The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the federal education law that regulates special education. IDEA was reauthorized in December 2004 and most of its provisions went into effect on July 1, 2005. ODE is implementing projects that will help to disseminate research-based practices emphasized in IDEA.
Projects Related to IDEA (2004)
Response to Intervention (RTI)
RTI is a newly-identified process described in IDEA (2004) for identifying students with learning disabilities.
Project Pursuit
The SIG, called Project PURSUIT, is funded by the Office of Special Education Programs and focuses on three goals for students with disabilities.
Closing the Achievement Gap
A main emphasis of IDEA 2004 is the use of research-validated practices in content area instruction. The two technical assistance papers presented here are not meant to be definitive, but do give guidance on how educators can better serve students who are struggling in the content areas. There is currently no consensus in the field regarding scientifically based research findings for instructional strategies or curriculum in Math and Science.
Research-Based and Research-Validated Reading Curriculum
This document is designed to assist educators in considering reading curriculum that are either research-based or research-validated as an effective, relevant means toward improving student achievement.
Curriculum Resources for Improved Achievement in Mathematics and Science
This document is designed to assist educators in considering mathematic or science curriculum that has been investigated by researchers. This is not a list of "ODE-approved curriculum" nor should the inclusion or exclusion of any particular curriculum be considered as approval or disapproval. The fields of research in mathematic and science curriculum and instructional strategies are not as clearly defined as the research base in reading.
What Works Clearinghouse
The Institute on Educational Sciences (IES) has information on this site about effectiveness of educational interventions. Some areas they have research on include:
Middle School Math
Beginning Reading
Dropout Prevention
Technical Assistance Centers from the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)
Technical Assistance on subjects such as Positive Behavior Support