From the ECS State Policy Database: Special Education--Placement - This policy database—updated weekly—is made possible by your state's fiscal support of the Education Commission of the States....

From the ECS State Policy Database: Special Education - This policy database—updated weekly—is made possible by your state's fiscal support of the Education Commission of the States....

From the ECS State Policy Database: Special Education--Federal Law/Regulations - This policy database—updated weekly—is made possible by your state's fiscal support of the Education Commission of the States....

State Responses to the Increasing Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders PDF - Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are the fastest growing developmental disorders. In recognizing the increasing needs of children affected by ASDs as well as the associated financial implications for local governments, some states have begun re-assessing their current systems of support and looking for better and more efficient ways to serve individuals with ASD and their families. This ECS StateNote presents examples of initiatives states have taken to better serve this growing population. (Emily Workman, ECS, November 2011)...

State Funding Programs for High-Cost Special Education Students MS Word PDF - In this country, approximately six million public school students receive special education services. Of these six million students, approximately 300,000 could be defined as "high need" or "high cost" students. This ECS StateNote presents the results of a survey of 12 states' high-cost special education policies to determine how each state defines special education students as being "high-cost" and what, if any, additional funding is provided to districts to address their funding need. (Mike Griffith, Education Commission of the States, May 2008)...

From the ECS State Policy Database: Special Education--Inclusion (Mainstreaming) - This policy database—updated weekly—is made possible by your state's fiscal support of the Education Commission of the States....

The Inclusion of Students With Disabilities in School Accountability Systems - The goal of this study is to provide policy-relevant information about the education of students with disabilities (SWDs). The link directs you to an interim study report that presents descriptive information on school-level accountability, AYP performance, and school improvement status of schools accountable for SWD subgroup performance under Title I of the ESEA, as well as schools not accountable for SWD subgroup performance. (Institute of Education Sciences, May 2012)...

Twenty-Ninth Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Parts B and C. 2007 - This report includes a number of informative 50-state data tables. (U.S. Department of Education, 2011)...

State Tracking to Measure Student Pregres Toward IEP Goals - States have instituted policies and practices to ensure that IEP teams provide for the measurement of student progress toward annual goals. The purpose of this document is to describe state approaches to ensuring that this is taking place. (Paula Burdette, Project Forum/National Association of State Directors of Special Education, February 2009)...

The National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS): Current State Implementation - As a requirement of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, states must comply with the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS). This report examines how states are responding to the NIMAS requirements. (Eve Muller and Paula Burdette, Project Forum, August 2007)...

Highly Qualified Teachers and Special Education: Several State Approaches - This paper: (1) briefly describe the requirements for highly qualified teachers (HQT) as established in NCLB and IDEA; (2) identify how states are supporting special education teachers to meet these requirements; and (3) offers policy recommendations generated by the National Center for Special Education Personnel and Related Service Providers and the Center for Improving Teacher Quality at the Council of Chief State School Officers. (Eve Muller and Paula Burdette, Project Forum, April 2007)...

Formative Evaluation of Ohio's Autism Scholarship Program - Autism is the third most common developmental disability in the United States, and Ohio has seen a 1,000% increase in the number of students with autism over the six years leading up to the 2003-04 school year. This report evaluates Ohio’s pilot Autism Scholarship Program, designed to give parents of autistic children the option of seeking alternative special education services for their children, rather than those offered by their school district. Services are provided through private providers, nonpublic schools or public schools in which parents would normally be required to pay for services. The report finds that 5% of Ohio's autistic children have been approved for participation, discusses school district concerns regarding changes to the program and issues recommendations for future action. (Legislative Office of Education Oversight, May 2005)...

State of Illinois – Assistive Technology Resource Manual - This Web manual is designed to help school districts in Illinois meet the assistive technology needs of its students with disabilities. The manual explores the laws and issues of assistive technology. It also provides evaluation materials, inclusion strategies and best practice models in Illinois schools....