The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (P.L. 94-142), had extensive data collection and reporting requirements for state education agencies (SEAs). An investigation was made into how special education units at SEAs collected these federally required data and to what extent the data have been used for state level management and planning tasks.

The major focus of the study centered around the uses of information to make special education management decisions at the state level. The systems analysis theory of the levels-of-uses of information was used as a framework for categorizing state level special education management decisions. Using the Delphi technique five experts in the field of state and federal special education administration were selected to participate in interviews. As a result of three rounds of interviews a product resulted which was a list of suggested state level management and planning activities categorized into the three levels-of-uses of information for federally required child, personnel, and setting data.

The findings are based upon individual responses from a mailed questionnaire. Fifty-three out of 57 state level administrators: (states and jurisdictions) responded to the instrument. The use of computerized management information systems for data collection as well as trends and reasons for changes in the federal data collection process are described. The use of federally required data when conducting management and planning tasks at the three levels-of-uses (operational, tactical, and strategic) is also discussed. Findings suggest that federally required data are valued more for lower level operational uses than higher level tactical and strategic tasks.

The study concludes with recommendations for special education state directors, technical assistance providers, and suggested topic: for future research related to information needs of decision makers.