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The Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC), formerly known as the Elementary and Secondary School Civil Rights Survey, is a part of the U.S. Department of Education's (ED's) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) strategy for administering and enforcing civil rights laws in U.S. public school districts and schools, including Puerto Rico.The CRDC collects a variety of information including student enrollment (preschool to grade 12); student access to rigorous courses, programs, resources, instructional and other school staff; and school climate factors such as student discipline and harassment and bullying. Much of the data is disaggregated by race/ethnicity, sex, disability, and whether students are English learners. OCR relies on CRDC data to investigate complaints alleging discrimination, determine whether civil rights laws have been violated, initiate proactive compliance reviews, and provide policy guidance and technical assistance to education institutions, parents, students, and communities. The purpose of this document is to serve as a supplemental resource to the "Forum Guide to Reporting Civil Rights Data" (ED590424) by recommending best practices for state education agencies (SEAs) that support their local education agencies (LEAs') reporting of civil rights data to ED.

Among the great challenges posed to democracy today is the use of technology, data, and automated systems in ways that threaten the rights of the American public. Too often, these tools are used to limit our opportunities and prevent our access to critical resources or services. These problems are well documented. In America and around the world, systems supposed to help with patient care have proven unsafe, ineffective, or biased. Algorithms used in hiring and credit decisions have been found to reflect and reproduce existing unwanted inequities or embed new harmful bias and discrimination. Unchecked social media data collection has been used to threaten people's opportunities, undermine their privacy, or pervasively track their activity--often without their knowledge or consent. To advance President Biden's vision, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy has identified five principles that should guide the design, use, and deployment of automated systems to protect the American public in the age of artificial intelligence. "The Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights" is a guide for a society that protects all people from these threats--and uses technologies in ways that reinforce our highest values. Responding to the experiences of the American public, and informed by insights from researchers, technologists, advocates, journalists, and policymakers, this framework is accompanied by a technical companion--a handbook for anyone seeking to incorporate these protections into policy and practice, including detailed steps toward actualizing these principles in the technological design process. These principles help provide guidance whenever automated systems can meaningfully impact the public's rights, opportunities, or access to critical needs.

"Transition" is a broad term, referring to the period of time during which a student with disabilities prepares to complete high school and to the process of preparation, including long-range planning, activities, and services aimed at helping the student move successfully from school into the adult world. The legal requirement that public school districts, including charter schools, provide transition planning and services to students with disabilities as part of their Individualized Education Program (IEP) helps to fulfill an important purpose of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that these students "be prepared to lead productive and independent adult lives, to the maximum extent possible." This guide helps explain transition services as well as the laws affecting the rights of students with disabilities in transition planning cases in New Jersey. [This manual, originally written by Skadden fellow Jenna L. Statfeld and published in 2011, was revised, updated, and expanded for Education Law Center by Cindy Fine.]

It is important to acknowledge the role of community participation in the efforts on the prevention of school-based bullying and harassment. There is an extensive body of research on the importance of school-family partnerships (e.g., Montemayor & Chavkin, 2016; Henderson, et al., 2007; Cohen & Freiberg, 2013; Bradshaw, 2015) and school-community partnerships (e.g., Mapp & Kuttner, 2013) in nurturing positive school climates and fostering academic outcomes for youth. Provided in this toolkit is a set of strategies from which educators might draw to support the work of building bridges with community-based actors to prevent bullying and harassment. The authors want to explicitly note that they consider families key community-based actors; not only are families incredibly knowledgeable about their own student's needs, but they are often the folks who physically bridge the contexts of school and community for youth. The strategies listed work best when integrated into an explicit, multi-tiered effort to improve school culture and climate, such that administrators, teachers, educational support providers, and families are integrated into these efforts.

The 2017-18 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) is a survey of nearly all public schools and school districts in the United States. The CRDC measures student access to courses, programs, staff, and resources that relate to Federal civil rights laws. The CRDC has long provided important information used by the U.S. Department of Education's (Department) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in its enforcement and monitoring activities. As a collection, the CRDC is an aggregate of self-collected and self-reported data. Almost all reporting entities are school districts, and the district superintendent or an authorized designee certifies that the data they submit are true and correct. This report includes data on the following: (1) Who is in the CRDC?; (2) Restraint and Seclusion; (3) Data Quality Improvements; (4) Restraint and Seclusion based on Students with Disabilities; and (5) More About the CRDC.

The coronavirus pandemic has inflicted enormous financial damage on colleges and universities and the cost is still growing. American higher education will undergo an unprecedented financial crisis in the coming months. "Critical Care" is a plan to guide the federal response to these unprecedented disruptions facing higher education in the midst of the pandemic.

This report, the sixth in this series, brings together again in partnership the Pell Institute with the Alliance for Higher Education and Democracy of the University of Pennsylvania (PennAHEAD). These reports draw from multiple sources of existing data to provide, in one place, indicators that describe trends in equity in postsecondary enrollment, choice, and degree attainment, as well as indicators of college affordability. The purposes of this equity indicators project are to: (1) Report the status of higher education equity in the United States and identify changes over time in measures of equity; (2) Identify policies and practices that promote and hinder progress; and (3) Illustrate the need for increased support of policies, programs, and practices that not only improve overall attainment in higher education but also create greater equity in higher education opportunity and outcomes. As in previous Indicators reports, the data in the 2020 Indicators show persisting inequality in higher education opportunity based on family income, race/ethnicity, parent education, geographic location and dependency status. [For "Indicators of Higher Education Equity in the United States: 2019 Historical Trend Report," see ED595444.]

"The Global Framework on Transferable Skills" has been developed to support UNICEF in delivering on the results of its "Strategic Plan 2018-2021" and "Every Child Learns: UNICEF Education Strategy 2019-2030," and provides a shared vision of work on skills development across UNICEF. The Framework guides UNICEF country offices, policymakers, programmers and educators to embed transferable skills within different education and learning systems, resulting in the systematic development of a breadth of transferable skills, at scale, across the life course and through multiple learning pathways: formal, non-formal and community based. [For "UNICEF Strategic Plan, 2018-2021," see ED608930. For "Every Child Learns: UNICEF Education Strategy 2019-2030," see ED599626.]

