This practical guide has been developed to help facilitate collaboration and build effective partnerships at the local level between local educational agency (LEA) and vocational rehabilitation (VR) personnel. Unfortunately, there is no magic formula that will instantly create these partnerships; however, there are proven strategies and processes…

This guide was developed by the Louisiana Department of Education to help parents navigate the complex system that oversees special education in Louisiana's public schools. Each school year, local education agencies (LEAs) are required to provide parents a copy of the procedural safeguards. These safeguards are used to inform parents of the…

In a world of ever-changing educational trends, it is essential for educators to provide a continuum of services to meet the needs of all students. Therefore, employing an inclusive structure or environment is imperative to the implementation of Special Education laws, according to Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Every Student…

The topic of special education can be confusing and frightening for parents who suspect their child has a disability or has difficulty learning. Parents in this situation want to know how to get help for their child. This guide is intended as a reference for people who have questions about special education for a child. It summarizes the basic…

The number of students identified under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) with an emotional disturbance (ED) has remained remarkably stable over the last 30 years. During this time, approximately 1% of the school-aged population has been identified as disabled under the criteria set forth in IDEA (Kim, Forness, & Walker,…

The Sacramento City Unified School District (SCUSD), asked the Council of the Great City Schools to review the district's services for students with disabilities and provide recommendations to improve performance and narrow the achievement gap between these students and their nondisabled peers. This report was designed to help SCUSD achieve its…

Bearing in mind the requirements of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation, Louisiana's Steering Committee projected performance targets through the year 2014 for the important areas of: (1) Graduation with a Diploma; (2) Dropout Rate; (3) Placement, ages 6-21 and ages 3-5; (4) Achievement Performance Levels, and (5) Discipline. Annual gains were…

The reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, December 3, 2004, (IDEA '04) and its implementing federal regulations, October 13, 2006, prompted the need to revise Virginia's special education regulations. Input was received from a Stakeholders Group that included school personnel, parents, consumers,…

This bulletin on the 1997 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) reviews ten provisions of the Act that support inclusive education, including: (1) language in the "Findings" section of the law that states the education of students with disabilities can be made more effective by having high expectations…

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 provides an introduction to the special education process and supplies information about parents' rights and parents' role in obtaining services for children with disabilities in North Dakota. Section I discusses Public Law 94-142 and its amendments, focusing on eligibility for services and step-by-step procedures for determining…

This resource manual provides guidelines for development, management, and evaluation of Florida school district programs for students with visual impairments. In each section rules are presented first and are in script type. General rules are followed by rules specific to programs for the visually impaired. Following the rules, recommended best…

This report compares and contrasts special education and least restrictive environment requirements for children with disabilities in Nigeria and the United States. The implementation of special education policies in both countries is discussed, including policies in the following areas: referral and identification, nondiscriminatory assessment,…

This handbook provides information on the rights of parents of children with disabilities in North Carolina. Federal and state laws governing rights of parents are briefly summarized, followed by a more detailed description of rights in various areas, including: (1) referrals for special education services; (2) evaluation procedures; (3)…

This handbook provides guidelines to assist North Dakota educators who are developing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students with disabilities. It is presented in four sections. The first section highlights the major changes brought about by the 1997 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), including…