This update of the Framework for Action highlights the continuing relevance of its message as well as those raised by Valuing People Now. People with learning difficulties and their families from Black and minority ethnic (BME) communities have been highlighted as a priority group by Valuing People since 2001 and remain a priority for better…

The earliest years of life are critical to providing a foundation for good health. Providing adequate health care early can prevent many of the physical, social-emotional, and cognitive impairments that children could face in the future. The recent landmark health reform package signed into law includes important elements that positively affect…

This descriptive work urges U.S. policymakers to consider the English system of school inspections as a way of expanding our understanding of student achievement. Such an innovation is timely, according to the report, because the No Child Left Behind legislation is coming up for reauthorization. Using data largely from the English Office for…

The primary purpose of this study was to determine if there is a significant difference in postsecondary completion rates between students with Emotional Behavior Disorder (EBD) who were involved with their own postsecondary transition planning processes, whose parents were involved in the transition planning, and who received services or…

Transitioning in to adult-hood as a special needs youth can be a challenging experience for both disabled youth and their families. IDEA 2004 legislation mandates all special needs individuals receive skill development in the areas of self-determination, self-advocacy, employment, adult service agency access and independent living. School…

Over the past several years, allegations of abuse and death related to seclusion and restraint, media coverage of these events, subsequent federal investigations, and Congressional hearings about this topic have resulted in increased pressure on Congress to pass legislation to address the use of seclusion and restraint in the school setting.…

High school students with disabilities are attending colleges and universities in growing numbers, with their rate of college participation doubling in the past twenty years. Students with disabilities in the secondary educational system are protected by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) of 2004, which requires…

The field of education in the United States is in a period of unprecedented change. Educators in all disciplines are challenged to understand and respond to the waves of reform sweeping over the national education landscape. Linking these reforms to meaningful outcomes that will produce more rigorous and effective measures of quality and…

In September 2011, the New York State Department of Education convened a School and District Accountability Think Tank to provide public input regarding the creation of a second generation educational accountability system for the State's Elementary and Secondary Education Act waiver application. The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund…

If digital literacy is exploding, the visually disabled are taking the shrapnel. The author wagers that most librarians consider themselves committed to accessibility and make individual and organizational efforts to comply with (and often exceed) the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in their buildings and the Rehabilitation Act Section 508…

Parents of deaf and hard of hearing children in the special education system may feel overwhelmed by the amount of information they need to learn. This article aims to give parents a place to begin in the effort to work with the school to ensure that their child receives an appropriate education. There are three broad areas that parents need to be…

Learn how to engage and advocate for undocumented children and youth with this new resource written by and for teachers. "Teachers as Allies" provides educators with the information and tools they need to involve immigrant students and their American-born siblings and peers in inclusive and transformative classroom experiences. The…

Parental involvement has been studied in the field of education since the 1970s. Scholars assert that parental involvement affects students' achievement and performance (Christenson, Rounds, & Gorney, 1992; Epstein, Sanders, Simons, Salinas, Janson, & Van Voorhis, 2002; Fan & Chen, 2001; Herman & Yeh, 1983; von Voorhis, 2003).…

Raising a child with a disability often makes it difficult to find child care. Many families learn that child care programs are simply unable to meet the special needs of their children, while specialized facilities have limited space, and specialized private care is expensive. To meet the needs of all children, Head Start and Early Head Start…

Policy can be a useful tool for effecting change, but policy analysis, which shapes policy development, has been underused in music education research. This paper demonstrates how Bardach's (2000) Eightfold Path can be used to develop solutions to problems in music education. Some have argued that school music programs do not prepare students to…