To help families navigate these processes, this tool is intended to introduce students and families to their rights in common scenarios, promote educational equity for students with disabilities, describe potential recourse or remedies for educational discrimination, and provide resources to enhance equity within schools. Families' rights and options under the law are extensive, so this tool highlights some common concerns for students or families about students' disability or civil rights throughout the process of qualifying for and receiving special education services. In all cases, open communication, such as requesting a meeting, can be helpful. Where the alternatives described do not lead to satisfactory outcomes, parents may also consider: (1) requesting a meeting to discuss parent's concerns; (2) requesting a mediation meeting with a third party; (3) filing a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights within 180 days of the incident. (4) writing a complaint letter to the state education agency within one year of the incident; and (5) requesting a due process hearing within two years. If parents disagree with the due process decision, they can file a civil lawsuit within 90 days of that decision.

The 2015-16 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) is a survey of public schools and school districts in the United States. The CRDC measures student access to courses, programs, staff, and resources that impact education equity and opportunity for students. The CRDC has long provided critical information used by the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights in its enforcement and monitoring activities. This report includes statistics on: (1) Serious Offenses; (2) Law Enforcement Referrals and School-Related Arrests; (3) Harassment or Bullying; (4) Restraint and Seclusion; and (5) School Discipline. The following two sections close the report: (1) Data Highlights and CRDC Endnotes; and (2) More about the CRDC. Data collected for the first time includes: (1) Serious Offenses; (2) Firearm Use; and (3) School Homicides.

In 2018 the Rhode Island (RI) Regulations Governing the Education of Children with Disabilities were revised to comply with the 2016 amendments to the RI Administrative Procedures Act. In this process members of the community requested that the RI Department of Education develop a companion document that maintained the relevant sections of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Regulations and the revised RI Regulation Governing the Education of Children with Disabilities. This guide is a result of the request from the community for a merged document of the federal and state regulations.

In 2004 and 2005, the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education (Pell Institute), sponsored by the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE), published two editions of "Indicators of Opportunity in Higher Education." In 2015, the commitment to documenting trends in higher education equity was renewed by publishing an expanded annual trend report and initiating the Search for Solutions Shared Dialogues. The "Indicators of Higher Education Equity in the United States: 2019 Historical Trend Report" directly follows on these earlier efforts. These reports draw from multiple sources of existing data to provide, in one place, indicators that describe trends in equity in postsecondary enrollment, choice, and degree attainment, as well as indicators of college affordability. The purposes of this equity indicators project are to: (1) Report the status of higher education equity in the United States and identify changes over time in measures of equity; (2) Identify policies and practices that promote and hinder progress; and (3) Illustrate the need for increased support of policies, programs, and practices that not only improve overall attainment in higher education but also create greater equity in higher education opportunity and outcomes. [For "Indicators of Opportunity in Higher Education. Fall 2004 Status Report," see ED490855. For "Indicators of Higher Education Equity in the United States: 2018 Historical Trend Report," see ED583543.]

Special education, for students ages 3 to 21, is guided by federal and state requirements. The federal requirements are referred to as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The state requirements are referred to as the Ohio Operating Standards for the Education of Children with Disabilities (Ohio Operating Standards). IDEA protects the rights of students with disabilities and the rights of their parents. The Ohio Operating Standards identify the state requirements that apply to the implementation of special education and related services to students with disabilities by school districts, county boards of developmental disabilities and other educational agencies. They provide a framework to ensure that all children receive a quality education tailored to their unique needs. This publication is meant to assist parents obtain services that their child may need in school. Knowledgeable parents are effective parents, making more informed decisions that will ultimately benefit the child's success in school and in life. A parent's involvement is critical to their child's success. [This guide was originally published in 2003. For the 2019 version, see ED601036.]

This booklet has been developed in hopes that it may aid in keeping communication open and focused between families and schools. Building communication between parents and the school staff through letters offers a way of keeping records of ideas, concerns, and suggestions. This booklet provides general guidelines to writing letters as well as sample letters to address various educational needs. [This guide was originally published in 2006. For the 2019 revision, see ED601038.]

There is no question that students who experience homelessness, like all students, are entitled to be educated. A federal law, known as the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, requires states to provide homeless children and youth with the same access to free appropriate public education as is available to other students. The Act also requires states to review and revise barriers to the identification, enrollment, attendance or success in school of homeless students, to avoid the segregation of homeless students from the mainstream school environment, and to provide access to the education and services needed to ensure that homeless students have an opportunity to meet the same challenging academic achievement standards to which all students are held. This publication is designed to help parents, guardians, caregivers, and youth understand the circumstances that are considered "homelessness" under the school enrollment laws and the legal concepts, procedures, and rights involved in disputes over the enrollment of homeless students in local public schools. This publication provides useful information for parents whose children have been enrolled in a school district but who are experiencing homelessness. It is also intended to be of assistance to homeless parents whose children are not currently enrolled in school, as well as to homeless youth not living with a parent or guardian ("unaccompanied youth"). [This guide was revised and updated by Cindy Fine in consultation with Elizabeth Athos. For the third edition to this report, see ED584831.]

The Forum Guide to Reporting Civil Rights Data presents a variety of effective methods through which local education agencies (LEAs) report civil rights data to the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights. In addition, the guide provides examples of how state education agencies can voluntarily help their LEAs with Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) reporting. The guide includes an overview of the CRDC, a discussion of the challenges and opportunities in reporting civil rights data, an explanation of the CRDC reporting process, and case studies that examine how specific education agencies report civil rights data.

Growth of voucher and education savings account (ESA) programs has drawn attention to how states ensure accountability and transparency to parents and the public. With over half of voucher and ESA programs designed for students with disabilities, there is interest in the information parents receive about special education services and rights when enrolling in choice programs. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) was asked to examine these topics in depth. This report examines: (1) academic, administrative, and financial accountability mechanisms in private choice programs; (2) information available to the public and families on private choice programs and participating schools; and (3) how parents of students with disabilities are informed about changes in rights when enrolling in private choice programs. GAO analyzed information from all voucher and ESA programs operating in January 2017 and interviewed stakeholders. GAO also reviewed websites of a nationally representative sample of private voucher schools and worked with private choice groups and national organizations to contact and interview families that recently interacted with a choice program. GAO recommends that Congress consider requiring states to notify parents/guardians about changes in federal special education rights when a parent moves a child from public to private school. In addition, GAO recommends that the Department of Education review and correct inaccurate Individuals with Disabilities Education Act-related information provided by states.

