The Idaho State Department of Education (SDE) recently revised its SLD identification policy to include a requirement to document a student's response to intervention coupled with a comprehensive evaluation. To implement this policy, the SDE is using multiple implementation drivers. In this article, we describe how and why the new policy was…

The goal of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is no longer simply to make services available to young children with disabilities and their families, but also to ensure that those services lead to enhanced outcomes for participating children and families. To that end, IDEA 2004 requires states to submit State Performance Plans…

The KIK (Kentucky Individualized Kindergartens) project, a collaborative project between Kentucky's Department of Education and the Chapel Hill (NC) Training-Outreach project, is designed to serve high risk children. KIK provides early identification of high risk kindergarteners, development of individualized education programs, and implementation…

The Massachusetts Department of Education's Accountability and Targeted Assistance (ATA) Center maintains and manages the state's School and District Accountability System. Results from the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) are used to identify public schools and districts that are likely to require state intervention in order…

Discusses a study which examined state use of prereferral intervention for students with handicaps, determining whether specialized training in prereferral is provided in states promoting it. Survey results indicated that 34 state education agencies promoted prereferral intervention, and 49 percent of those implementing it were trained in…

Response to intervention (RTI) is a framework for providing interventions and services at increasing levels of intensity until students succeed. The framework helps teachers and schools provide instruction and interventions matched to student needs, monitor progress frequently to guide decisions about changes in instruction or goals, and apply…

The document presents findings of a task force on services to disturbed children in Illinois which focuses on services relating to early identification and treatment during infancy and early childhood. A review of research showed that services during early childhood can effectively help many individual children toward living more fully functional…

The monograph describes the first 5 years' operation of the Iowa Infant Follow-up Program which stresses the early detection and treatment of children at risk for developing disabling conditions. The program has six components: (1) implementing a statewide process for identifying and tracking infants and children at risk for later developmental…

These guidelines were developed to help registered nurses identify preschoolers with potential handicaps in the course of health assessments. Contents include guidelines on 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds. Contents are organized within age levels in terms of functioning levels and anticipatory guidance. Functional areas covered include physical,…

The report presents results from a survey of four states (Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, and Nebraska) regarding mandates for the provision of special education services for children below 3 years of age. An overview of each state's mandate contains a brief description of the law and how it came to be; an explanaton of the way responsibilities are…

This study of 46 hearing-impaired 6 year olds sought to determine the age and identification patterns of Oregon children with hearing impairments. Information is presented on parental observation of hearing behaviors during infancy; professionals contacted; average age of suspicion, confirmation, habilitation, and amplification of hearing loss;…

The document, half of which consists of appendixes, presents a report to the Utah State legislature by the Social Services Interim Committee regarding child abuse and neglect. The problems that Utah faces with child abuse and neglect are summarized, and the appropriate steps currently being taken are outlined. National progress and trends in…

Three states, Ohio, Texas, and Arkansas were selected to study implementation of policies relating to the identification of gifted students from special populations, i.e., culturally diverse students, economically disadvantaged students, and students with disabilities. Individual profiles were completed for each state, and a cross state comparison…

This collection of five case studies reveals how screening programs for preschool and kindergarten children are currently being implemented in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Programs in a variety of communities--large and small, rural, urban and suburban--are portrayed. The screeners interviewed were chosen in part because they also vary in…

A survey of state agencies found that early intervention services to visually impaired children, aged birth-two and three-five years, were permissive or mandated in the 29 respondents' states or territories. All respondents used definitions of visual impairment similar to the federal definition, and all required a medical diagnosis. (JDD)