Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1993. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print.

<p> The purpose of this study was to examine ways in which the 2007 New Jersey transfer law mandating &ldquo;seamless transfer&rdquo; between public two- and four-year colleges has been implemented at three community colleges and the state&rsquo;s flagship research university and the forces that have contributed to and limited the extent to which the law has achieved its expected goals. This single case study with three embedded units involved the analysis of interview data and public documents to address the research questions. The implementation of the law was examined through a combination of Sabatier&rsquo;s Advocacy Coalition Framework and Matland&rsquo;s Ambiguity-Conflict model. </p><p> This research revealed two themes associated with the implementation of the law: (1) areas of cooperation between community colleges and public senior institutions; and (2) areas of conflict between the two sectors. Findings of the research are as follows: (a) failure of Rutgers University New Brunswick to abide fully by the provisions of the law; (b) unwillingness on the part of senior institutions to accept in transfer courses with a technical focus included in A.A. or A.S. degrees awarded by the community colleges; and (c) lack of advisement for some students at community colleges.</p><p>

Punishment is an acknowledged method of enforcing the law. Forms of punishment may differ, but the main aims remain the same—first, to discourage transgression of the law, thus maintaining order in society. Second, it is hoped, by some at least, that prisoners will be reformed by or during their punishment. This dissertation raises questions about the status and legal rights of individuals who are subject to the dominant form of punishment in Canada—incarceration. The questions are: Can prisoners continue to be regarded as persons and right-holders during incarceration? Can prisoners, then, have a right to education? If so, should such a right be made a legal right? The answer one gives to these questions clearly has important bearings on the status of prisoners during their incarceration. It is argued that prisoners retain their status as persons while incarcerated, that they do have rights, in particular the right to education, and that such a right should be made a legal right. Justice dictates that only relevant differences or just cause can provide acceptable justification for withholding rights from prisoners. That punishment is being inflicted on certain persons does not offer/provide adequate grounds for denying their right to education. Indeed, a legal right to education is warranted to ensure their access to education. Thus, the first proposition is that apart from the loss of rights necessary to protect society and the prison, and in order to fulfil the criteria of punishment, prisoners continue to hold rights held by other persons, in particular the right to education. This position is defended by considering arguments that prisoners have a moral right to education. These are: 1. The Argument from Incarceration 2. The Argument from The Effects of Punishment 3. The Argument from Punishment of Persons 4. The Argument from Fraternal Obligation 5. The Argument from Social Effects 6. The Argument from Benefits to the Collective 7. The Argument from Equality The second proposition that this right ought to be made a legal right rests essentially on three premises: 1. That education can contribute to the successful achievement of the goals of incarceration. 2. However, education is not considered a priority. 3. As it now stands, there is no effective way to enforce and sustain education in prisons. With a legal right to education, prisoners would have some basis for objecting to inadequate educational facilities and opportunities. A legal right would safeguard fair treatment and ensure equal opportunities to education. / Education, Faculty of / Educational Studies (EDST), Department of / Graduate

With the re-authorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the federal mandates of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), the role of the principal has new implications regarding the free and appropriate education of students with disabilities. As a result of the inclusion model of special education instruction being supported as the most effective learning environment for students with disabilities, principals now need to know the definitions of types of disabilities, appropriate placements, how to provide correct feedback for parents and at a minimum, the basics of special education law. The literature review focused on principals’ attitudes and concerns for special education placements and how knowledgeable school principals are with regard to issues of special education law and the possibility of litigation when planning for the free and appropriate education of special education students. Few U.S. studies have focused exclusively on the actual principals’ knowledge of special education law. This study researched the knowledge of Virginia principals on special education. A geographical random sample of 462 principals from the state of Virginia were asked to complete an on-line survey of 24 hypothetical scenarios based on the following components of IDEA: free and appropriate public education, due process, individualized education plans, least restrictive environment, related services, student discipline and liability for reimbursement of parents.. Experts, practitioners, and researchers in the field reviewed these scenarios. The survey was e-mailed to the principals from October 1st to November 1st, 2006. A follow up e-mail was sent two weeks after the initial contact as a reminder to complete the survey. From November 2nd to November 15th 10% of the respondents who did not respond were contacted by phone and asked why they did not respond. Out of 49 phone calls, 12 principals responded. The instrument was anonymous and color coded according to the eight Superintendents’ Study Groups across the state of Virginia in order to identify the number of schools that participated. A total of 236 principals responded resulting in a 51% response rate. Upon completion of the questionnaire principals were provided correct responses. Using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed on all demographic variables and the principals’ test score. An item analysis of each of the hypothetical scenarios determined the areas of deficiencies in the principals’ knowledge base. Results of this study show that there is no significant difference between principals’ test scores and each of the demographic variables. Seven areas of special education law were tested: free and appropriate public education (FAPE), individualized education plan (IEP), least restrictive environment (LRE), student discipline, related services, due process and liability for reimbursement of parents This study identified two significant areas of weakness: related services and FAPE. The information from this study will be beneficial in determining school districts’ professional development needs and coursework in university education programs that addresses special education law. / Ph. D.

