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…

Parent-school relationships are vital to the success of student achievement. Effective parent-school relationships are especially beneficial to students with disabilities. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires parental participation in partnership with the school staff when developing the individual educational programs…

Reading affects a plethora of areas in life. Students with learning disabilities often fall into this category due to a lack of practice with reading and less time to focus on building skills. This paper examines the background, the relationship between reading and learning disabilities, the characteristics of students with learning disabilities…

In November 2008, Congress passed, and the President signed, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Amendments (ADAA), with an effective date of January 1, 2009. While other issues, such as the national economic crisis, dominated public attention at the time, the ADAA unobtrusively connected to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973…

In July 2007, a revised version of the Council for Learning Disabilities' principles of ethical practice was approved by CLD's Board of Trustees. Subsequently, the new standards were published in the January 8 issue of LD Forum. Using a case study approach, this article highlights the application of these principles to situations confronted by…

Too often, parents of children with disabilities come with negative expectations about the intentions of the teachers and administrators who are proposing an education plan for their son or daughter. In preparation, they arm themselves with advocates, lawyers, and a myriad of outside evaluations in preparation for the "battle" ahead. In…

This study examines the quantitative results of an evaluation investigating implementation of the Transition Outcomes Project in a midwestern state. Data collection and analysis consist of preevaluation and postevaluation of students' Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) using the "Transition Requirements Checklist" and include…

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…