The Delivery of School-Based Clinical Services To Minority Children: a Systems Approach

Minority students have been characterized by poor academic achievement and a high rate of school failure. Moreover, educators are finding that minority students are overrepresented in special education classes and are frequently labelled learning disabled. It is argued that inappropriate school based clinical services, based on the medical model, contribute to the current state of affairs. This article proposes a shift from the assumption that academic problems primarily reflect student deficits, to a more broadly based assumption which emphasizes the educational context and non-optimal conditions of instruction. An alternative model of service delivery of clinical services to school children is discussed. This model endorses a systems approach where the various systems which impact upon "at risk" children are taken into consideration and included in the intervention.