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The National Center for Education Statistics conducted a survey of 1,843 public elementary schools that focused on both general education and special education prekindergarten characteristics of the students, classes, personnel, funding sources, and support services. This document summarizes findings relating to prekindergarten special education classes for students with disabilities. Findings indicate: (1) 20% of schools offered general education prekindergarten classes only, 8% offered special education prekindergarten classes only, and 8% offered both general education and prekindergarten classes; (2) the average number of children in prekindergarten general education classes was 17 compared with 9 children per class in prekindergarten special education classes; (3) large public elementary schools were more likely to offer prekindergarten special education classes; (4) public elementary schools in the southeast were more likely to offer prekindergarten special education classes; (5) schools where minority enrollment was 21% or higher were more likely to offer prekindergarten special education classes; (6) overall, 30% of children enrolled in public elementary school prekindergarten classes had individualized education programs (IEPs); and (7) schools with the lowest poverty rate served a higher proportion of prekindergarten children with IEPs than schools with the highest poverty rate. (CR)

This paper describes the National State Policy Database (NSPD), a full-text searchable database of state and federal education regulations for special education. It summarizes the history of the NSPD and reports on a survey of state directors or their designees as to their use of the database and their suggestions for its future expansion. The history of NSPD is recounted from its origins in 1990 through its development and availability on the Internet since 1998. It notes that the NSPD currently contains the special regulations for 49 states and the Department of Defense schools, as well as the 1997 federal regulations for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Survey interviews with 36 state directors and staff found that 25 states were using the NSPD, that 22 of these indicated no problems with its use, and that commonly reported uses included providing a perspective on what other states are doing; helping with policy development and revision; and allowing examination of specific policy issues in depth. Interviewees also suggested additions to the NSPD and offered suggestions for updating the NSPD. Nonusers of the database indicated this is because they were not aware of it, the database does not fit their needs, or they have difficulty accessing information. (DB)