Culturally Responsive Special Education Referrals of English Learners in One Rural County School District: Pilot Project

Abstract

The project setting was a remote rural county school district located in a mountain western state with some overrepresentation of English Learners (ELs) in special education. Referral issues are especially prominent in rural school systems due to continued challenges associated with limited resources and lack of contemporary professional development. This article describes the efforts of one rural school district to improve its referral process for ELs in grades K-5 implemented through a university-school district partnership. We developed and piloted a culturally responsive referral guide with findings, providing promising implications for appropriate referrals of ELs in rural county school districts.