Date of Award

Spring 6-12-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

Organizational Unit

Morgridge College of Education, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

First Advisor

Erin Anderson

Second Advisor

Jayson Richardson

Third Advisor

Kristina Hesbol

Fourth Advisor

Devadrita Talapatra

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved.

Keywords

Disproportionality, Mixed methods, Special education policy

Abstract

This study employed a convergent parallel mixed-methods design to explore how U.S. states identify and respond to disproportionality in special education within a shifting federal policy landscape. As uncertainty surrounds the future role of the U.S. Department of Education, questions have emerged about states’ capacity to safeguard educational equity. Without federal oversight, states would assume responsibility for maintaining protections for students with special needs, making it critical to strengthen safeguards for marginalized and underresourced populations.

This study analyzed the current special education governance structures nationwide to inform equity-oriented policy and practice recommendations. Quantitative data were collected from Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Part B disproportionality indicators (4B, 9, and 10) across all 50 states and the District of Columbia from 2021 to 2025. Qualitative data included survey responses from state- and district-level special education leaders (n = 30) and semi-structured interviews (n = 10), providing insights into how states operationalize compliance and effectively address disproportionality.

The quantitative findings indicate that significant disproportionality rates varied widely across states and indicators, with divergent trends over time. The patterns suggest that disproportionality outcomes are influenced by state-selected thresholds, monitoring practices, and targeted support rather than transformative changes to underlying conditions for marginalized students with disabilities. Qualitative analysis revealed the complexity of addressing disproportionality at both state and district levels, highlighting the influence of interconnected policy, organizational capacity, and structural barriers. Integrated findings indicate that current compliance-driven approaches to addressing disproportionality rely on lagged data, limiting proactive responses and targeted intervention. In response, equity-oriented strategies were developed from the findings to guide states in designing policies and practices that provide more equitable educational opportunities for students with disabilities. Three distinct but interrelated strategies were identified: (a) redesigning accountability systems to function as capacity-building infrastructure; (b) strengthening data collection and analysis to increase organizational alignment; and (c) framing disproportionality as a systemic governance entity rather than just a compliance metric. The study concludes that accountability systems grounded in relational partnerships, collaborative problem-solving, and organizational learning are essential for advancing equitable access and outcomes for historically marginalized students with disabilities.

Copyright Date

6-2026

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Rights Holder

Amanda B. Roberts

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Format

application/pdf

Language

English (eng)

Extent

261 pgs

File Size

1.4 MB

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