Part C Updates is a compilation of information on various aspects of the Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities (Part C) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The intent of the compilation is to collect, in a convenient format, a variety of resources that meet the information needs of state and…

This issue brief discusses the challenges that youth with disabilities face as they prepare to leave secondary school and how service coordination can help these students find appropriate services and supports for adult life. It reviews federal legislation designed to address transitions to postsecondary education and employment and current models…

If schools are to respond successfully to increased accountability requirements, they must find ways to address non-cognitive factors that can impede student learning. Findings from a study of school districts along the U.S.-Mexico border show educators grappling with the impact of poverty and poor health on students' readiness to learn. These…

This final report describes Oklahoma State Department of Education activities designed to improve technical assistance to special education programs and related services for children and youth with deaf-blindness. Specifically, activities of the project included: (1) training professionals, paraprofessionals, and related service providers…

A consensus has emerged in recent years that the fragmented systems serving children and families need to be restructured and integrated in ways that make them accessible, family-focused, and able to accommodate cultural differences. Collaborative partnerships involving schools, families, and other community stakeholders are learning that they are…

The Hogg Foundation for Mental Health created the School of the Future (SoF) project to enable selected Texas schools to coordinate and implement school-based social and health services on their campuses and to demonstrate the effectiveness of this method of service delivery by evaluating the project. The SoF operated in four sites, each with a…

This paper provides explanations and case examples of some terms and concepts related to transition of students with disabilities under 1997 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Explanations and examples focus on the concepts of "statement of transition service needs" and "statement of needed transition…

This brochure summarizes results of a study of "best practices" in the Student Support Services program (SSS), a federal program intended to increase the college retention and graduation rates of participants who are the first-generation in their families to attend college, are disadvantaged, or are disabled. To identify best practices,…

This booklet discusses the collective power of collaboration among the three agencies that compose the Corporation for National Service (AmeriCorps, Learn and Serve America, and the National Senior Service Corps) and introduces the reader to a process of collaboration intended to strengthen existing services and to create new and higher-quality…

Drawing on testimonials and case studies, this collection of conference papers describes a variety of professional associations, organizations, and individuals working together for the benefit of our most fragile families and children. The 48 papers are divided into sections that: (1) express the vision at the core of partnerships phenomenon; (2)…

This fact sheet explains the concept of "systems of care" in meeting the mental health needs of children and adolescents with behavioral, emotional, or mental health problems. Community-based systems of care provide a coordinated range of mental health and related services and supports. Teams representing public and private organizations…

This guide to planning for transition from school to work for middle school or high school students with disabilities in California is intended to assist parents, teachers, and other service providers in coordinating person-centered transition planning and services. The first section examines requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities…

This final report describes the activities and outcomes of a service coordination outreach project designed to assist states in meeting their urgent needs for qualified and appropriately trained personnel to carry out their new roles as service coordinators in the provision and coordination of early intervention services as stipulated in federal…

This article describes the results of a study on interagency collaboration required to make major systemic changes in order to address the needs of emotionally and behaviorally disturbed youth. Interviews were conducted with practitioners from a cross-section of agencies that worked with high-risk gang youth. The intent was to examine both the…

The state of Washington implemented the Readiness to Learn program as part of the state's Family Policy Initiative. The primary goal of the program is to serve as a formal link between education and human services by authorizing grants to local school-linked, community-based consortia to develop and implement strategies that ensure children arrive…