The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released joint guidance on January 7, 2015, reminding states, school districts, and schools of their obligations under federal law to ensure that English Learners (ELs) have equal access to a high-quality education and the opportunity to achieve their full academic potential. In this context, the Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) at the U.S. Department of Education (the Department) has provided the "English Learner (EL) Tool Kit," a companion to the OCR's and DOJ's "Dear Colleague Letter" (DCL) (see ED578886). The tool kit is designed to help state and local education agencies (SEAs and LEAs) in meeting their legal obligations to ELs and in providing all ELs with the support needed to attain English language proficiency while meeting college- and career-readiness standards. The "EL Tool Kit" is intended primarily for state, district, and school administrators, as well as teachers, but may also inform other stakeholders concerned with the education of ELs. The 10 chapters of the "EL Tool Kit," originally published in serial form over a number of months, correspond to the 10 sections of the January 2015 DCL. Each chapter provides (1) explanations of the civil rights and other legal obligations to ELs; (2) checklists SEAs, LEAs, and schools can use as self-monitoring tools; (3) sample tools that may be used or adapted for use in SEAs, LEAs, and schools to aid with compliance; and (4) additional resources that may provide further relevant information and assistance.

There is no question that students who experience homelessness, like all students, are entitled to be educated. A federal law, known as the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, requires states to provide homeless children and youth with the same access to free appropriate public education as is available to other students. The Act also requires states to review and revise barriers to the identification, enrollment, attendance or success in school of homeless students, to avoid the segregation of homeless students from the mainstream school environment, and to provide access to the education and services needed to ensure that homeless students have an opportunity to meet the same challenging academic achievement standards to which all students are held. The federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), aimed at ensuring all students access to a high-quality education, requires states and local school districts to annually publish data about the academic achievement of various subgroups of students; homeless students are now a separate subgroup for which such data (including high school graduation rates) must be reported annually, enhancing the accountability of school districts serving these students. This publication is designed to help parents, guardians, caregivers, and youth understand the circumstances that are considered "homelessness" under the school enrollment laws and the legal concepts, procedures, and rights involved in disputes over the enrollment of homeless students in local public schools. This publication provides useful information for parents whose children have been enrolled in a school district, but who are experiencing homelessness. It is also intended to be of assistance to homeless parents whose children are not currently enrolled in school, as well as to homeless youth not living with a parent or guardian ("unaccompanied youth"). [For an older version of this report published in 2005, "Education Rights of Homeless Students: A Guide for Advocates," see ED504916.]

This report highlights the critical role family literacy and learning play in breaking down barriers between different learning contexts and engaging hard-to-reach adults and children in education. This report was developed as part of a family learning project initiated by the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) in 2016. Based on the experiences of promising family literacy and learning programmes implemented in all world regions, with a particular focus on sub-Saharan Africa, it provides stakeholders in Member States with evidence-informed guidance on how to develop, implement, monitor and evaluate a pilot family learning programme, stressing, in particular, the value of an intergenerational approach in addressing the learning needs of disadvantaged families and communities.

The U.S. Department of Education (the Department) has developed the "Resource Guide: Building a Bright Future for All" (Guide) to assist and enhance State and local efforts to support immigrant children from birth through the elementary grades. The second section of this Guide is a handbook for parents of immigrant children in early learning programs and elementary schools for school staff and community-based organizations to share with the families with whom they work. The Department hopes that early childhood and elementary school teachers, principals and directors, other staff, and community-based organizations will use the contents of this Guide to better support these children and their families, and promote educational equity and opportunity for all children.

Everyone needs a bit of help sometimes, but it can be difficult to know what support is available, or who or how to ask. The National Apprenticeship Service is committed to making sure apprenticeships are open and available to all individuals. This guide explains what support apprentices can expect during their apprenticeship programme and where they might go to for help. Whether at the start of a career or progressing higher up the career ladder, it's essential to know what support is available and how this can be accessed. This guide covers support needs relating to: (1) contracts/employment; (2) finances; (3) learning and development; and (4) health and wellbeing.

Forty years ago, the Supreme Court of the United States determined that in order for public schools to comply with their legal obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), they must take affirmative steps to ensure that students with limited English proficiency (LEP) can meaningfully participate in their educational programs and services. That same year, Congress enacted the Equal Educational Opportunities Act (EEOA), which confirmed that public schools and State educational agencies (SEAs) must act to overcome language barriers that impede equal participation by students in their instructional programs. Ensuring that SEAs and school districts are equipped with the tools and resources to meet their responsibilities to LEP students, who are now more commonly referred to as English Learner (EL) students or English Language Learner students, is as important today as it was then. EL students are now enrolled in nearly three out of every four public schools in the nation, they constitute nine percent of all public school students, and their numbers are steadily increasing. It is crucial to the future of our nation that these students, and all students, have equal access to a high-quality education and the opportunity to achieve their full academic potential. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) share authority for enforcing Title VI in the education context. The Departments are issuing the enclosed joint guidance to assist SEAs, school districts, and all public schools in meeting their legal obligations to ensure that EL students can participate meaningfully and equally in educational programs and services. This guidance provides an outline of the legal obligations of SEAs and school districts to EL students under the civil rights laws. Additionally, the guidance discusses compliance issues that frequently arise in OCR and DOJ investigations under Title VI and the EEOA and offers approaches that SEAs and school districts may use to meet their Federal obligations to EL students. The guidance also includes discussion of how SEAs and school districts can implement their Title III grants and subgrants in a manner consistent with these civil rights obligations. Finally, the guidance discusses the Federal obligation to ensure that LEP parents and guardians have meaningful access to district- and school-related information.

