Positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) was first introduced with the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in 1997. In this article, we describe the 25-year history of the PBIS implementation experience, including the core features of PBIS as a multitiered framework and the process and outcomes for…

Juvenile delinquency is a persistent problem in the United States, and students with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to become recidivists. This study examined patterns of and factors associated with recidivism. The sample included 5,435 juveniles with disabilities. Findings indicated intragroup variability regarding the number of…

This article addresses the effects of 3-tiered comprehensive reading and behavior interventions on K-3 student outcomes in 7 urban elementary schools with a high prevalence of students considered difficult to teach. Specific features of each level of the implementation are described including screening and tier placement procedures, scheduling and…

The implementation of a preferral model is described and data are presented on consultation, referral, testing, and placement rates before, during, and after implementation. Issues in implementation, including school system variables and barriers to implementing a consultation model, are also discussed. (Author/CL)

The article addresses implementing a prereferral intervention model as the first step in special education services delivery system. The model includes four prereferral stages (request for consultation, consultation, observation, conference), and two referral stages (formal referral and program meeting). (Author/CL)

The article describes the history and resolution of the Lora Litigation (Lora v. Board of Education of the City of New York) and the standards and procedures intended to prevent future discriminatory practices or to detect them as soon as they occur put as forward in the final order. (Author/CL)

The background and effects of Luke S. and Hans S. vs. Nix et al, a class action suit in Louisiana are discussed. The resulting changes in assessment practices, includng prereferral intervention, curriculum based assessment, and state-wide inservice training for assessment staff are noted. (Author/CL)

Evaluation of data on 689 Indiana students (ages 6-18) referred and identified as having learning disabilities indicated that 58 percent had been retained before identification, suggesting that retention is being used as remediation before labeling a student. Implications of this practice and alternatives to grade retention are considered.…

Described is the Comprehensive Identification Process a method for locating, screening, and evaluating young (3-to 5-year-old) handicapped children which has been developed and evaluated on a population of over 700 children. (DB)

The article points out the risk of erroneous classification and inequitable treatment for students who are difficult to teach and manage. Analysis of child count data highlights variability in identification and referral processes and suggests that attempts to tighten eligibility standards, especially for mildly handicapped students, is…

Analysis of elementary students referred for learning difficulties revealed that referral was a major contributing factor to disproportionate ethnic representation. Low socioeconomic status children from linguistically different homes were more likely to be referred than other children. The psychoeducational evaluation served as a moderator for…

The article examines assumptions associated with prereferral interventions of consultation and informal problem-solving teams with at-risk students. Critical analyses of the benefits and limitations of both the consultation and informal problem-solving team approaches are offered, and alternative conceptions of prereferral practices are then…

Comparison of short and long duration consultant-driven prereferral interventions with 60 general elementary educators, 60 pupils with special needs, and 22 consultants found that both variants were equally effective in improving teacher perceptions of their students and in decreasing referrals for testing and possible special education placement.…

Forty-three general educators were assigned to one of three versions of the Behavioral Consultation model, to assess the model's effects on problem behavior of difficult-to-teach intermediate-grade students. Observations of student behavior indicated that more inclusive Behavioral Consultation versions exerted stronger effects than the least…