The "IDRA Newsletter" serves as a vehicle for communication with educators, school board members, decision-makers, parents, and the general public concerning the educational needs of all children across the United States. The focus of this issue is "College Readiness and Success." Contents include: (1) Texas School Counselors…

As the follow-up to an earlier examination of the frequency and outcomes trends of published court decisions under the IDEA for P-12 students, this updated analysis covers the 25-year period ending on December 31, 2022. The frequency trend for the most recent 10 years reversed the upward trajectory of the previous 15 years. The outcomes trend for…

This phenomenological study explores best practice strategies of Chief Diversity Officers (CDOs) in Texas universities in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Due to the passing of Senate Bill 17, most Chief Diversity Officers were reclassified, and departmental modifications were made. Eight CDOs with a minimum of two years of…

The Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum has been implemented in numerous school districts to cultivate positive behaviors and diminish inappropriate conduct and behavioral issues. Beyond enhancing students' interpersonal relationships, essential skills such as relationship-building, responsible decision-making, and empathy enable…

In May 2021, Education Trust, Education Reform Now, and FutureEd published "State Guidance for High-Impact Tutoring" (ED614259) to help states implement successful tutoring programs. This follow-up publication outlines the features of effective and equitable state tutoring initiatives and provides examples of states that show promise in…

State governments have the purview to interpret federal special education policies as they see fit. Interpretations of these policies to music education rarely are addressed within state special education policy. The authors selected four states to analyze and compare state special education policies; Illinois, Michigan, Texas, and Virginia.…

This policy brief provides recommendations that address dual language bilingual education and House Bill 3 (HB3) Texas Early Childhood Literacy & Mathematics Proficiency Plans requirement. How can the HB3 Texas Early Childhood Literacy & Mathematics Proficiency Plan requirement set appropriate reading goals for dual language students…

This quantitative research study analyzed the effectiveness of Section 504 plans on academic achievement as measured by the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR), and graduating grade point averages (GPA). There is limited research on the effectiveness of Section 504 plans and academic…

This article examines contextual factors that impact inclusive education in the Rio Grande Valley region of South Texas, United States. Based on the analysis of teachers' narratives, the study concluded that teachers perceive inclusive special education as a student's right primarily grounded in the social justice context of education. While…

The state of Texas has been cited through the U.S. Department of Education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as failing to identify students under the Child Find component of the law using Response to Intervention/Multi-Tiered System of Support (RtI/MTSS). The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to identify…

Background or Context: With the implementation of three-dimensional science and high stakes testing, policymakers have bolstered science curriculum to include standards that engage students in scientific discourse while providing the needed guidelines for teaching science content. However, the field of science education has not been a policy focus…

School administrators oversee and monitor specially designed programming for students with disabilities to ensure they receive appropriate services. School administrators, however, may be unprepared for the diverse roles that are needed to ensure students with disabilities receive an appropriate education (Edwards, 2012) including in adapted…

The Department of Education Charter Schools Program (CSP) provides grants to open or expand charter schools. Enrollment in charter schools that received CSP grants grew from 213,576 to 1,380,530 students from school years 2006-07 to 2020-21. This report examines (1) enrollment growth at new charter schools that received CSP grants compared to…

Educational data offer a powerful tool for supporting equity. In this article, the authors call for a shift toward greater use of data in educator preparation programs. The authors motivate their proposal by highlighting findings from the Department of Education report released January 2018, which found that the Texas Education Agency…

This report presents Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) examination participation and performance results in Texas public schools for the 2021-22 school year. Data are provided by student characteristics, including race/ethnicity; gender; and economic, at-risk, dyslexia, Emergent bilingual student/English learner, foster…