, Two or More = Two or More Racial or Ethnic Groups
Calculator
Percentage of
students that received special education and related services in
[ ].
Risk:
Percentage for all other students receiving services for the same educational environment group
Risk:
Alternate risk ratio:
5.3 Suspension/Expulsion (Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, and Bitterman, 2014, pp. 27-29)
Focus: Risk for a specific racial/ethnic group for being suspended or expelled as compared to the state-level risk for all other students with disabilities
Example: In our district, what is the risk for Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander studnets with disabilities receiving out-of-school suspensions/expulsions totalling 10 days or less compared to the risk for all other students with disabilities in the state?
- In our district, the risk for Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander students with disabilities receiving services for out-of-school suspensions/expulsions totaling 10 days or less was 2.33%. The risk for all other students in the state for the same suspensions/expulsions was .33%, so the risk for Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander students with disabilities was [2.33/.33 = 6.95] times the risk for all other students with disabilities in the state
Required Data: Suspension/expulsion child count and total child enrollment by race and ethnicity for district and state
Steps for Data Analysis:
[1.] Select Suspension/Expulsion Group:
[2.] Update the table below with data for type of suspension or expulsion child count (e.g. Out-of-School Suspensions or Expulsions Totaling 10 days or less) and Total Child Enrollment.
[3.] Use the Calculator below the table to find the risk ratio for each racial/ethnic group.
(1) H/L = Hispanic/Latino; AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; A = Asian; B/AA = Black or African American; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; W = White; and, Two or More = Two or More Racial or Ethnic Groups
Calculator
Percentage of
students that received special education and related services and received
[ ].
Risk:
Percentage for all other students with disabilities that received the same suspension/expulsion
Risk:
Alternate risk ratio:
5.4 Total Disciplinary Removals (Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, and Bitterman, 2014, pp. 29-30)
Focus: Disciplinary removals per child (DRPC) for children with disabilities from a specific racial/ethnic group as compared to that for all other students with disabilities in the state
Example: In our district, what is the average number of disciplinary removals per student for students with disabilities reported as Hispanic/Latino as compared to the risk for all other students with disabilities in the state (A-TRPC = Alternate-Total Referrals Per Child)?
- In our district, district disciplinary removals for students with disabilities reported as Hispanic/Latino was 0.54%. The state disciplinary removals for all other students with disabilities was 0.98%, so the average number of removals for Hispanic/Latino students with disabilities was [.0054/.0098 = 0.5] times that of all other students with disabilities in the state.
Required Data: Total disciplinary removals and total child enrollment by race and ethnicity for district and state
Steps for Data Analysis:
[1.] Update the table below with data for total disciplinary removals and total child count.
[2.] Use the calculator below the table to find the risk ratio for each racial/ethnic group.
(1) H/L = Hispanic/Latino; AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; A = Asian; B/AA = Black or African American; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; W = White; and, Two or More = Two or More Racial or Ethnic Groups
Calculator
District average number of disciplinary removals per child for children with disabilities for
DRPC:
State average number of disciplinary removals per child for all other children with disabilities
DRPC:
A-TRPC:
6.1 Identification (Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, and Bitterman, 2014, pp. 33-36)
Focus: Risk for a specific racial/ethnic group receiving special education and related services for a particular disability compared to the risk for all other students when risk is weighted for state racial/ethnic demographics
Example: In our district, what is the risk for Black or African American students receiving special education and related services for intellectual disabilities as compared to the risk for all other students when risk is weighted according to racial/ethnic demographics in the state?
- The weighted risk for Black/African American students receiving services for intellectual disabilities was 0.04. The weighted risk for all other students receiving services for intellectual disabilities is 0.02, so the weighted risk ratio is [.04/.02 = 2]. In our district, the risk for Black/African American students receiving special education and related services for intellectual disabilities was 2 times the risk for all other students when risk ratio is weighted according to racial/ethnic demographics in the state.
