What are some of the factors contributing to overrepresentation and underrepresentation?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Ans: Overrepresentation in special education:
--Poverty
--Faulty identification procedures
--Ineffective pre-referral strategies
--Test bias
--Inappropriate assessment techniques
--Lack of standardized test appropriate for use with students who have limited English proficiency
--Biased and discriminatory assessment instruments
--Teacher bias
--Different behavioral and academic performance standards for students from minority populations
--Incongruency/discrepancy between the child's home culture and school expectations
--Incongruency in instructional methodology and cognitive styles

Underrepresentation in gifted and talented education:
--Politics of race and social class
--Attitudinal bias
--Pressures from peers not to excel academically
--Screening and identification problems
--Low teacher expectations and negative perceptions of minority students
--Lack of teacher training in the area of gifted education