High school improvement initiatives often focus on specific intervention strategies, programs, or priority topics (e.g., dropout intervention). However, research shows that systemic and sustainable improvement can only be achieved when initiatives are implemented with consideration for the broader education contexts in which they operate. The…

Rich with clinical insights, this volume reviews the state of the science of identifying and treating autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in very young children. Leading authorities examine critical research issues and present innovative approaches to assessing social, cognitive, adaptive, communication, and sensory-motor impairments in the first two…

This book provides crucial information about selecting and administering outcome assessment measures, collecting and interpreting data, and using outcome information in practice. It provides the information mental health professionals need to practice knowledgeably, efficiently, and ethically in todays' behavioral health environment. The chapters…

This manual, the first of a two-part study, describes an assessment and planning approach which school psychologists may employ in working with low incidence, severely handicapped students. Past assessment approaches are criticized for being nonfunctional and largely irrelevant; the proposed approach is directed to helping students achieve the…

As the demand for accountability grows, those in child and family practice are coping with an increasing emphasis on outcome measures. This book responds to the need for accountability by providing human service managers with basic guidance on program evaluation philosophies and procedures. It provides valuable information on developing best…

This handbook on conducting research was written for school social workers and contains these articles: (1) "The School Social Work Practitioner and Research: An Overview" (Elizabeth Timberlake and Lewis Carr); (2) "Defining Empirically Based Practice" (Deborah Siegel); (3) "Future Research in School Social Work Services: An Update" (Christine…

A playground safety checklist provides an up-to-date play area inspection system based on standards from the American Society for Testing and Materials' F 1487-95 and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's Handbook for Public Playground Safety (1994). Guidelines address "public" playground equipment installed in parks, schools,…

This paper discusses strategies for the evaluation of severely handicapped students. The shortcomings of standardized assessment techniques are reviewed, and the appropriateness of normative comparison and the developmental model with this population is discussed. The role of the school psychologist in student assessment is described, and the need…

The workshop paper examines the use of microcomputer packages to analyze spontaneous language samples of children with communication disorders. Advantages of computerized analysis are seen to include time saving, more efficient data management, and increased objectivity. To help consumers determine which programs to buy, four aspects are…

The manual is intended to help school psychologists determine strengths and weaknesses, establish goals, and prescribe interventions for students with difficulties in mathematics, spelling, and written language. Research on sources of mathematical difficulties, theoretical bases, and hierarchies in mathematics is reviewed, procedures for formal…

Teachers and clinicians can help ease the anxiety of mildly- to moderately-handicapped three- to five-year-olds and their parents during educational assessment by: careful planning and preparation before testing; gathering all testing materials before screening; talking with parents; understanding children's feelings of restlessness and anxiety;…

General education is the core of the undergraduate experience. It provides a lasting foundation for students' future academic, civil, cultural, economic, and social lives. Additionally, as part of most general education curricula, general education as well as first-year experience programs are becoming virtually universal in colleges and…

This chapter identifies eleven factors that, when present in a community college, substantially increase the probability that student affairs professionals will be able to create programs that matter to the institution's core mission. The chapter also provides student affairs practitioners with tools to assess the climate in student affairs as…

Discusses the performance evaluation problems specific to community college librarians, looking at student evaluations of librarians, peer evaluations, and self-evaluations. Compares two methods, one measuring job performance and professional development factors on a Likert scale and the other consisting of some variation of management by…

This document discusses basic knowledge about the reading process, in order to help school psychologists make effective recommendations for educational programming. The paper begins by identifying and describing three models of the reading process, a traditional "bottom-up" model, a more emergent "top-down" view, and an interactive model which…