"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) Let's Get Digital: First-Ever National Digital Learning Day Attracts Participation from Thirty-Nine States, 19,000…

This booklet was designed and illustrated to familiarize parents with the many career opportunities available through vocational education. The text provides an overview with a special emphasis on introducing career options without the limiting occupational sex stereotypes of the past. Topics covered in the narrative include the following:…

Female professional athletes are earning more than ever before and projections suggest opportunities will continue to increase. Salary differentials between male and female tennis and golf professionals are made. Product endorsement income is discussed. Steps coaches, parents, counselors, and colleges should take in guiding females toward…

This article describes the Social Security Administration's PASS (Plan for Achieving Self Support) program which is intended to assist persons with disabilities to achieve economic independence. The program allows Supplemental Security Income recipients to set aside funds to pay expenses required to reach a specific employment goal. (DB)

This pamphlet answers questions parents often ask about employment and financial assistance opportunities for their children with disabilities who are exiting the school system. The questions are organized within the topics of transition planning, eligibility for financial aid, receiving benefits, impairment-related work expenses, living…

The paper, intended for parents and families of severely handicapped persons as well as for service providers and others, examines postsecondary opportunities for severely handicapped persons. A review of the legal background (primarily P.L. 94-142--the Education for All Handicapped Children Act--and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973) is followed by…

The booklet examines issues associated with autism in adolescents and adults. Teenagers with autism exhibit behaviors not unlike their nondisabled peers, and standard definitions of the syndrome may not be relevant at that age. Brief articles explore the range of emotions families may encounter with a young adult or adult who has autism, typical…

This study surveyed 86 parents who enrolled their children in a Chinese-English bilingual preschool in San Francisco. The participants were asked their opinions on bilingual education, the reasons for sending their children to a Chinese-English bilingual school, their attitudes toward bilingual education, their use of Chinese and English, and…

This employment assessment tool for parents of young adults with deaf-blindness was created to assist in examining strengths and weaknesses of various employment programs in relation to their child's employment wants and needs, to guide parents in advocating for what is needed from a specific job to ensure their child's success, and to provide a…

This booklet is designed to introduce young people, their parents, teachers, and advisers to various fields of and possible career opportunities in physics. The colorfully illustrated booklet, aimed particularly at junior high school students, highlights the work and experiences of several young physicists. Although physics is not usually taught…

This publication provides information about jobs performed in business and industry by persons with disabilities. The first section suggests ways to use the guide. Section 2 lists 70 job descriptions, each of which includes information on the following: the type of job, disability of the person performing the job, company information, job…

A blind individual offers career education guidelines concerning helping blind children make realistic vocational choices, providing job awareness, setting up work-experience programs, and developing special job-seeking skills. (DB)

Two newsletters center on making the transition from school to work for students with disabilities. In the first newsletter, a personal reflection on transition by a man with cerebral palsy is followed by a review of services offered by colleges with support programs for learning disabled students. Guidelines are given to help parents prepare…

The Special Education Parents Alliance created an employment project seeking jobs in the business community for special education graduates and other persons with disabilities. The project serves learning disabled, educable mentally handicapped, trainable mentally handicapped, and physically disabled persons in DuPage County and portions of west…

Parents of disabled children throughout the country are organizing to find appropriate employment opportunities for their children by: writing proposals and obtaining funding for employment programs; improving in- school vocational programs for special needs students; advocating earlier vocational education; preparing work settings for supported…