As part of the Canadian Teachers' Federation's (CTF) ongoing work on education-related Aboriginal issues, CTF conducted a survey to seek out the perspectives of classroom teachers on diverse topics related to Aboriginal education with a view to informing practice and policy. CTF received nearly 1,900 responses to the online survey from teachers in public elementary and secondary schools across the country. The survey, which was distributed through CTF's Member teacher organizations, was conducted in November and December 2015. Two thirds of teachers surveyed report they incorporate some issues, content, or perspectives related to Aboriginal people into their current teaching practice. Among these respondents, half reported they do this occasionally, while one third do so regularly. By far, the most frequently cited approach to introducing Aboriginal education into the school curriculum is by integrating it into courses such as Cultural Studies, History, or Geography. While the majority of teachers indicated they felt Aboriginal culture was represented in their school's curriculum, 41% said that it was somewhat represented while only 13% felt it was significantly represented in the curriculum. Among the opinions expressed by teachers were a need to connect Aboriginal content to curricular outcomes. A number of respondents expressed the need for a balance in the curriculum between teaching Aboriginal content and perspectives and teaching about other cultures in a multicultural society.

On May 10, 2021, the Civil Rights Division (the Division) of the U.S. Department of Justice and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Education jointly issued an updated resource for students and families on confronting COVID-19 related bullying and harassment against Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students. The document recognizes that in schools around the country, AAPI students have reported bullying and harassment by classmates because of their race or national origin, including their ethnicity, ancestry, and language. The document provides timely examples of the kinds of incidents the Division and OCR can investigate and reminds parents of specific actions that can be taken by families when schools fail to respond to reports of harassment based on race or national origin. It also provides information on how to file a complaint with the Division and OCR. The resource is available in twelve AAPI languages.

This is the 32nd Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 2010. Section 664(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (P.L. 108-446), as reauthorized in 2004, requires that the Department of Education report annually on the progress made toward the provision of a free appropriate public education to all children with disabilities and the provision of early intervention services to infants and toddlers with disabilities. The "32nd Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 2010" describes the nation's progress in: (1) providing a free appropriate public education (FAPE) for all children with disabilities, (2) ensuring that the rights of children with disabilities and their parents are protected, (3) assisting states and localities in providing for the education of all children with disabilities, and (4) assessing the effectiveness of efforts to educate children with disabilities. The report focuses on the children and students with disabilities being served under "IDEA," Part C and B, nationally and at the state level. In particular, Part C of "IDEA" provides funds to states to assist them in developing and implementing statewide, comprehensive, coordinated, multidisciplinary interagency systems to make early intervention services available to all children from birth through age 2 with disabilities and their families, whereas Part B of "IDEA" provides funds to states to assist them in providing FAPE to children ages 3 through 21 with disabilities who are in need of special education and related services. Throughout this report, infants and toddlers served under "IDEA," Part C, children served under "IDEA," Part B, and students served under "IDEA," Part B, refer to individuals with disabilities who receive services under "IDEA," Part C or Part B. "Special education services," which is referenced throughout this report, is a term that is synonymous with services provided under "IDEA," Part B. Similarly, "early intervention services" is a term used synonymously with services provided under "IDEA," Part C. The following are appended: (1) Infants, Toddlers, Children, and Students Served Under "IDEA," by Age Group and State; (2) "Developmental Delay" Data for Children Ages 3 Through 5 and Students Ages 6 Through 9 Served Under "IDEA," Part B; and (3) Differences in State Reporting of "IDEA," Part B, Disabilities.

Bullying is one type of violence that threatens a youth's well-being in schools and neighborhoods. The impacts of bullying are felt by individuals, families, schools, and society and may result in youths feeling powerless, intimidated, and humiliated by the aggressive acts of other youth(s). This document is designed as a tool to help organizations, researchers, evaluators, community groups, educators, and public health officials define and gather systematic data on bullying to better inform research and prevention efforts. It is intended to improve the consistency and comparability of data collected on bullying. Current efforts to characterize bullying vary considerably. The lack of a uniform definition hinders the ability to understand the true magnitude, scope, and impact of bullying and track trends over time. Consistent terminology with standardized definitions is necessary to improve public health surveillance of bullying and inform efforts to address bullying. The current definition applies to bullying that occurs between peers and excludes abuse perpetrated by adults against children or youths. It also excludes family violence and violence that occurs within the context of an intimate or dating relationship. These different forms of violence (e.g., child maltreatment, sibling violence, teen dating violence, intimate partner violence, elder maltreatment) can include aggression that is physical, sexual, or psychological (e.g., verbal, belittling, isolating, coercive). However, the context and uniquely dynamic nature of the relationship between the victim and the perpetrator in which these acts occur is different from that of peer violence. This document is divided into four sections, the first of which provides background on the problem, including what is presently known about the public health burden of bullying and the need for a uniform definition of bullying. The uniform definition and description of key terms is presented next followed by considerations to keep in mind when gathering data on bullying. The last section provides a list of recommended data elements designed to assist individuals collecting information on bullying and to serve as a technical reference for the collection of surveillance data. The data elements are grouped into "core" and "expanded" data elements. Core elements are those which are recommended for inclusion in data collection systems in order to track the magnitude, scope, and characteristics of the bullying problem and to identify groups at high risk for being bullied. Expanded data elements are included to support users who may wish to collect other important contextual information about bullying (i.e., witnesses' responses to bullying) depending on community needs, interests, and the feasibility of gathering additional data. A large number of expanded data elements are provided with the expectation that the vast majority of users will only use a subset of them. The appendix contains "Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment PPRA". Additional References are provided with some tables.

A due process complaint is a written document used to request a due process hearing related to the identification, evaluation, or educational placement of a child with a disability, or the provision of a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) to the child. This publication describes Due Process Complaints/Hearing Requests generally for Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The following topics are covered in this guide: (1) What Is A Due Process Complaint/Hearing Request?; (2) What Happens After I Request A Due Process Hearing?; (3) Questions About Due Process Complaints/Hearing Requests; (4) Questions About Due Process Hearings; (5) Considerations About Due Process Complaints/Hearings; (6) What Happens After I File An Expedited Hearing Request?; (7) Questions About Expedited Due Process Hearings; and (8) Sources Of Important Information.

A resolution meeting is a dispute resolution process that takes place after a parent files a due process complaint. Resolution meetings offer parents and school districts the opportunity to resolve issues before a due process hearing happens. This publication describes Resolution Meetings generally for Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This guide covers the following topics: (1) What Is A Resolution Meeting?; (2) How Does A Resolution Meeting Happen?; (3) Benefits Of Resolution Meetings; (4) Helpful Tips To Prepare For A Resolution Meeting; (5) Frequently Asked Questions About Resolution Meetings; (6) Important Things To Consider About Resolution Meetings; and (7) Sources Of Important Information.

