Services In Public Schools Research Articles

El asesoramiento como intervención para atender al alumnado con dificultades de lenguaje

Schools are increasingly requesting the intervention of language remediation services in children with language and communication difficulties. It is well known that the demand for these services in public schools far exceeds the available supply. The present article provides both a proposal for language and communication services based on our project in public schools in a specific area, and a reflection on these services. For the past three school years, we have conducted a project based on providing consulting and guidance services in language and communication to public school teachers and other professionals working with schools. To distribute the available resources evenly, there must be a change in the school services culture. Providing assistance and guidance, through consulting, to the classroom teacher would increase the help available to students with language and communication difficulties. The main objective of this consulting project is to assist regular classroom teachers in developing their students’ oral language. The method used, mediated naturalist intervention, is in agreement with the principles of the inclusive school and requires the use of new educational procedures and increased collaboration among the various professionals involved.

A study on quality satisfaction development in Elementary public education school service

A study on quality satisfaction development in Elementary public education school service

A study on quality satisfaction development in Elementary public education school service

A study on quality satisfaction development in Elementary public education school service

Maternal involvement in the education of young children with autism spectrum disorders

Parent involvement is widely acknowledged to be a critical ;best practice' in the education of young children with ASD. Despite its importance, no studies to date have systematically examined the relative influence of child, family, and school factors on the extent to which parents participate in the education of their children with ASD. In the present study, questionnaire and interview data collected from the mothers and teachers of 95 children receiving public school services for ASD were used to address this issue. Descriptively, wide variation was found in both type and intensity of mothers' educational involvement. Regression analyses showed involvement, both at school and at home, to be heavily influenced by the extent to which school staff actively encouraged, assisted, and provided opportunities for parent involvement. In addition, severity of child behavior problems was also found to exert a uniformly negative effect on intensity of mothers' educational involvement, while the influence of family resources and demand variables varied, depending on whether involvement occurred at school or at home. Implications of these findings for future research and for the support of parents seeking to participate in the learning and development of their children with ASD are discussed.

The Regulatory Context for Public Education

The provision of special education and related services in public schools involves the intertwining of federal, state, and local laws, regulations, other levels of policy, and practices. Such a multilayered system can obviously lead to misunderstanding and misinformation regarding school-based services, creating challenges in terms of implementation and advocacy. However, by determining the source of the requirements and the intent of the laws, it is possible not only to remain in compliance with mandates but also to influence implementation decisions and improvements that will ultimately be in the best interest of students. Educators must identify and analyze the source and intentions of requirements, understand the responsibilities of states and localities, and when necessary, identify vehicles for advocating for change. This article provides information regarding major federal mandates that affect public education, with comments specific to speech-language services in the schools.

Panorama da psicologia escolar na cidade de Vitória: um estudo exploratório

A presente pesquisa apresenta um panorama da Psicologia Escolar em escolas públicas e privadas de Vitória. Foram entrevistados 34 sujeitos, todos de escolas diferentes, sendo quatro psicólogos e 30 outros profissionais de educação. Constatou-se que os poucos psicólogos atuantes não possuíam vínculo empregatício com as escolas e relatavam insatisfação com o trabalho. Os demais profissionais afirmaram que o psicólogo na escola deve trabalhar com os relacionamentos entre alunos, pais e professores. A maioria dos sujeitos considerou o trabalho do psicólogo na escola importante, ainda que, naquelas que não possuíam serviço de psicologia, outros profissionais acabavam por "fazer o papel" do psicólogo.

Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Orientation and Mobility Services in Public Schools

The related service areas of occupational therapy, physical therapy, and orientation and mobility share some areas of professional practice but are quite distinct in the way services allow children with disabilities to fully participate in contemporary school environments. This article presents an overview of the roles and responsibilities of professionals in these areas and how they offer their services to children with disabilities.

Speech, Language, and Audiology Services in Public Schools

The prevalence of communication disorders (speech, language, and hearing) among school-age children continues to increase, making it imperative that the classroom teacher be able to identify children in need of services. This article provides information that will enable all teachers to recognize when a child is exhibiting signs of a communication disorder, describes methods of assessment, provides classroom strategies, and identifies interventions and service delivery models typically used by communication specialists.

