In terms of the number of students served and the overall quality of special education services provided, it is clear that special education has, from its early beginnings in the late seventeenth century, advanced at various rates in the different countries of the world. Data from the United States Department of Education (2007) indicates that 12%…

Connecticut's Skills Checklist was developed in response to federal policy that requires all students with significant cognitive disabilities participate in state assessments and be included in measures of adequate yearly progress. Test developers had high expectations for this assessment. In addition to its function as an accountability measure,…

This report summarizes provisions and highlights changes for the Individualized Education Program (IEP) within the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1997. Also included are references from the two Congressional Committee Reports--those of the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee and the House Committee on…

The challenges in improving and sustaining success of children from multicultural backgrounds with disabilities in urban school districts manifest themselves in the contextual dynamics of legal, accountability, demographic, and fiscal terrains. Within each of these areas, educational leaders must solve existing problems of underservicing,…

Reviews Congressional testimony and other documents related to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 and identifies four concepts of equity: equity as equal access, a moral imperative, a balancing of interests, and equal opportunity for outcomes. IDEA's equity focus has shifted toward accountable success. (22…

This report is the third analysis of state reports conducted by the National Center on Educational Outcomes to determine what types of information are provided on students with disabilities in state education reports. For this analysis, 170 reports were collected between March 1999 and August 1999 from state accountability offices and state…

Under the 1997 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments, all states must now include students with disabilities in statewide and districtwide educational assessments. So far, Kentucky is the only state with a comprehensive alternative portfolio-assessment program for students unable to participate in "regular" testing…

This document presents the proceedings of the sixth National Monitoring Conference concerned with implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Introductory material describes the purpose and background of the document and the federal monitoring of states, including the Continuous Improvement Monitoring Process (CIMP) and…

Out-of-level testing in state and district assessments is becoming more popular under the reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This practice (and use of different norm-referenced tests) confounds interdistrict comparisons and contributes to inequitable assessment practices. Proper scaling can remedy this situation. (MLH)

This article examines how states are responding to requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act for development of large-scale alternate assessment and accountability of learners with significant disabilities. It stresses the need for a deliberate process that focuses on achieving meaningful outcomes within the context of…

This article argues that the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) creates what Sergiovanni et al. (2004) term "turbulent policy demands" which foster ethical dilemmas for principals. It focuses on the impact of the implementation of NCLB on students with disabilities, as it appears that there is discontinuity between the…

These two newsletter issues of the National Transition Alliance (NTA) for Youth with Disabilities present articles concerning the transition of youth with disabilities from school-to-work (STW) and related informational items. The first issue contains the following articles: "Contextual Learning" (analysis of one of the five categories…

This paper discusses federal requirements for addressing general education curriculum standards and student participation in educational assessments in the Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) of students with disabilities. Specific regulations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act are cited, and the following recommendations are…

Based on the findings of a 1998 conference on the new assessment and accountability requirements in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), this report discusses critical issues that surround the assessment provisions included in the 1997 IDEA amendments and contains recommendations related to state and district-wide assessments…

This guide provides information about the assessment and inclusion of all students in statewide and district assessment programs. In particular, it focuses on tactics for including students with disabilities in assessment to achieve a more complete picture of student learning and educational accountability. It is designed to help Wisconsin…