This booklet has been developed in hopes that it may aid in keeping communication open and focused between families and schools. Building communication between parents and the school staff through letters offers a way of keeping records of ideas, concerns, and suggestions. This booklet provides general guidelines to writing letters as well as sample letters to address various educational needs. [This guide was originally published in 2006.]

Special education, for students ages 3 to 21, is guided by federal and state requirements. The federal requirements are referred to as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA protects the rights of students with disabilities and the rights of their parents. The state requirements are referred to as the Ohio Operating Standards for the Education of Children with Disabilities (Ohio Operating Standards). These Standards identify the state requirements that apply to the implementation of special education and related services to students with disabilities by school districts, county boards of developmental disabilities and other educational agencies. They provide a framework to ensure that all children receive a quality education tailored to their unique needs. This publication is meant to help parents obtain services that their child may need in school. Knowledgeable parents are effective parents, making more informed decisions that will ultimately benefit the child's success in school and in life. [This guide was originally published in 2003. For a previous revision (2017), see ED585096.]

In this first of a kind breakdown of data from over 26,000 U.S. middle and high schools, the authors estimate that well over two million students were suspended during the 2009-2010 academic year. This means that one out of every nine secondary school students was suspended at least once during that year. As other studies demonstrate, the vast majority of suspensions are for minor infractions of school rules, such as disrupting class, tardiness, and dress code violations, rather than for serious violent or criminal behavior. The authors are publishing this report because of the serious academic implications these statistics have for students who attend schools with high suspension rates. They believe greater awareness will help produce more effective approaches that create safe, healthy, and productive learning environments, which research indicates is best accomplished without resorting to frequent out-of-school suspensions. Done well, efforts to reduce suspensions should also improve graduation rates, achievement scores, and life outcomes, while also decreasing the rate of incarceration for juveniles and adults. The findings of this report also highlight critical civil rights concerns related to the high frequency of secondary school suspensions. They focus on secondary schools because children of color and students from other historically disadvantaged groups are far more likely than other students to be suspended out of school at this level. Appended are: (1) Data Omissions; (2) Methods and Treatment of Errors; and (3) School District Reports. Individual sections contain tables, figures and footnotes. [For "Out of School and Off Track: The Overuse of Suspensions in American Middle and High Schools. Executive Summary," see ED541731.]

We are pleased to provide the July 2012 edition of the Curriculum and Resource Guide for "The World As It Could Be" Human Rights Education Program. This program, is an outgrowth of a series of successful initiatives carried out since 2006 to educate and inspire youth and adults to further human rights for all people and have greater understanding of the type of individual and community engagement needed to compel constructive action. These initiatives, including two years of pilot work in Bay Area high schools and implementation of the 2010 edition of the Curriculum, utilize the creative arts to deepen learning about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and provide the opportunity for the youth to, in turn, teach their peers and adults about the importance of manifesting the words of the UDHR. With the successes of the creative initiatives and high school experiences of "The World As It Could Be" program over the last five years, we have gained the following insights that form the basis for creating this curriculum: (1) The UDHR provides an exciting framework for actively engaging in local and global efforts toward the achievement of life, liberty and human dignity for all people; (2) Although the United States played a crucial role in the drafting of the UDHR and its adoption on December 10, 1948 by the UN General Assembly, many people, across all ages and demographics, are not aware of the UDHR, even though the document is an official element of Social Studies curriculum in most public schools; (3) When youth have the opportunity to not only learn about the UDHR, but also be leaders in teaching its importance to their peers and to adults they demonstrate increased involvement in their studies, enhanced social interaction skills and greater commitment to be positively engaged in their school and community; (4) The creative arts provide a powerful mechanism for teaching the UDHR in a way that compels student engagement, deeper learning and personal connection to otherwise abstract content; (5) The culminating presentation and celebration of the students' creative reflections on their studies of the UDHR provide a unique rite-of-passage experience that motivates both higher levels of academic engagement as well as enhanced awareness of and commitment to being engaged members of their immediate and broader communities; and (6) The schools that have been involved in the Project have experienced a shift toward a more positive, human rights-oriented culture, where there is greater awareness about the importance of demonstrating respectful and mindful behavior in immediate circles, as well as being attentive to broader issues that affect people locally and globally. We see this Curriculum and Guide as a creative work-in-progress where the participating teachers, organizational leaders and students can play an active role in updating the material with their own ideas inspired by the experiences they have in working with project. [This guide was produced by the Rex Foundation.

Since 1968, the Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) has collected data on key education and civil rights issues in our nation's public schools for use by the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR), other Department offices, other federal agencies, and by policymakers and researchers outside of the Department. The CRDC has generally been collected biennially from school districts in each of the 50 states plus the District of Columbia. In this summary report "Revealing New Truths About Our Nation's Schools" the CRDC reveals new truths about the journey America's young people take from prekindergarten through high school graduation. It also shines a new spotlight on whether our schools are providing the opportunity for all our students to be prepared to compete in the 21st Century global economy. Throughout this document are examples of success stories illuminated by the CRDC data--schools and districts that are making real progress in specific areas to close opportunity gaps, and K-12 schools and districts that are defying trends in pursuit of excellence.

