Measures of student disadvantage--or risk--are critical components of equity-focused education policies. However, the risk measures used in contemporary policies have significant limitations, and despite continued advances in data infrastructure and analytic capacity, there has been little innovation in these measures for decades. We develop a new…

Often the consideration of assistive technology devices and services during the individualized education program (IEP) process is overlooked. Because the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) authorized this consideration, IEP team members must be keenly aware of the importance they hold in providing this valuable input. Thus, IEP…

The authors present an approach to the assessment of learning disabilities based on a definition of significant enabling skills for school learning. Students' competence in information processing, language, and mathematics is assessed in 11 tests. By using the Assessment of Basic Competencies test, it is possible to determine a child's location in…

Describes a model, based on the "levels of use" concept, for evaluating individualized education program (IEP) implementation under Public Law 94-142. The model includes three levels: awareness, implementation mechanics, and "evolution" or realization of goals. The model is applied to 30 IEPs in a Florida school district. (RW)

In using the framework, the two main administrative problems encountered are reporting the evaluation to the decision makers and the feasibility of conducting an IEP evaluation. (Author/PHR)

The Impact Evaluation Model (IEM) is designed to provide a sequence of steps and procedures which methodically leads to the assessment of the individualized educational plan for handicapped students. The document includes a description of the method, illustrations of its use, and selected examples of data gathering devices. Initial sections…

Presents the TREAT model for constructing counseling goals and objectives during Individualized Education Program meetings. The model provides the multidisciplinary team with a procedure for organizing all relevant information when addressing students with special needs. Use of the model results in measurable, manageable, and defensible goals and…

The transition to adult life for students with reading and writing challenges is an area that is not often addressed. The purpose of this article is to relate the informal assessment process to the broader context of high stakes assessment, high school exit exams, diploma options, and transition planning; identify the competencies needed for a…

Research has shown that successful school-to-work transitional planning must be linked to good vocational assessment. A study of the type and extent of formal vocational assessments being conducted by educators within secondary schools in Wisconsin showed that 77 percent assessed occupational interests, 63 percent assessed vocational aptitudes,…

This paper proposes a set of procedures for self-evaluation by practicing school psychologists and includes specific directions for development and improvement of their functioning. The evaluability assessment, a preparation for self-evaluation, is explained and suggested as a starting point. Included is a table which outlines the evaluability…

Proposes a method of standardizing the assessment units of measurement that apply to individualized education program (IEP) development. The model presented consists of four phases: (1) ability assessment, (2) achievement assessment, (3) discrepancy assessment, and (4) program development. Suggests a careful analysis of information may affect IEP…

These guidelines serve as a model for meeting the educational needs of students with language, speech, and hearing disorders. The guidelines clarify the paperwork requirements of federal and state statutes; reduce paperwork procedures to increase instructional time to students; recommend service delivery models; provide criteria to assist in…

With its comprehensive coverage of instruction and intervention practices in natural environments, this is the essential methods textbook for preservice educators and therapists preparing to work with young children who have disabilities. Focusing on children from birth to age 5, this text gives future professionals a wealth of specific, practical…

This teacher training module is designed to help teachers design curriculum and teaching to accommodate student diversity. The approach locates decisions with groups of teachers, creates new roles for both general and special educators, and redesigns the Individualized Education Program. After an introduction and overview, the first section…