School administrators are responsible for ensuring state and federal special education laws and regulations are being implemented properly. This study examined the amount of training a Virginia school principal receives while attending principal preparation programs as well as professional development offered by their school division on how to…

This paper provides guidelines (based on the 1997 Amendments of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) to Florida educators concerning reevaluation procedures for students with disabilities. The first section defines reevaluation as the process of determining the following: whether a student continues to have a disability; present levels…

This paper addresses issues in determining the most appropriate placement for a student with a disability, emphasizing that Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams must adhere to legal requirements related to placement in the least restrictive environment. The paper addresses: federal requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities…

This review of case law on aversive interventions for students with disabilities identifies legal boundaries and protections for students in five categories: electric shock, noxious substances, corporal punishment, restraints, and timeout. It finds that, despite the emergence of positive interventions, qualified support for aversive interventions…

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…

This brief paper presents guidelines for creating useful Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) as required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. It lists 10 items of information that the law requires be included in an IEP such as current levels of educational performance and measurable goals and objectives. The importance of…

Among six guidelines for portfolio assessment are (1) identify the goals of the portfolio; (2) determine type of portfolio to be used; and (3) establish procedures for organizing the portfolio. Insets explain performance-based assessment and use of portfolio assessment to comply with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of…

This document presents guidelines for Maine special education complaint investigation procedures. The introduction stresses the requirement that complaints must be in writing and must state that an educational agency or service provider has violated a requirement of the 1997 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or Maine special education…

Analysis of transition provisions of the 1997 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act identifies issues related to (1) coordination and responsibility (including general responsibility, postsecondary education, students in residential schools, and adjudicated students) and (2) transition plans (appropriateness of plans, preview and…

This report provides a comprehensive account of the performance of students with disabilities on state assessment measures. Following an overview of the issues, it explains the laws that govern the reporting of assessment results (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 (IDEA) and Title I of the Elementary and Secondary…

The United States Congress amended the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1997 to reflect changes in the special education field over the previous twenty years. In this 2-hour videotape recording designed for teachers, administrators, parents, and others, Dr. Barbara Bateman presents her insights about changes in IDEA law and…

A study that reviewed 329 Individualized Transition Plans (ITPs) found ITPs generally followed the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, however, they were less likely to address additional transition areas suggested in Louisiana's transitional planning menu, including living arrangements, homemaking needs, financial…

A study analyzed the extent to which states implemented the transition services required by federal law during the 1993-94 through 1996-97 monitoring cycles. Results found many are not inviting students to their Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings and that 50 percent did not have statements of needed transition services (Individualized…

Discussion of Individualized Education Program (IEP) requirements first examines relationships between the IEP and a free, appropriate public education; then highlights the procedural changes and new requirements mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997. Results of due process hearings and court cases and…

This document is comprised of presentations and highlights from a 1997 forum on implementing the 1997 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The forum focused on provisions of IDEA that relate to individualized education program (IEP) requirements in the areas of conduct, social skills, academics, and ways to…