Threat assessment has been widely recommended as a violence prevention approach for schools, but there are few empirical studies of its use. This nonexperimental study of 280 Virginia public high schools compared 95 high schools using the Virginia threat assessment guidelines (Cornell & Sheras, 2006), 131 following other (i.e., locally…

Bullying incidents in schools are getting more attention since the Columbine High School shootings on April 20, 1999 in Littleton, Colorado. Many national and state policies have been enacted since that fateful day. In Virginia, legislation passed by the 1999 General Assembly (section 22.1-208.01) required local school boards to establish a…

An in-school suspension program in Virginia is characterized by individualized academic and/or behavioral intervention. (Author/MLF)

Because of continued concern about school violence, this policy brief examines the trends in school violence in the context of social violence, describes efforts to make schools safe, and reports efforts to curb violence in the four-state Appalachian region (Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia). Perceptions of the extent of school…

Describes the educational program in a Fairfax County, Virginia, juvenile detention center. The center's approach is a combination of "tough love" philosophy, interagency cooperation between the school district and state agencies, and an educational program based on a one-room school house model. (LMI)

Existing policies of local education agencies in Virginia concerning suspension and expulsion of handicapped students were evaluated in light of 6 recommended components. Responses of 78 special education directors to a questionnaire were synthesized with the policy information to develop a model procedure reflecting current trends in disciplining…

Virginia's statewide plan of educator preparation in functional behavioral assessment, as required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, is described. The step-by-step training process facilitated positive academic and nonacademic outcomes for all students. Preliminary data support the effectiveness of both the content and…

Describes a school-based qualitative research project conducted at a suburban Virginia high school. Studies the behavior and language of disciplined students and posits seven different "predicaments" where obscene language occurs. Considers moral and epistemological issues as well as the students' perspectives. Concludes with…

This handbook for Virginia parents of children with disabilities describes the special education process and what is required of parents and the school during each step of the process. The first section briefly describes major provisions of Public Law 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act; Virginia law; and Section 504 of the…