The Academically Gifted Project in Greensboro, North Carolina, sought to increase racial/ethnic group representation in an elementary school's Academically Gifted Program by enhancing referral and evaluation procedures rather than lowering or changing requirements for identification. This paper describes the project's development, procedures used,…

A scale for parent rating of normal students' school adjustment was tested with 416 parents of urban and suburban second- and third-graders. Results showed low to moderate relationships among parent, teacher, self, and sociometric ratings of children; clear discrimination between referred and non-referred children; and male/female and…

This article describes the Laptop Computer Initiative (LCI), a program in a Delaware school district to enhance referral-to-placement practices and to develop individualized education programs for special education students. The six steps in the program's development are recounted and positive results of the LCI, such as increased staff efficiency…

Data are considered for 152 children (ages 2 months to 6 years) who underwent brief developmental evaluation and referrals in response to parents' concerns. Members of a multidisciplinary team simultaneously observed and interacted with the children in an arena setting. Data largely confirmed parents' perceptions of their children's development.…

Presents an analysis of discipline referral data collected in an urban middle school and discusses the impact in terms of time and resources devoted to discipline at the expense of learning. The article describes a strategic plan formulated by middle school faculty and administration, as well as other student-centered techniques, in creating more…

Service providers (n=48 and representing 30 states) for preschool visually impaired children responded to a questionnaire evaluating the number of visually impaired children, source of referral for services, age at referral, visual diagnoses, common additional handicaps, kinds of service delivery models employed, types of teacher certification,…

This study examined the relationship between community needs for information about wife assault and the information response offered through social service networks. Interviews were conducted with a random selection of 543 women and with 179 agencies and professionals identified by the women as likely sources of help. (17 references) (MES)

Describes a county library system's experience with a computerized information and referral system and highlights strengths and weaknesses of the systems. Strengths included the library maintaining control, with other agencies participating; using existing programs and databases where possible; and establishing copyright. Problems included not…

Describes trade-union based psychosocial counseling program which has been used with the unemployed in Germany. Gives rationale for psychosocial counseling approach in this situation. Outlines tasks and characteristics, major problem areas and problem-solving strategies, crisis intervention, referral to other services, group seminars, and support…

Two authors of a paper (EC 602 058) reporting a factor analysis on records referring students to special education comment on their research: how their interest developed, their reaction to critics, clinical impressions acquired from the data, and the possible bias of school personnel toward referring more boys than girls for special education.…

The unusually low numbers of students with emotional and behavior disturbances referred and provided with special education services in Mississippi were examined in a survey of 101 special education teachers. Teachers saw parental objections to the label "Emotionally Impaired" as the primary cause of the very low rate of referrals. (DB)

A study involving 254 children (ages 3 to 17) investigated how children referred to the East Baltimore Mental Health Partnership (EBMHP) from a traditional mental health center differed from children referred by non-mental health agencies. Children differed in terms of their sociodemographic characteristics and psychosocial adjustment depending on…

This study surveyed routine language screening practices for infants and toddlers of 41 physicians in an urban and surrounding rural area. Findings indicated that all physician offices screened for language development with some using the Denver Developmental Scale and others using informal tools. Findings are discussed in the context of the…

This article presents a prereferral assessment and intervention process implemented in an elementary school. Included in the description are procedures, examples of record forms, and a case study illustrating the operation of the process. The advantages and disadvantages of the process, as perceived by the faculty and staff, are listed. (Contains…

A study examined juvenile cases processed in an East Coast state between 1992 and 1994 (n=33,423). Findings indicate mental health placements are used rarely relative to other court outcomes (i.e., dismissal, probation, other types of placements), and gender and race significantly influence whether an offender receives this type of treatment.…