Individuals who serve as surrogate parents fulfill an important role in the life of a child with a disability. Surrogates have become increasingly important in special education because a growing number of children are living outside their family for some period of their lives. Like parents, surrogates of children with disabilities are granted a…

The purpose of this study was to determine if the actual implementation of Response to Intervention (RtI) was related to school psychologists' knowledge, district opportunities for RtI training within the school district, and school psychologists' attitudes toward RtI. The implementation and use of RtI was predicted to be dependent upon those…

Individual child data from the Preschool Screening Programs of 402 Minnesota school districts were analyzed for problem identification and referral rates, areas of problem identification and referral, sex differences in rates, and other factors. The results from over 45,000 children revealed large variability in rates among school districts, as…

Preschool screening referral rates for developmental problems were examined for 219 Minnesota school districts across 2 school years. The state as a whole was consistent from year 1 to year 2 in terms of the percentage of children referred for screening. However, there was wide variation among individual districts. Three groups of districts were…

The booklet presents, in English and Hmong (Southeast Asia), answers to questions concerning the rights of handicapped children and their parents. Topics addressed include a summary of changes brought about as a result of federal court decisions as well as state and federal laws, types of eligible disabilities, ages of eligibility, assessment…

This study examined the extent to which students with disabilities are accessing alternative schools and Area Learning Centers (ALC) in Minnesota. Also of interest was the option used by students to enroll in the school, the extent to which students crossed district boundaries to attend the school, and differential participation by category of…

Current screening and diagnostic practices for identifying young handicapped children in Minnesota were surveyed. Information was gathered on the populations served, the professionals and tools employed in screening and diagnosis, decision criteria, and the perception of gaps and duplications in services. The results indicated a heavy reliance on…

This booklet for Minnesota parents of children with disabilities provides an overview of special education services. Information is provided on: (1) the purpose of special education; (2) disabilities that are covered under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; (3) eligibility age; (4) types of special education and related services; (5)…

This booklet is designed to help Minnesota parents of young children with disabilities to find services to assist them and to help their children learn and grow. It begins by stressing the importance of parent advocacy for children with disabilities. Following sections address: (1) federal requirements for early intervention for children with…

This booklet summarizes the rights and responsibilities of Minnesota parents of children with disabilities and offers guidelines on how best to advocate for their child. Introductory material briefly describes the Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights (PACER) Center and its programs. The booklet then summarizes federal court decisions,…

This document is the report of one phase of a Minnesota study to examine the problem of misrepresentation and overrepresentation of African American, American Indian, and Latino students in special education. This phase of the study involved eight professional focus groups who examined four broad areas: factors contributing to minority…

This document is the report of one phase of a Minnesota study to examine the problem of disproportionate representation in special education of African American, American Indian, Latino, and Asian American students. Phase 3 of the study focused on factors which have led to the underrepresentation, rather than overrepresentation of Asian American…

This document is the report of one phase of a Minnesota study to examine the problem of misrepresentation and overrepresentation of African American, American Indian, and Latino students in special education. Phase 2 of the study involved seven focus groups comprised of minority parents throughout rural and urban areas of Minnesota. Focus groups…