"Minority Students in Special and Gifted Education" by M. Suzanne Donovan, Christoper T. Cross

By examining important problem in U.S. education and making recommendations for early intervention and general education, as well as for changes in referral and assessment processes, this issue will be an indispensable resource to educators throughout the nation, as well as to policy makers at all levels, from schools and school districts to the state and federal governments.

This book considers possible contributors to that disparity, including early biological and environmental influences and inequities in opportunities for preschool and K-12 education, as well as the possibilities of bias in the referral and assessment system that leads to placement in special programs. It examines the data on early childhood experience, on differences in educational opportunity, and on referral and placement.

The book also considers whether disproportionate representation should be considered a problem. Do special education programs provide valuable educational services, or do they set students off on a path of lower educational expectations? Would students not now placed in gifted and talented programs benefit from raised expectations, more rigorous classes, and the gifted label, or would they suffer failure in classes for which they are unprepared?

Contents
Executive Summary
Part I Setting the Stage
1 The Context of Special and Gifted Education
2 Representation of Minority Students in Special and Gifted Education
Part II Pregnancy to Preschool: Early Influences on Cognition and Behavior
3 Influences on Cognitive and Behavioral Development
4 Early Intervention Programs
Part III From General to Specialized Education: Why and How Students Are Placed
5 The General Education Context
6 The Legal Context and the Referral Process
7 Assessment Practices, Definitions, and Classification Criteria
8 Alternative Approaches to Assessment
Part IV Improving Outcomes
9 Weighing the Benefits of Placement
10 Recommendations
References
Biographical Sketches
Index