The federal McKinney-Vento Act broadly defines homelessness in an effort to provide protections and supports for students living in a variety of unstable housing situations. This ensures school stability and continued enrollment at a time when a student's nighttime residence may be constantly changing. In Washington, the number of children and…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the main federal statute governing special education and early intervention services for children with disabilities from birth through age 21.1 IDEA consists of four parts. Part A contains general provisions, including the purposes of the act and definitions. Part B contains provisions…

This paper identifies four key issues in the implementation of Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) to provide services to young handicapped children as required by Public Law 99-457. These include sensitivity to cultural diversity, family assessment, intrusiveness, and establishing family outcomes. A typology of family outcomes which…

The article describes Louisiana's approach to implementing Individualized Family Service Plans, including four model formats developed by early intervention service providers and families of young children with disabilities. Formats differ in the way the required elements are expressed, allowing application to the unique characteristics of…

After four years of planning under Part H of Public Law 99-457, data reveal that the early intervention program is behind schedule, with Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP) not in place in all states. However, 5 of the first 10 states in their fourth year of official Part H participation are assuring full implementation of IFSPs. (Author/DB)

California's approach to developing programmatic and administrative models for the implementation of Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) in providing services to young handicapped children is discussed. The models focus on implementing recognized best practices as well as changing state policy and administrative structure to enhance…

The manual describes program standards and guidelines for New York programs interested in qualifying for state reimbursement for special education costs ordered by the court in serving handicapped students birth to 5 years of age. Standards are set forth for the following areas: eligibility (including definitions of handicapped conditions);…

The publication is intended to help those wishing to establish educational programs for handicapped preschoolers. Nine topic areas are addressed: (1) assessing local service needs; (2) identifying available funding sources; (3) choosing a program site; (4) locating and accessing referral services (suggested strategies for generating referrals);…

This booklet, organized in a question and answer format, is designed to help state and local education officials, Medicaid officials, and others understand the federal policies governing conditions under which the Medicaid program can pay for the related services required by the individualized education program of a child with disabilities. An…

The project manual was a product of the 3-year project, "Functional Mainstreaming for Success," (FMS) designed to develop a model for instructional mainstreaming of 162 handicapped children (3-6 years old) in community settings. The major feature of the project was development of a full reverse mainstreamed preschool program, which…

The guide is intended to provide information to administrators and regional and local case study committees on special education procedures within Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS). The manual addresses a step-by step approach from referral to the implementation of individualized education programs (IEP). The following topics are…

An ethnographic study of the intake process involving the formal assessment, placement, and educational programming of 12 Hispanic deaf/hearing impaired children, aged 3-8, in both a private school for the deaf and the New York City public schools, was conducted over a 2-year period (1984-1986). Participant observation, interviewing, and…