Early childhood special education and early intervention systems are the cornerstone for provision of services to young children with disabilities and those deemed “at-risk.” Despite the realization that disparities and biases exist for young children within systems, we often focus on fixing children and families. Through acknowledging our individual responsibilities within equity-empowered systems, Dr. Blanchard shows how we can recreate systems that truly serve every child, no matter their identities or circumstances.
This presentation is part of "Disability, Race, and Education," a
year-long colloquium series that critically examines the longstanding
challenges that minoritized children and youth face in the special
education system. Scholars with multiple disciplinary perspectives, such
as history, education, disability studies, sociology, and educational
statistics, consider issues of equity, access, and inclusion. The series
aims to uncover underlying reasons for this problem and consider
alternatives for achieving equitable education for all students.