Required Data: Disability group child count and total child enrollment by race and ethnicity for district and for state
Steps for Data Analysis:
[1.] Select Disability Group:
[2.] Update the table below with data for Disability Group (i.e. Intellectual Disabilities, Specific Learning Disabilities) Child Count, and Total Child Enrollment.
[3.] Use the calculator below the table to find the risk ratio for each racial/ethnic group.
(1) H/L = Hispanic/Latino; AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; A = Asian; B/AA = Black or African American; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; W = White; and, Two or More = Two or More Racial or Ethnic Groups
Calculator
Weighted risk of
students that received special education and related services for
[ ].
Risk:
Weighted risk for all other students in the same group
Risk:
Weighted risk ratio:
6.2 Placement (Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, and Bitterman, 2014, pp. 36-39)
Focus: Risk for a specific racial/ethnic group receiving special education and related services in a particular environment as compared to the risk for all other students when risk is weighted according to racial/ethnic demographics of state
Example: In our district, what is the risk for Hispanic/Latino students receiving special education and related services inside the regular classroom less than 40% of the school day as compared to the risk for all other students when risk is weighted according to racial/ethnic demographics in the state?
- The weighted risk for Hispanic/Latino students receiving services inside the regular classroom less than 40% of the school day was 0.11. The weighted risk for all other students receiving services for intellectual disabilities is 0.10, so the weighted risk ratio was [0.11/0.10 = 1.08]. In our district, Hispanic/Latino students with disabilities were 1.08 times as likely as all other students with disabilities to receive special education and related services inside the regular classroom less than 40% of the school day when risk ratio is weighted according to the racial/ethnic demographics of the state.
Required Data: Educational environment and total child count and total child enrollment by race and ethnicity for district and state
Steps for Data Analysis:
[1.] Select Disability Group:
[2.] Update the table below with data for Educational Environment of interest (i.e. Regular Classroom < 40% of the School Day) and Total Child Enrollment.
[3.] Use the calculator below the table to find the risk ratio for each racial/ethnic group.
(1) H/L = Hispanic/Latino; AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; A = Asian; B/AA = Black or African American; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; W = White; and, Two or More = Two or More Racial or Ethnic Groups
Calculator
Weighted risk of
students that received special education and related services in
[ ].
Risk:
Weighted risk for all other students in the same group
Risk:
Weighted risk ratio:
6.3 Suspension/Expulsion (Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, and Bitterman, 2014, pp. 40-43)
Focus: Risk for a specific racial/ethnic group being suspended/expelled as compared to the risk for all other students with disabilities when risk ratio is weighted according to racial/ethnic demographics of the state
Example: In our district, what is the risk for Asians with disabilities receiving out-of-school suspensions/expulsions totaling 10 days or less as compared to the risk for all other students with disabilities when risk ratio is weighted according to state racial/ethnic demographics?
- The weighted district risk for Asian students with disabilities receiving out-of-school suspensions/expulsions totaling 10 days or less was 0.0043. The weighted state risk for all other students with disabilities receiving the same type of suspensions/expulsions was 0.0047, so the weighted risk ratio was [0.0043/0.0047 = 0.92]. In our district, Asian students with disabilities were 0.92 times as likely as all other students with disabilities to receive out-of-school suspensions/expulsions totaling 10 days or less when the risk ratio was weighted according to racial/ethnic demographics in the state.
Required Data: Suspension/expulsion child count and total child enrollment by race and ethnicity for district and state
Steps for Data Analysis:
[1.] Select Suspension/Expulsion Group:
[2.] Update the table below with data for type of suspension or expulsion child count (e.g. Out-of-School Suspensions or Expulsions Totaling 10 days or less) and Total Child Enrollment.
[3.] Use the calculator below the table to find the risk ratio for each racial/ethnic group.
(1) H/L = Hispanic/Latino; AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; A = Asian; B/AA = Black or African American; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; W = White; and, Two or More = Two or More Racial or Ethnic Groups
Calculator
Weighted risk of
students with disabilities that received
[ ].
