**TO ASSURE THE FREE**

**APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION OF ALL CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES**

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Section 618

Twenty-third Annual Report to Congress

on the

Implementation of the

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

U.S. Department of Education

2001

Education Publications Center

U.S. Department of Education

P. O. Box 1398

Jessup, MD 20794-1398

**SPECIAL STANDARD MAIL**

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> or national origin, be excluded from participating in, be denied the
> benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or
> activity receiving Federal financial assistance, or be so treated on
> the basis of sex under most education programs or activities receiving
> Federal assistance.
>
> No otherwise qualified individual with disabilities in the United
> States shall, solely by reason of his disability, be excluded from the
> participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to
> discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal
> financial assistance.

**SPECIAL STANDARD MAIL**

**TO ASSURE THE FREE**

**APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION OF ALL CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES**

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Section 618

Twenty-third Annual Report to Congress

on the

Implementation of the

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

U.S. Department of Education

2001

This report was produced under U.S. Department of Education Contract No.
HS97020001 with Westat. Judith Holt served as the contracting officer's
technical representative.

**U.S. Department of Educatio**n

Rod Paige

*Secretary*

**Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS)**

Robert H. Pasternack

*Assistant Secretary*

**Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)**

Stephanie Smith Lee

*Director*

2001

(Published March 2002)

This report is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in
whole or in part is granted. While permission to reprint this report is
not necessary, the citation should be U.S. Department of Education,
***Twenty-third annual report to Congress on the implementation of the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act*,** Washington, D.C., 2001.

To order copies of this report,

write to: ED Pubs, Education Publications Center, U.S. Department of
Education, P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398;

or fax your request to: (301) 470-1244;

or e-mail your request to: edpubs@inet.ed.gov

or call in your request toll-free: 1-877-433-7827 (1-877-4-ED-PUBS). If
877 service is not yet available in your area, call 1-800-872-5327
(1-800-USA-LEARN). Those who use a telecommunications device for the
deaf (TDD) or a teletypewriter (TTY) should call 1-800-437-0083

or order online at www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html.

This report is also available on the Department's Web site at
[www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/OSEP](http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/OSEP)

On request, this publication is available in alternate formats such as
Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette. For more
information, please contact the Department's Alternate Format Center at
(202) 260-9895 or (202) 205-8113.

Contents

[Page]{.underline}

**EXECUTIVE SUMMARY** xix

**I. RESULTS**

> High School Graduation Among Students with Disabilities I-1
>
> Graduation and Dropout Rates for Students with Disabilities I-1
>
> Graduation and Dropout Rates by Disability I-2
>
> Graduation and Dropout Rates by Race/Ethnicity I-3
>
> Summary I-5
>
> Participation and Performance of Students with Disabilities in State\
> Assessment Systems I-7
>
> Participation I-7
>
> Performance I-9
>
> Change in Participation Rates and Performance Levels of Students\
> with Disabilities I-12
>
> Alternate Assessment I-15
>
> Difficulties in Reporting Data for Students with Disabilities I-16
>
> Summary I-17
>
> Challenges To Providing Secondary Education and Transition Services\
> for Youth with Disabilities I-19
>
> Challenges Affecting Secondary Education and Transition Services I-20
>
> Outcomes for Students with Problem Behaviors in School: Issues,\
> Predictors, and Practices I-33
>
> Students with Problem Behavior: Outcomes I-33
>
> Students with Problem Behavior: Predictable Failure I-35
>
> Practices Affecting Student Outcomes I-37
>
> Summary I-42
>
> Results Experienced by Children and Families Entering Early\
> Intervention I-49
>
> Short-Term Outcomes for Children I-50
>
> Long-Term Outcomes for Children I-54
>
> Family Outcomes I-54
>
> Conclusion I-57

**Contents** (continued)

[Page]{.underline}

**II. STUDENT CHARACTERISTICS**

> Characteristics of Children and Families Entering Early Intervention
> II-1
>
> Child Characteristics II-2
>
> Family Characteristics II-10
>
> Conclusion II-12
>
> Preschoolers Served Under IDEA II-17
>
> The Number of Preschool Children Served Under Part B of\
> IDEA II-17
>
> Race/Ethnicity of Preschoolers Served Under IDEA II-19
>
> Summary II-20
>
> Students Ages 6 Through 21 Served Under IDEA II-21
>
> Changes in Numbers of Students Served II-21
>
> Students Served by Disability Category II-22
>
> Age-Group Distribution II-24
>
> Race/Ethnicity of Students with Disabilities II-26
>
> Summary II-28
>
> Limited English Proficient Students with Disabilities II-31
>
> The School-Aged LEP Population II-31
>
> Characteristics of the LEP Student Population II-33
>
> Identification and Assessment of LEP Students with Disabilities II-35
>
> Summary II-38

