In the years since the 2015 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) placed a 1.0% cap for states on participation in the alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS), states have worked hard to navigate the new restrictions on participation in…

Think of all the skills that children have to learn when they come into the world: smiling, turning over, responding to people, communicating, eating solid food, crawling, standing, and on and on. These skills are expected to emerge naturally over time and it is known more or less when they should. This timetable for skills to emerge is commonly…

The term "multiple disabilities" is general and broad. From the term, you cannot tell how many disabilities a child has; which disabilities are involved; or how severe each disability is. Many combinations of disabilities are possible. The different disabilities will also have a combined impact. That is why it is also important to ask:…

In China, the Central People's Government (2010) recently promulgated the "Compendium for China's Mid- and Long-Term Education Development," which declared that 95% of Chinese children should receive at least one year of preschool education, while 75% of children should receive a three-year preschool education by 2020. Subsequently, The…

Early childhood educators play a critical role in preparing students for success later in their school experience. The instructional techniques, emotional supports, and assessment approaches for early childhood settings are different from classroom settings in later grades. How can states and districts develop evaluation systems that are tuned to…

A few major concepts about evaluation and accountability are examined briefly, and related to one another in a manner providing a simple portrayal of part of the mosaic of educational evaluation and accountability. This paper is not intended for evaluation specialists or schoolmen well versed in evaluation theory and practice, but for the…

The Secretary of Education (Secretary) establishes requirements, definitions, and approval criteria for the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (Stabilization or SFSF) program. The Secretary may use one or more of these requirements, definitions, and approval criteria in awarding funds under this program in fiscal year (FY) 2010. These requirements,…

This paper presents recommendations of the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) of the Council for Exception Children concerning the use of the developmental delay eligibility category as defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and DEC. The recommendations are: (1) that a developmental delay category of eligibility should…

This paper reviews the Supreme Court's Zebley decision which expanded the definition of disability in young children by including functional equivalence; compares regulations and practices under the Social Security Administration and Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; and offers guidelines concerning the intent of the law,…

The guidelines define procedures outlined by state (Kansas) and federal laws and regulations concerning the identification of students with specific learning disabilities. The first chapter gives the Kansas definition of a learning disability and then outlines the identification process. Chapter 2 provides guidelines for carrying out…

In this article we discuss the definition of emotionally disturbed (ED) from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, with a specific focus on the clause contained in this definition, which is designed to exclude from special education services students who are considered to be socially maladjusted (SM). The history of the SM exclusionary…

This monograph attempts to provide an overview of current educational issues that affect brain-injured students with special emphasis on the assessment process. An introduction notes recognition of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and its definition under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990 as well as the increasing numbers of such…

The purpose of this hearing was, review of the No Child Left Behind Law for reauthorization, consideration as to whether or not to reform the current definition of "Adequate Yearly Progress" (AYP). Members testifying before the Committee were the Hon. Jason Altmire, a Representative in Congress from the State of Pennsylvania; Hon. Howard…

This newsletter issue focuses on the assessment of school-aged children to: (1) determine if a child has a disability and is eligible for special services, and (2) provide information that can drive educational programming. Section 1 is an introduction which addresses a definition of assessment, how students are identified for assessment, federal…

This article focuses on the status of the learning disabilities field, including the accomplishments as well as elements of the unfinished agenda that are needed to move the field forward. Drawing on contributions of influential special educators, it discusses how these foundations provide a basis for future developments in the field. (Contains…