Language and Special Education Status: 2009–2019 Tennessee Trends

Using state-level data, we report special education (SPED) trends in Tennessee from 2009 to 2019 for students in Grades 3 to 8 by language groups—native English speaker (NES), English-proficient bilingual (EPB), and current English learner (Current EL)—and income status (eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch). The sample included 812,783 students from 28 districts that met the risk ratio threshold set by the state. Results revealed that none of the language groups were disproportionally (i.e., over) represented in SPED based on Tennessee’s threshold. However, trends varied by income status, suggesting that exclusionary factors are potentially associated with rates of identification.