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 inaugurated important changes in assessment and accountability for English Learner (EL) students. Specifically, Title III of the law required states to develop or adopt English-language proficiency (ELP) standards aligned with language demands of academic content standards. An annually administered ELP assessment based on those standards was also required by the ESEA (NCLB 2002). Title III also instituted new accountability requirements for districts and states. These new EL accountability provisions required states to define criteria for progress in learning English, establish a performance standard for English proficiency, and set annually increasing performance targets for the number and percentage of ELs meeting these criteria. As has been well documented, the new law's requirements exceeded the technical capacity of many states and districts to comply with it (Abedi 2004; Government Accountability Office 2006). Over the past several years, empirical research with more rigorous ELP assessments, systematic technical assistance efforts, and federal guidance have helped to reduce confusion and increase coherence in state Title III accountability systems (Abedi 2007; Linquanti and George 2007; Cook et al. 2008; Federal Register 2008). Nevertheless, a significant need remains to develop the capacity of state and technical assistance providers to utilize empirical data for performance standard setting and accountability policy development in these areas. Even as ESEA reauthorization draws closer, prevailing civil rights laws and sustained focus on improving EL education suggest these policy-making needs will grow in importance, particularly given broad adoption of Common Core State Standards and establishment of related multistate academic and ELP assessment consortia. This document is intended to contribute to that capacity development by describing and illustrating several empirical methods and conceptual/theoretical rationales to help state policy-makers, standard-setting panels, and the technical advisory panels and assistance providers to (1) determine a meaningful ELP performance standard; (2) establish a realistic, empirically anchored time frame for attaining a given ELP performance standard; and (3) take into account an EL's ELP level when setting academic progress and proficiency expectations. This is "by design" a technical document intended to assist those charged with providing empirical information germane to developing or revising EL accountability models, using ELP and academic assessments. Chapter I positions data-analysis methods illustrated in the report within a larger deliberative process of setting meaningful, ambitious, and realistic performance standards and accountability criteria for EL students. The chapter offers guidelines for enacting best practices in standard setting, and highlights limitations in using empirical data. Chapter II illustrates three methods (decision consistency, logistic regression, and descriptive box plots) for analyzing empirical data to assist policy-makers in determining an ELP performance standard for English Learners. Chapter III illustrates methods for conducting empirical analyses to inform setting expected time frames for EL students to attain the ELP performance standard. Finally, Chapter IV discusses two methods for taking into account an EL's ELP level when setting academic progress and proficiency expectations, and one method that explicitly ignores it. First, progressive benchmarking methods are illustrated that adjust either EL students' content achievement scale scores or their weight (individual "count"), based on each student's ELP level relative to their initial ELP level and time in the state school system. Second, an indexed progress method utilizes ELs' ELP growth as a proxy for English language arts performance on a weighted, time-sensitive basis for more newly-arrived ELs who enter the state's school system at lower initial ELP levels. Third, a status and growth accountability matrix method credits both a predetermined level of student academic growth as well as attainment of academic proficiency, without considering an English Learner's ELP level. Each method is carefully described and applied using the same education agency's sample data set. All the approaches presented in this document--many of which have been employed by the principal authors in working with states on their EL accountability systems--are intended to stimulate discussion and further exploration of additional methods among state data analysts, technical assistance providers, and researchers. The ultimate goal is to support the development and regular use of empirical methods that inform ambitious, realistic, and meaningful performance standards and accountability policies, which will foster EL students' linguistic and academic progress and attainment. Appended are: (1) Decision Consistency Method; (2) Education Agency 1; (3) Education Agency 2; (4) Education Agency 3; (5) Event History Analysis; and (6) Education Agency 1. Individual chapters contain footnotes. (Contains 76 exhibits.)

Education leaders are re-examining acceptable use policies in light of the increasing use of highly mobile information technologies. While acceptable use policies were developed to manage and control behaviour, a digital citizenship policy takes a more comprehensive approach by recognizing the important role of education in preparing digital citizens. The intent of this guide is not to ascribe policy, but rather to offer guidance to leaders as they strive to better meet student and organizational needs. The guide provides an overview of digital citizenship policies and practices. It draws from research and the practical experience of Alberta schools. Its purpose is to assist school authorities in developing a digital citizenship plan and policies to address the needs of students and to provide guidance in policy development to help protect students working in open, collaborative, online environments. The "Digital Citizenship Needs Assessment Tool" provides an overall sense of school authority readiness and provides specific guidance across a comprehensive set of 11 different areas. These 11 areas are digital access, commerce, communications, literacy, etiquette, law, security, health and wellness, rights and responsibilities, cloud computing, and personally owned devices. Appended are (1) Context; (2) ISTE NETS for Digital Citizenship; (3) Personal Information: A FOIP Definition; and (4) Digital Citizenship Needs Assessment. (Contains 7 figures.)

Since its first publication in 2005, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) has distributed more than 138,000 print and online copies of its "Guide to Free Speech on Campus." In that time, FIRE's commitment to advocating on behalf of the essential rights discussed in the pages that follow has remained unwavering; however, threats to free speech on campus have evolved sufficiently over the past six years to necessitate a new, revised edition of this "Guide." Campuses have changed, too--in many cases, for the better, as students educated by this book have worked with FIRE to fight for student rights by reforming unconstitutional and illiberal speech codes and ending myriad abuses of student liberties. In addition to its more than 200 public victories and many more private ones, FIRE has impacted the legal landscape as well; several of the new cases cited in this "Guide" are the result of FIRE's coordinated challenges to illiberal and illegal restrictions on student speech. However, despite FIRE's sustained success, more work remains to be done. Too many campuses still silence students who dare exercise their right to free expression. It is FIRE's sincere hope, therefore, that this second edition of its "Guide to Free Speech" reaches every student who needs it--and it is its foremost goal to see that it does. Precise Legal Citations of cases discussed are appended. [Additional funding for this paper was provided by the Aequus Institute, The Atlas Economic Research Foundation, Pierre F. and the Enid Goodrich Foundation, and The Joseph Harrison Jackson Foundation.]

Across the massive megalopolis stretching from the northern suburbs of Los Angeles County through the metropolitan complex along the northern border of Baja California is a diverse area containing 24 million people, with a disproportionate percentage of Latinos and African Americans who are facing an educational and economic disaster. As it becomes increasingly evident that recovery from the most severe economic downturn since The Great Depression will remain subdued, and as the depth of economic plunge in The Great Recession becomes increasingly clear, it is essential to examine the growing disparities in the labor market which have resulted in a widespread increase in economic inequality throughout the region and the state. Though easily drawn into focus in this time of extreme economic slowdown, the changes to the Southern California economy over the last four years are only symptoms of an already existing structural problem exacerbated by the recession, not created by it. Furthermore, it is essential to understand the differential economic opportunity in the region, as it provides a telling story of the challenges we face throughout the nation. This report shows that for several decades there has been a trend towards differential educational and employment opportunity, and that these social and economic inequalities have been heavily related to racial, ethnic, spatial, and social class distinctions. Individuals from the lowest social rungs, particularly Latinos, African Americans, and those in the lowest educational ranks, not only begin with different opportunities and resources, but often do not have the paths to mobility in the quest for social and economic well-being. This trend of racial and class stratification in terms of employment prospects, earnings, and educational opportunity has been increasing for the last 30 years. This report reveals the depth and scope of the problem, with the hope that it will be instrumental in focusing attention on the remedies and leadership needed to make real changes, so that all groups can benefit from the opportunities available within communities. (Contains 20 figures, 14 tables and 141 footnotes.)

