Which educational practice is most likely to reduce the disproportionate representation of culturally and linguistically diverse students in special education?

• A. Providing more annual individualized assessments
• B. Increasing frequency of out-of-district placements
• C. Implementing district-wide RTI/MTSS interventions
• D. Reducing collaboration with families

Answer: (C)

District-wide RTI/MTSS is designed to prevent misidentification and disproportionate referrals by providing high-quality instruction and targeted supports for all students, with decisions driven by data. Universal screening catches students who may be struggling early, and the multi-tiered system offers increasingly intensive, evidence-based interventions as needed. Progress is monitored regularly, so educators can see who truly needs an evaluation for special education versus who simply needs more effective instruction or language support. This data-driven, collaborative approach helps distinguish language differences or instructional gaps from a genuine disability, reducing unnecessary or biased referrals for culturally and linguistically diverse students. Involvement of families and culturally responsive practices further improve accuracy and trust in the process. Relying on more annual assessments alone doesn’t address how students respond to instruction, increasing the risk of mislabeling; increasing out-of-district placements or reducing family collaboration would likely worsen disparities and undermine access to appropriate supports.