Examination of Disproportionality of Autism in School-Aged Populations in the U.S.

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to examine the disproportionality among racial/ethnic groups and states for the disability category of “Autism” as reported to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Over the past decade, a variety of sources indicated a dramatic increase in the number of students receiving special education services under this category. In this article, statewide variations amongst each of the racial/ethnic groups are explored along with a discussion of possible reasons for these variations.