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…

Courts have employed contract principles and workman's compensation theory in certain cases finding a student-athlete an employee of the institution. Should this impression be expanded and gain widespread judicial acceptance, the Internal Revenue Service could require the inclusion of scholarship amounts in the recipient's gross income.…

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…

This discussion of impending revisions to the Canadian Copyright Act focuses on the need for inclusion of a fair dealing provision in any revisions, defined either through legislation or the courts, and for the use of a random sampling of photocopying in libraries to establish blanket reprography fees. (Author/CLB)

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…

Decisions in both the Bakke and Manhart cases reflect a refusal to permit membership in a group to be the basis for the exclusion or inclusion of an individual in certain places. Problems surrounding the concept of equal opportunity and equal benefits for individuals are discussed in their historical, social, and legal contexts. (SF)

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…

In the United States, national legislation was created to protect disabled students' education rights. Courts have provided tests for integrating such students into school systems. Some are concerned this advocacy has gone too far and that court decisions authorizing "full inclusion" misinterpret the law's intent. This article examines…

Although the two religion clauses in the First Amendment don't mention neutrality, 40 years of U.S. Supreme Court decisions have integrated that concept into their interpretations. Current understanding of neutrality has been shaped by defining benchmarks: enactment of the 1984 Equal Access act; inclusion of religious speech as a subset of free…

This book explains federal guidelines for program directors and child care personnel for daily practices and procedures when children with disabilities are admitted to child care programs. The handbook addresses inclusion issues to raise the importance of involving all staff in preparation for efforts to become an inclusive program. Part I begins…

This report provides an overview of programs authorized under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and discusses potential reauthorization issues. Programs include the Grants to States program, preschool program, infants and toddlers program, and discretionary grant programs. For each program, information includes fiscal year…