Gender Bias in Special Education

This article is from the AAUW, American Association of University Women, Breaking Barriers for Women and Girls, Educating Girls withDisabilities.

Seventy percent of special ed diagnosis goes to boys. Why? There are three theories presented here, including biological difference between boys and girls, behavioral differences between boys and girls, and bias in special education referral and assessment procedures. What they do know is that boys are more likely than girls to exhibit problematic behavior characteristics, and that girls are often 

diagnosed only after they exhibit behavior typical of males students who have been diagnosed.

It makes you wonder how much we don't know about how a girl with learning disabilities acts. Does she just dream her way through class and quietly underachieve because of an attention disorder? How many girls are we missing who we could be helping?

What is the impact of under diagnosis of girls with learning disabilities? According to the article, they include high rates of academic failure, teen pregnancy, and unemployment. If we can help these girls we need to do better.