State cites 2 districts for disproportionate punishment

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — The state Department of Education has cited two local school districts for disproportionately disciplining black special education students.

The South Bend Tribune reports records it obtained from the Education Department show South Bend Community School Corp. and School City of Mishawaka were cited. State Education Department special education director Pamela Wright says her department looks at data in more than a dozen categories for each school corporation in the state to determine whether there are racial or ethnic disproportionalities.

Wright says about two dozen Indiana school systems were cited for significant disproportionalities.

Districts with significant disproportionalities are required to spend 15 percent of their special education grant on early intervention services. Some districts, including South Bend, will also be monitored by the state on an ongoing basis.