School administrators are responsible for ensuring state and federal special education laws and regulations are being implemented properly. This study examined the amount of training a Virginia school principal receives while attending principal preparation programs as well as professional development offered by their school division on how to handle any legal issues that may arise pertaining to special education. In 1975 Congress enacted the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (Public Law 94-142) and amended in 1997 as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Education for All Handicapped Children Act was introduced in Congress to ensure that students with disabilities were provided the same opportunities as general education students. This legislation was later renamed IDEIA, Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, in 2004. A web-based survey was used to obtain information from principals in school divisions with high or no incidences of special education complaints. The survey was sent to 12 school divisions with 189 schools and 21 divisions with 189 schools respectively. The data collected from participants was analyzed with JMP software to determine patterns in principal responses based on their employment in divisions with high or no incidences of special education complaints. Statistical analysis included measures of central tendency (mean, median, and mode), frequencies, and percentages of the data collected at the state and regional level, by high or no incidence groups to determine if better prepared, more experienced, more informed principals that have had on-going training are able to administer special education programs effectively and therefore have fewer parent complaints. The results of the study indicated a need for higher education institutions (colleges and universities) to increase course offerings at the principal preparation level in the area of special education. Additionally there is a need for superintendents and division leadership to continue to develop and seek partnerships to deliver relevant ongoing professional development, as well as for principals to explore special education networking opportunities external to the division. / Ed. D.

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence discipline has on teaching at public schools. In chapter 2 of the literature study, the researcher focused on aspects that influence discipline at school. In chapter 3, she also looked at education law aspects that have a direct influence on education. Two structured questionnaires were used in the quantitative research. These questionnaires were distributed separately between educators and learners at nine schools of the Free State Department of Education's Fezile Dabi District. From the findings of this study, it is clear that discipline indeed has an enormous influence on teaching at public schools. The Constitution (1996) and Schools Act (84/1996) make the application of effective discipline at schools possible. / Thesis (M.Ed. (Education Law))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2008.

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence discipline has on teaching at public schools. In chapter 2 of the literature study, the researcher focused on aspects that influence discipline at school. In chapter 3, she also looked at education law aspects that have a direct influence on education. Two structured questionnaires were used in the quantitative research. These questionnaires were distributed separately between educators and learners at nine schools of the Free State Department of Education's Fezile Dabi District. From the findings of this study, it is clear that discipline indeed has an enormous influence on teaching at public schools. The Constitution (1996) and Schools Act (84/1996) make the application of effective discipline at schools possible. / Thesis (M.Ed. (Education Law))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2008.

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence discipline has on teaching at public schools. In chapter 2 of the literature study, the researcher focused on aspects that influence discipline at school. In chapter 3, she also looked at education law aspects that have a direct influence on education. Two structured questionnaires were used in the quantitative research. These questionnaires were distributed separately between educators and learners at nine schools of the Free State Department of Education's Fezile Dabi District. From the findings of this study, it is clear that discipline indeed has an enormous influence on teaching at public schools. The Constitution (1996) and Schools Act (84/1996) make the application of effective discipline at schools possible. / Thesis (M.Ed. (Education Law))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2008.

This study examines how racial oppression is challenged and reconstituted through the narrative process of a mediation. Qualitative research methods are used to identify, describe and analyze themes in the mediation discourse and the narrative strategies employed by the participants, mediators, and coordinator in this case study. Each person in this multi-racial and multi-ethnic group is interviewed twice and their interpretations are used in both the data collection and data analysis phases. In this way, this research project responds to a gap in the literature by including the voices and insights of the mediation service providers and participants in the research process. The theoretical foundations of this study are based in several literatures: mediation scholarship, social justice literature, critical race theory, and narrative theory. The findings are analyzed using narrative theory and interrogated from a critical race perspective. They demonstrate that the use of narrative strategies based on the U.S. mediation field's core values of neutrality and symmetry result in the reconstitution of racial oppression in this mediation. The narrative analysis reveals that the story of the negative racialization of one of the participants is underconstructed and that the stories about rules told during the mediation are fully elaborated upon and serve as the basis for the agreement. The analysis from a critical race perspective offers that the colorblind grand narrative of rules in society provides cultural resonance for the stories of rules and for the narrative strategies based in neutrality and symmetry; however, not for the story of negative racialization. The cumulative effect is the domination by the rules stories of the story of negative racialization. This domination is only briefly challenged through several strategies periodically employed by a participant of color and a mediator of color. The results are that racial oppression is perpetuated both procedurally and substantively in this case. It is hoped that this study will stimulate further research on how racial oppression can manifest in mediation as well as encouraging the exploration of new strategies for narrative facilitation to prevent this from occurring.

As the inclusion of students with special needs in general education classrooms becomes more prevalent, it is imperative that all teachers possess a solid understanding of special education law and procedures. This thesis presents the results of a survey conducted among general education teachers, aiming to assess their level of knowledge regarding special education law, explore how they acquired this knowledge, and investigate instances in which they applied it. The study underscores the shift in responsibility from specialized educators to general teachers and seeks to pave the way for enhanced educational outcomes for students with special needs. The implications of this research extend to teacher preparation and training, advocating for potential changes in educational policies and teacher training programs. By shedding light on the current state of knowledge among general education teachers, this study aspires to stimulate further research and contribute to a more inclusive and effective educational environment for students with special needs.