Special Education
Westat is conducting several studies that assess the impact of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA) for the Office of Special Education Programs and the National Center for Special Education
Research at the Institute of Education Sciences.
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Since 1990, Westat has provided the Office of Special Education Programs with Technical Assistance in Data Collection, Analysis, and
Report Preparation with regard to special education. Under our current contract, Westat performs the following:
- Collects, verifies, and analyzes congressionally mandated, state-reported data;
- Maintains the historical database for these data;
- Provides technical assistance to states regarding these data collections;
- Prepares the Annual Report to Congress on IDEA;
- Performs substantive research on special education topics; and
- Produces policy analyses on current special education topics.
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The Pre-Elementary Education Longitudinal Study (PEELS) is designed to describe the results of preschool special education and guide programs
and services to improve those results. Westat project staff will follow a national sample of almost 3,000 preschoolers with disabilities
for 6 years. The study will examine the following issues for children:
- Preschool experiences,
- Transition to kindergarten, and
- Early elementary school experiences and results.
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The Evaluation of States' Monitoring and Improvement Practices Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is a 5-year evaluation
that Westat is conducting to perform the following:
- Describe the nature and extent of states' monitoring and improvement practices,
- Assess the quality and effectiveness of those practices, and
- Develop recommendations for monitoring that states can use to improve compliance and outcomes for infants and children with disabilities
and their families.
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The Evaluation of the State Improvement Grant (SIG) Program is a 5-year evaluation. The SIG Program provides targeted resources to assist
states and local education agencies in improving results for children with disabilities. Westat is collecting and analyzing data to address
the following:
- How faithfully states are implementing the program,
- The characteristics of models of system change implemented by SIG-funded states,
- Which models are expected to lead to improved outcomes for children with disabilities, and
- Barriers and facilitators to program implementation.
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Personnel Preparation Performance Reporting Support focuses on students trained through the Office of Special Education Programs'
personnel preparation program. The personnel preparation program uses discretionary grants to support activities that provide
individuals with the knowledge and skills to effectively serve children with disabilities. Westat collects and analyzes data to
determine the number and characteristics of students trained though this program, as well as the outcomes of their training.
For more information about the Education Research Area,
please send us a message.
