The Learning Outcomes Study, a 2-year investigation, evaluated four popular types of grouping arrangements for gifted students in grades 2 and 3 in 14 collaborative school districts in 10 states. The study compared within-class, pull-out, separate class, and special school instructional arrangements. Study participants (N=1000) included students…

This paper maintains that many language-minority children in the United States are being given dis-equalized services by schools through inappropriate test screening. It is asserted that schools often use inappropriate standardized instruments to determine the English language fluency of limited English proficient (LEP) and language minority…

The concept of integrating children with disabilities into public school classrooms has paralleled the movement to integrate children of different races. In 1975, Congress enacted the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 (EAHCA), which became effective in 1977. Through regulations detailing precise procedural guidelines, EAHCA has…

This paper reports the findings and recommendations of a task force of the Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (VDDHH) on current trends in the education of students who are deaf or hard of hearing (including deaf-blind students) and the implications of a proposed Deaf Child's Bill of Rights. The task force reviewed the literature…

This document reports on the purpose, implementation, and outcomes of a policy forum on strategies used to address the disproportionate number of students from minority ethnic/racial groups receiving special education. Participants included representatives of state education agencies, local education agencies, the university/research community,…

This paper presents selected findings from a three-year research investigation of general and special education reform initiatives implemented in five local school districts across the United States (including a large urban, predominately minority system; two suburban districts; a small independent city district; a large county-wide system; two…

Activities and results of the Greenville (South Carolina) English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) and literacy program for limited-English-proficient community members are described briefly. The cooperative program involves the local literacy association, school district adult education program, and technical college, and offers ESL placement and…

This practicum was designed to ensure that junior high students with learning disabilities experience a successful transition back into the regular classroom from the resource room. The focus was on increasing communication between the regular classroom teacher and the resource room teacher, evaluating transition candidates using a…

This report describes the following five areas of compliance in the Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) public school Remedial Plan for Services to Asian Limited English Proficiency (LEP) students: (1) counseling services; (2) assignment of students to English-as-a-Second Language (ESOL) Levels 1 and 2; (3) pupil support committees (PSCs); (4)…

This paper summarizes results of federal legislation and court litigation addressing special education issues. The first section considers cases in which rights were secured through litigation. These include rights of minority groups, rights of the mentally ill, rights of the mentally retarded, and the right to a fair classification. The second…

This practicum report describes an identification prototype used by a large metropolitan school district (Gwinnet County, Georgia) to identify giftedness in black and limited English speaking students. Underrepresentation of these groups in gifted programs is seen to result from: teacher reluctance to refer students from the target populations;…

Educational practices in tracking and ability grouping are reviewed, and it is suggested that cooperative learning strategies are effective alternatives for students who need preparation for the challenges of citizenship in the future. Research studies have given rise to many criticisms of tracking, particularly as it relates to minorities,…

This report presents the state of Michigan's special education state plan for fiscal years 1995-1997. It includes policies and procedures for complying with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and state regulations. Chapters address: (1) the right to education; (2) full educational opportunities, goals, and time lines; (3) child…

This report discusses the outcomes of a study that investigated the operation of the Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) in response to the implementation of the least restrictive environment (LRE) mandate for preschool children with disabilities within two selected counties in New York State during the 1994-95, 1995-96, and 1996-97…

This document comprises forms (and directions for their use) used in Oregon in conjunction with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for school-aged children. Forms are identified as either required or optional and are presented in a two-page format, with one page identifying the form, explaining its purposes, and providing…