Effects of State-Level Funding Systems on Identification Rates of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Identification rates of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have been increasing since the year 2000, while federal special education funding has remained stagnant. Researchers gathered data from states related to individual state funding systems, per pupil spending and identification rates of students with ASD to determine if state spending or special education funding methods affected identification rates of students with ASD. While specific funding methodology did not predict rates of identification or PPS, a correlational analysis of individual state PPS and ASD identification rates did have significant results. Spending amounts per pupil corresponded to rates of identification for ASD

Effects of State-Level Funding Systems on Rates of Students Identified as Other Health Impaired

Since 1978, the Education for All Handicapped Children’s Act (now IDEA) committed Congress to provide 40 percent of the average per pupil spending to educate children with disabilities. While states have used a variety of special education funding formulas to attempt to meet the needs of children with disabilities, the funding has never approached the 40 percent benchmark, forcing states to creatively supplement federal dollars. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between school funding formulas and identification of students with other health impairment (OHI). The relationship between special education funding formulas and per pupil spending (PPS) was also examined. Results indicated no formula was predictive for identification; however, PPS highly correlated to OHI identification rates. Better understanding of special education funding formulas and how they impact OHI diagnosis frequency and per pupil spending (PPS) is important for special education policymakers at the state and federal levels

An investigation of the effects of a comprehensive language program on the emergent literacy skills of migrant children

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a comprehensive language program (i.e., Stepping Stones to Literacy ; Nelson, Cooper, & Gonzalez, 2004; Language For Learning ; Engelmann & Osborn, 1999) on the emergent literacy skills (i.e. oral language, phonological awareness, and alphabetic recognition) of migrant Hispanic preschool children when compared to non-migrant Hispanic peers. Results revealed two findings: (a) children in both the migrant and non-migrant groups evidenced moderate to large gains on all four emergent literacy measures throughout the program and (b) children in the migrant treatment group did not evidence statistically significant improvements in emergent literacy skills when compared to the non-migrant Hispanic control group. Between-subjects effect sizes show a moderate gain in oral language (ES = 0.42) but larger gains by the non-migrant children for the other measures of emergent literacy (ES = −0.32 to −0.37). These findings are not consistent with the outcomes of previous research assessing the effects of literacy interventions on the emergent literacy skills of young children

Convergent Validity with the BERS-2 Teacher Rating Scale and the Achenbach Teacher\u27s Report Form: A Replication and Extension

In the present study, we sought to extend instrument validation research for a strength-based emotional and behavior rating scale, the Teacher Rating Scale of the Behavior and Emotional Rating Scale-Second Edition (BERS-2; Epstein, M. H. (2004). Behavioral and emotional rating scale (2nd ed.). Austin, TX: PRO-ED) through the use of convergent validation techniques. The associations between the strength-based domains of the BERS-2 were examined in relation to problem syndrome subscales of the Teacher\u27s Report Form (TRF; Achenbach, T. M. (1991b). Manual for the teacher\u27s report form and 1991 profile . Burlington: University of Vermont, Department of Psychiatry). Both measures were conducted with 58 students with emotional disturbance in grades 2 through 12. The overall convergent validity of the BERS-2 and the TRF was strong, particularly for TRF externalizing problems and associated syndromes. However, less evidence emerged for the convergence of domain subscales characterized by behaviors of an internalizing nature. These results provide further support for the use of the BERS-2 in the assessment of the social and behavioral functioning of students with emotional disturbance

An Extension Convergent Validity Study of the Systematic Screening for Behavior Disorders and the Achenbach Teacher\u27s Report Form with Middle and High School Students with Emotional Disturbances

We sought to extend instrument validation research for the Systematic Screening for Behavior Disorders (SSBD) (Walker & Severson, 1990) using convergent validation techniques. Associations between Critical Events, Adaptive Behavior, and Maladaptive Behavior indices of the SSBD were examined in relation to syndrome, broadband, and total scores of the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist-Teacher\u27s Report Form (TRF) (Achenbach, 2001). Both measures were conducted with 65 students with emotional disturbance in grades 6 through 12. Overall convergent validity of the SSBD and TRF was strong, particularly for TRF externalizing problems and associated syndromes. Results provide further support for use of the SSBD in the assessment of behavioral functioning of students with emotional disturbance and extend validation for use of this instrument with secondary students