This Issue Brief, an update of "Authorizing Virtual Charter Schools: Rules of the Road on the Digital Highway" by Gregg Vanourek, is part of NACSA's Cyber series, which addresses issues in policy and practice that concern authorizing online schools and blended learning. It aims to improve authorizer understanding and oversight of online…

There is a national shortage of school-based Speech Language Pathologists (SLP). Schools located in rural and geographically remote areas are often impacted by the shortage, and as a result students with an autism spectrum disorder may not receive services that are mandated by their Individual Education Plan. This study examined the use of…

The purpose of this study was to explore the possible causes that might contribute to the disproportionate percentage of English language learners ELLs with special education individual education plans (IEPs). Elementary school classroom teachers from school districts that exhibited high growth in the percentage of ELLs with IEPs during 2007-2010…

In the field of educational leadership, as well as special education, parental participation is paramount given that federal law has mandated that schools provide and show evidence that they foster parental participation. This quantitative, non-experimental study examined the relationship between level of education, marital status, socioeconomic…

Principals must be instructional leaders in their schools in order to adhere to federal, state, and local mandates as well as being able to discern that the programs for students with disabilities are being developed and implemented with fidelity to meet the needs of those students. The transition a school goes through to include students with…

This manual presents guidelines for teaching students with disabilities necessary skills for safe and independent travel on public buses. Six guidelines for teachers include: (1) participate in bus training; (2) use wise and intelligent judgment; (3) utilize the bus checklist; (4) know and teach bus rules; (5) know bus routes; and (6) know bus…

This paper points out that the promise of supported living for individuals with developmental disabilities lies in its potential to deal creatively and individually with the complexities arising from the lives of many different individuals. The paper describes personal experiences of leaders in supported living agencies that enabled them to step…

This project sought to identify and assist third-grade underachieving gifted students in four elementary schools in Springfield, Ohio. The four schools chosen for the project demonstrated a significant discrepancy between ability and achievement test scores among higher ability students within their culturally/economically disadvantaged student…

The concept of coaching can be operationalized to support the growth, change, and commitment of staff, families, and children participating in integrated preschool intervention programs. Coaching is a strategy for facilitating accomplishment; it is a process whereby a coach and a player work together with the intention of realizing a player's…

Inclusion of students with disabilities, especially those with mental retardation, has come to mean the placement of all students in general education classrooms, sometimes with limited planning for the individual needs of each student. Several court cases, laws, and movements have brought about the level of inclusion that exists today. However,…

A computer-based resource unit in health and physical education would enable health and physical educators to share the benefits of each other's work. (RC)

Describes an experimental dropout prevention program in which selected high school students are assigned to a "homeroom" teacher who gives each student extra personal attention and works with each student and his parents to develop the best educational plan for the student. (JG)

This training manual addresses the vocational rehabilitation (VR) of persons with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) or AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) and related conditions. It considers the medical, cultural, social, legal, psychological, and economic implications of this condition; and how these factors relate to the vocational…

The mobile unit--an individualized instructional program in office occupations in which nine weeks are devoted to typewriting--was developed to meet the needs of the disadvantaged junior high school students. (BP)