Initiated in 1981 to provide an update and to reaffirm the status of educational needs of a seven-state region, a revalidation study by Appalachia Educational Laboratory was conducted. Results indicated some variations from the needs expressed at state conferences in 1980, but the revalidation showed that the importance of educational needs had…

This report evaluates the day care needs of Pennsylvania migrant families and the adequacy of current state and local resources and delivery system for meeting those needs. Data collection included a meeting with state program administrators; mail surveys of state, regional, and local agency administrators and staff, and of employers of migrant…

Appraisal and continued improvement of counselor performance is a significant phase of the guidance program improvement process. School counselors must be able to: (1) deliver guidance curriculum for all students; (2) plan individually for each student; (3) respond to requests by students, parents, and teachers; and (4) plan and coordinate…

This document reports on efforts to develop an initiative to target increased involvement of the Arizona Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) with Arizona's disabled American Indians both on and off reservations. The report summarizes comments on important issues generated during a central office planning meeting of the Arizona RSA. It…

The report and an accompanying executive summary of a statewide needs assessment on young handicapped children in Iowa examine services available, effectiveness of services, and needed changes. The introduction provides an overview of State Planning Grants, Iowa's history of early childhood special education, and this project's approach to…

This report describes the specific requirements of Public Law 94-142 (the Education for All Handicapped Children Act) concerning the establishment of a Comprehensive System of Personnel Development (CSPD), Delaware's CSPD system, and a proposed action plan. The scope of the CSPD system includes inservice and preservice training for general and…

Developed for use in New York State elementary school social studies program evaluations, this guide outlines procedures and suggests the design of forms for identifying key questions, gathering and analyzing relevant data, and developing plans for program improvements. It is intended to assess strengths and weaknesses within current programs as a…

The monograph examines the status and needs of state family support efforts over the last decade, based on interviews with 83 people in state Developmental Disabilities Councils and various state agencies. An introductory section provides an historical context for family support, presents a synthesis of state family support efforts, and delineates…

The Pennsylvania School Improvement Program (PSIP) was initiated to develop and demonstrate curriculum improvement strategies in basic skills areas at the local school level in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Education and several research and development agencies. The PSIP process is a problem-solving method with five major steps:…

The Colorado Adult Needs Assessment Project was conducted in order to develop factual, up-to-date information about the educational and occupational needs, interests, and attitudes of adults in the state. The findings will be used for planning improvements in the broad area of adult and vocational education. Information was gathered from employers…

This study was commissioned by the Virginia State Legislature to provide baseline data on the post-school outcomes for youth with disabilities in Virginia. The study was conducted by an interdisciplinary team including individuals representing five state agencies, local education agencies, parents, and researchers. The study involved an analysis…

The report describes the development and implementation of a statewide (Vermont) service delivery system which employed and trained parents of children with severe handicaps to: (1) work with educators to facilitate their involvement with families, and (2) provide information and support services which addressed individual family needs. The family…

This final report describes activities and accomplishments of a federally funded 3-year project in Delaware to improve programming and instructional/vocational opportunities available to students with deaf-blindness. The project expanded the capacity of the state-funded program for the deaf-blind to provide technical assistance and training for…

This report examines progress made as well as strategies and programs that promote the postsecondary education and employability of Florida's disabled citizens. Data suggest that less than 1.0% of university students in Florida are reported disabled, while 1.2% of students at the State's community colleges are disabled and 5.9% of school district…

A needs sensing confirmation study was conducted to identify the Appalachia Educational Laboratory's (AEL) long term research and development program needs and provide guidelines for its seven member states' activities. The AEL Board of Directors, individuals serving in similar positions as the Board members, and a sample of non-public school…