**III. PROGRAMS AND SERVICES**

> Educational Environments for Students with Disabilities III-1
>
> Trends in the Data III-2
>
> Factors Associated with Educational Environments III-3
>
> Summary III-5
>
> Family Involvement in the Education of Elementary and Middle\
> School Students Receiving Special Education III-7
>
> Family Involvement in School Activities III-9
>
> Family Involvement in Activities Related to Children\'s\
> Disabilities III-10
>
> Support for Education at Home III-17
>
> Alternate Dispute Resolution III-31
>
> Summary and Conclusions III-31

**Contents** (continued)

[Page]{.underline}

> Special Education Teacher Recruitment and Hiring III-35
>
> Description of SPeNSE III-35
>
> The Demand for Special Education Teachers III-36
>
> Teacher Recruitment Efforts III-38
>
> Criteria Used in Hiring Teachers III-40
>
> Barriers To Hiring Teachers III-41
>
> Conclusions III-43
>
> Services Received by Children and Families Entering Early\
> Intervention III-47
>
> Receipt of Early Intervention Services and Types of Services III-48
>
> Location of Early Intervention Services III-50
>
> Types of Providers of Early Intervention Services III-51
>
> Reasons for Missing Early Intervention Services III-53
>
> Perceived Progress Toward IFSP Outcomes III-53
>
> Summary III-54
>
> Using Implementation Data To Study State, District, and School\
> Impacts III-59
>
> Introduction III-59
>
> Implementation Research Defined III-61
>
> Examples of Coordinated Uses of Implementation and Impact\
> Studies III-61
>
> Implications for SLIIDEA III-64
>
> Conclusion III-67

IV. **POLICIES**

> State Improvement and Monitoring IV-1
>
> Part C: General Supervision and Administration IV-6
>
> Part C: Child Find/Public Awareness IV-7
>
> Part C: Early Intervention in Natural Environments IV-8
>
> Part C: Family-Centered Services IV-9
>
> Part C: Early Childhood Transition IV-10
>
> Part B: Parent Involvement IV-11
>
> Part B: Free Appropriate Public Education in the Least\
> Restrictive Environment IV-12
>
> Part B: Secondary Transition IV-13
>
> Part B: General Supervision IV-14

**Contents** (continued)

[Page]{.underline}

> The Comprehensive Planning Process for the IDEA Part D\
> National Activities Program: Challenge and Opportunity IV-17
>
> The IDEA Part D National Activities Program Comprehensive\
> Planning Process IV-17
>
> Part One: Soliciting the Opinions of Key Part D National\
> Activities Program Consumers IV-18
>
> Part Two: Soliciting Expert Opinions on the Key Issues\
> Associated with Consumers\' Priorities and How the Part D\
> National Activities Program Might Respond IV-21
>
> Part Three: Using the Planning Process To Develop the IDEA\
> Part D National Activities Program Plan IV-31
>
> The Office of Special Education Programs' National Assessment\
> Program IV-33
>
> Child-Based Longitudinal Studies IV-33
>
> Issue-Based Studies IV-35
>
> Status of the National Assessment Program IV-37

Appendices

**Appendix A.** Data Tables

Section A. Child Count Tables

Table AA1 Number of Children Served Under IDEA, Part B by Age Group,
During the 1999-2000 School Year A-1

Table AA2 Number of Children Ages 6-21 Served Under IDEA, Part B by
Disability, During the\
1999-2000 School Year A-2

Table AA3 Number of Children Ages 6-11 Served Under IDEA, Part B by
Disability, During the\
1999-2000 School Year A-5

Table AA4 Number of Children Ages 12-17 Served\
Under IDEA, Part B by Disability, During\
the 1999-2000 School Year A-8

**Contents** (continued)

[Page]{.underline}

Table AA5 Number of Children Ages 18-21 Served\
Under IDEA, Part B by Disability, During\
the 1999-2000 School Year A-11

Table AA6 Number of Children Served Under IDEA, Part B by Disability and
Age, During the\
1999-2000 School Year A-14

Table AA7 Number of Children Served Under IDEA, Part B by Age, During
the 1999-2000 School\
Year A-15

Table AA8 Percentage (Based on Estimated Resident\
Population) of Children Served Under IDEA, Part B by Age Group, During
the 1999-2000 School Year A-19

Table AA9 Percentage (Based on Estimated Resident\
Population) of Children Ages 6-21 Served Under IDEA, Part B by
Disability, During\
the 1999-2000 School Year A-20

