Structural inequities influence young parents' access to health care, housing, transportation, social support, education, and income. The current study adds to the extant literature by providing data directly obtained in collaboration with young parents to understand how structural violence affects the health and well-being of their families,…

This resource was prepared in response to a request for examples of developmental screening activities in Early Learning Challenge (ELC) States. This information will be helpful to States as they consider how to identify and address health, behavioral, and developmental needs of children with high needs. To address this request, ELC TA reviewed…

The "Assistive Technology Act of 1998," as amended by Public Law 108-364 ("AT Act of 1998," as amended) requires that the secretary of education submit to Congress a report on the activities funded under that act. Specifically, the secretary of education is required to annually provide to Congress: (1) a compilation and summary…

This individual profile provides information on Massachusetts' high school exit exam standards and policies. Some of the categories presented include: (1) State exit exam policy; (2) Type of Test; (3) Purpose; (4) Major changes in exit exam policy since the 2009-10 school year for financial reasons; (5) Subjects tested on exam; (6) Grade exam…

This publication presents guidelines for parents and educators in making appropriate decisions about participation in the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MACS) tests for students with disabilities, and it describes commonly used test accommodations. State law requires the participation in MCAS of all students who are educated with…

This report discusses the outcomes of a study that examined the use of accommodations in state assessment by students with disabilities and explored several related factors. A survey of states indicated 12 states (Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and West…

The document reports the process used in Massachusetts to qualify for a waiver of the requirements which restrict the supplanting of state and local funds with federal funds according to P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. The controversy between state and federal officials over interpretation of the waiver is addresssed,…

This report by the Planning Commission culminates 2 years of public hearings and the investigations of 10 task forces on vocational rehabilitation. A broader definition of the disabled, one which includes the disadvantaged, is gaining acceptance, resulting in the need for expanded rehabilitation programs. This study provides the necessary…

The operation of Medicaid, a joint federal-state program to fund medical services for disabled and indigent persons, over the last 20 years is reviewed with emphasis on evolving policies and practices in Massachusetts. Stressed is the trend toward integration of Medicaid clients into the medical care mainstream. (DB)

An investigation of smoking polices and smoking practices of residents and employees in 106 Massachusetts state-supported residential programs found that state-operated programs prohibited employees from smoking in residences and restricted residents who smoked to designated areas. One-third of vendor-operated agencies allowed residents and staff…

Analysis of early intervention expenditure data for 157 children in Massachusetts revealed an enormous variability in the total expenditure per child estimate. The study identified specific child, family, and program characteristics as predictors of different types of service hours. Difficulty in using one mean expenditure figure for planning is…

The case study examines the review used by the then Bureau of Education for the Handicapped (BEH) to evaluate the compliance of special education programs in Massachusetts with P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. Procedures to develop and implement the waiver review over the period October 1977 to June 1978 are reported.…

Examines the intersection of policy and practice in the areas of systemic reform and special education. Provides examples of statewide system reform efforts in Kentucky, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Vermont, as well as examples of how children with disabilities are included in the total reform efforts. (Author/CR)

Results of a cost-effectiveness analysis of early intervention services in Massachusetts indicate that for a given investment, children demonstrate different levels of improvement in adaptive behavior and child-mother interaction depending on the severity of their disability and the age of entry into intervention. (SLD)

This review examined the evaluation components from 10 awarded state improvement grants designed to improve systems providing services for students with disabilities. The review examined the following aspects of the evaluation components: purposes, conceptual framework for the evaluation and systems reform, evaluation design and approaches,…