Policymakers and researchers often talk about "autonomous schools" as if there's a single, agreed-upon definition of what that means. In reality, there's no standard design for autonomous school policies, and school autonomy can mean a lot of different things. The policies that states have enacted vary widely in terms of their goals, the…

Policymakers and researchers often talk about "autonomous schools" as if there's a single, agreed-upon definition of what that means. In reality, there's no standard design for autonomous school policies, and school autonomy can mean a lot of different things. The policies that states have enacted vary widely in terms of their goals, the…

When No Child Left Behind (NCLB) became law in 2002, it was viewed as an effort to create uniform standards for students and schools across the country. More than a decade later, we know surprisingly little about how states actually implemented NCLB and the extent to which state implementation decisions managed to undo the centralizing objectives…

Little is known about the supply side of voucher programs, despite schools' central role in program effectiveness. Using survey and interview data on the Indiana Choice Scholarship Program (ICSP), I analyze schools' participation decisions and early implementation experiences to understand better how schools respond to program regulations. I find…

As part of the "American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009," the U.S. Department of Education sponsored the "Race to the Top" competition to encourage education reforms anchored in improving teacher effectiveness as a driver for improving student-achievement outcomes and closing achievement gaps. The New York State…

The "29th Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 2007" focuses on key state performance data in accordance with recommendations of the President's Commission on Excellence in Special Education. Volume 1 focuses on the children and students being served under "IDEA"…

This document is a report of the proceedings of the fifth National Monitoring Conference. The contents include a brief background on monitoring and a synopsis of each of the conference sessions. The opening plenary covered the states' monitoring experiences in the first year of the new federal process following the reauthorization of the…

This report describes what schools and educators across Kentucky are doing to implement school reform in school-based decision-making based on the Kentucky Education Reform Act of 1990 (KERA). The School-Based Decision Making (SBDM) component of KERA is a decentralized governance structure that vests great authority in SBDM councils operating at…

This publication is intended to ensure that consideration for and provision of extended school year services (ESY services) for students with disabilities are consistent with the requirements of federal law, Iowa state rules, and Iowa's adopted educational standards. Part 1 of the document discusses the specific addition of ESY services to the…

This brief report discusses the outcomes of a study that examined statewide behavioral initiatives (SBI) that involve general education, special education, or both. Forty-three state education agencies (SEAs) responded to a survey that investigated the development of SBI, focus of the SBI, and how well the SBI addresses the needs of students with…

This manual provides administrative guidelines for programs for gifted students in Missouri. An introduction cites the relevant state special education law, defines "giftedness," and stresses that differentiated educational programs are intended for only 2 or 3 percent of the school-aged population whose development requires…

This policy manual presents the state of Nebraska's regulations and standards for special education programs that are effective April 23, 1996. The regulations include a declaration of responsibility, provide the statutory authority, and address the following areas: (1) definitions of disabilities and other relevant terms; (2) responsibility for…

In the last twenty years, courts throughout the country have entertained claims relating to disparities in school funding. Early school finance suits sought to equalize "inputs" in terms of per pupil or overall expenditures. More recently, the advent of rigorous state accountability plans and the federal No Child Left Behind Act has…

Except for school construction, there is no legislation to guide implementation of the programs and reforms ordered by the New Jersey Supreme Court in the landmark "Abbott v. Burke" case. Instead, in its 1998 "Abbott V decision," the Supreme Court directed the Commissioner of Education to provide standards and procedures to…

This manual represents a revised version of the original 1999 Idaho Special Education Manual which is a set of guidelines to assist Idaho school districts in carrying out the provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1997 and its implementing regulations, which were published on March 12, 1999. Additions to…