Table AA10 Percentage (Based on Estimated Resident\
Population) of Children Ages 6-17 Served Under IDEA, Part B by
Disability, During\
the 1999-2000 School Year A-23

Table AA11 Percentage (Based on Estimated Enrollment) of Children Ages
6-17 Served Under IDEA,\
Part B by Disability, During the 1999-2000\
School Year A-26

Table AA12 Number of Children Served Under IDEA\
by Disability and Age Group, During School\
Years 1990-91 Through 1999-2000 A-29

Table AA13 Number of Students Ages 3-5 Served Under\
IDEA, Part B by Race/Ethnicity, During the\
1999-2000 School Year A-32

**Contents** (continued)

[Page]{.underline}

Table AA14 Number of Students Ages 6-21 Served Under\
IDEA, Part B by Race/Ethnicity and Disability, During the 1999-2000
School Year A-34

Table AA15 Percentage (Based on Estimated Resident\
Population) of Children Ages 3-5 Served Under IDEA, Part B by
Race/Ethnicity,\
During the 1999-2000 School Year A-62

Table AA16 Percentage (Based on Estimated Resident\
Population) of Children Ages 6-21 Served Under IDEA, Part B by
Race/Ethnicity,\
During the 1999-2000 School Year A-63

Section B. Educational Environments Tables

Table AB1 Number of Children Ages 3-5 Served in Different Educational
Environments Under IDEA, Part B, During the 1998-99 School\
Year A-78

Table AB2 Number of Children Ages 6-21 Served in Different Educational
Environments Under IDEA, Part B, During the 1998-99 School\
Year A-80

Table AB3 Number of Children Ages 6-11 Served in Different Educational
Environments Under IDEA, Part B, During the 1998-99 School\
Year A-108

Table AB4 Number of Children Ages 12-17 Served in Different Educational
Environments Under IDEA, Part B, During the 1998-99 School\
Year A-136

Table AB5 Number of Children Ages 18-21 Served in Different Educational
Environments Under IDEA, Part B, During the 1998-99 School\
Year A-162

**Contents** (continued)

[Page]{.underline}

Table AB6 Number of Children Ages 3-21 Served in\
Correctional Facilities and Parent-Initiated\
Private Schools Under IDEA, Part B,\
During the 1998-99 School Year A-188

Table AB7 Number of Children Served in Different\
Educational Environments Under IDEA, Part B by Age Group During School
Years\
1989-90 Through 1998-99 A-189

Table AB8 Number of Children Ages 6-21 Served in Different Educational
Environments Under IDEA, Part B by Disability, During School\
Years 1989-90 Through 1998-99 A-191

Table AB9 Number of Children Ages 3-5 Served in\
Different Educational Environments by\
Race/Ethnicity Under IDEA, Part B,\
During the 1998-99 School Year A-195

Table AB10 Number of Children Ages 6-21 Served in\
Different Educational Environments by\
Race/Ethnicity Under IDEA, Part B,\
During the 1998-99 School Year A-213

Table AB11 Number of Children Ages 3-21 Served in\
Correctional Facilities and Parent-Initiated\
Private Schools by Race/Ethnicity Under\
IDEA, Part B, During the 1998-99 School\
Year A-235

Section C. Personnel Tables

Table AC1 Total Number of Teachers Employed (in\
Full-Time Equivalency) To Provide Special\
Education and Related Services for Children\
and Youth Ages 3-5 with Disabilities,\
During the 1998-99 School Year A-240

**Contents** (continued)

[Page]{.underline}

Table AC2 Total Number of Teachers Employed (in\
Full-Time Equivalency) To Provide Special\
Education and Related Services for Children\
and Youth Ages 6-21 with Disabilities,\
During the 1998-99 School Year A-241

Table AC3 Number and Type of Other Personnel\
Employed (in Full-Time Equivalency) To\
Provide Special Education and Related\
Services for Children and Youth Ages 3-21\
with Disabilities, by Personnel Category,\
During the 1998-99 School Year A-242

Section D. Exiting Tables

Table AD1 Number of Students Age 14 and Older Exiting Special Education,
During the\
1998-99 School Year A-252

Table AD2 Number of Students with Disabilities Exiting\
Special Education by Age Group, During the \
1998-99 School Year A-278

Table AD3 Number of Students with Disabilities Exiting\
School by Graduation with a Diploma,\
Graduation with a Certificate, and Reached\
Maximum Age by Age, During the School\
Years 1989-90 Through 1998-99 A-291

Table AD4 Number of Children Ages 14-21^+^ Exiting\
Special Education by Race/Ethnicity, During\
the 1998-99 School Year A-292

