Primary Submission Category: Health equity
Racial and ethnic disparities in learning disabilities identification and service receipt in U.S. elementary schools.
Authors: Paul Morgan Eric Hu George Farkas Yoonkyung Oh Marianne Hillemeier
Presenting Author: Paul Morgan*
We analyzed a population-based cohort of U.S. elementary schoolchildren (N=15,140) followed from kindergarten entry to the end of fifth grade using survival analysis to examine whether and to what extent disparities attributable to race or ethnicity were occurring. Analyses adjusting for independently assessed indicators of academic and behavioral functioning, family socioeconomic status, and additional potential confounds indicated that Black and Hispanic children were less likely (adjusted odds ratios of .38 and .34, p<.01 and .001, respectively) to be identified and receiving supports for learning disabilities than observationally similar White children. Academic and behavioral functioning were strongly associated with the likelihood of learning disabilities identification. Results suggest health disparities attributable to race and ethnicity in learning disabilities identification and service receipt are currently occurring in U.S. elementary schools.