State flags disproportionate discipline of Black students with disabilities

What happened

A September district presentation says the New Jersey Department of Education identified Montclair for significant disproportionality in discipline of Black students with disabilities. State data showed this group’s risk of total disciplinary removals was 4.74 times the comparison group’s in 2022–23, 5.72 times in 2023–24, and 3.42 times in 2024–25.

Why it matters to families

The district says it must investigate root causes, review and potentially revise discipline policies and practices, and develop a coordinated early-intervening-services plan; it must reserve 15% of IDEA funds for those services. The presentation schedules a midyear Board progress update and outlines review of Policy 5600 and alternatives to suspension.

The evidence

September 2026 Board presentation identifies the NJDOE significant-disproportionality finding for discipline of Black students with disabilities; reports official total-removal risk ratios of 4.74, 5.72, and 3.42 for 2022–23 through 2024–25; and lists required root-cause analysis, policy/practice review, a CCEIS plan, and a 15% IDEA set-aside. The presentation attributes the finding to an August 4, 2026 NJDOE notification and notes the ratios are based on group-level data, not every student or school.

The source