**Contents** (continued)

[Page]{.underline}

Section E. Discipline Tables

Table AE1 Number of Children with Disabilities Subject\
to Unilateral Removal by School Personnel\
for Drug or Weapon Offenses, Removal\
Based on a Hearing Officer Determination\
Regarding Likely Injury, or Long-Term\
Suspension/Expulsion, During the 1998-99\
School Year A-310

Table AE2 Percentage of Children (Based on Child\
Count) with Disabilities Subject to\
Unilateral Removal by School Personnel\
for Drug or Weapon Offenses, Removal\
Based on a Hearing Officer Determination\
Regarding Likely Injury, or Long-Term\
Suspension/Expulsion, During the 1998-99\
School Year A-324

Table AE3 Number of Children with Disabilities Subject\
to Unilateral Removal by School Personnel\
for Drug or Weapon Offenses or Removal\
Based on a Hearing Officer Determination\
Regarding Likely Injury, During the 1998-99\
School Year by Race/Ethnicity A-338

Table AE4 Percentage of Children (Based on Child\
Count) with Disabilities Subject to Unilateral Removal by School
Personnel for Drug or\
Weapon Offenses or Removal Based on a\
Hearing Officer Determination Regarding\
Likely Injury, During the 1998-99 School\
Year by Race/Ethnicity A-343

Section F. Population and Enrollment Tables

Table AF1 Estimated Resident Population for Children\
Ages 3-21 A-348

Table AF2 Estimated Resident Population for Children Birth Through Age 2
A-349

**Contents** (continued)

[Page]{.underline}

Table AF3 Estimated Resident Population for Children\
Ages 3-5 A-350

Table AF4 Estimated Resident Population for Children\
Ages 6-17 A-351

Table AF5 Estimated Resident Population for Children\
Ages 18-21 A-352

Table AF6 Estimated Resident Population (Number) for Children Ages Birth
Through 2 by Race/\
Ethnicity for the 1999-2000 School Year A-353

Table AF7 Estimated Resident Population (Number) for Children Ages 3-5
by Race/Ethnicity for the\
1998-99 School Year A-355

Table AF8 Estimated Resident Population (Number) for Children Ages 6-21
by Race/Ethnicity for\
the 1998-99 School Year A-357

Table AF9 Enrollment for Students in Grades\
Pre-Kindergarten Through Twelve A-359

Section G. Financial Table

Table AG1 State Grant Awards Under IDEA, Part B, Preschool Grant Program
and Part C A-360

Section H. Early Intervention Tables

Table AH1 Number of Infants and Toddlers Receiving Early Intervention
Services December 1,\
1999 A-361

Table AH2 Number of At-Risk Infants and Toddlers\
Receiving Early Intervention Services\
(Duplicated Count) December 1, 1999 A-362

**Contents** (continued)

[Page]{.underline}

Table AH3 Early Intervention Services on IFSPs Provided to Infants,
Toddlers, and Their Families in Accordance with Part C\
December 1, 1998 A-363

Table AH4 Number and Type of Personnel Employed and Contracted To
Provide Early Intervention\
Services to Infants and Toddlers with\
Disabilities and Their Families, December 1,\
1998 A-366

Table AH5 Number of Infants and Toddlers Birth Through Age 2 Served in
Different Early Intervention Settings Under Part C,\
December 1, 1998 A-370

Table AH6 Number of Infants and Toddlers Ages Birth\
Through 2 Exiting Part C Programs, During\
the 1998-99 School Year A-372

Table AH7 Number of Infants and Toddlers Ages Birth\
Through 2 Served Under IDEA, Part C by\
Race/Ethnicity, During the 1999-2000\
School Year A-374

Table AH8 Number of Infants and Toddlers Ages Birth\
Through 2 Served Under IDEA, Part C by\
Race/Ethnicity: At Risk, December 1, 1999 A-376

Table AH9 Percentage of Students Ages Birth Through\
2 Served Under IDEA, Part C by Race/\
Ethnicity, Based on Estimated Population,\
During the 1999-2000 School Year A-378

Table AH10 Number of Infants and Toddlers Birth\
Through Age 2 by Early Intervention\
Services Provided by Race/Ethnicity, During\
the 1998-99 School Year A-379

**Contents** (continued)

[Page]{.underline}

Table AH11 Number of Infants and Toddlers with\
Disabilities and Their Families Served\
Under Part C, by Program Settings and\
Race/Ethnicity in Accordance with Part C,\
During the 1998-99 School Year A-409

Table AH12 Number of Infants and Toddlers Ages Birth\
Through 2 Exiting Part C Programs, by Race/ Ethnicity, During the
1998-99 School Year A-429

