School and district data show consistent gaps in academic performance and graduation rates of students with disabilities compared to their nondisabled peers:
  • Students with disabilities are almost three times less likely to enter kindergarten demonstrating readiness;
  • Fewer than one-third of Ohio’s students with disabilities are proficient on the third grade English language arts
assessment;
  • On the state English language arts assessment, 28.9% of students with disabilities scored proficient or better as compared to 64.6% for all students.
  • Like national trends, Ohio’s students with disabilities are more likely to experience exclusionary discipline practices than their peers who do not have disabilities.

Ohio, and all of its 16 State Support Teams, are committed to ensuring positive and meaningful educational experiences for students with disabilities that will lead to academic and postsecondary success. In alignment with Ohio's Plan to Improve Learning Experiences and Outcomes for Students with Disabilities, Each Child Means Each Child, SST8 offers a variety of special education-related professional development and technical assistance services for district personnel, with particular emphasis in the areas of alternate assessment, assistive technology, autism, implementation and internal monitoring IDEA-related policies/procedures, inclusive instructional practices (including co-teaching), and postsecondary transition. Additionally, we welcome questions from parents of students with disabilities on these and related topics. Please contact the SST8 consultant(s) at the bottom right of this page for additional information.

Disproportionality is one measure of educational inequity. It occurs when students of any racial subgroup are identified for special education, placed in more restrictive settings or disciplined at a markedly higher rate than their peers. The federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) considers disproportionality to be significant when overrepresentation of a group exceeds a threshold defined by each state. The Ohio Department of Education has set Ohio’s threshold at a ratio of 2.50 in order to more fully identify and address racial disparities in special education across the state.
According to federal IDEA regulations, districts with significant disproportionality must:
1. Review their policies, procedures and practices for identifying, placing and disciplining students with disabilities;
2. Identify the factors that may be contributing to significant disproportionality; and
3. Provide services to address the contributing factors, including professional development for adults and educational and behavioral interventions for students, using 15 percent of their federal special education funds. 

Ohio's State Support Teams play a critical role in helping districts analyze data and plan for systems change efforts aimed at increasing equity in special education identification and discipline. Among other targeted supports, SST8 hosts an MTSS for Equity network aimed at reducing rates of disproportionate eligibility of black students in the category of Specific Learning Disability and other equity needs identified by districts. To learn more, contact Jenine Sansosti.