Resource – Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CEIS) – Resources Step-by-Step
State Educational Agency
Determine whether each LEA has
significant disproportionality based on race or ethnicity with respect to identification, placement, and disciplinary removals.
States are required to determine whether each LEA has significant disproportionality based on race or ethnicity in these areas:
- The identification of children as children with disabilities, including identification of children with particular disabilities;
- The placement of children in particular educational environments; and
- The incidence, duration, and type of disciplinary actions, including suspensions and expulsions.
States are required to provide, as part of the State Supplemental Survey, their definition of significant disproportionality. By July 1 2018, this definition must conform to a national standard provided at 34 CFR §300.647. Forthcoming guidance will require states to report all risk ratio thresholds, minimum cell sizes, minimum n-sizes, standards for measuring reasonable progress, and the rationales for each as a part of that definition.
Relevant Regulations
- 34 CFR §300.647
- Significant Disproportionality Final Regulations (pp. 92394–442)
TA Centers that assist with determining significant disproportionality
U.S. Department of Education-Funded TA Centers
- IDEA Data Center (IDC)
IDC provides technical assistance to SEAs to help them understand and interpret different methods for calculating significant disproportionality as part of its mission of building state capacity to collect, report, analyze, and use high-quality IDEA data. This includes the new standard significant disproportionality method defined in 34 CFR §300.647.
Other TA Centers
- Civil Rights Project
The Civil Rights Project is dedicated to improving educational opportunities and outcomes for children from subgroups who have been discriminated against historically due to their race/ethnicity, and who are frequently subjected to exclusionary practices such as disciplinary removal, over-representation in special education, and reduced access to a college-bound curriculum. - The Equity Project at Indiana University
The Equity Project provides evidence-based information specific to issues of school discipline, school violence, special education, and equality of educational opportunity for all students. In addition, the project provides support and technical assistance to educational agencies seeking to create equitable school systems.
Specific resources to help determine significant disproportionality
U.S. Department of Education Resources
- Dear Colleague Letter: Preventing Racial Discrimination in Special Education
- Significant Disproportionality 101: Equity in IDEA – Contents of the Final Rule (Video)
- EMAPS User Guide: State Supplemental Survey – IDEA SY 2015–16 (Section 6.9, p. 26)
- Fact Sheet: Equity in IDEA
- Model State Timeline
- OSEP Memo 07-09: Significant Disproportionality
- OSEP Memo 08-09: Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CEIS)
- Significant Disproportionality 201: Equity in IDEA – Contents of the Final Rule (Video)
- Significant Disproportionality (Equity in IDEA): Essential Questions and Answers (pp. 4–17)
U.S. Department of Education-Funded TA Center Resources
- CIFR. Crosswalk of Current Significant Disproportionality Regulations with Prior Significant Disproportionality Regulations
- IDC. EDFacts IDEA Discipline Data Infographic
- IDC. IDEA Part B Discipline Data Collection Questions and Answers
- IDC. Methods for Assessing Racial/Ethnic Disproportionality in Special Education: A Technical Assistance Guide (Revised)
- IDC. Spreadsheet Application for Calculating Disproportionality Measures and User Guide (Revised)
- Regional Education Laboratory West. Disproportionality in Referrals to Special Education in WCSD (Poster)
Do you know of other resources that are not listed here? Contact us.