This white paper outlines factors in the general education setting that contribute to equitable success for all students. The paper addresses elements of equity, inclusion, and opportunity that can minimize or eliminate success gaps that exist among groups of students. Success gaps are those differences in a variety of educational factors and…

Despite the American promise of equal educational opportunity for all students, persistent achievement gaps among more and less advantaged groups of students remain, along with the opportunity gaps that create disparate outcomes. However, the recent passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) represents an opportunity for the federal…

In November 2017, the National Center for Special Education Research in the Institute of Education Sciences convened a group of experts to discuss and provide input on research needs for improving outcomes of students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). The discussion focused on four major topics of inquiry: (1) What do we know about…

In addressing mental health needs in honors communities, I first need to explain that I am not a mental health practitioner; I am a sociologist. The types of issues that interest me are structural: what can we do to set up supportive environments that help all our students. We need to respond appropriately to individuals, but we also need also to…

This study investigated the social skills and academic abilities of Division I student- athletes. The relationship between socioeconomic status, learning disabilities, academic competence, and social skills was examined. The participants included 21,916 first-time full- time freshman student-athletes from 4-year NCAA institutions. The Cooperative…

Many students with disabilities lack the skills needed to transition into society as successful, independent adults (Test, Aspel, & Everson, 2006). Emphasis has been placed on transition preparation. Several skills deficits have been identified as reasons for poor outcomes for students with disabilities. One skill identified as being critical…

This dissertation presents the findings of a study examining the following questions: How do students in a particular disability group differ from students in other disability groups in the degree to which they accept their disability? How are level of functional impairment and acceptance related? How are an individual's view of disability as a…

Educational professionals have the challenging responsibility of serving a highly diverse population of students. Laws such as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), also known as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB, 2001), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004), the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the…

Although recent trends in educational research have addressed the plight of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students, a dearth of literature exists about the subpopulation of LGBT youth with disabilities, namely those with verified emotional-behavior disorders (EBDs). Discussions throughout what literature does exist, and as…

Recent research indicates that Therapeutic Horseback Riding (THR), as a part of animal-assisted therapy, yields several positive results. THR is an intervention utilizing horses to improve behaviors of individuals with disabilities. The current study attempted to add to the research regarding THR effectiveness on children with Autism Spectrum…

This praxis article outlines an ongoing inclusive "Music and Movement in Education" two-credit undergraduate course initiated and facilitated by the author in 2012. It includes step-by-step strategies and suggestions to implement and advocate for an inclusion model in pre-service education or special education courses. The exploratory…

This paper examines the challenges facing research on nurture groups and on the wider field of nurture in education. A four-level model is proposed based on severity of need, ranging from universal applications in nurturing schools and communities, through to addressing the needs of children and young people whose needs are so great that a nurture…

Aim: Understand the social representations of disability in the school context. Methodology: Purpose-built questionnaire with open answers, consisting of 10 questions, was used. Results: (1) The operators interviewed undoubtedly framed the disabled student in a non-medicalization perspective, albeit with qualitative differences; (2) All teachers…

This full report (a brief summary report also was published separately) describes results from the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Student Survey, administered in Spring 2017 in AISD. The survey was designed to gather students' feedback about their experiences taking the advanced CTE courses offered in their specific career pathway. Students…

This report reviews and analyzes California policies that are designed to support early learning in children from birth through age five years. The analysis is limited to early childhood (EC) education-related programs and supports that are likely to directly affect children's cognitive and social development. The information in the report comes…