Understanding and addressing inequities in special education

The field of education is plagued with disparities in the treatment and outcomes of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) learners and those from low-income households relative to their peers even as these students comprise a growing proportion of the student population. Nationwide, CLD students are subject to inequitable quality of instruction, educational facilities, and materials; and access to rigorous curriculum, effective interventions, and appropriate learning supports (Brayboy, Castagno, & Maughan, 2007). The implications of such disparities for academic and long-term outcomes are startling, underscoring the need for social justice efforts to support equity in educational access, participation, and outcomes.