Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Dissertation - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice

Advisor

Judith B. Galician

Committee Member

Sherry Burke

Committee Member

Kimberly Durham

Keywords

disproportionality, special education placement, disabilities, systematic inequalities, cultural diversity

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore paths taken to determine recommendation, eligibility, and placement of African American students, particularly African American males, who are overrepresented and misplaced in SPED because of existing testing and placement practices, inadequate parental knowledge of SPED rights and responsibilities, and the necessity for cultural diversity training for educators. The research addressed the overrepresentation of African American boys in special education (SPED), focusing on the systemic issues and biases that contribute to this phenomenon.

With a framework grounded in critical race theory, the study found that overrepresentation is not due to an increased frequency of disabilities but is influenced primarily by racial bias and systemic inequalities within the educational system. The findings showed that teacher preconceptions, thinking deficiencies, and social misinterpretations were common among the disproportionate recommendations of African American boys to SPED curricula. Teachers often adopted deficit-oriented viewpoints, observing African American boys through a lens of shortcomings, which led to increased penalization and recommendations for SPED. Data analysis from four semistructured interviews and open-ended questionnaires indicated the intricate collaboration of unfairness, socioeconomic disputes, and educational procedures that enabled inconsistencies in SPED placement.

The findings suggest the need for power-based strategies and comprehensive educator training to address these disparities. School–family communication and collaboration would contribute to educational fairness and reduce the overrepresentation of African American males in the SPED programs.

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