Disparities in the Enrollment and Timing of Special Education for Asian American and Pacific Islander Students

Abstract

School districts in the United States are required to monitor the overrepresentation of students of color in special education, yet recent studies have challenged these trends and suggest students of color may be underrepresented for services guaranteed under federal law. Missing in many of these discussions on disproportionality are the needs of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), a group consistently underrepresented in special education. Previous studies, however, do not examine the vast heterogeneity in experiences among AAPIs and how special education trends may differ across AAPI ethnic subgroups. Using longitudinal data on 10 cohorts of 42,807 total kindergartners from a school district over a 10-year period, this study probes deeper into underrepresentation by disaggregating participation trends and the timing of services for 11 AAPI ethnic subgroups. Results indicate that most AAPI student groups are underrepresented in special education and first receive services later than White peers. These patterns remain even after accounting for student background, level of acculturation, and school fixed effects.