Are Minority Children Disproportionately Represented in Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education?

Abstract

We investigated whether and to what extent children who are racial/ethnic minorities are disproportionately represented in early intervention and/or early childhood special education (EC/ECSE). We did so by analyzing a large sample of 48-month-olds (N=7,950) participating in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort (ECLS-B), a nationally representative dataset of children born in the U.S. in 2001. Multivariate logistic regression analyses indicate that boys (OR=1.66), children born at very low birthweight (OR=3.98) or with congenital anomalies (OR=2.17), and children engaging in externalizing problem behaviors (OR=1.10) are more likely to be represented in EI/ECSE. Children from low SES households (OR=.48), those displaying greater numeracy or receptive language knowledge (ORs=.96 and .76, respectively), and children being raised in households where a language other than English is primarily spoken (OR=.39) are less likely to be represented in EI/ECSE. Statistical control for these and an extensive set of additional factors related to cognitive and behavioral functioning indicated that 48-month-old children who are Black (OR=.24) or Asian (OR=.32) are disproportionately under-represented in EI/ECSE in the U.S.

Keywords: Minority disproportionate representation; early intervention; preschool; racial/ethnic disparities; special education.

Figure 1

Unadjusted race/ethnicity percentage breakdown of (a) children participating in EI/ECSE and (b) the general U.S. population (Source: ECLS-B data).