No abstract

Reform changes were piloted by a rural special education cooperative in southern Illinois. This article describes the process used in one component of the reform, use of a problem-solving model at the prereferral level where curriculum-based measurement was a primary assessment. One observation was that fewer referrals were made for special education evaluations after the problem-solving model was put in place. Suggestions for improvement to the prereferral process are made.

Ukraine and the United States are engaged in education reform movements to improve quality of future teachers. Reform in the United States focuses on the use of evidence-based practices and data-based decision making. Reform in Ukraine focuses on democratic, learner-centered education. Using one university in the United States, this research investigates the degree to which preservice teacher candidates in different teacher training programs (early childhood, elementary, secondary, special education) perceive knowledge of components from the Response to Intervention model, a major focus of school reform. Application of the study to Ukraine is discussed.

Although Ukraine and the United States developed their education systems under different contexts and histories, both struggled with providing access to public school education for students with disabilities. This article describes the different paths each country took leading to the development of access to a public school education for students with disabilities. Implications for Ukraine are detailed.