The most obvious and difficult problem facing educators of migrant children is that of frequent interruptions in the child's education caused by his migration. Various solutions have been put forth over the past three decades; these have included providing mobile schools and staff, residential schools, uniform record transfers, interstate credit…

The School-to-Work Opportunities Act, which was designed to improve student learning, in-school retention, and transition to the workplace, requires the restructuring of secondary education and the extensive involvement of business in preparing youth for the workplace. School-to-work initiatives reflect the conditions of the settings and contexts…

The evolution of the Adult Education Act (AEA) in the last 25 years illustrates the progress of adult basic education (ABE) in the United States. A detailed look at the literature and outcomes of AEA-funded projects provides a sense of the effectiveness of 25 years of federal involvement. The passage of the AEA in 1966 led to the first systematic…

This paper describes highlights of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that have a high impact on the delivery of special education services. IDEA's eight parts are outlined, and then two parts are discussed in more detail: (1) Part B, which authorizes federal grants to states to help underwrite the costs of educating children…

This brief paper summarizes principles of the Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) as required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part C. It lists five ways in which the IFSP differs from the Individualized Education Plan including the centrality of the family. Steps that lead to effective IFSPs are identified. These include:…

Vocational educators, policymakers, and Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) service providers are developing an increasing awareness of the educational and economic benefits of joint planning and coordination between vocational education and the JTPA. However, some basic differences between the goals, planning procedures, and operating practices…

Vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies are required partners in the one-stop system mandated by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA). The following features have long characterized VR: the primary goal of integrated competitive employment for persons with disabilities; state flexibility in VR systems, approaches, and structures; case…

This digest summarizes information on the roles of the Federal Government, the family, and teachers in preparing young children with disabilities for school. Noted are relevant provisions of Public Law 99-457, the 1986 Amendments to the Education of the Handicapped Act (Part B), including development of Individualized Family Service Plans to aid…

This book is the first of four volumes in a directory of more than 1,000 discretionary grants and contracts supported by the Research to Practice Division of the Office of Special Education Programs. This volume focuses on projects concerned with research, innovation, and evaluation divided into two broad discretionary programs: "Research and…

This book is a directory of about 1,100 discretionary projects supported by the Office of Special Education Programs and focuses on projects concerned with research, innovation, and evaluation. This first volume of four presents projects categorized in the following two discretionary programs: "Research and Innovation To Improve Services and…

This 5-volume directory describes more than 1,000 discretionary grants and contracts supported by the Research to Practice Division of the Office of Special Education Programs. The projects are grouped into sections representing the seven program areas of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments (1997), Part D. This…

The issue of providing public education for undocumented students (children of foreign-born persons who reside and/or work in the United States without proper permission from immigration authorities) is receiving current attention for two major reasons: (1) fear that the financial burden on local taxpayers will increase in areas with increasing…

The significance of competency assessment for schools of education is explored with emphasis on developments at the state level and in specific teacher education programs. Multidimensional quality indicators of teacher preparation programs are suggested in the first paper. Other papers present an overview of state legislative reactions to…

This digest describes the process of designing quality individualized education program (IEP) transition plans for secondary students with disabilities as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as amended in 1997. It stresses the importance of taking an early, long-range approach, preferably beginning at age 14 or…

This booklet reviews the literature and considers applications of Public Law 99-457 (Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments--1986) in developing programs for young children with behavior disorders. The following topics are considered: provisions of the law (states are required to provide a free, appropriate public education to all eligible…