Risk:
Weighted risk for all other students in the same group
Risk:
Weighted risk ratio:
6.4 Total Disciplinary Removals (Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, and Bitterman, 2014, pp. 43-46)
Focus: Average number of removals per students with disabilities from a specific racial/ethnic group compared to that for all other children with disabilities when the ratio is weighted according to the racial/ethnic demographics of the state
Example: In our district, what is the average number of total disciplinary removals per student for students with disabilities reported as Two or More Races compared to the risk for all other students with disabilities when the ratio is weighted according to the racial/ethnic demographics of the state?
- The weighted disciplinary removals for students with disabilities reported as Two or More Races was 0.0044. The weighted state disciplinary removals for all other students with disabilities is 0.0210. So, in our district, the average number of removals per child for children with disabilities reported as Two or More Races was [0.0044/0.0210 = 0.21] times that of all other children with disabilities when ratio is weighted according to the racial/ethnic demographics of the state.
Required Data: Total disciplinary removals and total child enrollment by race and ethnicity for district and state
Steps for Data Analysis:
[1.] Update table below with data for Total Disciplinary Removals and Total Child Count.
[2.] Use the Calculator below the table to find the risk ratio for each racial/ethnic group.
(1) H/L = Hispanic/Latino; AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; A = Asian; B/AA = Black or African American; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; W = White; and, Two or More = Two or More Racial or Ethnic Groups
Calculator
District average number of disciplinary removals per child for children with disabilities as
TRPC:
State average number of disciplinary removals per child for all other children with disabilities
TRPC:
Weighted TRPC ratio:
7.1 Identification (Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, and Bitterman, 2014, pp. 48-49)
Focus: Difference between a specific racial/ethnic group receiving special education and related services for a particular disability and the risk for all other children
Example: District wants to know the difference between risk for Black/African American students receiving special education and related services for intellectual disabilities and the risk for all other children.
- In our district, risk for Black or African American students receiving special education and related services for intellectual disabilities was 5.08%. The risk for all other students was 1.98%, so the risk for Black/African American children receiving special education and related services for intellectual disabilities was 3.10 percentage points higher than the risk for all other children.
Required Data: Disability group child count and total child enrollment by race and ethnicity
Steps for Data Analysis:
[1.] Select Disability Group:
[2.] Update the table below with data for Disability Group (i.e. Intellectual Disabilities, Specific Learning Disabilities) Child Count, and Total Child Enrollment.
[3.] Use the calculator below the table to find the risk ratio for each racial/ethnic group.
(1) H/L = Hispanic/Latino; AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; A = Asian; B/AA = Black or African American; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; W = White; and, Two or More = Two or More Racial or Ethnic Groups
Calculator
Percentage of
students that received special education and related services for
[ ].
Risk:
Percentage for all other students receiving services for the same disability group
Risk:
Risk difference:
7.2 Placement (Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, and Bitterman, 2014, pp. 49-50)
Focus: Difference between the risk of a specific racial/ethnic group receiving special education and related services in a particular educational environment and the risk for all other children with disabilities
Example: District wants to know the difference between risk for Hispanic/Latino students receiving special education and related services in the regular classroom < 40% of the school day and the risk for all other children with disabilities.
- In our district, the risk for Hispanic/Latino students receiving services in the regular classroom < 40% of the school day was 12.60%. The risk for all other students was 11.24%, so the risk for Hispanic/Latino children is 1.36 percentage points higher than the risk for all other children with disabilities for the same group.
Required Data: Educational environment group child count and total child enrollment by race and ethnicity
Steps for Data Analysis:
[1.] Select Educational Environment:
[2.] Update the table below with data for Educational Environment of interest (i.e. Regular Classroom < 40% of the School Day) and Total Child Enrollment.
[3.] Use the calculator below the table to find the risk ratio for each racial/ethnic group.
