During 1995-96, 4.78 percent of students with emotional disturbance were served in residential settings, in hospitals, or at home, in contrast to 1.22 percent of all students with disabilities. According to the NLTS, of the students with emotional disturbance who were served in regular education environments, only 11 percent had behavior management plans. Three key provisions in the IDEA Amendments of 1997 address these issues. The second is that IEP teams must explore the need for strategies and support systems to address any behavior that may impede the learning of a child with a disability or that of his or her peers. The third provision requires States to address the needs of in-service and preservice personnel, as they relate to the development and implementation of positive intervention strategies.
Some schools achieve high outcomes for students with emotional disturbance.
These schools have high behavioral and academic expectations and provide students and staff with the support needed to achieve those standards. They combine schoolwide prevention efforts with early intervention for students who are at risk of developing emotional disturbance, and individualized services for students already identified with emotional disturbance. Results Not surprisingly, many students with emotional disturbance experience poor academic results. Gender, race, and poverty mediate service provision and results for students with emotional disturbance. Failure to address the needs of students with emotional disturbance is a portent for poor community results as well as poor academic results.