Background: Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have several options for placement within the education system. Placement options typically comprise inclusion, self-contained classrooms in a regular schools, or special education schools. Objectives: The current study reviewed 210 psychological records of Israeli students with ASD from 1994 to 2011 retrospectively, and sought to examine students' placement in relation to three factors: intelligence, diagnosis and socioeconomic status (SES). In addition, transition periods were examined to detect possible key periods for change in placement. Results: All three factors were related to educational placement. Specifically, students in special schools had a significantly lower mean intelligence score, and lower SES was associated with less inclusive placements. Additionally, the transition between 6th and 7th grade was found to be a key period for placement change, mainly from more inclusive placements to less inclusive ones. Conclusions: Implications for policy and practice are discussed.

Arab teachers in Jewish schools (AJ) constitute a unique case of minority teachers. This mixed-methods study set out to examine the school experience of AJ (N = 101) in comparison with two groups: Arab teachers in Arab schools (AA; N = 76) and Jewish teachers in Jewish schools (JJ; N = 99). The questionnaire measured three aspects of the teachers’ experience: motivational, professional and ecological. AJ teachers reported lower levels of professional difficulties than the two same-culture groups. Among AJ, novice and experienced teachers reported similar levels of motivation, while among the other groups, novice teachers reported lower levels. AJ teachers’ answers to an open-ended question enriched the understanding of the positive experiences alongside the negative aspects that included some incidents of racism and microaggression. The findings support the benefit of contact to positive attitudes and tolerance. Nonetheless, questions arise regarding the processes that underlie these results.

Combat stress reaction (CR) is a syndrome with a wide range of symptoms including changes in soldiers’ behaviors, emotional and physiological responses, avoidance and a decrease in both personal and military functioning. The short-term goal in treati

Conducting discussions on controversial political issues is an important vehicle to promote students’ democratic values and critical thinking in schools. This schoolwide task cuts across all disciplines and different subject matter. Israeli civics and social studies teachers are often required to touch upon such issues and manage the situations that follow. This study examined whether civics and social studies teachers are different from teachers of other disciplines in their attitudes toward controversial political issues and in their reported behaviors. Civics and social studies teachers scored higher in all the variables related to discussions of controversial political issue and reported more relevant behaviors. In examining the variables that predict teachers’ self-efficacy to conduct controversial political issue discussions, variables that related to professional identity were the strongest predictors alongside pluralistic attitudes. We concluded that teacher training should emphasize the importance of discussions of controversial political issue and develop teachers’ ability to conduct such discussions as part of their professional role.