Some private, religious schools that accept vouchers have been accused of discriminating against certain populations of students through their admissions processes. Discriminating against disfavored groups (e.g., racial minorities, LGBT students, students with disabilities, religious minorities) in voucher programs raises both legal and policy…

For more than 30 years, scholars and practitioners have debated how to distinguish emotional disturbance (ED) from social maladjustment (SM) when determining special education eligibility and need. Scholarship on the nature of ED and SM has paid little attention to the legal parameters of practice despite the fundamentally legalistic nature of…

Recent efforts to change the teaching profession and teacher preparation include a number of innovations to use portfolio assessment, value added measures (VAM), accountability metrics and other corporate education reform ideas. These approaches may provoke considerable potential legal consequences. Traditional constitutional and civil rights…

The author provides a brief review on the preschool handicapped, their educational needs, legislative actions in various states on preschool special education, and reasons for resistance to such services. A short list of professional resources is appended. (SJL)

Analyses of state policy regarding the impact of age provisions of P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, on eligibility at preschool and postschool levels were conducted. Changes were found (compared to a 1973 survey) in 28 states, including 10 states with expanded eligibility and 18 with narrowed eligibility statutes. The…

The article provides a review of state services for young handicapped children. Section one contains a description of legislation for preschool handicapped education. Part two describes federal programs that relate to special children from birth to mandatory school age. Teacher certification requirements are reviewed in the third section. The…

The report considers state and federal policy issues regarding parent surrogates for handicapped children as mandated by P. L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. Clarification about the limited advocacy role of the parent surrogate is given. The first chapter looks at identification of students who need surrogate parents:…

An analysis of the relationship between federal, state, and local policies, procedures, and documents governing the implementation of special programs for the handicapped was commissioned by the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Department of Educational Accountability in the summer of 1979. The purpose of this analysis was to determine…

The authors report findings of a survey of school administrators' and educators' attitudes toward Massachusetts Chapter 766 and P.L. 94-142 (the Education for All Handicapped Children Act). Advantages and problems of the laws are discussed, and parental involvement in right to education laws is considered. (SBH)

State and federal policy issues regarding graduation requirements for handicapped students are explored. After a historical review of such issues as school attendance laws and the competency based testing movement, the effect of state and federal legislation is discussed. State action regarding minimum competency testing is charted and four policy…

Policy issues related to the concept of least restrictive environment (LRE) as required in P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act are reviewed and alternatives considered. Relevant legislation and litigation are reviewed in Chapter I, while the evolution of educational practice is illuminated in Chapter II in such special…

The monograph reviews legal principles derived from state and federal statutes, constitutions, and court cases (table listing over 350 cases is included) regarding the education of handicapped children. Following an executive summary, an introduction explains the scope of the booklet and lists the major sources of the rights of handicapped…

The article considers such issues as the individualized education plan, due process procedures, the least restrictive environment, parent participation, annual reviews, and allocation of federal support. Recent setbacks caused by cutbacks at the California and national level are cited as a result of more recent state and federal rulings. (SB)

This presentation outlines the complaint investigation process developed by the Maine Department of Education to ensure a timely response to complaints concerning special education services, and to provide third party mediation and arbitration as needed. Complaint procedures required under federal regulations are outlined. Strengths and weaknesses…

Making postsecondary education truly available to those with disabilities has become an urgent priority for handicapped citizens and government at the state and national levels. Handicapped access policies at private or independent institutions of higher education can be broadly characterized by two different policy approaches: policies that are…