Lessons from Policy Decisions: Politics and Services for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders.

The change in the label of significantly identifiable emotional/behavioral disorder to significantly identifiable emotional disorder did not result in a significant change in the numbers of students identified in this category. Policy implications of the deci sion process are discussed along with recommendations for more visibility in the policy area. In spite of an ever accelerating flow of information, research, and ideas, decisions made in state legislatures continue to be driven by reactions to perceptions of public opinion, special interest groups, and limited funding. Understanding the political arena within which policy decisions are made is an essential component of our work as advocates, researchers, teachers, and family members of children and youth with emotional and behavioral disor ders. Often, the pragmatic nature of legislative institutions clashes with the rationalist per spective of most social scientists and educators. This clash neutralizes and perhaps even prevents research driven policy development and implementation. As a result, researchers, educators, and family members react to rather than create the impetus for change at a fed eral or state policy level. As discovered in Colorado, the critical points for information shar ing and education occur long before actual policy decisions are made. Additional information made available during the decision process rarely impacts outcomes. Thus, an understand ing of the nature of the decision-making process should make us more proficient at ensuring that policies for children and youth support and expand our capacities to provide compre hensive and effective services. Colorado's recent experience with policy change regarding the definition of students with emotional and behavioral disorders may provide some direc tion for professionals and families to impact policy decisions. Prior to June 1990, students in Colorado who qualified for special education services as a result of emotional or behavioral disabilities were labeled as having a significantly identifi able emotional or behavioral disorder (SIEBD). In June 1990, House Bill 90-1137 removed the term behavioral from SIEBD and redefined this category as significantly identifiable emotional disorder (SIED). There were a number of factors that precipitated this policy change. Environmental Forces that Precipitated the Change in Definition First, the lobby for early childhood education had gained strong grassroots support across the state. The 1989-1990 legislative session was the last opportunity Colorado had to man date preschool education for children with special needs between the ages of 3 and 5. Without this mandate, Colorado would have lost federal special education support for per sonnel training programs in higher education, its pilot preschool projects in a variety of school districts, and the opportunity to compete for other monies being made available through Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Second, given the recessive nature of the Colorado economy, tax increases were not po litically feasible. Existing monies had to be reallocated in order to preserve the preschool