Attribution, Race and Gender: The Relationship Between the Perceptions of European American Teachers and the

Disproportionate Placement of African-American Males in Special Education

Robbin A. Bibbs, Ph.DAuburn University

Bibbs 2012

Defense OutlineIntroduction/Trends/BackgroundResearch QuestionsMethodologyResearch FindingsLimitationsImplicationsRecommendations

Bibbs 2012

Introduction Children Defense Fund Report- Portrait of Inequality 2011 Black Children in America:

Black children experience the least qualified teachers, worst education facilities and fewest resources. Black children experience too few Black Teachers in the classroom – 8% of public School teachers today are Black and only 2% are Black Males.

Black children are two and half times as likely as White children to be held back or retained in School.

Only represent 17perecent of public school students (2006) – 35.6% Corporal Punishment, 37.4 % Suspended and 37.9 % expelled.

Achievement Gap Fourth grade 85% cannot read or math at grade level. Eighth grade 87% cannot read at grade level and 88% cannot do math at grade level. Twelfth grade 84 % cannot read at grade level and 94 % cannot do math at grade level.

Special Education Placement Black child more than 1.5 times as likely than Whites to be placed in ED classrooms. Black child twice as likely as a White children to be placed in MMR classrooms.

College or Prison Black males age 18 and over in 2008 represented only 5 % of college student

population, but 36% of total prison population (Cradle to Prison Pipeline)

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Trends Of African American student recommended for Special Education-92

percent are tested and 73 percent are placed.

Eighty percent of special education referrals are generated by teachers.

Twenty percent of America’s teachers make 80 percent of the referrals into special education.

There is a four-to-one ratio of African American males to females in Special Education

There are six million children enrolled in special education. There are four million males and two million females.

Source: Jawanza Kunjufu – Keeping Black Boys Out of Special Education -2005

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Research Background Minority Student and Special Education Report written in 2007 by

RIDE Report identified that African-American students as being eligible

for services in the area of Emotionally Disturbed (ED) at a rate 5 time that of other student populations.

Rhode Island Population vs. National Special Ed Population (Ranking)

Phi Delta Kappa International Assessment Report (2008) – “Racial Inequity in School Achievement.” Relationship between racial/cultural difference, and overrepresentation of minority student in special education and largely white teaching force within the state.

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Research Study Purpose1. Examine factors which may contribute to the

disproportionate placement of African-American males in special education.

2. Examine the attitudes of European-American school teachers towards the instruction of male students- African-American Males. (Main Purpose)

3. Compare and examine teacher perceptions of general efficacy – ability to teach all students vs. efficacy in effectively teaching African-American males.

4. Examine how the scope of teacher’s attributes (gender and race) may contribute to perceptions of student expectations for high or low achievement and the disproportional placement of African- American Males in Special Education.

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Research Questions Question One:

In there a difference in self-efficacy beliefs based on self-reported teaching practices, by race, related to the following factors: Classroom Management Skills (CMS) Social Emotional Status Perceptions Disability Perceptions Motivation Perceptions Cultural-Relevant Teaching Perceptions Differentiated Instruction Perceptions

Question Two: Do self-efficacy beliefs vary given teacher type (i.e., Regular vs. Special) related to the following factors:

Classroom Management Skills (CMS) Social Emotional Status Perceptions Disability Perceptions Motivation Perceptions Cultural-Relevant Teaching Perceptions Differentiated Instruction Perceptions

Question Three:Do self-efficacy beliefs vary given the gender of the teacher, related to:

Classroom Management Skills (CMS) Social Emotional Status Perceptions Disability Perceptions Motivation Perceptions Cultural-Relevant Teaching Perceptions Differentiated Instruction Perceptions

Question Four:How do self-reported perceptions of sample teacher differ related to African- American male students?

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Methodology- Research Design A. Research Analyses

Content Validity Reliability Analysis Factor Analysis Analysis of Variance

B. Data Collection and Instrumentation Quantitative Research - Survey Research The Teacher Perceptions and The Male Student Survey (TPMSS)

Survey design based loosely on Gibson and Dembo (1984) Teachers Sense of Efficacy Scale (Short Form) Survey Design (Section One)

Survey design based on works of Barakari (2003) and Irvine (1990) –Teacher attitudes and expectations of African-American Males in the classroom (Section Two)

TPMSS consist of 3 sections – Teacher Beliefs (27), Attitudes towards African-American Males (11) and Demographic Information ( 11)

Likert Scale Question Design Design Challenges – Office of Assessment, Research and Testing (PPSD)

C. Collection of Data Time Frame (3 Weeks) Rate of Return ( 34.1%) (111) School Selection Process (Random Selection)

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Descriptive CharacteristicsSurvey Administered Study Group- Elementary School Teachers

Subgroups- European and Minority- AmericanRacial Demographics

European-American 73 (65.7%)Black/African-American 16 (14.4%)Latino-American 16(14.4%)Native American 0Biracial-American 4 (3.8%)Asian/Pacific Islander 1 (0.9%)

Gender Demographics Female Participants – 81 (73%)Male Participants – 30 (27%)

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Research Results Research Question One:

Is there a difference in self-efficacy beliefs based on self-reported teaching practices by race, related to: Classroom Management Skills (CMS) Social Emotional Status Perceptions Disability Perceptions Motivation Perceptions Cultural-Relevant Teaching Perceptions Differentiated Instruction Perceptions

Research Findings: No significant mean difference between 5 of 6 factors. Disability Perception –Significant Difference European-American yielded (3.37) vs. Minority-American (3.07)

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Research Results Research Question Two:

Do self-efficacy beliefs vary given teacher type (i.e., Regular vs. Special) related to the following factors: Classroom Management Skills (CMS) Social Emotional Status Perceptions Disability Perceptions Motivation Perceptions Cultural-Relevant Teaching Perceptions Differentiated Instruction Perceptions

Research Findings No significant mean difference for 5 out of 6 factors Disability Perception – Significant Difference Special Education (3.50) vs. Regular Education (3.18)

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Research Results Research Question Three:

Do self-efficacy beliefs vary given the gender of the teacher, related to: Classroom Management Skills (CMS) Social Emotional Status Perceptions Disability Perceptions Motivation Perceptions Cultural-Relevant Teaching Perceptions Differentiated Instruction Perceptions

Research Findings: No reported significant mean difference for any of the 6

factors based on teacher gender.