“But They Don’t Speak English!”: Bilingual Students and Speech-Language Services in Public Schools

“But They Don’t Speak English!”: Bilingual Students and Speech-Language Services in Public Schools

Quality adjusted measures of services in public schools

This study considers specification and estimation of cost functions in public schools. A number of production characteristics are included in the specification to control for observable differences between municipalities in the provision of their school services. Both parametric and non-parametric approaches are used to take into account the quality differences in school services. These approaches are then compared to the alternative output measure without any adjustment for quality differences. The sensitivity of different elasticities and returns to scale (RTS) measures with respect to alternative model specifications and quality adjustments are also analyzed. In the empirical section we examine performances of 286 Swedish municipalities in the production of primary and secondary school education during the 1992/3–1994/5 school years.

Teaching High School Students with Learning and Emotional Disabilities in Inclusion Science Classrooms: A Case Study of Four Teachers' Beliefs and Practices

In an effort to provide a fair and appropriate education for all, educational reformers and policy makers expect the majority of the 5.8 million school age children identified with disabilities to learn science in general education classrooms whenever possible (Caseau & Norman, 1997; IDEA, 1997). For this paper, students with disabilities [SWD] consist of high school students identified with non-severe learning or emotional needs who receive special education services in the schools. These students have the cognitive, emotional, and social capacities to construct scientific knowledge, participate in scientific investigations, and apply scientific reasoning for problem solving and decision making inherent to the secondary science curriculum. Students with learning and emotional disabilities comprise the majority of all students eligible for special education services in public schools according to the U.S. Department of Education (1996). Science education reform documents such as Project 2061: Science for all Americans (American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1990), the National Science Education Standards (National Research Council, 1996), and Scope, Sequence, and Coordination (National Science Teachers Association, 1996) clearly identify science teachers as key in developing scientific literacy for all students. The success of these educational reforms will be determined in large measure by the practices and beliefs of general education science teachers who often teach in inclusion classrooms enrolling both SWD and students without disabilities. Approximately 11% of all K-12 students have an identified disability and most of these students are included within general education science classes (Norman, Caseau, & Stefanick, 1998). Yet, relatively few of the general education science teachers in inclusion classrooms have been prepared to teach SWD (Cawley, 1994; Pyle & Butera, 1997). Although there have been reported successes in teaching science to SWD (Jakupcak, Rushton, Jakupcak, & Lundt, 1996; Wielert & Sheldon, 1984), there remains a clear need for research to determine best teaching practices for these learners (Bursuck, Polloway, Plante, & Epstein, 1996; Kearney & Durand, 1992; Norman, Caseau, & Stefanick, 1998; Patton, Polloway, & Cronin, 1986). In particular, there is a need to examine adaptations that take place for SWD in general education, or inclusion, science classes (McIntosh, Vaughn, Schumm, Hagger, & Lee, 1993). This paper begins to address this need by examining the practices and beliefs of four experienced high school science teachers who teach SWD in inclusion classrooms. Teaching High School Students with Learning and Emotional Disabilities in Inclusion Science Classrooms: A Case Study of Four Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices

Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders in Youths Across Five Sectors of Care

To examine the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among youths from the following five public sectors of care: alcohol and drug services (AD), child welfare (CW), juvenile justice (JJ), mental health (MH), and public school services for youths with serious emotional disturbance (SED) in San Diego, California. The Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children was administered between October 1997 and January 1999 for 1,618 randomly selected youths aged 6-18 years who were active in at least one of the five sectors. Fifty-four percent of the participants met criteria for at least one study disorder. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and disruptive behavior disorders (50%) were much more common than anxiety (10%) or mood (7%) disorders. Youths who were active in the MH and SED sectors were more likely than those not in these sectors to meet criteria for a disorder; youths in the CW sector were least likely. Rates of psychiatric disorders, specifically ADHD and disruptive behavior disorders, are extremely high for youths in public sectors of care. Rates are generally higher in sectors designed to serve youths with psychiatric needs, but the prevalence of disorders was also high in sectors not specifically designed for this need (e.g., CW and JJ).

Contractual school psychological services: Prevalence and practices

This study investigated the prevalence and practices of contract school psychological services in public schools. A survey was sent to all 121 school districts in a southeastern state, with 111 surveys completed for a response rate of 92%. Results indicated that most school districts did not believe that contracting is cost effective. The primary service provided by contractual service providers was triennial reevaluations. The administrator most often charged with the hiring and supervision of contract providers was not a school psychologist. The credential most often required of a contracting psychologist was a State Board of Psychology license, with only a few requiring documentation of relevant coursework or experience. The results of this study indicated that the most pressing concern for the profession of school psychology regarding contractual services is ensuring that contract services are provided and monitored according to appropriate standards of practice. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Bringing 5-A-Day Alive Through a Public Health, School, and Food Service Partnership

Eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily may cut cancer risk. On average, children eat only 3.6 servings/day. The goal of the project was to develop a low-cost, easily replicated, month-long campaign integrating the 5-A-Day message into many aspects of students' lives and encouraging them to eat more fruits and vegetables. Coordinated efforts by a public health nutritionist, school food service director and staff, media staff, classroom and physical education teachers, a local produce company and local cable TV and newspapers brought daily messages and hands-on activities to students and their families. Students wrote and presented the morning announcements that included a message about the fruit and vegetable selections at school lunch. Classroom teachers were given nutrition activities they could do with their students. The main classroom activity was a cooperative 5-A-Day Challenge to encourage students to eat more fruit/vegetables at school lunch. A family take-home activity was piloted in a first grade classroom. A local produce company worked with the food service staff to provide a fruit and vegetable tasting opportunity while students waited in line for lunch. Many fruits and vegetables were displayed and students were given the opportunity to taste at least four. Volunteers, in fruit and vegetable costumes, encouraged children to taste the selections. Evaluations were completed by teachers, staff, students and parents. Pre and post tests results of fourth grade students indicated that they ate and enjoyed more fruits and vegetables after the campaign. More than three fourths of the students said that they tried at least one new fruit or vegetable during the campaign. Teachers felt the activities were easy to implement and very effective. Evaluations of the take-home activity indicated that most parents strongly agreed they would try to serve and eat more fruits and vegetables because of the activity. The project was easily replicated by two other schools the following year. The combined efforts of both school and community resources worked well to develop and easily implement an effective, low cost nutrition program in the schools.

Racial/Ethnic Representation Across Five Public Sectors of Care for Youth

We examined service representation patterns of four racial/ethnic groups (African Americans, Asian/ Pacific Islander Americans, Caucasian Americans, and Latinos) across five public youth service sectors (alcohol/drug treatment, child welfare, juvenile justice, mental health, and public school services for children with serious emotional disturbance) in San Diego County. A full enumeration of children ages 0 to 18 served by those sectors during a 6-month period was analyzed to determine representation of each racial/ethnic group. Comparison groups of San Diego children were culled from three sources: 1996 census estimates, 1996 census estimates at or below 200% of poverty level, and the 1997 San Diego County school enrollment census. Results varied by racial/ethnic group and comparison group used, indicating that race/ethnicity affects service use patterns and that socioeconomic status should be taken into consideration when examining racial/ethnic representation. When socioeconomic status was taken into account, African Americans and Caucasian Americans were overrepresented across most sectors, Latinos were underrepresented across all sectors, and Asian/ Pacific Islander Americans demonstrated a mixed pattern. Results are discussed in terms of methodological and policy implications.

Cognitive rehabilitation therapy of brain-injured students in a public high school setting.

Cognitive rehabilitation therapy is a systematic effort to assist brain damaged individuals in developing ways to compensate for cognitive deficits. Although this treatment is considered standard in a field of rehabilitation, access to services is limited by the availability of specialists. A model for bringing cognitive rehabilitation techniques to children with acquired brain injury within their own school setting is presented. A convenience sample of 10 public high school students with acquired brain injury received biweekly cognitive rehabilitation sessions for 20 weeks. Treatment was based on a developmental model of brain functioning. Treatments were provided by trained school teachers under the supervision of psychologists specializing in cognitive rehabilitation. Students were evaluated pre- and post-treatment using neuropsychological tests. After treatment, the students demonstrated a significant increase in general memory ability (p < 0.05). These gains were due mostly to increases in verbal learning ability. Integration of cognitive rehabilitation therapy with public school services is a significant step in providing this valuable treatment to a wider range of children with acquired brain injury.

School-based health centers and managed care health plans: partners in primary care.

School-based clinics provide important access to health care for adolescents. For the past 20 years in St. Paul, Minnesota, Health Start has been a nonprofit organization providing comprehensive primary care services in the city's public high schools. Over the past decade, Minnesota has seen the growth of managed care plans for both the private and public (Medicaid) sectors. For the past several years, Health Start has been building relationships with managed care plans in order to coordinate care for adolescents. Since managed care plans differ in their management, reimbursement, and service delivery methods, Health Start has developed several models of partnership with managed care plans for the delivery of primary care to adolescents enrolled in school.

