Contractors: Abt Associates, Westat, and Windwalker Corporation
Key Staff:
Fran O'Reilly, (Abt Associates)
Marjorie Levin (Abt Associates)
Thomas Fiore (Westat)
Research Questions:
Design: This contract is supporting new data collection from State agencies and school districts to address implementation questions for the National Assessment of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 in the four broad areas targeted for this study: (1) identification of children for early intervention and special education; (2) early intervention service delivery systems and coordination with special education; (3) academic standards and personnel qualifications; and (4) dispute resolution and mediation.
Data collection includes three surveys of state administrators: (1) Part B administrators responsible for programs providing special education services to school aged children with disabilities (6-21); (2) 619 coordinators who oversee preschool programs for children with disabilities ages 3-5, and; (3) IDEA Part C coordinators who are responsible for early intervention programs serving infants and toddlers. A fourth survey will collect district level data from a nationally representative sample of local special education administrators about preschool and school-age programs for children with disabilities ages 3-21. New survey data on IDEA implementation will be analyzed together with relevant information from State and Federal websites and from pre-exisiting surveys of SEAs and school districts. Data collection is scheduled to occur during the fall of 2008.
Duration: 30 months (September, 2007 to March, 2010)
Reports: The final report on this study will be announced on http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/.
Current Status: (August 2008) Contract was awarded in September 2007. An analysis plan and all surveys have been developed and an OMB package has been submitted.