It is important to understand the contexts which lead to alternative education programming. The ways in which problem behavior is defined detrimentally impacts ethnically and racially minoritized populations and students with disabilities. Additionally, the pipeline to alternative education, with opportunities for increased supports and services,…

This study examined the proportion of time students identified with Emotional Disturbance (ED) spent in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) and the potential variables associated with a higher proportion of time spent in more restrictive settings. There were 111 students in the study. Students were grouped based on the amount of time they…

The number of students identified under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) with an emotional disturbance (ED) has remained remarkably stable over the last 30 years. During this time, approximately 1% of the school-aged population has been identified as disabled under the criteria set forth in IDEA (Kim, Forness, & Walker,…

The present study investigated differences between students sent to out-of-school facilities (N = 148), also called rebound facilities, and non-referred students (N = 411), in junior vocational high schools. Self-reports on externalizing and antisocial behaviors were used to compare the two samples. Referred students scored significantly higher on…

Across the country alternative schools and programs for middle and high school at-risk students are increasingly popular. They often function as an alternative to expelling or suspending at-risk students who may not be succeeding in traditional classrooms. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relations between alternative education on…

Disproportionality plagues schools nationwide in special education placement, dropout, discipline referral, suspension, and expulsion rates. This study examined predictors of teacher referrals to school counselors for disruptive behavior in a sample of students selected from the Educational Longitudinal Study 2002 (National Center for Education…

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…

There is widespread consensus in the research and policy-related literature over the last decade that young people who have been permanently excluded from school are at a far greater risk of a variety of negative outcomes than young people who have not had this experience. These negative outcomes include prolonged periods out of education and/or…

The school records of 40 boys and 20 girls placed in special education programs (for learning disabled, educable retarded, or behavior disordered) were examined to compare reasons for referral and placement. Results indicated that boys were more likely to be referred for behavior problems or behavior and academic problems. (DB)

Seventy-seven references from the ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) database and the Exceptional Child Education Resources database are presented, on the topic of prereferral interventions for students with learning and behavior problems. References are arranged by database and then alphabetically by author. Information for each…

Educational decision makers (N=224) participated in a computer simulated decision making experience to ascertain the extent to which referral information on a child with a suspected handicapping condition biased classification decisions. Ss were randomly assigned to 16 conditions varying on the basis of the child's sex, socioeconomic status,…

The report presents data on the effectiveness of Program Alternatives to Special Education (PASE), an effort to reduce the number of students referred to special education in New York City schools. Four major evaluation issues are addressed: number of students participating in PASE during the 1985-1986 school year; reasons for student selections…

The study examined the effectiveness of strategies and instructional interventions used in the regular classroom setting in one California school district (1984-85) before students were referred to special education. Findings of a survey of 61 teachers from 41 schools indicated that the three most frequently applied strategies were individualized…

Described is the Merrill Area (Wisconsin) Public School district's plan to develop and provide the necessary program and classes to meet the needs of behaviorally and emotionally disturbed students. Brief sections cover the following topics: program philosophy (provision of adequate education to each child); definition of the emotionally or…

The investigation assessed the effects of three increasingly inclusive versions of the Behavioral Consultation (BC) model on problem behavior in mainstream classrooms, in an effort to develop an effective and efficient approach to pre-referral intervention. Subjects were 43 general educators, their 43 most difficult-to-teach nonhandicapped…