Center on Education Policy Documents

Federal Education Policy & Programs » IDEA/Special Education

Reflections on a Half-Century of School Reform: Why Have We Fallen Short and Where Do We Go From Here?

Author(s): Jack Jennings
Published: January 27, 2012

Upon his retirement from the leadership of CEP, Jack Jennings reviews in this paper the three major school reform efforts of the last 50 years, proposes an agenda focused on the classroom, and advocates for the creation of a federal civil right to a good education to advance that agenda.

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State Test Score Trends Through 2007-08, Part 4: Has Progress Been Made in Raising Achievement for Students with Disabilities?

Author(s): Naomi Chudowsky, Victor Chudowsky, and Nancy Kober
Published: November 16, 2009

Using data from state reading and mathematics tests, this report takes an in-depth look at the performance of students with disabilities and highlights the problems with the testing data for these students.

(Updated April 6, 2010)

View 2007-08 State Profiles and Worksheets 

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Students with Disabilities' Provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act: Summary of a Roundtable Discussion and Guiding Principles for Reauthorization of ESEA/NCLB

Author(s): Angela Minnici
Published: June 29, 2007

As part of its comprehensive, multiyear study of state and local implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act, the Center on Education Policy hosted a roundtable discussion on May 1, 2007 with leaders from 25 organizations to address potential improvements to the students with disabilities’ provisions of NCLB. For more information about this meeting see the meeting summary and guiding principles for reauthorization of ESEA/NCLB and other supporting material below provided by Nancy Reder and Stanley Rabinowitz, guest speakers invited to initiate our discussion.

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A Tale of Three Cities: Urban Perspectives on Special Education

Author(s): Myrna Mandlawitz
Published: February 1, 2003

The report summarizes the results of a 2002 study on special education programs in Chicago, Cleveland, and Milwaukee in relation to the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

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Twenty-Five Years of Educating Children with Disabilities

Author(s): Nancy Kober
Published: February 1, 2002

The Good News and the Work Ahead - This review covers the advancements in special education programs at the national level over the past 25 years and the challenges ahead. 

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A Timely IDEA: Rethinking Federal Education Programs for Children with Disabilities

Author(s): Thomas Hehir, Lawrence C. Gloeckler & Margaret J. McLaughlin
Published: January 1, 2002

A compilation of three experts' opinions on what should or should not be changed in the reauthorization of the Children with Disabilities Education Act.

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