The Failure of Rachel H.: Practical Steps to Desegregating Special Education Systems

This practitioner-oriented article uses the vignette of “David,” a disabled Student of Color, to discuss practical steps to desegregate special education systems in the United States. California students seeking inclusion through the courts have had little success under the least restrictive environment test articulated in Rachel H. v. Sacramento City Unified School District (1994). We argue that the Rachel H. test has favored students with the means to unilaterally secure inclusive placements and pursue litigation over those from marginalized communities languishing in restrictive placements. Then, we offer practical steps to reform special education infrastructure in three areas: (a) family and student engagement; (b) evidence-based school and classroom practices; and (c) professional learning for educators.