While sharing some characteristics with their general physical education colleagues, adapted physical educators also face unique challenges related to their role. For example, both general and adapted physical education teachers encounter stress stemming from the marginalized nature of their discipline but may navigate such experiences…

Medical students with disabilities constitute 7.6% of allopathic (MD) and 4.3% of osteopathic (DO) programs, and they are entitled to reasonable accommodation, per the Americans with Disabilities Act. However, research has demonstrated that disabled medical students often encounter barriers when accessing accommodations. In response to these…

This article is a multiple case study of policy in Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon. Both cities have developed programs that utilize government funding to increase access to public school K-5 arts education. While each city used a different path for advocacy and policy change, there were common threads that could be used as a framework…

The purpose of the study is to investigate school counselors' support of youth experiencing homelessness going to college. Using survey methods, school counselors reported their knowledge, perceived competence, advocacy, and actions related to supporting students experiencing homelessness in their college preparation. The results suggested that…

Restraint and seclusion are frequently misused in schools, leading to harmful outcomes for students. There is currently no federal law regulating these practices, which has led to inconsistencies in state and district policies. This policy paper aims to provide a brief background on current definitions, case law, and policies and provide teachers…

Families who have children with delays or disabilities are often expected to become advocates for their children. Despite this inherent expectation, there is limited research available focused on advocacy during the early years (birth to three). The purpose of this study was to use qualitative inquiry, specifically semi-structured interviews, to…

School counselors are advocates for all students, which includes supporting students who are eligible for accommodations under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This study examined school counselors' roles in regards to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. As advocates, school counselors often have opportunities for…

Aspects of academic life and work that some may consider "normal," such as extensive meetings, brightly lit spaces, constant reading, and demands for continuous productivity, can be additionally debilitating for people with non-apparent disabilities like traumatic brain injury (TBI). These concerns affect the 28.3 percent of the academic…

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of high school principals who lead career technical education (CTE) and their influence on student participation in career technical student organizations (CTSOs). Methodology: The research methodology used for this study was a qualitative…

Even though paid advocates exist in the field of special education, teacher advocates are important because their work is based on passion and a belief that change is warranted due to their own needs and experiences with students, not merely on the basis that they are being paid to advocate. Education policy in recent years has become more…

With the looming reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), it is important for parent input to inform legislative changes. Unfortunately, parent input has been limited in past IDEA reauthorizations. Thus, it is critical to develop and test interventions to improve parent legislative advocacy. With 37 parents of…

The legal landscape has significantly impeded LGBTQ+ youth's rights at home and in schools. Learn about introduced and passed laws, the impact experienced by LGBTQ+ students, and how school psychologists can preserve LGBTQ+ mental health in these challenging times.

Limited research has examined the negative and/or positive aspects of the reporting, investigation, and adjudication process experienced by students who file a Title IX case, also known as complainants. To better understand the experiences of complainant students, this qualitative study used Feminist Standpoint Theory (Harding, 1993) as a…

Physical educators, including adapted physical educators, are often called upon to advocate for their students with disabilities, their physical education programs, or themselves to affect change in practice or a student's Individualized Education Program. These advocacy efforts are most effective when physical educators are knowledgeable about…

The authors discuss their application of John W. Kingdon's multiple streams framework (MSF) and the role it plays in the analysis of a pioneering local public policy in the United Kingdom (UK). The aim of this policy, instituted in 2009 and initiated by a group of Bristol's mothers, was to reclaim children's right to play, mainly for their own…