To be effective, interagency agreements must overcome a variety of obstacles, including lack of coordination between state and local agencies. A process for overcoming those barriers includes identifying resources to be exchanged and teaching special education or mental health concepts to the other agency(ies). Useful agreements are written…

Meaningful program evaluation is essential to interagency collaboration for handicapped persons. A team approach to developing an evaluation strategy must take into account factors within four stages of the evaluation process: 1) focusing, 2) planning, 3) implementing the evaluation, and 4) disseminating results and assessing the evaluation…

Jefferson Meetings were developed in 1984 to provide an innovative way to teach students an understanding of the United States Constitution. Describes how to organize such an event. (MD)

A strategic approach to institutional planning is proposed that integrates three usually isolated planning efforts as a means of making planning more manageable and of minimizing turf problems, favoritism charges, and other threats to morale and commitment to decisions. The approach includes breadth of representation on the planning team and…

The monograph offers an overview of the history of health care for children with disabilities. Health goals for the disabled child are considered and a systems model discussed that views health care services as part of the child's total service needs. Routine and specialized health care needs of disabled children are covered, and service areas…

The responsibilities of a gifted education program coordinator are many and varied. Guidelines are provided for many questions that new coordinators should ask when evaluating the existing gifted education program, developing the program, selecting new teachers, specifying the coordinator's role in both teaching and administration, and making a…

Explores decision making strategies by program administrators regarding coordinating the program development functions of their agencies. Discusses program origins, orientation of resource persons, planning committees, supervision, and situational influences. (CT)

The report offers policy program and program recommendations for six barriers to education and career preparation of disabled youth: (1) student categorization; (2) lack of access and availability of job training programs; (3) insufficient employment opportunities; (4) lack of self advocacy skills; (5) need to improve and disseminate secondary…

This paper discusses the importance of interagency coordination in developing services for young children with handicaps and their families. It suggests strategies to improve the functioning of interagency coordinating councils by considering council membership, role definition, goal commitment, vision of the early intervention system, and use of…

Eleven suggestions are provided for implementation of the Schoolwide Enrichment Model to meet students' needs for enriched learning opportunities. Suggestions include respect the individual interests and styles of faculty; don't waste time trying to convince everyone; and be careful not to take credit for what others do. (JDD)

This information packet is designed to assist local interagency councils to implement Public Law 99-457's requirements concerning the provision of high quality services to preschool children with disabilities and their families. The model described provides a framework for continual coordination of agency programs as well as use of collaboration…

This handbook provides a practical guide for local communities to use to establish work education councils. It deals both with the role which such a council can play in a community and with the process for setting up a work education council. Following an introduction that discusses the work education council concept and demonstration project, the…

Designed as a resource for all educational personnel involved with Child Find/Serve activities, the manual contains three sections which may be used independently or as a group to provide an overview of the Child Find/Serve process. The first section is an activity based handbook developed to assist in the evaluation of existing and beginning…

This paper addresses the role of the local Head Start program mental health consultant and outlines ways in which the program can assure optimal use of the consultant's services. The Head Start program incorporates the services of a local consultant to promote the mental health of children and parents. The specialist's role is to assist staff and…

Risks are taken in establishing alternative school programs but they can be minimized by giving the proper attention to several critical factors. (Author)