Response to intervention (RTI) is a method for providing academic support to students and for identifying specific learning disabilities (SLDs). Using interrupted time series and hazard models, we examined if statewide RTI adoption in the U.S. state of Tennessee was associated with changes in rates of SLD and first-time SLD identification in…

Background or Context: With the implementation of three-dimensional science and high stakes testing, policymakers have bolstered science curriculum to include standards that engage students in scientific discourse while providing the needed guidelines for teaching science content. However, the field of science education has not been a policy focus…

Service coordinators under Part C of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004) help families navigate the early intervention (EI) system and ensure regular communication among team members so services are aligned with family priorities and recommended EI practices. To meet the demands of service coordination, personnel entering…

This systematic review addresses the research gap in understanding the efficacy of experimental interventions designed to improve the academic outcomes of English Learners with Learning Disabilities (ELswLD). After conducting a rich evaluation of reviews related to English Learners and to students who have disabilities, we contextualize the need…

The DaSy Center supports all 56 U.S. states and territories and provides individualized and cross-state technical assistance (TA) on data linking and integration. Early intervention (Part C) and early childhood special education (Part B 619) state programs are interested in linking their data to address critical questions about program quality in…

The mean age of identification for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) occurs during the months before children enter kindergarten. The incidence and prevalence of "autistic behaviors" in the general population are not fully understood, however, census-matched studies of these behaviors have yielded important new data. As children presenting…

The term "child find" refers to a district's ongoing obligation to evaluate upon reason to suspect a child may meet IDEA eligibility standards. This obligation consists of two components: a reasonable suspicion of eligibility and initiating the evaluation within a reasonable period of time. Because child find is a procedural matter, it…

In contrast with professional norms and best practices, the legal requirements for functional behavioral assessments (FBAs) and behavior intervention plans (BIPs) are meager in scope and specificity (Collins & Zirkel, 2017). Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act makes no mention of FBAs or BIPs, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (2004) allows alternate pathways for school districts to identify and classify students with a specific learning disability (SLD). Response to Intervention (RtI) is one of the frameworks schools can use when eliminating the use of the discrepancy model. The premise of RtI posits that…

Early intervention (EI) plays a crucial role in supporting infants and toddlers with developmental needs and helping families understand how to meet their child's needs. However, once a child reaches the age of three, these services come to an end and families must transition to school services. Surprisingly, there is a lack of research focusing…

In the last reauthorization of the U.S. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), families of individuals with disabilities provided less than 4% of the public comments. Given that families are equal partners in the decision-making process for students with disabilities, it is critical to understand their suggestions for IDEA. To this…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, P.L. 108-446) is primarily thought of as the nation's special education law, and Part B, which focuses on providing special education and related services to children with disabilities between the ages of 3 and 21 years old, is the largest part of the IDEA both in terms of populations served…

Section 1983 of the Civil Rights Act of 1871 has been increasingly utilized as a legal avenue by U.S. students with disabilities, particularly concerning remedies not typically awarded under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The purpose of this legal update is to briefly highlight recent case law in which guardians filed action in…

Collaboration with caregivers and between disciplines and agencies is a recommended practice in the field of early intervention and early childhood special education (EI/ECSE) as well as required by federal legislation for young children with disabilities. Review of relevant literature suggests that collaboration entails a complex set of…

Partnerships between the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program and Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) program can support and improve outcomes for children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) and their families. Collaboration between these programs is specified in the IDEA Part C Regulations 34 CFR…