In this response to Spaulding et al.'s examination of state education agency (SEA) guidance on severity ratings, these authors contend that Spaulding et al. provided an incomplete view of current practices in public schools. These authors state that, ultimately, school speech-language pathologists (SLPs) must follow all state regulations and local…

In this commentary on the "Peabody Journal of Education" special edition, the author addresses implications of the contributing articles to three central domains of interest to states engaged in or considering the development of an alternate assessment on modified academic achievement standards: (a) identifying an eligible student population, (b)…

Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) is the single largest federal investment in K-12 education, supplying over $12.7 billion annually in funding to the states. Although not all schools are identified as Title I schools, all public schools are subject to certain accountability provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act…

The Secretary of Education explains the proposals to amend regulations of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. He discusses paperwork reduction, evaluation streamlining, medical services, disciplinary procedures, effect of placement on nonhandicapped, and changes in eligibility criteria. (CT)

One institution's several years' experience with the Department of Education's Quality Control Project, which is attempting to ascertain the value of student financial-aid application-verification efforts, is summarized and commented on. (Author/MSE)

This article briefly explains the position of the Council for Exceptional Children in opposing the addition of attention deficit disorder under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. A clarifying joint memorandum issued by three Department of Education agencies is summarized. (DB)

Proposed changes to patent law that would seriously affect university research administration are evaluated. These concern changing award of patent rights from the "first person to invent" to "first person to file patent application," establishing exemption from liability for infringement in some cases, and establishing a simplified provisional…

Responds to the article by Fix and Bean in this issue on the General Accounting Office (GAO) report on discrimination related to provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA). Questions interpretation of the GAO report and an Urban Institute-sponsored study. Endorses IRCA and recommends stronger employer sanctions. (AF)

Hearings on the Solomon amendment regulations proposed by the U.S. Department of Education are presented. The Solomon amendment requires that any student be registered under the military's Selective Service Act in order to receive Title IV federal student assistance. H.R. 1286 and H.R. 1567 would repeal the provision of the Military Selective…

In the case of "Reed v. Reed," the Supreme Court held in 1971 that discrimination between classifications of people by state agencies was unacceptable unless there is some "fair and substantial relation" between the state actions in question and the classification being made, guaranteeing "that all persons similarly…

This paper reviews the Supreme Court's Zebley decision which expanded the definition of disability in young children by including functional equivalence; compares regulations and practices under the Social Security Administration and Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; and offers guidelines concerning the intent of the law,…

Background information and an analysis of issues involved in the governance of new regional educational laboratories are presented. The new laboratories are to be established through a 1984 competition administered by the National Institute of Education (NIE). The analysis is designed to assist the Study Group on Regional Laboratories to advise…

Secretary of Education William Bennett's proposal to link the criteria for listing accrediting agencies to student achievement and relate them to federal funding eligibility has provoked concern about the degree and wisdom of federal regulation of colleges through accreditation. (MSE)

Analyzes the issues and implications in the Higher Education Act Amendments of 1998, including the framework of federal student aid it establishes, the reduced federal influence on academic affairs and accreditation, increased regulatory flexibility and reduced administrative burden on institutions, and increased eligibility of distance-education…

This report examines current assessment and eligibility practices relating to special education programs, and proposes changes to current policy and practice that will encourage and support a process that emphasizes determining student need, designing effective interventions, and evaluating outcomes. The paper views the emphasis in federal and…