The report by the Task Force on Children Out of School describes practices and procedures of exclusion which prohibit a minimum of 4,000 school age children from attending the Boston public schools. Children who are culturally different, physically different (both handicapped and pregnant), mentally handicapped, and emotionally disturbed are…

The legal theories with which students challenge academic dismissals, the impact of a recent court decision concerning the institution's right to discontinue a student's studies, and various methods to prevent litigation over academic dismissal are reviewed. (MSE)

The purpose of this research study was to determine if the implementation of a social skills curriculum would have a positive effect on the performance of severely emotionally or behaviorally disordered students (SEBD). The program studied was the Boys' Town Educational Model (BTEM). Student performance was defined in terms of reading recognition…

This report is the outcome of a 1-day conference organized by the Southwark Black Education Group (London, England) Southwark Council for Community Relations, documents concerns of the black community about the exclusion of black students from the schools, and presents some practices that have been applied successfully in some schools to improve…

The case involves the academic dismissal of a female medical student and her allegation of denial of due process. Other related decisions are reviewed. It is concluded that this decision endangers the vitality of the concept of due process. Available from "NY Law School Law Review," 57 Worth St., New York, NY 10013. (MSE)

A total involvement project in a mainstream upper school was initiated by a British local education authority as part of a restructuring of support for pupils with behavioral/emotional difficulties. Exclusion was reduced, the behavioral management structure was improved, and a higher quality of support was offered at earlier stages. (Contains 9…

Court decisions interpreting effects of Public Law 94-142 on traditional forms of public school discipline are reviewed, concluding that most forms of minor disciplinary remedies remain available to educators so long as they are also used with nonhandicapped students. However, legal problems arise with expulsion and long-term suspensions of…

The recent escalation of zero-tolerance weapons policies was predicated on a (mis)perceived increase in school-related shootings. When administering such policies, principals should reaffirm the policy message, clarify consequences, be careful with evidence, clear their calendars, prepare a communication plan, and coordinate responses to the…

A survey of 216 special education administrators and school psychologists found that them to be generally supportive of the use of functional behavioral assessment for a range of problem behaviors. However, they were uncertain of whether such assessment would be acceptable for unique low-frequency problem behaviors that lead to suspension and…

Substance Use and HIV Prevention Program (SHIP) is a school-based intervention model designed to reverse detrimental trajectories in nonsexual (i.e., substance use) and sexual behaviors by adapting two research-supported interventions: Reconnecting Youth and Street Smart. The Social Development Model provides the theoretical and conceptual basis.…

This study looks at existing aspects of written school violence policies (Codes of Student Conduct) across large, mid-size, and small school districts in Florida. The aim was to provide a clearer picture of how weapons are defined, and the consequences of their possession, use, or display. Two research areas were addressed: (1) What constitutes a…

This is the 31st Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act," 2009. Section 664(d) of the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" ("IDEA") (P.L. 108-446), as reauthorized in 2004, requires that the Department of Education report annually on the progress…

This is the 11th annual report on conditions affecting the Racine Unified School District (RUSD). Analysis continues to focus on the long-term historical trends in RUSD, comparing RUSD to nine peer school districts and the State of Wisconsin. RUSD peer districts are Wisconsin's largest (Milwaukee Public Schools are not included) and their…

This issue of "The Link" newsletter contains the following articles: (1) Evidence-Based Practice: Developing a New Business Model from the Inside Out (Jeremy Kohomban, Paul Schiller, and Patricia O'Gorman); (2) The School to Prison Pipeline and Criminalizing Youth: Costs, Consequences, and Alternatives (Marsha Weissman); (3) Group Homes Appear…

In Colorado, school discipline measures vary from classroom to classroom, school to school, and district to district. Another area of concern is the disproportionate number of ethnic minority students who are expelled in Colorado. While Latinos accounted for 17 percent of Colorado's students, they represented one-third of expelled students.…