After the change in IDEIA, different models of response to intervention (RtI) have been practiced widely in American school systems. School psychologists are in an important position to facilitate RtI practice and provide professional development in order to help their school systems successfully undergo this transformation. However, there is a…

Response to Intervention (RTI) has become the gateway to identification for many students with specific learning disabilities. Those include students in the 17 states that require RTI as the source of eligibility data as well as many students in the 33 states that allow districts to choose RTI among other options (e.g., discrepancy). There is…

This paper includes results from a study that examined the relationships between teacher discipline, type of teaching degree, and teacher feelings of preparedness and the self-efficacy beliefs (competence and confidence) of early intervention and preschool teachers with regard to either natural environment or inclusion practices. The participants…

Schools are required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA) to include students with disabilities in the general education classroom. Recently there has been emphasis on co-teaching as a method to comply with this mandate. Co-teaching is a technique geared at utilizing a special education teacher and a content area…

With increased accountability due to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA), the provision of services to children with disabilities in the least restrictive environment is necessary to ensuring an inclusive, free appropriate public education. Paraprofessionals are increasingly utilized as service providers for children…

A statewide survey of coordinators of inclusive high school service-learning programs was conducted to validate elements, methods, and barriers to including students with and without disabilities in service-learning. Surveys were mailed to 655 service-learning coordinators; 190 (29%) returned a completed survey. Findings support the validity of…

Every 5 years, the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) conducts a national study of the field. Surveys are sent to randomly selected regular members of NASP to gather information on school psychologists' demographic characteristics, context for professional practices, and professional practices. The latest iteration of the national…

Recent state and federal legislation have changed the manner in which schools educate students with disabilities. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) have mandated that schools educate students with disabilities within the general education classroom "to the maximum…

Alternative programs in the nation are faced with the responsibility of meeting the needs of the students removed from their home school for various infractions. Current legislation (IDEA, 2004) holds educators legally responsible for providing all students, including those with disruptive behaviors, a free and appropriate education in the least…

Parents from culturally diverse backgrounds need to feel that they play a vital role in the future success of their sons or daughters with disabilities. Differences in culture and ethnicity can affect families' involvement in transition planning and the goals that they emphasize for their children. Families of diverse backgrounds were surveyed and…

The purpose of this study was to analyze and compare Long Island special education directors' early assessments of the implementation of Response to intervention (RTI) in high, average, and low economic resource-need Long Island school districts in an attempt to provide the field feedback to better guide and operationalize the Individuals with…

There has been a growing concern amongst educational stakeholders concerning the over identification of students with specific learning disabilities. The reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education improvement ACT in 2004 launched a response to intervention (RTI) process mandated early interventions for struggling students…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA) contains procedural safeguard provisions for parents [20 U.S.C. section 615]. Among these safeguards are (1) dispute resolution, (2) mediation, and (3) administrative hearing. Getty and Summy (2004) contend that some district litigation could be prevented if districts were…

Since the reauthorization of IDEIA in 2004, school leaders across America have labored toward implementing a new process or model called Response to Intervention, in the hopes of lowering the high rates of students identified as Learning Disabled and increasing overall student achievement, by providing skilled interventions to struggling students.…

Results of the Florida High School Exit Survey collected in 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 are presented. Participants include 2,520 students with and without disabilities across 40 school districts. Survey items cover questions relating to employment, postsecondary education and training, daily living, quality of life, agency connections, in-school…