Working to End the School to Prison Pipeline
Children with disabilities deserve the educational supports and services they need. Too frequently, children of color with disabilities are denied what they need, which perpetuates injustice in the educational and criminal justice systems.
Prevent the Mis-Incarceration of Youth with Disabilities
According to The Pew Charitable Trust, Oregon’s child incarceration rate is among the worst in the country.
In 2020, Disability Rights Oregon launched an ambitious new project to reduce the “mis-incarceration” of children and youth in Oregon. “Mis-incarceration” occurs when youth with disabilities are inappropriately placed into the criminal justice system, usually following failures of the service system, including education.
When children of color with disabilities are denied the special education supports and services they need to succeed, this often leads to disparities in school discipline and law-enforcement involvement.
Case Study of Portland Public Schools
Within Portland Public Schools there are significant racial disparities in discipline.
9.8%
of students in Portland Public Schools are black
v.
50%
students with disabilities expelled are black
While Black children make up only 9.8% of students, they are 50% of the students with disabilities who are expelled.
