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June 1, 2009

Retention and Attrition of Local Special Education Directors, an in-brief policy analysis from Project Forum at NASDSE, describes challenges, as perceived by state directors of special education, related to this issue. It also proposes strategies for addressing this problem at both the state and local education agency level. Concluding remarks are included. (Click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free.)

May 31, 2009

An in-depth policy analysis from Project Forum at NASDSE, is a review of the implementation of the alternate assessment based on modified achievement standards (AA-MAS) by states that have chosen to make it a part of their assessment program. It contains background information on alternate assessments, a listing of the federally funded projects that have supported these assessments, initial state implementation, and a discussion of issues related to the AA-MAS. (Click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free.)

May 1, 2009

This In-Brief Policy Analysis describes findings from a survey of all state special education units on the topic of co-teaching. Findings are reported in the areas of terminology used, guidance available, requirements for IEPs and teachers, personnel preparation efforts, complementary initiatives, outcome data collection, challenges and recommendations. Concluding remarks are given. (Click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free.)

May 1, 2009

This brief policy analysis describes state obligations regarding early childhood transition from Part C to Part B of IDEA, including providing data to document related progress as part of states’ Annual Performance Reports (APR) to OSEP. The document reports on the experiences of six states that currently use unique identifiers in their data systems to track students and provides information on the circumstances surrounding the development of such systems, what the systems look like, benefits and challenges. (Click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free.)

April 21, 2009

The purpose of this in-brief analysis is twofold. The first purpose is to summarize the recommendations included in the national transition initiative’s document that was created as a resource for improving state and local performance on State Performance Plans related to early childhood transition. The second purpose is to highlight some of the policies and practices adopted by six states undertaken to meet the early childhood transition requirement. Common themes and concluding remarks are given. (Click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free.)

April 16, 2009

This brief policy analysis begins with short introduction of autism spectrum disabilities (ASD). Findings from an online survey of Part C and Part B program staff from states and more detailed information from interviews with five state Part C and B staff are presented in this document. Findings are presented in the areas of professional development, technical assistance, early identification efforts and direct services. (Click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free.)

April 15, 2009

This brief policy analysis begins with an introduction of virtual personnel preparation in general and then provides the limited data from studies of virtual special education personnel preparation. Findings from interviews with representatives from five programs for preparing special educators virtually (National University, Florida’s Virtual ESE program, University of Kentucky, George Washington University, and West Virginia University) are presented. Findings are shared in the areas of the varied background and history of these programs; program components; funding and resources; evaluation and outcomes; and barriers, successes, and future directions. (Click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free.)

April 1, 2009

This policy forum proceedings document provides an introduction that includes federal education regulatory language for universal design for learning (UDL). It summarizes panel presentations from the higher education, state-level, local-level and national-level perspectives. Throughout the panel and during the subsequent group discussions, several suggestions and proposed strategies to improve policy to impact implementation of UDL were given by participants. These are summarized. (Click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free.)

February 28, 2009

This brief policy analysis presents IDEA 2004 language requiring states to make annual determinations each local education agency. Findings from a survey to which 45 state directors of special education responded are described. Findings include processes states use in making determinations, resources used, enforcement actions taken and benefits and challenges encountered in making determinations. A discussion follows. (Click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free.)

February 27, 2009

This brief policy analysis presents IDEA language requiring a description of how the child’s progress toward annual goals, if the IEP has no benchmarks or short term objectives, will be measured and a description of policies and practices that states have instituted to ensure that IEP teams provide for this. The analysis was based on data received from a survey of all states and a follow up interview with three states. Mechanisms to measure student progress on IEP goals across the nation and specific state strategies for tracking this progress are described. (Click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free.)