**Appendix B.** Technical Assistance to States: The Regional Resource
and\
Federal Center Network

List of Tables

[Page]{.underline}

Table I-1 Number and Percentage of Students Age 14 and Older with
Disabilities Graduating with a Standard Diploma or Dropping\
Out, 1998-99 I-4

Table I-2 Number and Percentage of Students Age 14 and Older with
Disabilities Graduating with a Standard Diploma by Race/\
Ethnicity, 1998-99 I-5

Table I-3 Percentage of Students Receiving Special Education Services\
Who Participated in State Assessments I-8

Table I-4 Summary of Reports on Educational Results on Students with
Disabilities I-10

Table I-5 Status of Alternate Assessments Across States I-15

Table I-6 Percentage of Successful Predictions for ITBS Scores Below\
the Mean in Illinois I-37

Table I-7 Steps for Conducting a Functional Behavioral Assessment and\
Implementing a Behavioral Intervention Plan I-41

Table I-8 Milestone Attainment in Different Domains by Age Group at\
Entry to Early Intervention Services I-52

Table I-9 Families' Perceptions of Entering Early Intervention, the
IFSP\
Process, and the Initial Services Provided I-56

Table II-1 Functional Characteristics of Children Entering Early\
Intervention as Reported by Caregivers II-3

Table II-2 Birth Histories of Children Entering Early Intervention II-5

Table II-3 Health Status of Children Entering Early Intervention II-7

Table II-4 Behaviors of Children Entering Early Intervention as
Reported\
by Their Caregivers II-9

Table II-5 Family Structure of Children Entering Early Intervention
II-11

**List of Tables** (continued)

[Page]{.underline}

Table II-6 Socioeconomic Characteristics of Families of Children\
Entering Early Intervention II-13

Table II-7 Comparison of Race/Ethnicity Representation in the Part B\
and General Preschool Populations for 1999-2000 II-20

Table II-8 Changes in Number of Students Ages 6 Through 21 Served\
Under IDEA by Disability Category, 1990-1991 and\
1999-2000 II-23

Table II-9 Percentage and Number of Children Served Under IDEA\
by Disability and Age Group During the 1999-2000 School\
Year: High-Incidence Disabilities II-26

Table II-10 Percentage of Students Ages 6 Through 21 Served by\
Disability and Race/Ethnicity, 1999-2000 School Year II-27

Table II-11 Students in Need of and Enrolled in LEP Services by\
Race/Ethnicity 1997 II-34

Table III-1 Percentage of Students Ages 6 Through 21 with Disabilities\
Educated Outside the Regular Class Less than 21 Percent of\
the School Day and the Percentage Served in Regular School Buildings:
1984 to 1998 III-2

Table III-2 Percentage of Students Ages 6 Through 21 with Disabilities\
Served in Different Educational Environments: 1998-99 III-4

Table III-3 Family Involvement in School Activities, by Disability\
Category III-11

Table III-4 Family Involvement in Activities Related to Students\'\
Disabilities, by Disability Category III-13

Table III-5 At-Home Educational Support Activities, by Student\
Disability Category III-19

Table III-6 Family Involvement, by Student Age III-22

Table III-7 Family Involvement, by Household Income III-25

**List of Tables** (continued)

[Page]{.underline}

Table III-8 Family Involvement, by Student Ethnicity III-28

Table III-9 Proportion of Administrators Viewing New Special Education\
Hires To Be Excellent Personnel by Size of School District III-37

Table III-10 Percent of Districts Using Different Methods To Recruit\
Special Education Teachers and Related Services Providers III-38

Table III-11 Percent of Districts Using Different Selection Criteria
for\
General and Special Education Teachers III-41

Table III-12 Percent of Districts Viewing Factors as a Barrier To\
Obtaining Qualified Special Education Teachers in the Last\
3 Years III-42

Table III-13 Early Intervention Services Received by Children and
Families\
During the First 6 Months, as Reported by Service Providers III-49

Table III-14 Locations of Early Intervention Services Received During\
the First 6 Months After the Initial IFSP as Reported by\
Service Providers III-51

Table III-15 Types of Providers of Early Intervention Services to\
Children and Families During the First 6 Months After\
the Initial IFSP as Reported by Service Providers III-52

Table III-16 Reasons Children and Families Missed Early Intervention\
Services During the First 6 Months After the Initial IFSP\
as Reported by Service Providers III-54

Table IV-1 Schedule of 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 Continuous\
Improvement Monitoring Reviews IV-6

Table IV-2 Summary Table for OSEP's National Assessment Program IV-38

Table A-1 State Reporting Patterns for IDEA, Part B Child Count\
Data 1999-00, Other Data 1998-99 A-449

