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Our aim is to facilitate improved services to children and youth with disabilities by gathering and sharing information that supports changes to policy and practice at the national, state and local levels.

Each year, Project Forum:
  • identifies 15 critical topics within the field of special education;
  • conducts policy analyses on these topics;
  • convenes policy forums on two of these topics;
  • distributes information that will contribute to better results for children with disabilities.
Our primary consumers are administrators of IDEA programs (i.e., state and local directors of special education and Part C and 619 coordinators). However, our products are written in a reader-friendly manner and we hope they will be useful to others.

If you have not done so already, please search our database of over 100 documents related to special education.
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To view the PDF please click on the document title.
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Kimberly M. Sopko
March 3, 2008

This In-Brief Policy Analysis reports findings gathered from a survey of state special education staff. Findings are reported in the areas such as: staffing and funding for AT services at the state and local levels; state guidance; and professional development. Most of the responding states provide guidance and support to local education agencies regarding the need for AT evaluation and addressing student-specific needs. All states provide at least general training about AT services and programs. Most states do not provide an AT certificate or degree program. Findings show much variability among states in the amount of staffing provided, the ways in which funds are spent for AT and the types of professional development provided. An appendix provides access to state websites for education-related AT programs and services. (Click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free.)

Kimberly M. Sopko
March 2, 2008

This Brief Policy Analysis is based on a survey of all state education agencies (SEAs). Findings include information regarding the variation among states as they establish policy and staffing patterns for administering the summary of performance requirement in IDEA 2004. An SOP policy exists in 25 of the 40 responding SEAs. Staff with dedicated time to oversee the policy implementation are employed in 23 SEAs. Half of the SEAs report that overseeing this policy is a challenge. SEAS also show variability in who receives and when they receive the SOP. Most states also provide general technical assistance on the implementation of the SOP primarily for LEA staff. The survey protocol and individual state SOP websites are included as appendices. (Click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free.)

Paula Burdette
March 1, 2008

This Policy Forum Proceedings briefly discusses the federal, state and local roles that affect graduation requirements for all students, including students with disabilities. The purpose of the policy forum was to express issues related to graduation requirements for students with disabilities and develop policy recommendations to address these issues at the local, state and federal levels. Background research and a summary of panel and participant discussion are provided. Issues raised and recommendations with actions steps are provided. (Click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free.)

Eve Müller and Paula Burdette
December 1, 2007

This In-Brief Policy Analysis is based on interviews with state education and local education representatives from three states regarding strategies for including special education in high school reform efforts; resources; barriers; and recommendations for improving integration of special education in high school reform. (Click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free.)

Eileen Ahearn
November 30, 2007

This In-Depth Policy Analysis begins with a background on the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) development and implementation of a single repository for K-12 education data. It also includes a summary of interviews held with seven state special education directors and/or their data managers along with each state’s EDFacts coordinator to obtain information on the states’ submission of special education data via EDFacts. Findings are reported in the following areas:
  • State staffing;
  • Interaction between general and special education divisions;
  • Effect of EDFacts on SEA structure and operations;
  • Changes in special education reporting;
  • Technical assistance from the ED for the transition to EDFacts; and
  • Benefits and challenges of EDFacts.
The document closes with a section on observations and conclusions. (Click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free.)

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Topics in Progress
  • Building-level leadership preparation for special education
  • Cyber Charters and Charter Schools for Students with Disabilities
  • Early Childhood Mental Health Services
  • Early Childhood Transition
  • Early Intervening Services
  • Growth Models: Rationale for Inclusion/Exclusion of Subgroups
  • Homeless Education: Collaboration between IDEA and McKinney-Vento administrators
  • LEA Special Education Director Retention/Attrition
  • Parentally Placed Private School Students with Disabilities
  • Preparation for Post-Secondary Life: More Education or Career
  • Resolution Meetings
  • Specific Learning Disabilities Eligibility Process
  • Staffing Patterns for State Special Education Units
  • State Approaches to Autism Services
  • State Dispute Resolution
  • Student Residency Issues
  • Unique Student Identifiers for Children with Disabilities From Part C to B
  • Universal Design for Learning
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