The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration highlighted the impact that early detection of emotional and behavioral health concerns can have on quality of life for children and adults in a 2019 report. Illinois has taken this call to action seriously by planning a phased implementation approach to universal mental health…

Identification of likelihood for autism in the U.S. early intervention (EI) system facilitates referrals to diagnostic assessments and targets autism-specific needs. However, performance of autism screeners in high-likelihood preschool children and barriers to implementation need to be further studied. The current effectiveness-implementation…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (2004) allows alternate pathways for school districts to identify and classify students with a specific learning disability (SLD). Response to Intervention (RtI) is one of the frameworks schools can use when eliminating the use of the discrepancy model. The premise of RtI posits that…

Purpose: Growing awareness of the importance of oral language for academic success, the underidentification of students with developmental language disorders, and the promotion of a multi-tiered system of supports have led to calls for universal oral language screenings. However, specific information, guidance, and related case studies for…

The U.S. Department of Education (Department) allocates funds to States through statutory formulas based primarily on census poverty estimates and the cost of education in each State. To receive funding, a State plan that includes a description of its accountability system must be submitted to the Department for review and approval. For the…

Title IX of the Every Student Succeeds Act (2015) provides the Department of Education with funds to award grants to enable states and districts to deliver services to families living in unstable housing situations. The Project UP-START Program (Project UP-START) is a District program designed to identify students living in unstable housing and to…

To ensure students with disabilities receive the services they need to support their learning, the U.S. Congress reauthorized the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 2004. IDEA requires that each state: (1) implement IDEA with fidelity; (2) sustain special education programs that meet IDEA's educational standards; and (3) monitor…