List of Figures

[Page]{.underline}

Figure I-1 Percentage of Students Age 14 and Older Graduating with a\
Standard Diploma, 1993-94 to 1998-99 I-2

Figure I-2 Special Education Dropout Rates, 1993-94 to 1998-99 I-3

Figure I-3 Differences on Criterion-Referenced Mathematics Tests
Between\
8^th^ Grade Students with and Without Disabilities in 10 States I-11

Figure I-4 Change in Test Participation Rates of Students with
Disabilities\
Over Previous Testing Years I-13

Figure I-5 Changes in Test Performance Levels of Students with
Disabilities\
Over Previous Testing Years I-14

Figure II-1 Distribution of General Health Status Rating of Children in\
Early Intervention Versus Children Under 5 General\
Population II-8

Figure II-2 Preschoolers Receiving Services Under Part B 1992-93 -\
1999-2000 II-18

Figure II-3 Percentage of Students with Disabilities Served Under Part
B\
of IDEA by Age Group, 1990-91 and 1999-2000 II-25

Figure III-1 Percentage of Children Ages 6 Through 21 with
High-Incidence Disabilities Served in Regular School Buildings During
the\
1998-99 School Year III-5

Figure III-2 Family Involvement in School Activities III-9

Executive Summary

In the 1997 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA), Congress directed the U.S. Department of Education
to undertake a national assessment of activities carried out under the
Act (§674(b)). This volume of the *Annual Report to Congress on the
Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act*
includes a number of modules reporting on the results of the National
Assessment, as stipulated in Section 674(b)(4)(B) of the IDEA Amendments
of 1997. For this reason, the format of this report varies somewhat from
that of other recent volumes.

## Section I---Results

The results section includes five modules. The first module presents
State-reported data on high school graduation rates for students with
disabilities. The second provides information about the participation
and performance of students with disabilities in State assessment
systems. It also discusses alternate assessments. The third module
describes challenges to providing secondary education and transition
services to youth with disabilities and presents strategies for meeting
those challenges. Outcomes for Students with Problem Behaviors in School
is the fourth module. It examines trends and outcomes for students with
problem behaviors and describes effective prevention practices. The last
module in this section presents data from the National Early
Intervention Longitudinal Study (NEILS).

## *High School Graduation Among Students with Disabilities*

-   Graduation rates for students age 14 and older with disabilities
    have climbed steadily since 1993-94. During this same time, the
    dropout rate among this population has declined.

-   Graduation rates for students age 14 and older with disabilities
    varied by disability category; students with visual impairments had
    the highest graduation rate, while students with emotional
    disturbance had the lowest graduation rate.

-   Graduation rates also varied by race/ethnicity, ranging from 63.4
    percent among white students to 43.5 percent among black students.

Participation and Performance of Students with Disabilities in State
Assessment Systems

-   According to public reports collected from States in 1999,
    participation rates in State assessments varied from 33 percent to
    97 percent of students with disabilities. The performance levels of
    students with disabilities also varied widely.

-   The assessment participation rates of students with disabilities
    have increased in over half of the States and remained the same in
    another 25 percent of States. Only one State reported participation
    rates that are lower than in previous years.

-   Differences in data collection and management systems may contribute
    to difficulties in reporting data for students with disabilities.

Challenges To Providing Secondary Education and Transition Services for
Youth with Disabilities

-   Individual education program (IEP) teams must work to ensure that
    high expectations are maintained and students with disabilities are
    afforded opportunities to develop skills through a wide range of
    curricular options, including vocational education, service
    learning, community work experience, and adult living skills.

-   Diversity in graduation requirements is complicated by an
    increasingly diverse set of possible diploma options within
    individual States. In addition to the standard high school diploma,
    some States offer special education diplomas, certificates of
    completion, occupational diplomas, and others.

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-   Because of the critical role that parents play in assisting their
    children in making the transition from school to adult life,
    additional attention must be given to establishing strategies and
    methods needed to actively engage them in discussions and decisions
    concerning school and postschool options.

Outcomes for Students with Problem Behaviors in School: Issues,
Predictors, and Practices

-   About 50 percent of students identified under IDEA as having
    emotional and behavioral disorders drop out of school. Once they
    leave school, these students lack the social skills necessary to be
    successfully employed; they consequently suffer from low employment
    levels and poor work histories.

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-   Poverty is the single greatest predictor of academic and social
    failure in America's schools.

-   For students with problem behavior, positive behavioral supports
    help to prevent many of the predictable behavior problems that
    typically begin a pattern of escalating academic and social
    failures.

