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…

The briefing paper examines the problems in providing vocational education to handicapped secondary students in South Carolina; reviews three major laws mandating vocational training for the handicapped (the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Vocational Educationl Act of 1963 as mandated through…

Reviews present difficulties in the way that states report the participation of students with disabilities in their testing programs. Recommendations for policymakers include the following: identify students with disabilities in statewide assessment programs, standardize procedures for calculating participation rates, and improve lines of…

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,…

This policy analysis examines how states are implementing the substantially changed requirements relating to the distribution of federal IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) Part B funds (Sections 611 and 619) as set forth in regulations issued in 1999. Interviews were conducted with nine state education agencies (SEAs) on the effect…

This document synthesizes the 1999 National Center on Educational Outcomes report on special education outcomes, subtitled "A Report on State Activities at the End of the Century," and reviews the changes in states' assessment policies and practices for students with disabilities over the past decade. The report finds that despite the fact that…

Information on identifying handicapped children was collected and analyzed, in order to evaluate Illinois-required case study components and assessment procedures. A literature review chapter discusses assessment of health, academic status, and individual strengths/weaknesses, and provides summaries of best practices. In regard to method, a survey…

Current minimum competency testing (MCT) practices noted in the literature through Fall, 1979 are reviewed, and guidance for establishing suitable programs for handicapped students is provided. The provisions of The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 and Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 are analyzed in terms…

The task force report examines recommendations for nondiscriminatory assessment of children from linguistic minorities. An initial suggestion is made for a moratorium on the use of standardized intelligence tests for these students. Recommendations are addressed to the U.S. Education Department (including requiring state education agencies to…

Federal, state, and local policy issues that affect models of school-linked integrated services and systems are examined. Barriers to school-linked service integration, state policy trends, the realities of finance, establishing state systems of support for the changing approach, examples of state approaches, and the impact of devolution are…

Thirty-five state departments of education were surveyed regarding delivery systems, roles/responsibilities, competencies, and certification for special education teachers acting as consultants. Results revealed a need for improved policies and leadership to assist school districts in developing and improving consultation programs providing…

New trends for visual, musical, and theatrical arts are described in this report, which is arranged into seven brief sections. The first section reports on the trend to integrate the arts into the secondary academic curriculum (a kind of mainstreaming). Specific efforts directed toward mainstreaming at the local, state, and national levels are…

This policy paper provides a list of questions and associated strategies that parents and parent organizations can address in an effort to ensure that statewide assessment systems fully and fairly include students with disabilities as required by the 1997 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and other federal laws.…

One of a series of monographs addressing issues concerning the training and use of paraprofessionals working in education programs for the disabled, this report considers the expanding utilization of paraprofessionals in special education and its related services. The first section describes the current state of the art with regard to personnel…

This article provides an overview of policymaking in relation to state and local district testing and accountability and concludes by identifying continuing policy issues and strategies for local implementation of standards-based secondary education that aligns with current testing and accountability policies. Governance models for curriculum…