Teacher resistance to school-based consultation with the school psychologist: An analysis according to school level and model of identification for special education services

Consultation is promoted throughout school psychology literature as a best practice in service delivery. This method has numerous benefits including being able to work with more students at one time, providing practitioners with preventative rather than strictly reactive strategies, and helping school professionals meet state and federal education mandates and initiatives. Despite the benefits of consultation, teachers are sometimes resistant to this process.This research studies variables hypothesized to lead to resistance (Gonzalez, Nelson, Gutkin, & Shwery, 2004) and attempts to distinguish differences between school level (elementary, middle and high school) with respect to the role played by these variables and to determine if the model used to identify students for special education services has an influence on resistance factors. Twenty-sixteachers in elementary and middle schools responded to a demographicquestionnaire and a survey developed by Gonzalez, et al. (2004). This survey measures eight variables related to resistance to consultation. No high school teachers responded to the request to participate. Results of analysis of variance indicated a significant difference in the teaching efficacy subscale with elementary teachers reporting more efficacy in teaching than middle school teachers. Results also indicate a significant difference in classroom managementefficacy with teachers who work in schools that identify students according to a Response to Intervention model reporting higher classroom management efficacy than teachers who work in schools that identify students according to a combined method of refer-test-place/RtI combination model. Implications, limitations and directions for future research are discussed.

Patterns of Religious Education Policy in Switzerland. The Long Arm of Distanced Christians?

In spite of its different cantonal jurisdictions and traditions, the development of religious education in Switzerland over the past decade has taken a common direction: the state has assumed a more active role in the field of religious education in public (state-run) schools. In this article, we ask the question: How do key social actors interpret these reforms and how do these interpretations relate to the social structure of religion in Switzerland, in particular with respect to the majority category of the so-called distanced Christians? Drawing on qualitative interviews with members of the schools’ teaching staff, school administrators, and church representatives, the article highlights a dominant interpretative pattern that frames the socially accepted representation of religion in public schools. Thus, rather than addressing the pedagogical dimension of religious education, we discuss the significance of this pattern for the debate on the public presence of religion in Switzerland and Europe.

Information Guide: Education Policy

A guide to the European Union’s Education Policy, with hyperlinks to sources of information within European Sources Online and on external websites

Special education and the Hispanic child : proceedings from the second annual Colloquium on Hispanic Issues /

"August 1981."

Cooperation of prevocational programs for handicapped young adults; rehabilitation-special education. Proceedings of a conference at Highland Park, Illinois. Sponsored by the U.S. Office of Vocational Rehabilitation and Illinois State Normal University, Oct. 30-31 and Nov. 1, 1961.

Mode of access: Internet.

Resources for special education.

Mode of access: Internet.

Medicaid and special education : coordination of services for children with disabilities is evolving : report to the Honorable Edolphus Towns, House of Representatives /

"GAO/HEHS-00-20."

Directory of special education personnel in state education agencies.

OE-35098

Peace Corps in special education and rehabilitation /

"Prepared for the Peace Corps by Partners of the Americas under contract no. 80-043-1023"--T.p. verso.

Amended rules for determining special education per capita tuition charge (Part 130).

"The effective date of these rules will be March 10, 2000."--P. [1] of memorandum.