From leading authorities, this indispensable work is now in a revised and expanded second edition, presenting state-of-the-art tools and procedures for practitioners. The book shows how to use response to intervention (RTI) to evaluate K-12 students for specific learning disabilities (SLD). The second edition gives increased attention to…

Redwood City School District (RCSD) has a long history of attending to the needs of its students and their families, and it has responded to the current incidence of mental health challenges among youth by setting a goal that by June 2024, every student will receive "appropriate social-emotional supports designed to meet their needs. The plan…

Classroom management is critical for students' behavioral and academic success, and researchers have identified numerous discrete teacher behaviors within several broad areas of classroom management skills. Unfortunately, these skills are often overlooked during pre- and in-service professional development (PD). Additionally, research suggests…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how African American males describe their academic experiences regarding the factors that influence their academic outcomes while attending an HBCU across the United States. Astin (1993) Inputs-Environment-Outcomes (I-E-O) theoretical model was used as the lens for understanding what…

Many young undocumented students are experiencing mental health issues in K-12 schools. Researchers have found a myriad of psychological stressors that add to the complexity of being an undocumented student in the United States. Educators have noted an increased concern in undocumented students expressing concerns of fears at school, acculturation…

Elementary school teachers struggle to collect and use reading progress data to make instructional decisions. Collecting and interpreting reading progress data when making instructional decisions allows districts to identify and support students who need early reading intervention and may protect districts from Free Appropriate Public Education…

Advocacy is a foundational value in occupational therapy, but uniformity in teaching and learning advocacy is lacking. This paper proposes and reports on the implementation of an advocacy course based on experiential education. The objective of the study was to evaluate student learning after an advocacy course with an experiential education…

Public schools have responsibilities not only for academic growth of students, but they are also responsible for the "whole child," considering social, emotional, and mental health development. Schools are places where identifying students who pose risk for violence is the responsibility of teachers, students themselves, counselors, and…

Inclusive education, defined as "full inclusion," has generated controversy for nearly three decades with special education placement at the heart of the debate. Whole-school application of Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) offers a reframing of the problem with potential for social and academic gains for all students, including…

Executive functioning has been a buzz word in education for a few years, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. The research around executive functioning is exploding, as teachers are seeking to support students entering their classrooms with what seems like a wider variety of needs and less independence than ever before. Many districts are…

This Spotlight explores key aspects of MTSS implementation, including its relationship to special education and effectiveness in improving student outcomes. Discover how MTSS can be used to support social-emotional learning, address discipline disparities, and ensure equitable access to resources and support. By combining data-driven…

General and special educators often do not have the needed knowledge and skills or collaborative opportunities to implement coordinated, evidence-based instruction within a multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) framework. As such, the authors used a randomized control design to examine the impact of Project Coordinate (PC), a professional…

National, state, and local governmental authorities have researched and reported the impacts of poverty on academic performance for multiple decades, providing guidance, legislation, accountability, equal access initiatives, and continuous monitoring for educators to address the ongoing dilemma. However, poverty performance achievement gaps are…

The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the systems, structures, and on-going professional development that leaders of elementary schools in New York State provide to support students who struggle with ADHD and executive functioning skills. The study used interviews as a data collection tool. Sixteen participants, including principals…

Mentoring has been regarded as a promising way to reach at-risk youth and to strengthen the protective factors. This article focuses on emotions, reflections, and challenges that adult volunteers face in trying to establish and maintain a friend relationship with young adults in a multicomponent mentor setting in Finland. Based on our…