Adolescent health services in North Carolina's local health departments

The purpose of this study was to assess availability of clinical health services and special adolescent health programs for those aged 10–19 years administered by local health departments in North Carolina, and to evaluate factors that were associated with the existence of specialized adolescent programs, comprehensive services, and school services. We used self-report surveys mailed to 100 county health directors. All counties responded. One in five (21%) North Carolina youth received one or more health department service in 1990. Thirty-four health departments have programs or services specifically designed for adolescents; 7 health departments provide comprehensive services. The majority of health departments (85%) provide services in public schools, most often health education or counseling. Counties with more adolescents and with higher per capita income were more likely to have adolescent programs and more likely to provide comprehensive clinics. Health departments with school services served proportionally twice as many of their county's adolescents as those without school services. We concluded that few local health departments in North Carolina provide comprehensive health services to their youth. Community-wide participation and state support are needed to improve public sector access to comprehensive health care for adolescents in North Carolina and in other states with decentralized, county-controlled public health systems.

Annual Survey of Hearing-Impaired Children and Youth: 1991-92 School Year

Annual Survey of Hearing-Impaired Children and Youth Annual Survey of Hearing-Impaired Children and Youth: 1991-92 School Year Arthur N. Schildroth and Sue A. Hotto The summary data reported in the following tables represent information reported to the Annual Survey of Hearing-Impaired Children and Youth, conducted by the Center for Assessment and Demographic Studies (CADS) at Gallaudet University's Research Institute. In Table 1, 1991-92 data are compared with data from the 1984-85 Annual Survey to indicate possible trends within the recent educational environment of hearing-impaired children and youth. CADS has been conducting its national Annual Survey since 1968 and has provided educators, legislators, and researchers with, as one reviewer stated, "more extensive demographic information concerning deaf students than any other student population with special needs." Data collected by the survey include demographic, audiological , and educationally related information about the students and program information about the schools they attend. Special studies using the Annual Survey as a sampling framework have been conducted by CADS in a variety of areas: achievement testing, communication, genetics, transition into postsecondary careers. Two books have resulted from the Annual Survey data collection activities, Deaf Children in America (1986) -λινά Deaf Students and the School-to-Work Transition (1989). CADS has collaborated with the Texas Education Agency in conducting a special Texas State Survey of Hearing-Impaired Children and Youth for the past 17 years. The center also conducts a special Louisiana survey, which includes statewide assessment of hearing-impaired students. A very large majority of the children reported to the Annual Survey are receiving primary or secondary special educational services in local public schools or in center schools, both residential and day. Data are also collected from private schools enrolling hearing-impaired students, although the numbers are small. Since the survey is completely voluntary, the data reported to the survey do not include all hearing-impaired students receiving special educational services across the United States. If the "child count" figures reported by the states to the federal government each year accurately reflect the total number of "hard of hearing and deaf" students receiving special educational services in the United States, then the Annual Survey figures represent approximately 60% of these hearing-impaired children and youth. (Due to certain differences in definitions and age categories, an exact comparison of Annual Survey and "child count" data is not possible.) Coverage of residential schools by the Annual Survey has been more complete than for local schools, due largely to program dispersion and site changes at the local level. The tables on the following pages represent summary data from the Annual Survey. Several comments apply to these tables. 1. The Annual Survey data reported in the tables are independent of the Annals survey, which resulted in the listing of schools and programs in this issue and in the program and services summary following that listing. Annual Survey data are confidential, i.e., the information reported to the Annual Survey is never linked with individual schools or programs in the reports and research articles published by CADS. 2. In comparing the 1985 and 1992 survey data in Table 1, only those variables have been included for which wording and context of the questions on the survey forms were the same or equivalent for both years. In a few cases there were slight changes in wording or in context which may affect the comparisons to some small degree. 3. Age has been calculated as of December 31 for each student. 4. Hispanics may be of any race. 5. Degree of hearing loss has been calculated in terms of a better -ear average (BEA), i.e., by averaging the pure-tone thresholds for the speech range (500, 1000, and 2000 Hz) in the better ear. The "profound" category is a BEA greater than 90 dB, "severe" is a BEA between 71 and 90 dB, and "less-than-severe ," a BEA of less than 71 dB, with the latter category including four subgroups. For approximately 6,000 children and youth, CADS accepted a school estimate of student hearing loss in terms of the same six categories used for calculating the BEA. (In general, these estimates show a distribution...

Conduct Disorders in School

Conduct disorders is a term that has a certain ambiguity in terms of special education eligibility for public school services. Part of this ambiguity stems from problems inherent in the current school definition of Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) and part from the fact that conduct disorders are often found to coexist with other identifiable diagnoses in the spectrum of emotional and behavioral disorders. Comparison of SED identification rates with other special education categories and examination of selected studies on comorbidity subtypes of conduct disorders illustrate the scope of current problems in special education eligibility for children with conduct disorders. A new substitute SED definition and specific early identification techniques are suggested as possible solutions.