### *Results Experienced by Children and Families Entering Early Intervention*

-   Data on physical health indicate that many parents of children
    entering early intervention reported their child's health to be very
    good or excellent; however, the proportions were smaller than those
    reported for the general child population under age 5.

-   Children who begin early intervention at less than 12 months of age
    are much more likely to have a diagnosed condition or a risk
    condition.

-   In NEILS, several different long-term outcomes for former recipients
    of early intervention are being examined, including the need for
    future services, physical health, developmental attainments,
    academic skills, memberships in groups such as being a member of a
    sports team, and interpersonal relationships such as friendships.

#### Section II---Student Characteristics

This section contains information about the characteristics of children
and students receiving services under IDEA. The populations reported are
children and families entering early intervention, preschoolers,
students ages 6 through 21, and limited-English-proficient (LEP)
students with disabilities.

#### *Characteristics of Children and Families Entering Early Intervention*

-   In 1999-2000, 205,769 children and their families in the United
    States received early intervention services under Part C of IDEA.
    This figure represents 1.8 percent of the Nation's infants and
    toddlers.

-   Among the children receiving early intervention, there was a high
    incidence of children of very low birth weight in all racial/ethnic
    groups, but the proportions differed by race/ethnicity.

-   Families of nearly all children in early intervention reported that
    their children had a place to go for regular medical care and were
    covered by health insurance.

### *Preschoolers Served Under IDEA*

-   States reported serving 588,300 preschool children with disabilities
    during the 1999-2000 school year, or 5 percent of all preschoolers
    who lived in the United States and Outlying Areas during the year.

-   State-reported data for 1999-2000 indicate that 67 percent of
    preschoolers who received services under IDEA were white, 16 percent
    were black, 14 percent were Hispanic, 2 percent were Asian/Pacific
    Islander, and 1 percent were American Indian/Alaska Native.

-   The racial distribution of preschool children served was generally
    comparable between 1998-99 and 1999-2000. From 1998-99 to 1999-2000,
    the proportion of Hispanic preschoolers served grew by 1.7 percent,
    while the proportion of white preschoolers served declined 1.6
    percent.

### *Students Ages 6 Through 21 Served Under IDEA*

-   The number of students ages 6 through 21 with disabilities served
    under Part B of IDEA reached 5,683,707, a 2.6 percent increase over
    the 1998-99 school year.

-   Specific learning disabilities continued to be the most prevalent
    disability among this population, representing half of the students
    with disabilities served under IDEA.

-   Black students with disabilities exceeded their representation among
    the resident population. The most striking disparities were in the
    mental retardation and developmental delay categories.

### *Limited English Proficient Students with Disabilities*

-   The Office for Civil Rights estimated that 174,530 students with
    disabilities needed services for limited English proficiency in
    1997.

-   Although LEP students in the United States come from a variety of
    national, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds, the majority are
    from Spanish-speaking homes. Spanish was the first language of
    almost 73 percent of LEP students.

-   Researchers believe that culturally and linguistically diverse
    students may be disadvantaged in the assessment and evaluation
    process.

#### Section III---Programs and Services

The five modules in this section examine some of the programs and
services available within schools for children with disabilities and
their families and include preliminary results on programs and services
from the National Assessment Program studies. The module on educational
environments contains State-reported data on the settings in which
children receive services. The second module presents data on family
involvement and elementary and middle school students from the Special
Education Elementary Longitudinal Study (SEELS). Special Education
Teacher Recruitment and Hiring is the third module. It provides data and
analyses from the Study of Personnel Needs in Special Education
(SPeNSE). The fourth module uses NEILS data to describe the services
received by children and families entering early intervention. The last
module in this section describes SLIIDEA (State and Local Implementation
of IDEA) and presents preliminary findings.

### *Educational Environments for Students with Disabilities*

-   The percentage of students ages 6 through 21 with disabilities
    served in both regular schools and in regular education classes
    within those schools has continually increased.

-   Of the students ages 6 through 21 served outside the regular
    classroom for less than 21 percent of the school day, approximately
    70 percent were white, 14 percent were black, 12 percent were
    Hispanic, 2 percent were Asian/Pacific Islander, and 1 percent were
    American Indian/Alaska Native.

-   Students with emotional disturbance, mental retardation, and
    multiple disabilities were more likely to receive services outside
    the regular classroom for more than 60 percent of the school day.

Family Involvement in the Education of Elementary and Middle School
Students Receiving Special Education

-   Information from the first SEELS family interview portrays several
    dimensions of family involvement for students with disabilities and
    their variation for students with different disabilities, ages,
    racial/ethnic backgrounds, and household incomes.

-   Participation in parent information, support, or training sessions
    was fairly consistent across income levels.

