Resource Library

The TA guide describes the methods a state might use to appropriately determine which of its districts has a significant discrepancy (including a significant discrepancy by race or ethnicity) in the rates of out-of-school suspensions and expulsions totaling greater than 10 days for children with disabilities.

Using the SEA Data Processes Toolkit to document data processes for all 616 and 618 data collections will establish a well-managed process for data collection, validation, and submission. In collaboration with IDC State Liaisons, states can use the toolkit to create and maintain a culture of high-quality data and establish and support consistent practices that produce valid and reliable data, while building the capacity of state staff. 

Data for Part B Indicator 3 follow a long and complicated process that begins when a student is registered as a test taker in a state assessment system and ends with public reporting via the SPP/APR. Multiple factors are involved in this process, and regular and ongoing communication and collaboration among the various people involved can make this process easier. This suite of four resources can help states with the work. The interactive infographic provides general information about the process for a typical state.

This resource provides a summary of findings from 28 states’ publicly available LEA determinations processes. States can use this resource to learn more about the data elements, calculation methodologies, and determination category criteria these 28 states used for making LEA determinations. This information can be particularly valuable for those states considering revisions and updates to their own LEA determinations processes.

The Success Gaps Toolkit presents a process for using data and the Success Gap Rubric to identify root causes of gaps between groups of children in districts or schools. These success gaps occur when the education system is not meeting the needs of all groups of children and outcomes for some groups are different than outcomes for most groups. The toolkit, with its process and materials, provides a manageable and defined way for districts or schools to identify success gaps that are present and their root causes and then make a plan for addressing the gaps. The success gaps may be the graduation rate of students who are English learners compared to the rate of all other children, the out-of-school suspension rate of children who are Black compared to the rate of all other children, the identification of children who are Hispanic as children with specific learning disabilities compared to the identification of all other children, and other gaps.

This resource compares the three equity requirements in IDEA (disproportionate representation, significant discrepancy, and significant disproportionality) across various elements to explain the similarities and the differences among the requirements.

Significant disproportionality with regard to identifying children as children with disabilities or as children with specific disabilities is, by definition, overrepresentation. This resource defines overrepresentation and three related terms: over-identification, under-identification, and underrepresentation. States can use this resource, in conjunction with the Success Gaps Toolkit to help identify and address the factors contributing to significant disproportionality (i.e., overrepresentation) within school districts.