Observations to Accompany Analyses of the Tenth Annual Report to Congress

Abstract

The federal government provides support for children and youth ages 3-21 years under provisions of Part B of Education of Handicapped Act (EHA-B) and also from birth through age 20 in programs operated by state agencies through Chapter I of Education Consolidation and Improvement Act-State Operated Programs (ECIA-SOP) authorization. Each year, personnel in U.S. Department of Education assess progress in providing services children and youth with disabilities and prepare a report of their findings for dissemination. Publication of annual typically stimulates interest and dialogue among professionals (cf. Gerber, 1984; Greenburg, 1984) and provides a unique basis for examining what is going on in special education across country (Blackman, 1989; Danielson & Bellamy, 1989; Tucker, 1989). When Tenth Annual Report Congress on Implementation of Education of Handicapped Act (Tenth Annual Report) was published, it marked end of a decade of extraordinary change (U.S. Department of Education, 1988, p. i). To stimulate thinking about previous and future progress in meeting needs of students with disabilities, Executive Summary of Tenth Annual Report and three reactions it recently were published in Exceptional Children (Gerber & Levine-Donnerstein, 1989; Greenburg, 1989; Wyche, 1989; Ysseldyke, 1989). Greenburg's (1989) perspective on Tenth Annual Report reflects disappointment and dissatisfaction: The current report again seems overly dependent on congregated numbers and on of federally supported projects awarded a limited number of selected agencies with little or no practitioner contact. Though there may be gross understaffing in office responsible for report, both Congress and special education practitioners are justified in anticipating a quality characterization of implementation of EHA and Tenth Annual Report seems fall short of this expectation. (p. 10) In reference sections on related services, least restrictive environment, and personnel, Greenburg's opinions varied. For example, he found references average numbers of related services totally meaningless and information on students exiting school programs limited, but helpful. Concerning information presented about special education personnel, Greenburg identified a set of questions worthy of further consideration (e.g., Are state education agencies better enforcing class size and caseload regulations? Do emerging service-delivery options require more, rather than fewer, personnel?) (p. 11). He did not identify a agenda related these questions. Despite shortcomings he observed, Greenburg stated, the annual are essential reading for those interested in perspective of Department of Education on field and practice of special education, and report is filled with potential areas for further questions and research (p. 12). Information about youth with disabilities who drop out of school was primary focus of Wyche's ( 1 989) review of Tenth Annual Report. After reviewing figures related minority dropout rates from several sources, he made a plea for continued and development address dropout problems: Systematic strides must be taken devise a diagnostic assessment battery that will identify potential dropouts in elementary grades, before they choose leave school. Psychological and educational tests have an accepted tradition of being used predict future behavior. An assessment battery that could identify specific cutoff scores and predict possibility of dropping out with at least 80% accuracy would give educators a valuable tool. (p. 15) Although limited in its analysis of overall report, Wyche's review illustrates interest generated by annual reporting of figures related special education. Gerber and Levine-Donnerstein's (1989) plan was to update some earlier observations, identify some newer issues, and make some recommendations about treatment of data such as those provided by annual reports (p. …