Abstract

Manifestation determination reviews (MDRs) are a federally mandated practice that prevents schools from suspending students with disabilities for more than 10 days before determining if the student’s disability is significantly and directly related to the problem behavior. The process is a controversial one, and prior research has shown that the process is often interpreted loosely and implemented haphazardly. Although the practice lacks defined theoretical parameters and empirical testing, the results of the team’s assessment will have significant consequences for the student. Similarly, in the intervening years since the 1997 federal regulations, schools have witnessed a rise in MDR associated litigation from aggrieved families. Consequently, MDRs can be described as a high-stakes assessment for both students and schools that relies on unsound empirical and theoretical support. Current MDR approaches may be improved by systematically reviewing and updating to contemporary practices. This paper examines the current research on MDR practices and provides recommendations that may be employed by school psychologists and district officials. Implementation recommendations and suggestions for future research are discussed.

摘要

表现决定审查 (MDR) 是一项联邦政府强制执行的做法，可防止学校在确定学生的残疾是否与问题行为有显着和直接相关之前，将其停学超过 10 天。这个过程是一个有争议的过程，先前的研究表明，这个过程经常被松散地解释和随意执行。尽管该实践缺乏明确的理论参数和经验测试，但团队评估的结果将对学生产生重大影响。同样，自 1997 年联邦法规出台后的几年中，学校见证了受害家庭与 MDR 相关的诉讼增多。最后，MDR 可以被描述为对学生和学校都依赖于不可靠的经验和理论支持的高风险评估。通过系统地审查和更新当代实践，可以改进当前的 MDR 方法。本文审查了当前对 MDR 实践的研究，并提供了可供学校心理学家和地区官员采用的建议。讨论了实施建议和对未来研究的建议。