Student retention has become increasingly important as student numbers continue to rise. Early identification of those students who are disengaging from their course is crucial if steps are to be taken to turn this around. Attendance data from the compulsory aspects of courses were gathered on a centrally held database during teaching week six of…

The medicalisation of the behaviour of children is a phenomenon that is attracting growing attention, with particular concern about the increased likelihood of children living in disadvantaged contexts receiving a medical diagnosis, such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and treatment. This paper reports on a study of professionals…

Early detection of mental health problems in school-age children offers the opportunity for prompt referral to treatment which is critical to their success in school. School nurses are in a key position to screen for mental health issues in the school setting. This article discusses how school nurses began a new initiative to use two validated…

The problem of racial and ethnic discipline disproportionality is both long-standing and widespread. Educators must address this issue by identifying rates of discipline disproportionality, taking steps to reduce it, and monitoring the effects of intervention on disproportionality. The purpose of this guide is to provide a reference for…

The purpose of this case study was to examine the perspectives and disciplinary practices of teachers and administrators in one school that demonstrated the least disproportionality of disciplinary referrals between African American students and other student groups. The researcher determined that a qualitative action research case study conducted…

Meeting the mental health needs of black children will take more than just increasing access to mental health services and early identification. It also will require a critical evaluation of the practices and models being used to diagnose and treat mental health concerns. Frameworks have been established that use a positive, strengths-based,…

What is a high-quality statewide data system? One characteristic is that it provides the information needed to address important questions about early intervention and early childhood special education. But what are those questions? What questions should data users, such as program directors, advocates, and policymakers, be asking? The Center for…

The Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme aims to provide equitable access to NICE-recommended psychological therapies to people from all sectors of the community. There is evidence that people with mild to moderate learning disabilities can benefit from the therapies offered by IAPT services, especially when reasonable…

The conceptual issues are briefly noted with respect to the distinctions between classification and diagnosis; the question of whether mental disorders can be considered to be "diseases"; and whether descriptive psychiatry is outmoded. The criteria for diagnosis are reviewed, with the conclusion that, at present, there are far too many diagnoses,…

This study reports findings from a validation study of the Student Risk Screening Scale for use with 9th- through 12th-grade students (N = 1854) attending a rural fringe school. Results indicated high internal consistency, test-retest stability, and inter-rater reliability. Predictive validity was established across two academic years, with Spring…

Women with substance use issues and their children have unique needs that are best met through collaborative and coordinated service delivery offered by a variety of agencies. However, in Canada and elsewhere, services tend to be fragmented and fail to address children's needs. This study aimed to describe the partnership patterns, activities, and…

Poor student achievement, high discipline referrals, and student absenteeism were issues in a rural school with a population of approximately 400 students. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of Effective Teens training on the attendance, discipline referrals, and academic achievement of 10th grade students. The theoretical…

The purpose of this mixed methods action research study was to identify the extent to which the Intervention and Referral Services program at the elementary schools in District M are effective at meeting the stated goals of helping students who struggle and helping teachers who work with those students. Both quantitative and qualitative methods…

Beginning special education teachers have been shown to experience attrition at an increasing rate. The literature has identified many factors contributing to special education teachers leaving the profession. Some of those factors include lack of knowledge regarding special education laws, the special education referral process, individualized…

A higher percentage of African American students in a local school district were referred to special education than were students in other ethnic groups. Placement of a student in a special education program results in that student receiving a curriculum that has modified achievement standards. This correlational study examined patterns in…