In this paper, the authors argue that at a time when disappointing student performance, stark achievement gaps, and an ever-"flattening" world call for retooling American schools for the 21st century, the most daunting impediments to doing so are the teacher collective bargaining agreements that regulate virtually all aspects of school district…

When the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges compiled best practices for serving basic skills students in 2002-2003, assessment practices were notably absent. In this paper, problems with current assessment and placement practices with regards to basic skills are explored. The paper begins with a review of the matriculation process…

"Alabama Education News" is published monthly except for June, July, and December by the Alabama Department of Education. This publication, authorized by Section 16-2-4 of the "Code of Alabama", as recompiled in 1975, is a public service of the Alabama Department of Education designed to inform citizens and educators about…

Twenty percent of California's public-school students attend schools in the Central Valley. Many of these students are at risk of poor educational outcomes: One-quarter of the children in grades K-5 do not speak English or do not speak it well; one-half of all K-12 students participate in a subsidized lunch program. This sourcebook provides a…

In Arizona and around the country, there is an increased focus on ensuring that children start school ready to learn. Noting that the best way to know if Arizona's children are starting school ready to learn is to track their progress, this booklet details indicators or benchmarks in five categories used to measure the state's progress in school…

This booklet is designed to offer preschool staff who are working with children with special needs a process for supporting children and families through the transition to kindergarten. It begins by discussing the teachers role as a partner to parents of children with disabilities. A timeline is then presented for planning a child's transition to…

In 1995, the Anne E. Casey Foundation launched the Jobs Initiative (JI) in six cities to change labor market prospects for low-income young people in order to help them get jobs that could move their families out of poverty. The JI attempts to change the way employers recruit and supervise workers and how work is structured; to prepare workers and…

This report discusses the findings of a study that gathered descriptive information in the areas of salient student characteristics (e.g., gender, ethnicity, poverty, disability classification), level of participation in general education classes, current level of functioning, student outcomes (e.g., grade point average, performance on state or…

This position paper from the District TAG [talented and gifed] Advisory Committee addresses many of the educational issues that are of concern to parents of talented and gifted children in Portland, Oregon. The paper is divided into 16 topical areas, including: (1) identification and assessment; (2) gifted student plans; (3) rate and level…

This final report discusses the outcomes of a policy research study designed to improve decision making during the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Issues were identified and policy briefs were developed on: (1) the federal financial formula for special education; (2) the role of economic and demographic…

This monograph addresses issues concerned with the disproportionate representation of minority students, especially black students, in special education programs. It reviews the nondiscrimination legal requirements and protections as well as litigation in the federal courts. After a "warm-up exercise" in the form of a pre-test, an…

Intended for parents (or surrogate parents) of children with disabilities in Arizona, this handbook explains rights and procedural safeguards under federal and state laws. Section 1, an introduction to special education, is followed by a section on parent rights in relation to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, initial evaluation,…

This book examines schools' legal responsibility for providing equal educational opportunities for children with disabilities under the 1997 reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). First, an introduction to the American legal system and federal policy on disability is provided. Next, the six principles of special education…

This book is intended to help participants in Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings for children with disabilities to meet basic requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in a defensible way and offers an approach to putting data before the IEP team, structuring deliberations, and documenting decisions. It stresses…

To honor the founder of the International Academy for Research in Learning Disabilities, William M. Cruickshank, this collection of essays reflects a range of perspectives on the "state of the art" in learning disabilities, documenting both commonalties and differences across countries. After an introduction, essays include: (1)…