At the request of the United Way of Greater Los Angeles, the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) undertook this analysis of the teacher policies in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). A coalition of civil rights groups were also involved in this project, including Parent Organization Network, Families in Schools, Alliance for a Better Community, Asian Pacific American Legal Center, Los Angeles Urban League and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. This report seeks to shed light on the policies that can improve the quality of the teaching force in LAUSD. This paper explores these policies both as they are written on paper and as they play out in practice. NCTQ frames this analysis around five standards supported by research and best practices from the field for improving teaching quality: (1) Teacher Assignment. District policies facilitate schools' access to top teacher talent; (2) Evaluations. The evaluation of teacher performance plays a critical role in advancing teacher effectiveness; (3) Tenure. Tenure is a meaningful milestone in a teacher's career and advances the district's goal of building a corps of effective teachers; (4) Compensation. Compensation is strategically targeted to attract and reward high quality teachers, especially in hard-to-staff positions; and (5) Work Schedule. Work schedule and attendance policies maximize instruction. (Contains 38 figures and 30 footnotes.)

This paper presents the rules and guidelines of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair 2011 to be held in Los Angeles, California in May 8-13, 2011. In addition to providing the rules of competition, these rules and guidelines for conducting research were developed to facilitate the following: (1) protect the rights and welfare of the student researcher and human subjects; (2) protect the health and well-being of vertebrate animal subjects; (3) follow federal regulations governing research; (4) offer guidance to affiliated fairs; (5) use safe laboratory practices; and (6) address environmental concerns. [This guide was created by the Society for Science & the Public.]

The materials include a general discussion of privacy that raises points and questions to engage students in the subject before they complete the hypothetical case study that follows in a three-part, workbook format. (Purpose) The purpose is to engage students in a critical thinking exercise that requires students to analyze a developing situation from a variety of perspectives. (Method) The case study is divided in three parts so that students must adjust their responses to a changing situation. They are to use a variety of moral values, obligations and principles that the instructor of the class may select and define. (Results) The case study often engages students at an emotional level. Further, students in my classes are asked to do some parts in small groups, some by themselves and some with the class as a whole, which leads to often robust discussions. (Conclusion) The students in the ethics class come from a wide range of majors, and the exercise seems to clearly fulfill the purpose of helping them develop critical thinking skills in the area of moral decision-making, even though the content uses a journalism context. (Recommendation) Instructors may wish to only give students the study one part at a time so they cannot base conclusions to part one or two with the knowledge of future developments. I use moral concepts/rules when considering values and principles, whereas obligations refer to duties to different people involved in the case study. (Contains 4 notes.)

Seven years after the Civil Rights Project first documented extensive patterns of charter school segregation, the charter sector continues to stratify students by race, class and possibly language. This study is released at a time of mounting federal pressure to expand charter schools, despite on-going and accumulating evidence of charter school segregation. The authors' analysis of the 40 states, the District of Columbia, and several dozen metropolitan areas with large enrollments of charter school students reveals that charter schools are more racially isolated than traditional public schools in virtually every state and large metropolitan area in the nation. While examples of truly diverse charter schools exist, their data show that these schools are not reflective of broader charter trends. Four major themes emerge from this analysis of federal data. First, while charter schools are increasing in number and size, charter school enrollment presently accounts for only 2.5% of all public school students. Despite federal pressure to increase charter schools--based on the notion that charter schools are superior to traditional public schools, in spite of no conclusive evidence in support of that claim--charter school enrollment remains concentrated in just five states. Second, they show that charter schools, in many ways, have more extensive segregation than other public schools. Charter schools attract a higher percentage of black students than traditional public schools, in part because they tend to be located in urban areas. As a result, charter school enrollment patterns display high levels of minority segregation, trends that are particularly severe for black students. Third, charter school trends vary substantially across different regions of the country. Latinos are under-enrolled in charter schools in some Western states where they comprise the largest share of students. At the same time, a dozen states (including those with high concentrations of Latino students like Arizona and Texas) report that a majority of Latino charter students attend intensely segregated minority schools. Patterns in the West and in a few areas in the South, the two most racially diverse regions of the country, also suggest that charters serve as havens for white flight from public schools. Finally, in the industrial Midwest, more students enroll in charter schools compared to other regions, and midwestern charter programs display high concentrations of black students. Fourth, major gaps in multiple federal data sources make it difficult to answer basic, fundamental questions about the extent to which charter schools enroll and concentrate low-income students and English Language Learners (ELLs). Charter schools receive public funding and therefore should be equally available to all students regardless of background. Three appendices are included: (1) Supplemental Tables; (2) State Charter School Legislation Regarding Transportation; and (3) State Charter School Legislation Regarding ELL Students. A bibliography is also included. (Contains 58 tables, 9 figures, and 95 footnotes.) [Foreword by Gary Orfield.]

When Morris Dees was a young man in Alabama, the law said that black people couldn't drink from the same water fountain as white people, or sit at the same lunch counter. Back then, the government created and sanctioned divisions between human beings. The Civil Rights Movement changed all of that, of course, and ended state-mandated apartheid in America. But "Prom Night in Mississippi" serves as a powerful reminder that, despite those gains, many Americans live segregated lives. The film tells the story of children at Mississippi's Charleston High School, who receive a challenge from Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman: Are they willing to end the community's longstanding tradition of holding segregated proms? "Prom Night in Mississippi" is at once heart-breaking and inspiring. Harsh lessons of division and racial intolerance infect the lives of Charleston High's students. This teacher's guide is designed to help make the film an even more powerful and transformative experience for students. These lesson plans support the development of higher-order thinking skills and draw upon students' prior knowledge and life experiences. They support the use of small groups, pointing students toward a shared goal and building a sense of community in the classroom. This guide is aligned to core standards and benchmarks and purposefully supports the acquisition of key skills and knowledge in multiple subject areas, from language arts to U.S. history to civics to mathematics. It places particular emphasis on adolescent literacy. (Contains 5 resources.)