(1) H/L = Hispanic/Latino; AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; A = Asian; B/AA = Black or African American; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; W = White; and, Two or More = Two or More Racial or Ethnic Groups
Calculator
Percentage of
students that received special education and related services in
[ ].
Risk:
Percentage for all other students receiving services for the same educational environment group
Risk:
Risk difference:
7.3 Suspension (Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, and Bitterman, 2014, pp. 49-50)
Focus: Difference between the risk of a specific racial/ethnic group being suspended/expelled and the risk for all other children with disabilities
Example: District wants to know the difference between risk for Asian students with disabilities experiencing out-of-school suspensions/expulsions totaling 10 days or less and the risk for all other children with disabilities.
- In our district, risk for Asian students receiving out-of-school suspensions/expulsions totaling 10 days or less is 0.45% and the risk for all other students is 0.49%, so the risk for Asian children is 0.04% lower than the risk for all other children with disabilities for the same group.
Required Data: Suspension/expulsion group child count and total child enrollment by race and ethnicity
Steps for Data Analysis:
[1.] Select Suspension/Expulsion:
[2.] Update the table below with data for type of Suspension or Expulsion Child Count (e.g. Out-of-School Suspensions or Expulsions Totaling 10 Days or Less) and Total Child Enrollment.
[3.] Use the calculator below the table to find the risk ratio for each racial/ethnic group.
(1) H/L = Hispanic/Latino; AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; A = Asian; B/AA = Black or African American; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; W = White; and, Two or More = Two or More Racial or Ethnic Groups
Calculator
Percentage of
students that received special education and related services and received
[ ].
Risk:
Percentage for all other students receiving services for the same group
Risk:
Risk difference:
7.4 Total Disciplinary Removals (Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, and Bitterman, 2014, pp. 51-52)
Focus: Difference between the average number of disciplinary removals per student for students with disabilities from a specific racial/ethnic group and the risk for all other children with disabilities
Example: District wants to know the difference between the average number of disciplinary removals per student for students with disabilities reported as two or more races and that for all other children with disabilities.
- In our district, the average disciplinary removals per child for students with disabilities reported as two or more races was .0046. The average for all other students was 0.0211, so the average number of disciplinary removals per student for students with disabilities reported as two or more races was 0.02 less than that for all other children with disabilities.
Required Data: Total disciplinary removals and total child enrollment by race and ethnicity
Steps for Data Analysis:
[1.] Update the table below with data for total disciplinary removals and total child count.
[2.] Use the calculator below the table to find the risk ratio for each racial/ethnic group.
(1) H/L = Hispanic/Latino; AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; A = Asian; B/AA = Black or African American; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; W = White; and, Two or More = Two or More Racial or Ethnic Groups
Calculator
Average removals of
students per student that received special education and related services
DRPC:
Average removals per student for all other students receiving services
DRPC:
Risk difference:
8.1 Identification (Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, and Bitterman, 2014, pp. 54-55)
Focus: Composition of students receiving special education and related services for a particular disability that are from a specifical racial/ethnic group and relative difference to percentage of enrolled students who were of that group
Example:
1. What percentage of students receiving special education and related services for intellectual disabilities were Black/African American? [Composition]
2. What was the difference between the percentage of students receiving special education and related services for intellectual disabilities who were Black/African American and the percentage of enrolled students who were Black/African American? [Difference]
3. What was the relative difference between the percentage of the students from that group and the percentage of enrolled students who were of the same racial/ethnic background? [Relative Difference]
1. The composition of Black/African American students receiving services for intellectual disabilities was 25.86%
2. In our district, that was 13.90 percentage points higher than the percentage of enrolled students who were Black/African American.
3. In our district, that percentage was 116.19% higher than the percentage of enrolled students who were of the same racial/ethnic background.
Required Data: Disability group child count and total child enrollment by race and ethnicity
Steps for Data Analysis:
[1.] Select Disability Group:
[2.] Update table below with data for Disability Group (i.e. Intellectual Disabilities, Specific Learning Disabilities) Child Count, and Total Child Enrollment.
