Study investigated changes in urban Alberta high school student plans/aspirations between 1969 (12,951)/1982 (2,285 students). Analyzing boys and girls separately indicated more 1981 girls planned postsecondary education. More 1981 students planned postsecondary education, but schools placed fewer students in college preparation programs in 1981…

When the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges compiled best practices for serving basic skills students in 2002-2003, assessment practices were notably absent. In this paper, problems with current assessment and placement practices with regards to basic skills are explored. The paper begins with a review of the matriculation process…

In Arizona and around the country, there is an increased focus on ensuring that children start school ready to learn. Noting that the best way to know if Arizona's children are starting school ready to learn is to track their progress, this booklet details indicators or benchmarks in five categories used to measure the state's progress in school…

This booklet is designed to offer preschool staff who are working with children with special needs a process for supporting children and families through the transition to kindergarten. It begins by discussing the teachers role as a partner to parents of children with disabilities. A timeline is then presented for planning a child's transition to…

This report discusses the findings of a study that gathered descriptive information in the areas of salient student characteristics (e.g., gender, ethnicity, poverty, disability classification), level of participation in general education classes, current level of functioning, student outcomes (e.g., grade point average, performance on state or…

This position paper from the District TAG [talented and gifed] Advisory Committee addresses many of the educational issues that are of concern to parents of talented and gifted children in Portland, Oregon. The paper is divided into 16 topical areas, including: (1) identification and assessment; (2) gifted student plans; (3) rate and level…

This final report discusses the outcomes of a policy research study designed to improve decision making during the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Issues were identified and policy briefs were developed on: (1) the federal financial formula for special education; (2) the role of economic and demographic…

This monograph addresses issues concerned with the disproportionate representation of minority students, especially black students, in special education programs. It reviews the nondiscrimination legal requirements and protections as well as litigation in the federal courts. After a "warm-up exercise" in the form of a pre-test, an…

Intended for parents (or surrogate parents) of children with disabilities in Arizona, this handbook explains rights and procedural safeguards under federal and state laws. Section 1, an introduction to special education, is followed by a section on parent rights in relation to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, initial evaluation,…

This book examines schools' legal responsibility for providing equal educational opportunities for children with disabilities under the 1997 reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). First, an introduction to the American legal system and federal policy on disability is provided. Next, the six principles of special education…

This book is intended to help participants in Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings for children with disabilities to meet basic requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in a defensible way and offers an approach to putting data before the IEP team, structuring deliberations, and documenting decisions. It stresses…

To honor the founder of the International Academy for Research in Learning Disabilities, William M. Cruickshank, this collection of essays reflects a range of perspectives on the "state of the art" in learning disabilities, documenting both commonalties and differences across countries. After an introduction, essays include: (1)…

This book provides parents with guidelines on how to determine if their children are unusually gifted and how to prepare them for school. Recommendations are provided to ensure that gifted children are sufficiently challenged in the classroom, while reducing emotional stresses to which intellectually gifted children are often prone. Specific…

This handbook provides guidelines for the operation of local special education programs for Alaskan children with disabilities. It addresses: (1) the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1997 and basic concepts of special education; (2) identification of students with disabilities, referral, screening programs, and…

This executive summary of Wisconsin's 5-year state improvement plan outlines goals and objectives for improving special education services to students with disabilities and progress toward these objectives in Year 2. The first goal (students with disabilities will demonstrate skills that will engage them to become independent, productive, and…