-   Families that expressed reservations about their level of
    involvement in the individualized education program process were
    disproportionately from black, Hispanic, and Asian/Pacific Islander
    families and from low-income households.

### *Special Education Teacher Recruitment and Hiring*

-   SPeNSE was designed to address concerns about nationwide shortages
    in the number of personnel serving students with disabilities and
    the need for improvement in the qualifications of those employed.

-   As of October 1, 1999, there were 12,241 funded positions left
    vacant or filled by substitutes because suitable candidates could
    not be found. While administrators were able to hire only some of
    the new teachers they needed, they felt that 85 percent of all newly
    hired teachers and service providers in the last three years were
    excellent at the time they started.

-   Two additional barriers to hiring cited by administrators are the
    district's geographic location and insufficient salary and benefits.
    Both were cited as great or moderate barriers to hiring by 50
    percent or more of the administrators.

### *Services Received by Children and Families Entering Early Intervention*

-   Most families receiving services under Part C received between two
    and six different services.

-   The most common types of early intervention providers were service
    coordinators, speech and language therapists, occupational and
    physical therapists, child development specialists, and special
    educators.

-   Service providers gave positive progress ratings for the majority of
    children receiving services under Part C.

### *Using Implementation Data To Study State, District, and School Impacts*

-   SLIIDEA's charge is to understand both the implementation and the
    impact of policy changes made in the IDEA Amendments of 1997 at the
    State, district, and school levels.

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-   It is expected that SLIIDEA will show evidence that States and
    localities have to various degrees addressed issues such as service
    coordination, accountability systems, and procedural safeguards
    needed to achieve the goals of IDEA.

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-   States can use legislation, written requirements, or guidance and
    inducements such as incentives, rewards, sanctions, technical
    assistance, financial assistance, and accountability through public
    reporting to influence special education activities at the local
    level.

#### Section IV---Policies

This section of the annual report contains three modules. The modules
describe State improvement and monitoring activities, the planning
process used to develop the Part D National Activities Program, and the
National Assessment Program.

#### *State Improvement and Monitoring*

-   Many of the States that OSEP has monitored during the past three
    years do not yet have effective systems for identifying and
    correcting noncompliance with Part C requirements.

-   OSEP found that some States have gone beyond the Part C requirements
    to develop especially strong linkages between parents, the Part C
    system, and school districts to support smooth and effective
    transition.

-   In the past three years, OSEP has found that noncompliance regarding
    transition requirements persists in many States. Although more IEPs
    for students age 16 or older now include transition content, the
    statements of needed transition services do not meet Part B
    requirements.

The Comprehensive Planning Process for the IDEA Part D National
Activities Program: Challenge and Opportunity

-   OSEP conducted long-term planning sessions with staff, gathering
    information about the lessons learned from prior planning efforts
    and recommendations for the new process.

-   The process incorporates collaboration with regular education and
    other Federal offices and agencies as well as direct input from
    grassroots consumers at the family, school, community, and State
    levels.

-   OSEP looks upon the expert-based opinion provided by the five panels
    thus far in the National Activities Program planning process as the
    beginning of an ongoing conversation between the agency and
    stakeholder representatives.

### *The Office of Special Education Programs' National Assessment Program*

-   The National Early Intervention Longitudinal Study (NEILS) looks at
    infants and toddlers and their families who are receiving early
    intervention services through Part C of IDEA. The study will
    describe the characteristics of program participants, the type and
    level of services they are receiving and who is providing them, the
    outcomes realized by children and families during Part C
    participation, and the association of characteristics of the
    participants and services with outcomes.

-   PEELS (Pre-elementary Education Longitudinal Study) will study
    children ages three to five. Study focuses will include an
    examination of the critical transition between preschool and
    kindergarten and of outcomes achieved by students who participated
    in preschool special education programs.

-   The Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study (SEELS) will
    follow a nationally representative sample of students as they move
    from elementary to middle school and from middle to high school.

-   The National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS-2) will collect
    data on students ages 13 to 16 to determine their individual and
    household characteristics; achievement scores on standardized
    assessments; secondary school performance and outcomes; and early
    adult outcomes in the employment, education, independence, and
    social domains.

-   SPeNSE (Study of Personnel Needs in Special Education) focuses on
    the adequacy of the workforce and will attempt to explain variation
    in workforce quantity and quality based on State and district
    policy.

-   The State and Local Implementation of IDEA (SLIIDEA) study was
    designed to evaluate the implementation and impact of IDEA with a
    focus on implementation issues in six cluster areas.

-   SEEP (Special Education Expenditure Project) examines how Federal,
    State, and local funds are used to support programs and services for
    students with disabilities.