The guidelines for vocational assessment of handicapped students are intended to help Texas educators fulfill requirements that a vocational assessment be completed before a handicapped student is placed in a vocational education program. Three levels of assessment data are distinguished: Level I data which are collected by special education…

Effective early education for gifted children must include special policy and program considerations. Preschool/day-care efforts should be based on the child's needs, special program goals, appropriate placement or grouping, and parent involvement. Administration convenience must yield to developmental efficacy to provide early admittance to…

The paper recommends that young children with disabilities be placed in preschool classes with normally developing children whenever possible. Significant benefits are cited in the areas of social, emotional, and communication development when children with handicapping conditions are educated in settings with their nonhandicapped peers. Four…

The paper presents a proposal for the addition of a specialized adoption agency for sexually abused children and youth to current services of a residential group home. The proposal resulted from the lack of appropriate families for children completing the Agency's Preparation for Adoption Program. Evidence suggested placements have been hindered…

The paper advocates the extension of the basic protections of "permanency planning" to all children and youth, including those with severe handicaps. It discusses the concept and process of permanency planning and notes its promise in improving the opportunities of all children and youth to grow up in a stable family environment. It…

This paper examines factors associated with meaningful family involvement in program planning for community residential services for individuals with mental retardation. It is argued that personnel in placement settings are often ambivalent about more family involvement. Guidelines for involving families at every stage both before and after…

This article identifies problems commonly attributed to acceleration for gifted students. Specific student concerns (such as friendships) and administrative concerns (such as difficulties in awarding course credits) are addressed. Five suggestions are made to help districts plan for providing accelerative options. (DB)

The history of the College Entrance Examination Board's Advanced Placement Program is chronicled from its conception in 1951 through early developmental stages and 40 years of implementation. Issues discussed include test development, funding, administration at the institutional level, expansion of curriculum areas and testing options, teacher…

The Maricopa Community College District's (MCCD's) Commission on Student Assessment and Initial Course Placement was formed to assess the current status of student assessment for initial course placement across the district, to review the available instruments that assess student skills for placement, to discover what other community college…

Teacher retraining in a subject area different from the teacher's original training and certification may be the most viable way of retaining the best teachers and filling the most critical vacancies. The conditions for retraining should be built into the undergraduate curriculum, including liberal arts and interdisciplinary education. (MSE)

The article suggests that computer expert systems that do not require exotic languages and machines will soon be applied in human services to help decision making in the areas of eligibility determination, casework quality control, written service plans for clients or students, job placement, service acquisition, and policy interpretation.…

Guidelines for implementing comprehensive career development for special needs learners are presented. They include review and evaluation of curricula for appropriateness, determination of the learner's current stage of career development, program planning, integration of career development opportunities, ongoing program implementation assistance,…

Describes several models for the design, evaluation, and delivery of developmental programs, including the Expanded Individualized Prescriptive Instruction system (which includes placement, counseling, and intervention phases), and the Developmental Pyramid Model (which includes diagnosis, prescription, evaluation, and advising/tutoring). (DMM)

The components of a secondary level vocational program for mildly handicapped students should center on teaching skills needed in locating, securing, and maintaining employment. A framework for planning and evaluating teaching-learning activities from a student centered and programmatic perspective is provided (SEW)