[3.] Use the calculator below the table to find the risk for each racial/ethnic group.
(1) H/L = Hispanic/Latino; AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; A = Asian; B/AA = Black or African American; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; W = White; and, Two or More = Two or More Racial or Ethnic Groups
Calculator
Composition of
students receiving special education and related services for
[ ].
Composition:
Percentage of enrolled students of the same racial/ethnic background:
Difference between the percentage of students receiving special education and related services in the same group + racial/ethnic background and the percentage of enrolled students of the same racial/ethnic background:
Relative difference between percentage of students receiving special education and related services for the same group + racial/ethnic background and the percentage of enrolled students of the same racial/ethnic background:
8.2 Placement (Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, and Bitterman, 2014, pp. 56-58)
Focus: Composition of students receiving special education and related services in a particular educational environment that are from a specifical racial/ethnic group and relative difference to percentage of enrolled students who were of that group
Example:
1. What percentage of students receiving special education and related services inside the regular classroom < 40% of the school day were Hispanic/Latino? [Composition]
2. What was the difference between the percentage of students receiving special education and related services inside the regular classroom < 40% of the school day who were Hispanic/Latino and the percentage of enrolled students who were Hispanic/Latino? [Difference]
3. What was the relative difference between the percentage of the students from that group and the percentage of enrolled students who were of the same racial/ethnic background? [Relative Difference]
1. The composition of Hispanic/Latino students receiving services inside the regular classroom < 40% of the school day was 19.52%.
2. This is 1.73 percentage points higher than the percentage of enrolled students who were Hispanic/Latino.
3. In our district, the percentage of students from this group is 9.73% larger than the percentage of enrolled students who were of the same racial/ethnic background.
Required Data: Educational environment and total child count and total child enrollment by race and ethnicity e
Steps for Data Analysis:
[1.] Select Educational Environment:
[2.] Update the table below with data for Educational Environment of interest (i.e. Regular Classroom < 40% of the School Day) and Total Child Enrollment.
[3.] Use the calculator below the table to find the risk for each racial/ethnic group.
(1) H/L = Hispanic/Latino; AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; A = Asian; B/AA = Black or African American; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; W = White; and, Two or More = Two or More Racial or Ethnic Groups
Calculator
Composition of
students receiving special education and related services in
[ ].
Composition:
Percentage of enrolled students of the same racial/ethnic background:
Difference between the percentage of students receiving special education and related services in the same group + racial/ethnic background and the percentage of enrolled students of the same racial/ethnic background:
Relative difference between percentage of students receiving special education and related services for the same group + racial/ethnic background and the percentage of enrolled students of the same racial/ethnic background:
8.3 Suspension/Expulsion (Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, and Bitterman, 2014, pp. 58-60 revised)
Focus: Composition of students from a specifical racial/ethnic group with disabilities who experienced a particular suspension/expulsion and relative difference to percentage of enrolled students who were of that group
Example:
1. What percentage of students with disabilities who experienced out-of-school suspensions/expulsions totaling 10 days or less were Asian? [Composition]
2. What was the difference between that percentage and the percentage of students with disabilities who were Asian? [Difference]
3. What was the relative difference? [Relative Difference]
1. In our district, the composition of Asian students with disabilities who experienced out-of-school suspensions/expulsions totaling 10 days or less was 3.13%.
2. In our district, that percentage was 0.25 percentage points lower than the percentage of enrolled students who were Asian
3. In our district, that percentage was 7.32% lower than the percentage of enrolled students who were of the same racial/ethnic background relatively
Required Data: Suspension/expulsion child count and total child enrollment by race and ethnicity
Steps for Data Analysis:
[1.] Select Suspension/Expulsion:
[2.] Update table below with data for type of suspension or expulsion (e.g. Out-of-School Suspensions or Expulsions Totaling 10 days or less) and Total Child Enrollment.
[3.] Use the calculator below the table to find the risk for each racial/ethnic group.
