This study profiles the qualifications and preparation of special educators from the 2003--2004 Schools and Staffing Survey and investigates their relationship with teaching in a high-poverty school. Based on Berne and Stiefel's (1984) equal opportunity standard, students with disabilities in high-poverty schools are not provided an equitable…

This longitudinal randomized-control trial investigated the effectiveness of scientifically based reading instruction for students with IQs ranging from 40 to 80, including students with intellectual disability (ID). Students were randomly assigned into treatment (n = 76) and contrast (n = 65) groups. Students in the treatment group received…

States are increasingly using value-added approaches to evaluate teacher effectiveness. There is much debate regarding whether these methods should be employed and, if employed, what role such methods should play in comprehensive teacher evaluation systems. In this article, we consider the use of value-added modeling (VAM) to evaluate special…

Gifted education has a rich history and a solid if uneven research base. As policy makers and educators increasingly turn their attention to advanced students and educational excellence, the time is ripe for a dispassionate analysis of the field's conceptual and empirical strengths and weaknesses. The purpose of this special feature article…

The growing emphasis on teacher accountability has led to increased integration of teacher evaluation and new teacher mentoring. This study examined professional and emotional mentoring supports within an urban school district that centered its induction program on structured teacher evaluation. Five mentors and 16 new special educators…

Despite an increased national focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) instruction, students with high incidence disabilities continue to struggle with STEM content at both the K-12 and postsecondary levels. As a result, very few students with disabilities pursue STEM careers. This article provides K-12 special education…

The education of students with disabilities in today's schools is being shaped by 2 very powerful laws: the 2004 Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA 2004) and the 2001 Elementary and Secondary Education Act (Title I, No Child Left Behind Act). These 2 laws are changing our conceptions about special education. Both of…

This article presents a classroom teacher's perspective on one of the important requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) legislation and aligned language found in the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA 2004)--that of aligning assessment and instructional practices with state academic content standard…

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…

Public speaking will continue to be an unsettling experience for some students, including those with disabilities. Experts have suggested several reasons for fearing public speaking; adequate preparation and practice can alleviate most of them. Using the PAVES (Posture, Attitude, Voice, Eye Contact, Smile) strategy described in this article can…

In elementary and secondary classrooms, educators use plants for various reasons. Plants are often used during learning activities and science experiments. Also, educators frequently decorate their classrooms with plants to make the room more inviting and comfortable. Few new educators have been informed of the potential hazards of commonly known…

Special education literature abounds with a challenge to special educators to promote the acquisition of self-determination skills in their students. A critical component of self-determination that can be readily addressed in the school setting is self-advocacy. The authors believe that meeting the challenge of enhancing student's self-advocacy…

In seeking ways to address issues in diverse classrooms, the authors have focused their recent work on paraeducators. The nation's nearly 500,000 paraeducators working in K-12 classrooms embody a potential source of prospective instructors for the nation's diverse student population in both special and general education. Paraeducators are school…

This cross-sectional study was conducted with a random sample of 155 K-12 students served in public school settings and established the extent to which students with emotional/behavioral disorders (E/BD) experience academic achievement deficits with attention to age and gender differences. In addition, this study examined particular types of…

This study focused on the perceptions of paraprofessionals regarding the roles they fulfill while working with children with disabilities in special education and inclusive settings. Students were in grades K-12 and represented a range of disability categories (e.g., autism spectrum disorders, serious emotional disturbance, development…