This digest discusses the problem of overrepresentation of children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in special education and provides examples of strategies created by researchers and practitioners to reduce overrepresentation. Strategies include: (1) promote family involvement and respect diverse backgrounds by taking time to educate the family, meet with the family in the home, arrange parent support groups, find out what the parents need, push for parent membership on school and community teams and boards, encourage parents to talk about their dreams for the child, know the difference between the culture of the family and the economic situation of the family, and learn as much about the family's culture as possible; (2) make the curriculum relevant to students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds; (3) build on students' strengths; (4) take the teacher preparation program to the community; and (5) provide district support to build the capacity of personnel by providing behavioral specialists, social workers, instructional specialists, and a member from the child's cultural background on the Individualized Education Program team to provide essential information. (CR)