The Doorways training program was designed by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Safe Schools Program (Safe Schools) to enable teachers, community members and students to prevent and respond to school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV). Doorways II was designed for community counselors to prevent and respond to violence in schools. It includes this training manual and "Doorways II: Community Counselor Reference Materials on School-Related Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response," which contains content information and materials for participants to use throughout the program. A glossary and a bibliography are included. Two appendices are included: (1) School-Related Gender-Based Violence: Definition and Types; and (2) Doorways Training Program Evaluation. (Contains 19 footnotes.) [This manual is part of the Doorways program that comprises: "Doorways I: Student Training Manual on School-Related Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response" (ED507886); "Doorways II: Community Counselor Reference Materials on School-Related Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response" (ED507889); Doorways III: Teacher Reference Materials on School-Related Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response (ED507890); and Doorways III: Teacher Training Manual on School-Related Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response (ED507888).]

The Doorways training program was designed by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Safe Schools Program (Safe Schools) to enable teachers, community members and students to prevent and respond to school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV). "Doorways I: Student Training Manual on School-Related Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response" was designed for students to improve their resiliency and self-efficacy and to help them prevent and respond to SRGBV. A glossary is included. Two appendices are included: (1) School-Related Gender-Based Violence: Definition and Types; and (2) Sample Letter to Parents. (Contains 34 footnotes.) [This manual is part of the Doorways program that comprises: "Doorways II: Community Counselor Reference Materials on School-Related Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response" (ED507889); "Doorways II: Community Counselor Training Manual on School-Related Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response" (ED507887); "Doorways III: Teacher Reference Materials on School-Related Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response" (ED507890); and "Doorways III: Teacher Training Manual on School-Related Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response" (ED507888).]

The Doorways training program was designed by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Safe Schools Program (Safe Schools) to enable teachers, community members and students to prevent and respond to school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV). This booklet, "Doorways III: Teacher Reference Materials on School-Related Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response," was designed for participants attending the Doorways III training program. It is to be used during the training for session activities. The booklet is also a resource teachers can refer to once they have returned to their classrooms to help them put into practice the new information and skills gained from the Doorways training program. A section titled School-Related Gender-Based Violence: Definition and Types is appended. A glossary and bibliography are included. (Contains 13 footnotes.) [This manual is part of the Doorways program that comprises: "Doorways I: Student Training Manual on School-Related Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response" (ED507886); "Doorways II: Community Counselor Reference Materials. On School-Related Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response" (ED507889); and "Doorways II: Community Counselor Training Manual on School-Related Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response" (ED507887). For "Doorways III: Teacher Training Manual," see ED507888.]

The Doorways training program was designed by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Safe Schools Program (Safe Schools) to enable teachers, community members and students to prevent and respond to school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV). Teachers can play a central role in violence prevention, and they can also help promote nonviolence with families and communities. "Doorways III: Teacher Training Manual on School-Related Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response" was designed to train teachers to help prevent and respond to SRGBV by reinforcing teaching practices and attitudes that promote a safe learning environment for all students. Doorways III includes this training manual and "Doorways III: Teacher Reference Materials on School-Related Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response," which contains content information and materials for participants to use throughout the program. Appendices include: (1) School-Related Gender-Based Violence: Definition and Types; (2) Doorways Training Program Evaluation; and (3) Post-Training Assessment and Answer Key. A glossary and bibliography are included. (Contains 29 footnotes.) [This manual is part of the Doorways program that comprises: (1) "Doorways I: Student Training Manual on School-Related Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response" (ED507886); (2) "Doorways II: Community Counselor Reference Materials on School-Related Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response" (ED507889); (3) "Doorways II: Community Counselor Training Manual on School-Related Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response" (ED507887); and "Doorways III: Teacher Reference Materials on School-Related Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response" ED507890.]

This publication contains Arizona public schools' academic standards for grade 2. The contents of this document include the following: (1) The Arts Standard 2006--Grade 2; (2) Comprehensive Health Education/Physical Activity Standards 1997--Foundations (Grades 1-3); (3) Foreign and Native Language Standards 1997--Foundations (Grades 1-3); (4) Reading Standard Articulated by Grade Level 2003--Grade 2; (5) Writing Standard Articulated by Grade Level 2004--Grade 2; (6) Language Arts Standards 1996--Foundations (Grades 1-3), including Standard 3: Listening and Speaking; and Standard 4: Viewing and Presenting; (7)Mathematics Standard Articulated by Grade Level 2008--Grade 2; (8) Science Standard Articulated by Grade Level 2004--Grade 2; (9) Social Studies Standard Articulated by Grade Level 2006--Grade 2; (10) Technology Standards 2000--Foundations (Grades 1-3); and (11) Workplace Skills Standards 1997--Foundations (Grades 1-3).

At the start of 2018, the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) was approached by the parliamentary Joint Committee for Human Rights (JCHR) to conduct an independent piece of research into the efficacy of university codes of practice on freedom of speech. The research formed part of the evidence base for the JCHR's 2017/18 inquiry into whether freedom of speech is being suppressed in UK universities. This report leads on from where the HEPI report for the JCHR left off, by seeking to provide a practical guide for UK higher education institutions when preparing or updating institutional policies on freedom of speech. It aims to build on what works, as well as what does not, in existing free speech policies formulated and employed by higher education institutions across the UK. In doing so, it presents a practical guide to the sector, which could be consulted, not only by institutions in England under the new regulatory landscape of the Office for Students (OfS), but also by higher education institutions in other parts of the UK with a legal duty--or at least a moral desire--to have processes in place for external speakers and events. [Foreword by Peter Tatchell.]

This guide is for colleges in England that want to review and improve their support for Looked After Young People (LAYP) and Care Leavers (CLs). It includes information about who LAYP/ CLs are, the kinds of challenges they face, their rights and entitlements to support, and what staff need to be aware of when working with LAYP/CLs. The guide then goes on to provide information, tips, and case study examples of good practice in supporting LAYP/CLs at each stage of their learner journey: outreach and recruitment, application and enrolment, on-course support, and progression into further learning and/or employment. The guide is accompanied by a pack of training materials which can be adapted and used by designated members of staff to raise awareness of the needs of LAYP/CLs across their college. Contains a glossary and a list of resources. [This guide was developed by Susan Muller.]