This 22nd annual report to Congress on the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 1997 (IDEA) begins with a special preface reflecting on the progress made in the 25 years since the initial passage of the law. Following the preface, Section 1 examines contextual and environmental factors such as the role of minority institutions of higher education in recruiting and training minority educators and the implications of fetal alcohol and nicotine exposure for special education. Section 2, which discusses student characteristics, includes information on state reported data for infants and toddlers, preschoolers, and students ages 6-21, as well as papers on students with orthopedic impairments and students with co-occurring disabilities. Section 3, which focuses on school programs and services looks at positive behavioral interventions and support, assistive and instructional technologies, and the state reported educational environments data. The final section includes initial findings from the National Early Intervention Longitudinal Study and information on high school graduation and state improvement and monitoring activities. Extensive appendices provide data tables on child count, placement, personnel, graduation rates, population and enrollment, and early intervention. Activities of the Regional Resource Centers are also summarized. (Individual sections contain references.) (CR)