For this 10th article in the series reviewing recent court decisions concerning appropriate school psychology practice from both professional and legal perspectives, the focus is eligibility under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). For this purpose, the courts have generally agreed that, based on the definitions in the IDEA's…

Beverly (Bev) Holden Johns shares her career as an educator and advocate for children who present challenges in the educational setting. She introduces the reader to "Sally," who illustrates the continual need for advocacy for children. Bev also offers advice for those just entering the field. Her perspective and experiences enrich us…

Richard Simpson is professor of special education at the University of Kansas (KU). Dr. Simpson's duties at KU have included roles of staff psychologist, teaching associate, assistant professor, project director, associate professor, professor, and chairperson for the Department of Special Education. He has directed numerous University of Kansas…

College administrators take great pains to ensure that students who are admitted to their campuses have the intellect, motivation, and maturity to succeed. Similarly, they make every attempt to gather information about the character and integrity of the students whom they invite to enroll, to safeguard the reputation and well-being of their…

Identifies difficulties in the implementation of the positive behavior support (PBS) model to manage behaviors effectively in school settings and facilitate inclusive education. It also considers federal and state laws, school system organization, roles of teachers and administrators, and other factors relevant to inclusive education. (Author/DB)

The authors' association goes back more than 40 years, when they were both starting doctoral studies in special education for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) at the University of Kansas. In this article, the authors provide a balanced (albeit biased) account of the good and the bad, including some of the many achievements…

The article critiques interpretations purporting to distinguish between serious emotional disturbance (SED) and social maladjustment (which is excluded from the federal SED definition). An interpretation of social maladjustment based on social deviance is proposed to more clearly determine eligibility for services under provisions for the…

Dr. Mitchell Yell, an expert in special-education law, is interviewed on the 1997 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act that will affect the discipline of students with disabilities. He addresses suspension and expulsion of students with disabilities, the required manifestation determination hearing, and…

This article describes the ramifications of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act's positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBS) requirements in the context of disciplinary situations, including the interplay of PBS issues with functional behavioral assessment and behavioral intervention plans. The roles of the general educator…

This paper reviews provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and findings from court cases regarding behavioral intervention plans (BIPs) for students with disabilities. The following eight recommendations are provided for school districts as they strive to implement the behavioral intervention provisions of IDEA and…

This article examines the contextual, conceptual, and empirical foundations of functional behavioral assessment (FBA) in general educational settings. The need for schools to design effective responses to increases in individual problem behavior and the need to be compliant with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act are discussed.…

The authors suggest that by regulatory exclusion inherent in P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, some students with behavior disorders may not receive adequate education. (CL)

Describes elementary principal's herculean efforts to obtain higher level of service for problematic second grader. Thanks to mainstreaming requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, moving this student to a "more restrictive environment" took almost nine months, hundreds of hours of work, and thousands of dollars to achieve.…

The article points out the risk of erroneous classification and inequitable treatment for students who are difficult to teach and manage. Analysis of child count data highlights variability in identification and referral processes and suggests that attempts to tighten eligibility standards, especially for mildly handicapped students, is…

Growing concern about the quality of public education in the United States has driven numerous educational reform efforts across the last three decades. These reforms include increased accountability as exemplified by various requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, the introduction of new curriculum and instructional methods in…