This research attempts to shed light on the persistence of the separate but equal ideology. An opinion that was ruled unconstitutional in 1954 by the US Supreme Court. Failure by the Holmes County School Board through intentional delays and legalities compelled Beatrice Alexander to file a civil court case with the District Court for the Southern…

District Human Resource departments are tasked with developing rationale, policies, and a hiring process that prioritizes hiring high quality applicants that reflect diverse backgrounds with proven experience and success with district student populations. Staff must hire diverse candidates but to do so, they must examine the implications for…

The "IDRA Newsletter" serves as a vehicle for communication with educators, school board members, decision-makers, parents, and the general public concerning the educational needs of all children across the United States. The focus of this issue is "Cultural Connections in Schooling." Contents include: (1) A Defining Moment for…

Policies and programs designed to serve children and families are sometimes misaligned with developmental science research. Broad child neglect reporting laws, first adopted by the United States in 1974, have led to families being prosecuted by child protection authorities for allowing children to participate in everyday age-appropriate activities…

In this critique, race is centralized to draw attention to the role it plays in the complex evolution of response to intervention, past and present. I use a critical race theory analytical lens to focus on how the dominant narrative serves as a framework within institutional and political structures in support of the approach. A brief overview of…

The professional literature is largely lacking with regard to current information about state systems for complaint procedures (CP) as compared with the much more common knowledge of the due process hearing mechanism of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This article begins with an overview of the professional literature,…

Purpose: Many studies have investigated the impact of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act and its sanctions on students and teachers. Little research, however, has systematically examined the relationship between NCLB and its sanctions and school principals. Given the importance of school leadership and the accountability systems implemented at…

Violence in schools remains a complex and challenging issue. In this article, we examine schools' responsibilities in placement and the provision of services for students who have chronically exhibited dangerous behaviors. Multiple court cases have provided schools guidance in evaluating when student removal through injunctive relief for dangerous…

Early intervention (EI) services are mandated by Part C of The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004). The EI team, a multidisciplinary team overseen by individual states, is charged with providing family-centered services to support child development in the natural environment. This article examines the use of occupational…

Numerous lawsuits have been filed against school officials since the first Race to the Top (RTTT) monies were awarded in 2011, requiring school districts in participating states to incorporate student scores on standardized tests into their teacher evaluation processes. This study researched the history of standardized testing in the United States…

This hearing explores the accountability rule that the Department of Education proposed on May 31st. This goes to the heart of the law to fix No Child Left Behind. The Federal Government decided that math and reading test results would determine whether schools and teachers were succeeding or failing. The two main concerns of this hearing are: (1)…

This brief examines state-defined long-term goals for improving achievement in states' Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plans as of January 2018, and offers early insights into the varied approaches states have taken in setting long-term goals, timelines, and trajectories to reach their goals.

Paraprofessionals are critical school staff often responsible for students with or at risk for academic, behavioral, and social impairments. However, research on paraprofessional roles, professional development, and training needs is very limited. The present mixed-method study seeks to fill this gap by examining the student populations served,…

Since it was signed into law, the Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act (WIOA) has been the subject of continuing scrutiny. One commonly shared concern is that the evaluation metrics of the Act (e.g., employment, salary, etc.) may incentivize programs to work with learners who will more readily meet expected outcomes (Pickard, 2016). Others…

Emerging trends and advancements in technology allow educators to develop dynamic learning environments to support their students' academic and behavioral needs. The study documented the lived experience of special educators using assistive technology (AT) to support behavioral challenges in students with disabilities and the environmental factors…