The September, 1986, consent decree in the case of Wyatt v. Stickney ended 14 years of court supervision of the Alabama state mental health system. The state agreed to adhere to Wyatt standards, maintain accreditation, continue deinstitutionalization efforts, and develop an internal advocacy and quality assurance program. (Author/DB)

The paper reviews issues in the Wyatt versus Stickney court case concerning the constitutional right to treatment for institutionalized persons with mental retardation. Among topics considered are the role of the American Association of Mental Deficiency in the court proceedings, the original intent of the case as an employee action, and the…

Parent involvement in New Mexico, and around the nation, is an essential element in the success of students and their schools. This simple point anchors the federal law known as the "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001" ("NCLB"). NCLB establishes state, district and school requirements designed to promote more effective parent…

This paper presents a summary of the current status of efforts to include students with mental retardation in mainstream educational programs. It begins with a summary of a New Jersey federal court's ruling requiring more inclusive education and a discussion of the commitment of the Arc (formerly The Association for Retarded Citizens of the United…

The 1982 Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees equal protection and equal benefit of the law to all individuals without discrimination "and, in particular, without discrimination based on...mental or physical handicap." This report identifies and clarifies policy-making questions and issues that are arising as educators…

This report provides Minnesota legislators with background information on establishing state educational standards and periodic testing to measure student progress. Scientific management, the accountability movement, and the basic education movement were educational trends of the 1970's providing pressure on states to set standards to improve…

To ensure that school districts and schools meet acceptable performance levels, many school districts and states have enacted various accountability policies. Two of the most controversial approaches to accountability are reconstitutions of schools and state takeovers of school districts and schools. For each approach, this policy brief presents…

The state plan for the education of children with handicapping conditions required by P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, specifies goals, priorities, and programs of New York State. Following submission statements and certifications, a section on the purpose of the plan lists learning goals for all children in the state…