A review of historical documents from the early 1900's in Los Angeles indicated that although mental testing played an important diagnostic role, it did not determine special class placement or establishment of special classes. Teacher referral was equally important in placement decisions. (Author/DB)

Parents gained more clout in the "Robinson v. Pinderhughes" court ruling. Baltimore schools' lack of compliance with the Education for All Handicapped Children Act illustrates that, if not offered by a state, educators should encourage legislators to enact a remedy enforcing decisions about disabled students' placement. (CJH)

U.S. educational systems and schools are now organized primarily for student custody and administrative convenience. This article describes how to redesign schools to achieve better educational results by focusing on an outcomes-based paradigm, illustrated by the High Success program being tried in various high schools. Includes four figures and…

This article discusses the cultural and ethnic limitations of current definitions of giftedness and describes instruments that may be used to identify gifted and talented American Indian students. It also summarizes alternative criteria for placing Indian students in gifted programs and describes identification procedures at an elementary school…

Many pupils with mild handicaps are failing to succeed in mainstream placements because of their poor social skills. Social skills training is increasingly part of the special education curriculum for these pupils. This article examines issues and strategies regarding the generalization and maintenance of social skills in mainstream settings. (JDD)

This article describes the educational plight of homeless children and federal efforts to provide assistance to states for the planning and provision of education to homeless children. The McKinney Homeless Assistance Act is discussed, as are recent developments in funding for such programs. (JL)

Fifteen rural elementary school teachers in classrooms with high proportions of limited-English-speaking students completed self-reporting instruments and their supervisors evaluated their effectiveness. Those teachers with the most effective strategies for low-achieving students reported lower toleration of maladaptive behavior and some active…

Briefly sketches some of the circumstances and beliefs that led to the institution of tracking for managing student diversity. Suggests how these social, political, and historical factors can continue to sustain deleterious tracking practices. Offers some promising directions for altering ability grouping and tracking. (PS)

Based on written case folder information, 161 preservice teachers made special education classification and placement decisions and indicated what factors they felt had influenced their decisions. Although they believed that test results had exercised the strongest influence, the stated reason for referral actually had the most significant…

The progress of a developmentally delayed child is described by his mother, covering his infancy, placement in and withdrawal from a residential school, family life, placement in a day school, adolescence, and entry into adulthood. (CB)

The Integration Rating Guide, (research-based guidelines for successful mainstreaming of hearing-impaired students), assisted school personnel in estimating the probability of successful integration and the necessary amount of teacher support, for 16 hearing-impaired children. The guide's criteria include communication skills subject achievement,…

In the early 1960s, four special education categories (slow learners, mentally retarded, emotionally disturbed, and culturally deprived) were used to explain the failure of lower class and minority children, while the less stigmatizing category of learning disabilities explained the failures of white middle class children. Later events changed the…

The study found that Hispanic students were overrepresented in approximately one fourth of the California districts in mental retardation (MR), speech impairment, and specific learning disability (SLD) classes. Black students were overrepresented in MR and speech programs in one fourth of the districts and in SLD programs in two-thirds of the…

Examined the relationship between early school retention as a result of preschool and kindergarten developmental testing and children's later academic achievement (N=223). Results showed children who scored as immature on the Gesell Screening Test and who were retained a year had the lowest scores on all measures. (JAC)

Delivering appropriate education to severely handicapped students poses unique legal problems for schools. Legal issues involved in actual court cases are reviewed and show that concern over potential liability may be unwarranted if the following areas are understood: what is appropriate education and when is a teacher liable? (MD)