The fourth edition of "A Principal's Guide to Special Education," is an indispensable resource for educators navigating the complexities of special education in the 21st century, it is crucial to continue evolving the guide to address the ever-changing landscape of educational needs, legal requirements, and best practices. This new…

In a recent study, Bettini, Gilmour, et al. (2020) used the theory of conservation of resources to explain how educators balance access to resources and the demands of their job. In teaching, these resources manifest in the form of administrative support; colleague support; access to materials, such as curricular resources; and increased teaching…

Practical and forward-thinking, "Developing Teacher Leaders in Special Education" is the administrator's essential guide to growing special educator leadership in any school, district, or program. Special educators need to be flexible, proactive, and collaborative -- qualities that make them uniquely suited to roles in school leadership…

Open-science reforms, which aim to increase credibility and access of research, have the potential to benefit the research base in special education, as well as practice and policy informed by that research base. Awareness of open science is increasing among special education researchers. However, relatively few researchers in the field have…

Our nation has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to providing every child with an equal opportunity to an education. Two Federal laws that address the education for children with disabilities are the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), signed into law in 1965 and 1975,…

This book provides new and experienced Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs) with a critical approach to understanding the importance of outstanding leadership of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and how to effectively meet the current SEND policy requirements. Closely informed by the statutory guidance for SENCOs, this…

"A Guide to Best Practice in Special Education, Health and Social Care" explores and explains the changes in governmental policies across the education, health and social care services, and what they mean for young individuals, parents and professionals. In a period of significant change, many practitioners need to understand the…

Parents with children receiving special education services are more than likely very involved in their child's school and teachers--including planning, reviewing, and assessing their child's educational program. Over time, these parents learn a lot about the special education process and how to communicate and negotiate on their child's behalf.…

In this second edition of "Smarter Budgets, Smarter Schools," Nathan Levenson proposes fresh strategies for more efficient, equitable resource allocation within school districts. Budgets, according to Levenson, can be a surprisingly powerful lever for improved student achievement outcomes and equity. Readers will find practical advice…

The purpose of this guidance document is to: 1) provide education-related information about autism spectrum disorders (ASD); and 2) assist Individualized Education Program (IEP) Teams, including parents, develop researched-based educational programs for children and youth who qualify for special education services under the autism disability…

"Related Services in Special Education: Working Together as a Team" is a resource for anyone who works with school-age children with disabilities to showcase the professional expertise and value-add related services providers bring to the IEP team and school community. With a theme of intentional collaboration and communication, this…

This brief, produced by WestEd as part of a collection of Crisis Response Resources, provides guidance and resources to help district and school leaders ensure students with disabilities are well supported through distance learning prompted by the coronavirus crisis. The brief begins with key questions to guide adminis­trators as they consider how…

How can novice special education teachers improve their practice and grow as professionals? How can veteran teachers remain connected to their profession and share their knowledge and skills? In this readable, research-based guide, the authors outline a program of collaboration to enable novice teachers to gain insight from their more experienced…

The purpose of this guidebook is to: (1) Assist Speech-Language Pathology service providers as they support the educational goals of eligible students with disabilities in the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS); and (2) Ensure that all Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) in the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) operate with the…

Part B, Section 619 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) authorizes additional preschool formula grants to states that are eligible for grants under Section 611 of Part B. States are eligible if they make Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) available to all children ages 3-5 with disabilities. While not mandatory, all…