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Research Results Research Question Four:

• How do self-reported perceptions of sample teachers differ related to African- American male students?

Research Findings: Diverse array of findings (Student Race)

Significant difference between teacher perception towards African-American Male Students and European-American Male Students (10 Factors).

No significant differences between teacher perception towards African-American Male Students and Minority- American Male Students.

Key Area of Significance Media portrayal of African-American Male students significantly

influenced teacher expectations within the classroom and school environment. 81 percent of Teachers responded “Most Likely” to media influence on

teacher expectations towards African-American Male Student compared to 42%, 10% and 8% for Latino, Caucasian and Asian American student respectively.

• See Supplemental Table

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Research Results Research Question Four:

• How do self-reported perceptions of sample teachers differ related to African- American male students?

Research Findings: Diverse array of findings (Teacher Race )

Significant differences were found between teacher perception based on teacher race(i.e., African-American vs. European-American teachers )towards African-American Male Students.

No significant differences between teacher perception based on teacher race (i.e., Minority Teachers) towards African-American Male Students.

Key Areas of Significance: Influence of Media Portrayal of African-American Males Motivating African American Males to become successful learners Motivating African-American Males to show interest in school work Measuring Performance using a variety of assessment measures. Have more positive relationships with African-American Males Use of More Cultural Relevant Instruction/Teaching

See Supplemental Table

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Research Results Interesting Research Findings:

I. Survey Question Five:A. I am more likely to automatically send African-American male students to the

principals or counselors office when they are being disruptive instead of handling the problem myself.

1. European-American teachers attained a lower “Most Likely” rating of 6.8 versus African-American teachers attainment of 12.5 percent.

2. European-American teachers attained a lower “Likely” rating of 28.8 In the “Likely” category versus African-American Teachers attainment of 28.8 percent.

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Research Limitations Rate of Return Low Participation of Minority Educators

(Elementary)Research TimeframeScheduling –School PrincipalsProbability of Recognizing Survey Purpose

(Skewed)Teacher Type Gender of Participants

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Research Implications –Review of Research Study Purpose.

I. Factors that may contribute to Disproportionate Placement of African-American Males.

Lack of variety in the use of assessment measures applicable to a African-American Males learning style.

Lack of more cultural responsive teaching methods. Ability to effectively motive African-American Males to be successful

learners. Ability to motivate African-American Males who have low interest in

School. Media Portrayal of African-American Male .

II. Examination of Attitudes of European-American teachers (instruction) of African-American Males.

Based on Survey II of the TTPMS, European-American teachers rated below the fifty percentile in regards to use of instructional strategies that would be beneficial to African-American Male (Cultural Responsive Teaching and Variety of assessment measures).

Based on Survey II of the TTPMS, European-American teacher rated below the fifty percentile in regards to ability to motivate the African-American Male ( Successful Learners and Low School Interest).

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Research Implications –Review of Research Study Purpose.

General Teacher Efficacy All Students

Efficacy- African-American Males **

1. Of the six factors analyzed under Survey I (Teacher Beliefs) – Disability Perception – was the only factor that netted significance.

2. Significance was only attained 1. Teacher Race – European-American

2. Teacher Type- Special Education

In regards to Teacher Race1. African-American Teachers

rated the highest self-efficacy (8 factors)

2. Latino –American Teachers rated high self-efficacy ( 6 factors)

3. European-American Teachers rated (3 factors).

4. Asian-American Teachers rated (4 factors)

5. Biracial-American Teachers rated (2 factors)

** Ranked above 50 percentile on scale

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Research Implications –Review of Research Study Purpose.

IV. Examine how teacher’s attributes(i.e., ethnicity and race) may contribute to perceptions of student expectations for high or low achievement and disproportional placement of African-American Males in Special Education.

Teacher Race could influence perception of student expectations

Motivate all students to be successful learners Incorporate Cultural Relevant practices into class

instruction. Implement diverse assessment measures for diverse

learners vs. the traditional image of the student learner. Differences in student learning styles based on student

race and gender. Ability to develop positive relationships with all diverse

learners.

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Recommendations – Future Study A. Replicate study (future)

1) Examine difference in populations, educational trends, etc.

B. Research Different Minority Group

C. Comparative Study (PPSD vs. Boston PSD)

D. Use National Education Organization (National Teacher

Association)

E. Middle School Teachers (Diversity)

F. Geographically Location of School Districts

G. District-Wide Study

H. Cultural Relevant Teaching Practices

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Recommendations – PracticesA. Educational Administrators

1. Active Recruitment and Retention of Minority Educators1. Study Population- European-American (65.7%) vs. Minority ( 32.69%)2. District Population – European-American (82%) vs. Minority (28%)

2. District- Wide Multi-Cultural Instructional Teams (MCIT)

B. Teacher Education Programs (College)1. Student-Teaching Internships

1. Access to Diverse learning groups (learning styles, gender and cultural differences)

C. Professional Development Coordinators1. Cultural Diversity/Disproportionate PD Series

D. Classroom Teachers1. Disciplinary Procedures Training