This synthesis of the literature examines the characteristics of children with conduct disorders and the special education placement dilemmas they present. The paper distinguishes among the terms delinquency, social maladjustment, conduct disorder, and behavioral disorder. The paper discusses eligibility of students with conduct disorders for…

This collection of articles abnout gifted and talented preschool and elementary students begins with background information on the program and philosophy for young students at the Center for Talented Youth at Johns Hopkins University (Maryland). The following articles are then presented: "Some Thought for Parents of Very Young Gifted…

Elementary students who are overage due to retention are compared with those who are overage for other reasons on both at-risk indicators and demographic factors. Records of 127 fifth, sixth, and seventh graders were examined with respect to student performance on academic indicators of at-risk behavior. Findings indicate that overage students…

This report evaluates Delaware's progress in providing a free, appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment (LRE) for children with disabilities as required by Public Law 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. Existing programs and services provide an array of placement alternatives for the delivery of special…

This report describes three common options for designing a vocational curriculum for special-needs students and then cites operating vocational programs that use each of the options. Mainstream vocational programs, which are modified to suit special needs, as well as self-contained classes and cooperative work-experience classes, are covered. Also…

Examining student promotion standards in American education, the author reviews the origins and history of the shift between merit promotion (which advances students based on demonstrated skill competence) and social promotion (which advances students in response to their social needs). Case studies of promotional policies are provided for schools…

Overviews are presented of the legal requirements for special education and bilingual education in California. Specific legislation affecting each is reviewed. Special education legislation requires such actions as psychological and health assessments for selected students, full-scale reassessments every 3 years for students remaining in special…

A project was undertaken in the San Diego Community College District to develop a consistent districtwide placement testing program using the same test instruments and uniform cut-off scores for placement in English and mathematics courses. As part of the project, a study was conducted to correlate English placement test scores and grades for all…

New placement procedure at Humboldt University includes interviews and placement tests. Interviews reveal response ability, tempo, pronunciation, comprehension, etc. The 60-minute test that follows is described and results discussed, as well as difficulty level and grading. Results: better grouping of students, less shifting, better work. (Text is…

The report presents data on the effectiveness of Program Alternatives to Special Education (PASE), an effort to reduce the number of students referred to special education in New York City schools. Four major evaluation issues are addressed: number of students participating in PASE during the 1985-1986 school year; reasons for student selections…

The major underlying concepts used in developing this Collaborative Teaching Program for intermediate grade level students included the heterogeneous grouping of pupils in a community of learners, the use of quality circle management, and the appropriate use of teaching strategies geared toward the major modes of learning. The community of…

Guidelines employed by the Neighborhood English Scheme (Brent) in London, England, to insure that student placement interviews are purposeful and effective are outlined. Ideally, a successful interview results in the student being placed in an English-as-a-Second-Language class that is at a convenient time and location, at an appropriate level,…

This short 3-page article presents four examples of innovative higher education programs that failed because the ideas were imported from other institutions without understanding the substructures that were needed for success. In the first case study, a Writing Across the Curriculum program was implemented through writing-intensive courses…

This paper presents analyses of score reliability for a mathematics placement test developed by the Mathematical Association of America in 1984 for use with undergraduate college students. Subjects included all 589 students seeking admission to the college mathematics curricula at a private university in the South during the course of the study.…

A transitional model is put forth to facilitate the placement of preschool children with disabilities in their first elementary school environment. After an introductory chapter and conceptual overview, chapters cover planning, intervention, and follow-up, with program evaluation incorporated into each component. Appendices contain two transition…