17. Include disability among identity categories for which data are disaggregated.

Admissions 09.18.24

Here’s what the federal government can do:

  • The U.S. Department of Education should include disability among identity categories in disaggregated data.


The fight for equal educational opportunity in higher education and disability justice are deeply intertwined.[i] Relative to their white and/or non-disabled counterparts, people of color with disabilities experience compounded discrimination and face significant barriers in education,[ii] employment,[iii] and health care.[iv] The higher education system must better serve current and future students of color with disabilities. Including information about the recruitment, admissions, retention, and completion of students with disabilities will contribute to an understanding of whether there are equal educational opportunities.

For more information and resources to improve the lives of people identified with learning disabilities, visit the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD).

For more information on research, training, education, and service to promote the quality of life, health, and well-being of people with disabilities, visit The Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD).

[i]Wright, Marisa. “A Shared Struggle for Equality: Disability Rights and Racial Justice,” Legal Defense Fund. https://www.naacpldf.org/disability-rights-and-racial-justice/#:~:text=They%20encounter%20significant%20barriers%20in,risk%20of%20violence%20and%20abuse.

[ii] Morgan, Hani. “Misunderstood and Mistreated: Students of Color in Special Education,” Stetson University. Voices of Reform: Educational Research to Inform and Reform, December 2020. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED610548.pdf.

[iii]Buckles, Megan.“10 Policies to Improve Economic Security for Black Women With Disabilities,” The Center for American Progress. February 15, 2022. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/10-policies-to-improve-economic-security-for-black-women-with-disabilities/#:~:text=These%20disparities%20are%20greater%20among,employment%20rate%20at%2025%20percent.

[iv]Magaña, Sandra; Parish, Susan; Morales, Miguel; Li, Henan; Fujiura, Glenn. “Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities Among People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities,” Intellect Dev Disabil. June 2016. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27268472/.