(1) H/L = Hispanic/Latino; AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; A = Asian; B/AA = Black or African American; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; W = White; and, Two or More = Two or More Racial or Ethnic Groups
Calculator
Composition of
students with disabilities that experienced
[ ]
Composition:
Percentage of enrolled students of the same racial/ethnic background:
Difference between the percentage of students receiving special education and related services in the same group + racial/ethnic background and the percentage of enrolled students of the same racial/ethnic background:
Relative difference between percentage of students receiving special education and related services for the same group + racial/ethnic background and the percentage of enrolled students of the same racial/ethnic background:
8.4 Total Disciplinary Removals (Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, and Bitterman, 2014, pp. 58-60 revised)
Focus: Composition of removals experienced by students with disabilities from a specific racial/ethnic group
Example:
1. What percentage of total disciplinary removals were experienced by students with disabilities who were reported as two or more races? [Composition]
2. What was the difference between that percentage and the percentage of enrolled students who were reported as two or more races? [Difference]
3. What was the relative difference? [Relative Difference]
1. In our district, 0.86% of total disciplinary removals were experienced by students with disabilities who were reported as two or more races.
2. In our district, that percentage was 2.95 percentage points lower than the percentage of enrolled students who were reported as two or more races.
3. In our district, that percentage was 77.41% lower than the percentage of enrolled students who were of the same racial/ethnic background relatively.
Required Data: Total disciplinary removals and total child enrollment by race and ethnicity
Steps for Data Analysis:
[1.] Update the table below with data for Total Disciplinary Removals and Total Child Count.
[2.] Use the calculator below the table to find the risk for each racial/ethnic group.
(1) H/L = Hispanic/Latino; AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; A = Asian; B/AA = Black or African American; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; W = White; and, Two or More = Two or More Racial or Ethnic Groups
Calculator
Average removals of
students per student that received special education and related services
[ ].
Composition:
Percentage of enrolled students of the same racial/ethnic background:
Difference between the percentage of students receiving special education and related services in the same group + racial/ethnic background and the percentage of enrolled students of the same racial/ethnic background:
Relative difference between percentage of students receiving special education and related services for the same group + racial/ethnic background and the percentage of enrolled students of the same racial/ethnic background:
9.1 Identification (Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, and Bitterman, 2014, pp. 64-65)
Focus: If the percentage of children receiving special education and related services for a particular disability from a specific racial/ethnic group is above the upper bound of what is expected given the percentage of enrolled children from that racial/ethnic group
Example:
In our district, is the percentage of children receiving special education and related services for intellectual disabilities who were Black or African American above the upper bound of what is expected given the percentage of enrolled children who are Black or African American?
- The composition of Black or African American students receiving services for intellectual disabilities was 25.86%, which is above the upper bound of what is expected (12.9%) given the percentage of enrolled children who were Black or African American.
Required Data: Disability group child count and total child enrollment by race and ethnicity
Steps for Data Analysis:
[1.] Select Disability Group:
[2.] Update the table below with data for Disability Group (i.e. Intellectual Disabilities, Specific Learning Disabilities) Child Count, and Total Child Enrollment.
[3.] Use the calculator below the table to find the risk for each racial/ethnic group.
(1) H/L = Hispanic/Latino; AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; A = Asian; B/AA = Black or African American; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; W = White; and, Two or More = Two or More Racial or Ethnic Groups
Calculator
Composition of
students receiving special education and related services for
[ ].
Composition:
Percentage of enrolled students of the same racial/ethnic background:
Upper bound of what is expected given the percentage of enrolled children of the same racial/ethnic background:
9.2 Placement (Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, and Bitterman, 2014, pp. 65-66)
Focus: If the percentage of children with disabilities receiving special education and related services in a particular educational environment who are from a specific racial/ethnic group is above the upper bound of what is expected given the percentage of children with disabilities from that racial/ethnic group
Example: In our district, is the percentage of children receiving special education and related services inside the regular classroom < 40% of the school day who were Hispanic or Latino above the upper bound of what is expected given the percentage of children with disabilities who were Hispanic/Latino?
