The 100 recommendations in this report were prepared to fulfill part of the requirements of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 1987. The recommendations are based on a consumer satisfaction survey of individuals with developmental disabilities, information on issues and services from the Mississippi Developmental…

One-fifth of children in the United States live in poverty and a third grow up undereducated. This is a waste of human resources and makes little economic sense. Business has an important stake in helping public schools prepare youth for the future. Business leaders, educators, and policy makers should provide early and sustained intervention in…

The guide is intended to provide information to administrators and regional and local case study committees on special education procedures within Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS). The manual addresses a step-by step approach from referral to the implementation of individualized education programs (IEP). The following topics are…

Ensuring that children enter school ready to learn is now a well-established national goal. Dramatic changes over the past three decades in U.S. families and the economy, as well as emerging research on the importance of early brain development, have increased the demand for public investments in early childhood supports and services, especially…

Despite the growing interest in the care of children younger than age 3, there is little national information available on their current child care arrangements. This study used data from the National Survey of America's Families on the types of care, hours in care, and the number of nonparental arrangements for under-age-3 children of working…

The Georgia Prekindergarten Program was established in 1993 to provide the state's 4-year-olds with high-quality preschool experiences. Beginning in the 1996-1997 school year, a sample of 3,639 children enrolled in 1 of 203 randomly selected Georgia prekindergarten classes was selected for a 5-year longitudinal study. The study examined how…

This report describes the Promoting Success in Zero to Three Services Project, which focused on community-wide efforts in six communities to build systems to provide services for families with infants and toddlers. Part 1 analyzes issues confronted by community stakeholders in their 5-year effort to establish, improve, expand, or maintain services…

This publication updates information from prior surveys of teacher education policy in 50 states and the District of Columbia in the areas of: (1) standards; (2) standards boards; (3) alternative preparation for licensure; (4) minority teacher recruitment; (5) early childhood education; and (6) clinical/field experience. In addition there is a new…

This literature-based paper attempts to delineate the role of various groups in controlling special education in public schools. The paper argues that historically education has been a local matter, but contemporary interpreation tends to view education as a societal issue, a view which provides the impetus for education to become a state function…

As part of a Unesco study of its member states, this case study reviews New Zealand's services for the education of disabled persons. The policy objective in special education in New Zealand is to ensure that provision is made for the education of all persons with special teaching needs within a program which is universal, integral with other…

This case study, undertaken as part of a Unesco survey of its member states, documents facilities and services for the education of disabled persons in the Philippines. The case study reports that Philippine children and youth with special needs are provided with access to educational opportunities that develop their potential and enable them to…

As part of a Unesco study of its member states, this case study reviews Sri Lanka's services for the education of disabled persons. The case study reports on the establishment of the Special Education Unit at the Ministry of Education in 1971, at which time the government undertook direct responsibility for providing educational opportunities for…

A comparative analysis of staff allocation in the six Australian States, the Australian Capital Territory, and New Zealand, this report describes existing structures and policies at the education system level and identifies innovative policies worthy of further examination. After an explanation of the background and conceptual framework of this…

One of the most popular and enduring legacies of President Lyndon B. Johnson's Great Society programs, Project Head Start continues to support young children of low-income families--close to one million annually--by providing a range of developmental and educational services. Yet as Head Start reaches its fortieth anniversary, debates over the…

This monograph describes the development, implementation, and outcomes of the full-day, literacy-focused Bright Beginnings program for disadvantaged preschoolers in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) in North Carolina. Key components of Bright Beginnings are a child-centered curriculum with strong language development and literacy emphasis,…