This brief is intended to provide State Education Agency (SEA) and Local Education Agency (LEA) educators with a brief overview of key components of GraduateFIRST, a Georgia program targeting issues impacting school completion for students with disabilities. Georgia's GraduateFIRST program has redefined the state's approach to raising graduation…

The booklet examines issues involved in state planning for special education. Three phases are identified, and steps are listed for each phase. The first, preplanning, includes steps to identify issues, analyze issues, identify constraints and resources for planning, secure administrative commitment, and identify participants. Plan development,…

To provide more equitable special education services for blind, deaf, physically handicapped, and autistic children in all parts of Oregon, a funding formula was developed at the direction of the 1981 state legislative assembly. The formula is based on development of a state approved funding level by handicap and by instructional delivery system…

This state plan documenting Utah's intentions to implement Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in fiscal years 1993-95 begins with various submission statements and certifications. It then presents the following policies, procedures, and descriptions: right to education policy statement, full educational opportunities goal,…

Second year activities of a 2-year North Carolina State Implementation Grant entailed a review of services for 3- and 4-year-old handicapped children, recommendations based on the findings, a review of teacher preparation programs, and associated staff activities. Review forms were distributed to 251 programs serving young handicapped children…

This paper describes the Oklahoma Statewide Training and Regional Support (STARS) program, a system of early intervention inservice training developed to comply with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part H. Major challenges included identification of technical assistance needs, facilitation of training attendance, identification…

This article reports on the descriptive results of a national survey of statewide parent-to-parent programs. Results are summarized concerning demographics and organizational models; program components, supports, and services; matching referred parents with veteran parents; and technical assistance provided to local program coordinators or…

The final report describes major activities accomplished during the 1981-82 project year to develop a comprehensive plan in New York State for handicapped children, aged 3-5, and to accelerate services to handicapped infants through Regional Early Childhood Direction Centers (RECDC). Briefly discussed are the processes for the following outcomes:…

Strategies are presented for fostering statewide program development and refinement in the field of special education. Sixteen observations about change are presented, with examples from various Washington statewide initiatives. Among the observations are the following: Reform should be promoted from within by empowering schools to explore…

This state plan for education of students with disabilities in New York provides information on how the state's provision of special education programs and services in the least restrictive environment complies with federal law and regulation (especially the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). The report describes planning and program…

The results of a survey of physicians actively involved at the state level in policy development for Part H of Public Law 99-457 are reported. A questionnaire was completed by a total of 125 physicians, including physicians identified as Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC) members and physicians who served as state chapter representatives to…

Three papers are presented on the benefits and costs of providing supported employment programs in Illinois for persons with disabilities. An introductory section, by Ronald W. Conley, explains the need for and use of cost-benefit analysis, the population in need of supported employment, and some methodological considerations. The three papers…

Designed for use by California state departments, this guide is a standardized approach to developing a master plan to ensure that persons with disabilities who are candidates or applicants for employment, employees, or recipients of state services are provided equal opportunities and fair treatment. It outlines a six-step process to evaluate a…

The report--40% of which consists of appendixes--presents the state of Kentucky's 1980 plan for special education and related services for handicapped children: the annual program plan amendment for Part B of the Education of the Handicapped Act as amended by the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (P.L. 94-142). The plan documents…

Several of the major considerations involved in implementing a statewide testing program are discussed. The test results provide information which influences the educational enterprise in matters of curriculum, instruction, guidance, and accountability. Tests to be used in an assessment program must be developed by the administering agency when…