Teachers College Press Equity Expansive Technical Assistance for Schools: Education Partnerships to Reverse Racial Disproportionality (Disability, Culture, and Equity Series)

Based on the author’s experience leading equity-focused technical assistance centers, this book details approaches to partnering with educators and other stakeholders to eliminate racial disproportionality in special education. Because of its historical and current relevance as an indicator of systemic oppression, Thorius centers disproportionality as a crucial issue to be addressed through technical assistance partnerships. For these partnerships to be successful, technical assistance providers must: (1) support partners in engaging with systemic and individual oppressions that contribute to inequities at the intersections of racism and ableism, and (2) introduce partners to resources that mediate learning about, and development of, locally relevant solutions that abolish racism and ableism in tandem. Equity Expansive Technical Assistance for Schools provides a research-based framework for conducting technical assistance, including vignettes and facilitation guides that educational leaders can use to address disproportionality in special education within their local contexts. Book Features: Detailed protocols for professional dialogue toward eliminating racial disproportionality in special education. Expanded definitions and descriptions of disproportionality as an issue of ableism, as well as racism. Real-life examples of technical assistance and professional development partnership activities that improve conditions leading to, and outcomes of, disproportionality.