The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), most recently reauthorized in 2004, requires the inclusion of transition services in an individualized education program (IEP) for students with disabilities by the time they reach their 16th birthday, or earlier if determined appropriate by the IEP team. The IEP must include "(1)…

In a nation where 42 percent of children live in low-income families, too many schools face the challenge of teaching students burdened with unmet needs that pose obstacles to learning. Community schools that align schools and community resources are a promising strategy for improving student outcomes by providing wraparound services that meet the…

This report focuses on the seven original Youth Transition Demonstration (YTD) projects selected for funding in 2003. Three of the original seven projects were selected for a national random assignment evaluation in 2005; however, this report only focuses on program operations prior to joining the random assignment evaluation for the three…

This study examines the characteristics and patterns of child maltreatment among Cambodian refugee families in Los Angeles and assesses the implications for child welfare practice with Cambodian refugee families. Data were extracted from 243 active Cambodian case files maintained by the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services…

The article describes the recently formed Joint Action Committee of Organizations Of and Serving the Visually Handicapped, made up of groups that united to fight budget cuts in California. The harmful effects of recent legislation on visually handicapped people and on professionals in the blindness system are described. (Author)

Throughout the end of the 1990s and the early years of the current decade, states experienced severe downturns in their economies. As has happened during other recessions, higher education, often viewed as discretionary spending compared to other budget demands, was hit particularly hard. During these years of severe fiscal constraints, however, a…

In 2005-2006, students with disabilities comprised 9 percent of the student population in the United States, and English language learners comprised about 10 percent. Many of these students spend a majority of their time in the general classroom setting in elementary and secondary schools. Most teachers are initially trained through teacher…

High-quality out-of-school-time (OST) programs have a positive effect on youth development, but many cities have found it difficult to address the challenges of expanding and improving the quality of programs offered to underserved and high-need students. In response, The Wallace Foundation sponsored an initiative to help five cities increase…

To address key policy and programmatic questions and help improve student and system performance, states must work to link data across the early childhood, postsecondary and workforce (P-20/workforce) spectrum and share this information with appropriate stakeholders. This issue brief highlights current efforts in California, Florida, Indiana, and…

This document is designed for readers who have an interest in developing cultural community partnerships but who may not have an in-depth understanding of the concept or process. It provides a focus for partnership and joint venture discussions within agencies, community organizations or communities at large. Seven public library community…

The study examined the experiences of 12 school districts in implementing school-based program coordination in special education (sharing materials and/or staff among categorical programs). Two visits were made to each school district to determine plans and actual activities involved in coordination. Findings revealed: a relatively low level of…

A cooperative planning effort by six public service agencies in California's Imperial County, an agricultural region suffering from the nation's highest unemployment rate and lowest per capita income, was designed to link and integrate the agencies' employment and training programs. It was found that the proper perspective for planning is as…

The manual covers California statutes chaptered during 1985 and modifying provisions of Part 30 of the Education Code. It also includes provisions of the code regarding interagency responsibilities for providing services to handicapped children, early intervention services, and other provisions related to programs for individuals with exceptional…

A 3-year demonstration program on interagency coordination among California employment and training agencies is reviewed in this six-chapter report. The history and rationale for the demonstration program is described in chapter 1. Chapters 2 through 4, written by the three project directors, describe the cooperative planning experience in…

Making the case that breastfeeding provides essential and long-lasting benefits for children and should be one of California's first investments in the healthy development of every child, this report assists state and county commissions of Proposition 10 (Families and Children First Act) in the development of effective strategies and integrated…