The aim of this essay is to advance understandings of current efforts to democratize disciplined approaches to educational innovation and improvement in the US and other countries, with a specific focus on the macro-level policy contexts of improvement research in education. In the US, earlier analyses examined these policy contexts from a…

Online education has become an accepted part of the educational landscape over the past two decades. Digital resources are the norm in classrooms. The expectation is that all students will benefit from technology some way. In order for that to be the case, however, sometimes more overt action is needed to ensure that all students do in fact get…

"Louisiana Believes" embraces the principle that all children can achieve at high levels, as evidenced in Louisiana's recent adoption of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). "Louisiana Believes" also promotes the idea that Louisiana's educators should be empowered to make decisions to support the success of their students.…

This Issue Brief, an update of "Authorizing Virtual Charter Schools: Rules of the Road on the Digital Highway" by Gregg Vanourek, is part of NACSA's Cyber series, which addresses issues in policy and practice that concern authorizing online schools and blended learning. It aims to improve authorizer understanding and oversight of online…

Providing high-quality education in juvenile justice secure care settings presents unique challenges for the administrators, teachers, and staff who are responsible for the education, rehabilitation, and welfare of youths committed to their care. The United States departments of Education (ED) and Justice (DOJ) recognize that while these…

The reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, December 3, 2004, (IDEA '04) and its implementing federal regulations, October 13, 2006, prompted the need to revise Virginia's special education regulations. Input was received from a Stakeholders Group that included school personnel, parents, consumers,…

The Center for Law and Education (CLE) strives to make the right of all students to quality education a reality throughout the nation and to help enable communities to address their own public education problems effectively, with an emphasis on assistance to low-income students and communities. For more than a quarter of a century, the Center for…

Considers implications, in light of federal antidiscrimination legislation, of the new academic standards of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) on students with learning disabilities wishing to participate in college athletics. Issues include the use of test score cutoffs, a minimum grade-point average, the responsibility of high…

This document updates "Accommodations: Assisting Students with Disabilities. A Guide for Educators," published by the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) in 2003. This document is written to assist school district personnel and parents when making decisions about the use of accommodations by students with disabilities in instructional…

Federal laws have mandated meaningful access to higher education for the handicapped just as teacher training institutions are confronted with pressure to raise academic standards. This paper examines the underlying legal issues and proposes guidelines and procedures for ensuring quality preservice training for the learning disabled and all…

A sampling of court cases illustrates situations in which the courts have extended the Reasonable Accommodation Standard into educational programming decisions. Addresses four topics: (1) admission, eligibility for services; (2) provision of supportive services; (3) program standards; and (4) behavioral standards. (59 footnotes) (MLF)

Explores the 1977 regulations of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as they pertain to postsecondary educational programs, with particular application and emphasis on counselor education programs. Discusses court litigation which is helpful in establishing guidelines for counselor education programs. (RC)

This reference guide examines special education, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and their implications for educators in Catholic schools. Chapters 1 through 4 look at special education, Section 504, and IDEA from a legal perspective. A brief history of special education is…

Recognizing the legislative and institutional difficulties involved in complying with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, this paper describes the efforts of St. Mary's Junior College (SMJC) to develop technical (i.e., non-academic) standards for college admission. The paper first points to particular legislative variables which must be…

This manual covers thirteen different topics relevant to the education of students with disabilities in the era of educational reform and standards-based education. Sections include: (1) "Raising Standards of Learning: and Students with and Standards-Based Education Students with Disabilities" (Janet R. Vohs, Julia K. Landau, and Carolyn…