This article provides a template to assist policymakers in developing and refining reliable large-scale alternate assessments for students with significant disabilities unable to participate in general state and district assessments. It also discusses Kentucky's 10-year experience with its alternate assessment and experiences of other states…

This article describes a collaborative effort of educators from a university, state department, and local school district to redesign a master's level course in instructional strategies. Delivery format was changed to a week-long summer course; content changed to emphasize research-based instructional practices and more local and state (Florida)…

The innovative approach implemented by the Kansas State Board of Education to evaluate and assist beginning teachers is described. Pilot and validity studies of the program and its instrumentation developed with over 1,000 teachers are reported. Interns, experienced teachers, and administrators have indicated that the system encourages…

Two attempts to adjust state mean Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores for differential participation rates are examined. Both attempts are rejected, and five rules for performing adjustments are outlined to foster follow-up checks on untested assumptions. National Assessment of Educational Progress state data are determined to be more accurate.…

The study found that quality of life of 46 mentally retarded individuals was impacted by the funding source used to support their community-based residential programs. Clients in programs using Medicaid funds were less active and involved in life than were clients living in programs funded by non-Medicaid state sources. (Author/JDD)

Fifty states and five territories were surveyed to determine implementation of the federal Program for Infants and Toddlers with Handicaps, established through Public Law 99-457. Questions focused on the states' interagency coordinating councils, definitions of developmental delay, and activities related to the required minimal components of…

Reports on a study conducted by the Northern Illinois Learning Resources Cooperative to determine requirements and develop recommendations for a statewide library telecommunications network. Covers the results of a statewide needs assessment, the current status of library and educational telecommunications, trends, functional design criteria, and…

A survey of 66 chapters of a national autism society found that the availability of extended school year (ESY) services is increasing. Significant variation was found in how states determine eligibility, in the duration of ESY programs, and in the length of ESY days; parental dissatisfaction was also reported. (JDD)

Describes a grassroots organization of 500 educators from Massachusetts who attempted to influence their legislature to provide more funding for computers. Discusses the attempt to inform the legislators and the problems involved in the project. (MVL)

Discusses joint efforts by Native American tribes and the Minnesota state legislature over the past 20 years to assure that educational services are provided to American Indian students at all levels. Highlights the case of Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, describing the college's foundation and finances. (MAB)

The effects of presenting a choice of writing tasks on the quality of essays produced by eleventh graders were studied with 34,200 students in Georgia. The choice condition had no substantive effect on the quality of essays, but race, gender, and the writing task variable did. (SLD)

A discussion of state grant programs for college students outlines the relationships between program goals and effects and the difficulties in designing appropriate and successful programs. Guidelines for assessing these interrelationships are offered to help policymakers design grant programs that can most efficiently and effectively achieve…

A national survey examined the extent to which secondary schools, colleges, and universities are exchanging information on student progress. Twenty-three states reported having some form of statewide feedback system in place, whereas 12 other states reported that some type of system is under consideration. (MDM)

Relationships among state identification rates for serious emotional disturbances and economic and demographic variables were explored. Variation in per pupil revenue explained about one-fourth of the variance in identification rates. States differed significantly based on region, elementary and secondary expenditure, per pupil revenue, and per…

Policy questions related to outcome assessment, such as determining the critical outcomes of schooling and how indicators can be measured, are analyzed. State and local efforts in special education outcome assessment are described, and policy considerations for designing an outcome system that includes students with disabilities are examined. (JDD)