Penn State researchers have given policy makers the evidence-based research needed to keep policies on disability identification in educational settings up to date.
Paul Morgan, professor of education, and the rest of his team at the Center for Educational Disparities Research (CEDR) at Penn State recently had their research cited in the Learning Disabilities Association of America’s (LDA) recent policy statement, Core Principles: Disproportionality in Identification for Special Education. Morgan currently serves as the director of CEDR.
The policy statement specifically cites CEDR’s research finding that students of color are less likely than their white peers to be identified and to receive special education services, despite demonstrating similar levels of academic performance and behavior while attending the same schools. The policy was first finalized in December of 2016, but it was updated this year to better address the under-identification that CEDR’s research points to and reiterate the legal requirement of providing necessary, individualized special education or services to all students with disabilities.