A Statewide Survey of Special Education Administrators Regarding Mandated Prereferral Interventions

Abstract

Special education administrators in Utah were surveyed to identify the types of prereferral intervention approaches employed by school districts. These officials' perceptions regarding the effectiveness of the approaches for maintaining students in general education and of the prereferral intervention process were also elicited. The findings indicate that a variety of prereferral intervention approaches are used by school districts. Special education administrators were generally uncertain whether the approaches maintained students in general education. Similarly, they were uncertain as to whether the prereferral intervention process (a) benefits teachers, (b) is a bureaucratic hurdle, and (c) should be maintained. These officials, however, believed that teachers follow through with the prereferral intervention process and that it maintains students in general education and results in fewer referrals for formal assessment.