It would be beneficial for ESL instructors to know the U.S. grade equivalent English ability of their students for placement purposes, especially if their instructional materials are keyed for U.S. classrooms. For this purpose, the Stanford Intermediate Level I Reading Comprehension Test was compared with the CELT-Structure Test. (Author/RM)

A description is provided of the English Language Assessment Test, a proficiency test administered weekly at the Vancouver Community College to determine the level of English language proficiency of non-native speakers who are applying for college preparatory or college courses and vocational training programs. (SW)

An attempt is made to examine classification, the sorting or tracking of students in schools, generally premised on their intellectual performance or potential. Emphasis is placed on the misclassification of significant numbers of students which has the effect of denying some students an equal educational opportunity and its importance for…

Students in grades four to six (N=77) judged the capabilities of peers traditionally labeled as "learning disabled" or "educable mentally retarded" but depicted in written vignettes only as attending either a resource room or special classroom. Students in special classes were judged significantly less capable than students in resource room…

Visually-impaired gifted students are at risk for not being identified as gifted. Relevant identification, placement, and curriculum problems are reviewed and excerpts from interviews with two visually-impaired gifted students illustrate their unique needs (e.g., the effects of multiple labels, counseling needs, and the need to feel equal to…

In simulated cases, the placement decisions of professionals serving hearing-impaired students were compared to the decisions of members of New York's Committees on the Handicapped, both as committees and as subgroups of administrators, psychologists, special education teachers, or parents. Results showed that the groups placed relatively…

Problems with "Placing Children in Special Education" include: its approach to aptitude-treatment interaction research, neglect of school psychologists' efforts to provide consultation services beyond assessments, and failure to recognize lack of support for deficit-centered remediation models. A remediation model which builds on…

Birthdates and educational histories of special education students (N=291) were analyzed to determine how school entrance age affected placement in special education programs. Analyses were significant for learning disabled and emotionally disturbed, but not mildly mentally retarded students, suggesting that parents and educators must insist on…

Employs data from 94 elementary schools to examine the prevalence and effects of resegregation. Reports that (1) positive attitudes toward integration influence teachers' selection of grouping practices that promote student interaction; and (2) less resegregative classroom structures are more advantageous for Black students' achievement. (KH)

Implementation of an institutionally based student testing program offers the college an excellent opportunity to better understand its diverse student population providing valuable information for curriculum management and policy formation and enhancing the students' chances for success. (MSE)

Discusses research areas proposed in the National Research Council Report: aptitude assessment, alternative treatment design, and outcome assessment. Urges that global IQ scores be included in aptitude assessment, adaptive strategies be employed in treatment, and progress toward both common and special education goals be traced within an…

Discusses the professional portfolio as (1) evidence of knowledge and skills gained through prior learning and experience; (2) a placement tool for faculty, and (3) useful in a student's program planning. Describes the concept and development of the portfolio's narrative and documentation sections. Also rates the portfolio's advantages and…

Analysis of data from 49 states reveals that the types of formulas used by the states for funding special education are not related to the percentage of mildly disabled children served in regular educational settings but are related to the percentages of mentally retarded and learning disabled children served. (PGD)

Proportions of special education placements (i.e., educable mentally retarded, emotionally handicapped, and learning disabled) for Anglos, Blacks, and Hispanics were compiled for a large elementary school district in the Southwest. The learning disability category was by far the most frequently assigned placement. (Author/SW)

The purpose of this book is to provide guidelines to develop appropriate Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for children with disabilities based on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act amendments of 2004 (IDEA-2004) or Public Law 108-446. These guidelines are intended to result in IEPs that are streamlined, focused, and reasonably…