This article examines current technology-aided instruction and intervention (TAII) available for autistic transition-age youth (TAY) in the United States and existing policies that may support or hinder the delivery of these interventions. Specifically, we focus on policies that might influence the delivery of TAII to autistic TAY. After a careful…

In the U.S. education system, students of color experience multiple forms of marginalization at the intersection of markers of difference. These injustices manifest in multiple forms, such as higher rates of inappropriate referrals to special education, misidentification, conferring stigmatizing labels, and subsequently placing students of color…

State accountability systems have been a primary school reform initiative in the US for the past 20 years, but often produce unintended negative consequences. In 2004, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) implemented the Performance Based Monitoring and Analysis System (PBMAS), which included an accountability indicator focused on the percentage of…

Individualized education programs are considered the cornerstone of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act and serve as the means to determine whether qualified students with disabilities receive a Free Appropriate Public Education. This article aims to examine a recent circuit court ruling regarding the applicability of retrospective…

This research contrasts two urban school districts that serve similar populations yet vary notably with respect to the provision of speech and language services. The results suggest that variation in the provision of speech-language services is driven by district-level variations in budgetary and legal contexts as well as procedural differences.…

As states grapple with competing priorities and constrained resources, there is an increasing focus on efficiency and alignment of programs and resources across state agencies. The College and Career Readiness and Success (CCRS) Center recently analyzed and compared four federal laws that govern the education-to-workforce pipeline. They are: (1)…

Given that work-based learning (WBL) can -- and should be -- a key driver of student career readiness in these efforts, it is essential that all states have a robust work-based learning continuum of experiences and exposure that spans K-16. WBL is an essential element of career and technical education (CTE), and ExcelinEd's CTE Playbook series…

This article reports an analysis of RTI information provided on the websites of all 50 State Departments of Education, based on the assumption that school districts rely on this information when developing their RTI programs. Our analysis revealed little consistency in (a) the methods used to identify students to be served in RTI interventions,…

The change in allowing school districts to use the more prevalent discrepancy model or the new addition of response to intervention to determine whether a disability is present has sparked discussion among educators. As districts decide which method to use, it is important to base decisions on factual and researched information. The authors hope…

Scaling of evidence-based practices in education has received extensive discussion but little empirical evaluation. We present here a descriptive summary of the experience from seven states with a history of implementing and scaling School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) over the past decade. Each state has been…

The State of Missouri has adopted the definitions in 34 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 303.5-303.24 of the Part C regulations and selected terms as defined in 34 CFR 77.1 and 74.3 for use in implementing the State's early intervention program. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is the lead agency responsible for…

Confusion among school leaders regarding how to interpret and implement special education legislation, and specific federal and state policies and mandates such as a free and appropriate public education (FAPE), in the least restrictive environment (LRE) at the school-site level has existed since the 1970s and continues to exist. This…

Response to Intervention (RTI) has been one of the most significant developments in the history of educational reform, requiring a renewed focus on evidence-based instruction and data-driven decisions. However, the current use of RTI as a means of identifying students with SLD is highly variable across states, bringing to focus several issues that…

The State of Missouri has adopted the definitions in 34 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 303.5-303.24 of the Part C regulations and selected terms as defined in 34 CFR 77.1 and 74.3 for use in implementing the State's early intervention program. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is the lead agency responsible for…

The National High School Center continues to receive inquiries about how to support high school implementation of response to intervention (RTI). Given the National High School Center's previous work on the topic, the authors wanted to better understand the conditions that contribute to or inhibit implementation of tiered frameworks in high…