Impediments to Implementing National Policy Change for Mildly Handicapped Students

This article describes the current public policy environment and the impact of that environment on efforts to refine the system for serving mildly handicapped students. The authors discuss the accelerated growth in the numbers of mildly handicapped children, which has prompted educational decision makers to seek more effective methods of assessment, identification, and instruction. Specific areas requiring attention and response are detailed, including revisions in the service delivery system, the preparation of personnel, the administration of program and funding structures, and the management and use of existing national and state data bases.