UC Santa Barbara

Autism racial/ethnic disproportionality in special education is a significant concern in California and beyond, with White students often overidentified and Latinx and Indigenous (Zapotec/Mixtec) students under-identified. This mixed-methods study investigates the root causes of autism racial/ethnic disproportionality in a California high school district identified as significantly disproportionate for the overidentification of White students with autism. The study was conducted in two stages. First, a Likert-type scale survey (N = 147) was administered to caregivers to examine autism identification and service barriers. In the second stage, three open-response questions within the survey were used to gather qualitative insights from Latinx and Indigenous caregivers. Findings reveal systemic cultural and linguistic barriers contributing to the delayed diagnosis of autism in Latinx and Indigenous students. The qualitative responses further underscore the need for early screening, translation services, and culturally sensitive caregiver support particularly for Indigenous, Mixtec families.