- The composition of Hispanic or Latino students receiving services inside the regular classroom < 40% of the school day was 19.52%. The upper bound of what is expected was 19.50%, so the composition is above the upper bound.
Required Data: Educational environment and total child count and total child enrollment by race and ethnicity
Steps for Data Analysis:
[1.] Select Educational Environment:
[2.] Update the table below with data for Educational Environment of interest (i.e. Regular Classroom < 40% of the School Day) and Total Child Enrollment.
[3.] Use the calculator below the table to find the risk for each racial/ethnic group.
(1) H/L = Hispanic/Latino; AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; A = Asian; B/AA = Black or African American; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; W = White; and, Two or More = Two or More Racial or Ethnic Groups
Calculator
Composition of
students receiving special education and related services in
[ ].
Composition:
Percentage of enrolled students of the same racial/ethnic background:
Upper bound of what is expected given the percentage of enrolled children of the same racial/ethnic background:
9.3 Suspension/Expulsion (Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, and Bitterman, 2014, pp. 67-68)
Focus: If the percentage of children with disabilities experiencing a particular type of suspension/expulsion who are from a specific racial/ethnic group is above the upper bound of what is expected given the percentage of children with disabilities from that racial/ethnic group
Example: In our district, is the percentage of children with disabilities experiencing out-of-school suspensions/expulsions totaling 10 days or less who were Asian above the upper bound of what is expected given the percentage of children with disabilities who were Asian?
- The composition of students with disabilities experiencing out-of-school suspensions/expulsions totaling 10 days or less who were Asian 3.1%. The upper bound of what is expected was 6.6% given the percentage of children with disabilities. The composition is below the upper bound.
Required Data: Suspension/expulsion child count and total child enrollment by race and ethnicity
Steps for Data Analysis:
[1.] Select Suspension/Expulsion:
[2.] Update the table below with data for type of suspension or expulsion child count (e.g. Out-of-School Suspensions or Expulsions Totaling 10 days or less) and Total Child Enrollment.
[3.] Use the calculator below the table to find the risk for each racial/ethnic group.
(1) H/L = Hispanic/Latino; AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; A = Asian; B/AA = Black or African American; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; W = White; and, Two or More = Two or More Racial or Ethnic Groups
Calculator
Composition of
students with disabilities that received
[ ].
Composition:
Percentage of enrolled students of the same racial/ethnic background:
Upper bound of what is expected given the percentage of enrolled children of the same racial/ethnic background:
9.4 Total Disciplinary Removals (Bollmer, Bethel, Munk, and Bitterman, 2014, pp. 68-69)
Focus: If the percentage of total disciplinary removals experienced by children with disabilities who are from a specific racial/ethnic group is above the upper bound of what is expected given the percentage of children with disabilities from that racial/ethnic group
Example:
In our district, is the percentage of total disciplinary removals that were experienced by children with disabilities who were reported as two or more races above the upper bound of what is expected given the percentage of children with disabilities who were reported as two or more races?
- The composition of total disciplinary removals experienced by children with disabilities who were reported as two or more races was 0.9%. The upper bound of what is expected was 5.6%. The composition is below the upper bound.
Required Data: Total disciplinary removals and total child enrollment by race and ethnicity
Steps for Data Analysis:
[1.] Update the table below with data for Total Disciplinary Removals and Total Child Count.
[2.] Use the calculator below the table to find the risk for each racial/ethnic group.
(1) H/L = Hispanic/Latino; AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; A = Asian; B/AA = Black or African American; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; W = White; and, Two or More = Two or More Racial or Ethnic Groups
Calculator
Composition of total disciplinary removals for
students with disabilities
Composition:
Percentage of total disciplinary removals for enrolled students of the same racial/ethnic background:
Upper bound of what is expected given the percentage of enrolled children of the same racial/ethnic background:
