With more than half of children with disabilities being educated in the general education classroom, and with federal education law requiring improved learning outcomes for these students, preparing general education teachers to work effectively with all students is critical. This report on teacher certification requirements in the nine Northeast…

This guide presents the Iowa standard for developing a plan to provide at risk students with the additional help they need to succeed. The standard requires a linkage of local, state, and federal resources within each local education agency. The guide is divided into five sections: (I) Introduction; (II) Provisions for At-Risk Students--The Iowa…

This report summarizes the actions and outcomes of a seminar attended by State Education Agency (SEA) directors of gifted and talented programs in December 1994. The meeting identified important issues in the gifted field, including: lack of gifted preservice course work and training programs; service for students in the regular classroom; the…

A 3-year project was undertaken to assist states in facilitating the development of a needs assessment management system in special education with a specific focus on the needs of physical educators serving handicapped students. During the first year the project staff met with state education agency personnel responsible for the Comprehensive…

Identification and placement standards and guidelines for school districts in Hawaii are provided to enable autistic children to receive services under the "other health impaired" category. The procedural change, deleting autistic children from the "seriously emotionally disturbed" category, is reported to be a result of the…

Discusses use of PFS File, a database management system under development by the Kansas State Department of Education, to store and sort individual education program (IEP) records and generate report information from these records. File design and range of reports that can be generated are reviewed. (MBR)

Describes new government and social policies that could create an environment conducive to the effective use of technology in special education. Focuses on a national strategy based partially on a study titled "Computer Use in Education" conducted by Education TURNKEY Systems for the National Commission on Employment Policy. (JN)

This brief paper summarizes information collected from state education agencies concerning: (1) state-level special education data collected by gender; and (2) gender and special education issues identified as concerns. A section on the study's background notes that about two-thirds of students receiving special education services are boys,…

Standards and guidelines are provided for school districts in Hawaii for identification of emotionally handicapped (EH) students, previously designated "seriously emotionally disturbed," and for developing educational programs to serve this population. Differentiation is made between the EH child, who requires special services for severe…

This monograph presents the plan of the Intra-Agency Council of the New York State Department of Education to increase physical and programmatic accessibility of all Department programs and services. First, the mission and goals of the Council as well as its activities are briefly reviewed. Next, the process for developing the department plan is…

A survey of 10 department heads or coordinators of special education programs in Virginia higher education institutions found most special education faculty are not involved in formal services but many are participating informally in various institutional service functions benefiting students with disabilities. Faculty interpretation of…

This manual on the Maine Surrogate Parent Program is designed for surrogate parents, social workers, and educational personnel. It defines relevant terms; outlines procedures for identification of students who require a surrogate parent; explains how surrogate parents are appointed and trained; lists the rights and responsibilities of the…

This publication presents the evaluation of the Secondary Special Education Initiative, a 5-year partnership between the New Jersey State Department of Education and nine school districts. The initiative was established in 1983 to enhance the development of high-school programs and services for educationally handicapped pupils. The initiative had…

The manual is designed to assist school districts in South Carolina in measuring and maintaining compliance with Public Law 94-142 (the Education for All Handicapped Children Act). Using a checklist format, it is divided into sections which address the following topics: (1) local education agency (LEA) policy requirements; (2) state-operated…

A trend toward increased use of interdistrict collaboratives to provide special education and related services has been noted over the past 2 decades, as school districts, particularly rural districts, face more complex educational demands. A survey of 50 state directors of special education found that 36 states have some form of state-governed…