As the charter sector has matured, its critics have multiplied. While charter schools enjoyed bipartisan and substantial public support for their first 20 years, the tide of public opinion now flows in more varied directions. Policymakers and leaders across the country are facing pressure to limit charter expansion, with public support for charter…

The purpose of this technical assistance paper is to provide a description of the procedures used to determine school improvement ratings for alternative schools and ESE centers for the most recently completed school year. School improvement ratings are part of Florida's school accountability system, which originated with the Florida Legislature's…

The second edition of this essential handbook provides a comprehensive, updated overview of the science that informs best practices for the implementation of response to intervention (RTI) processes within Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) to facilitate the academic success of all students. The volume includes insights from leading scholars…

Problems facing African American students with special needs are numerous and complex. Although processes and procedures are in place to properly serve these students, far too many become ensnared in webs of bureaucracy and benign neglect. This article examines African American students? experiences with special education in Milwaukee Public…

Generalizations gleaned from 25 years of research are presented, including: change is difficult and more political than data based; expectations drive the assessment process and those expectations are far too low; purpose is critical; the link between referral and eligibility is too strong; and current classification practices are problematic.…

The report of the President's Commission on Excellence in Special Education followed 13 hearings and meetings throughout the nation on ways to strengthen the education of students with disabilities. An executive summary summarizes nine findings and the resulting three major recommendations: first, focus on results, not process; second, embrace a…

This publication presents a range of evidence-based strategies, procedures, and models for use with culturally and linguistically diverse students with emotional and/or behavior disorders. Chapter 1 provides an overview of issues in providing services for this population in the context of the high-stakes accountability required by the 2001 No…

The 20th annual report to Congress on the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is divided into four sections organized around a model which views educational results as products of three sets of factors: the context and environment in which the education is provided, student characteristics, and school programs…