The British Columbia Teachers' Federation (BCTF) is pleased to have the opportunity to present its views on priorities for the 2018 provincial budget to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services. The BCTF represents 43,000 members who are teachers and associated professionals in public schools across British Columbia. The…

This report has been provided to the Legislature on an annual basis since 2000 when the legislature amended the language of G.L. c. 71B to align Massachusetts special education terminology with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This year reports the context of a major change in the way state systems of special…

The 2013 session of the 118th Indiana General Assembly adjourned sine die (with no appointed date for resumption) on Saturday, April 27, 2013. The legislature considered over 2,200 bills during the session, many of which addressed education policy and school governance, or were child-related legislation. This report is a summary of 12 key PK-12…

This paper presents the testimony concerning special education reform and inclusion programs of the Director of Education and Employment Issues before a House of Representatives subcommittee. The speaker concludes that inclusion programs can work (as in districts in California, Kentucky, New York, and Vermont) but take tremendous effort and…

Movement for full inclusion of students with disabilities in regular classrooms asks educators to take landmark 1975 Education of the Handicapped (recently reauthorized as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) a step farther. All five of the 1993-94 inclusion-related legal cases favored general education environments--even for severely…

An advocate of scientific creationism states arguments for its inclusion in the public school curriculum. (MLF)

Asserts that 25 years after Congress passed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (now called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), many educators and administrators still do not understand the law or how to implement it. Discusses three reasons for this situation and suggests benefits of understanding the law. (PKP)

Examines ways the public schools have approached religion and court cases centering on religion in the schools. Outlines some traps that boards of education should avoid in setting policy on the inclusion of religion and religious holidays in the schools. (IRT)

Examines the PL 99-457 Education of the Handicapped Act for direct and indirect inclusions of physical education citations. Interprets each section relative to statutory intent and implications for rural program compliance. Recommends strategies for ensuring compliance in rural service delivery. Contains 13 references. (SV)

This transcript of a hearing on the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act includes statements by representatives of Hofstra University (New York), Advocates for Children (New York), Self-Initiated Living Options (New York), the National Center on Educational Restructuring and Inclusion (New York), National Center on…

Three witnesses gave testimony at this hearing on restoring $150 million in entitlement funding to Federal child nutrition programs. They were Ernest Morial, Mayor of New Orleans, representing the U.S. Conference of Mayors' Task Force on Joblessness and Hunger; Faith Gravenmier, representing the American School Food Service Association; and Lynn…

If recent trends for serving students with severe disabilities continue, concerns about program costs and benefits may join those of policy and best practice. This article briefly reviews the full-inclusion literature, examines recent case law, considers program costs, and provides conclusions and implications for future decision making. (39…

In June 1998, the Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of an amended school-choice program allowing disadvantaged students to attend parochial schools using publicly funded vouchers. The case turned on the inclusion of parochial schools as an addition to a program with numerous preexisting choices. "Choice" (not…

School administrators are caught between the special education requirements of a free appropriate education and the mainstreaming preference embodied in federal law. This article analyzes circuit court cases and explains four overlapping judicial standards that influence mainstreaming decisions. Administrators should avoid blanket-separation and…

Full inclusion is a confusing topic. Many people misunderstand the "least restrictive environment" provision of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Districts need not educate every disabled child in a regular classroom for the entire day, but have numerous options, so long as each child is carefully evaluated. Recent…