Examining Disproportionality: an Analysis of Gender/Sex and Race/Ethnicity Disparities in Specific Learning Disability Classification Pre-COVID Versus Post-COVID

ABSTRACT The classification of Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) has been impacted by various academic challenges in general education classrooms, including differences in delivery models, inconsistencies in the referral process, and personal biases. Multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), including Response to Intervention (RTI), were designed to integrate general and special education through evidence-based practices to improve outcomes for all students. However, a lack of targeted intervention methods, progress monitoring, and explicit systematic instruction often impair the ability to support students in key academic areas, such as reading and mathematics, before they are referred to the Committee on Special Education (CSE).The COVID-19 (COVID) pandemic further exacerbated these issues, disproportionately affecting students in under-resourced communities. Remote and hybrid learning models led to disruptions in MTSS implementation, resulting in fewer opportunities for early intervention and progress monitoring. The inconsistencies in instructional delivery during COVID intensified pre-existing disparities, particularly among students of color and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. As a result, more students were referred to special education services without proper intervention, increasing the disproportionality of SLD classifications. This study explores how these pandemic-related challenges have amplified inequities in educational outcomes of the classification of SLD 2018-2019 (pre-COVID) versus 2023-2024 (post-COVID).