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National trends in special education classification consistently show that Black boys are identified at higher rates than both White boys and Black girls, even when academic performance and socioeconomic status are held constant.
Source: Skiba et al. (2008); Sullivan & Bal (2013)
What the Data Shows... and Why It Matters
Our Mission
At What Data Shows, we are committed to advancing the understanding of education policy and special education identification through rigorous research and insightful analysis. Our team of experts is dedicated to making a meaningful impact on educational practices and policies.
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No one sets out to mislabel a child. Systems are built to help, to support, to intervene early. Yet patterns emerge across districts, across years, across demographics—patterns that are too consistent to dismiss as coincidence and too complex to reduce to individual error. When those patterns determine who is seen as capable and who is seen as limited, the consequences extend far beyond a single classroom. The data tells a story. The only question is whether we are willing to look at it closely.
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