Black and Hispanic students are identified as having a disability at a slightly higher rate than their white peers in Connecticut’s public schools.

“It has long been a fact that black males in particular are placed in special education categories,” said Benjamin Foster, education committee chairman for the Connecticut State Conference of NAACP branches. “This is an ongoing challenge for the NAACP and the educational system.”

John Lugo, an organizer for Unidad Latina en Accion, said many Hispanic youths end up in special education because their native language is Spanish, and it takes time to adapt to classes taught in English.

via SPECIAL EDUCATION: Connecticut minorities labeled disabled at slightly higher rate than whites.