| Greetings! April is upon us, and we sure do hope spring will come with it. From here, we can actually see the end of the academic school year approaching. To help you get ready and get through, NICHCY is pleased to connect you with valuable resources in OSEP's TA&D Network and beyond. You'll find numerous resources on IEP matters (since there will be lots of IEP meetings in the next two months, we suspect) as well as resources to help you and yours make smooth transitions, especially youth with disabilities who are preparing for life after high school.
We hope you find this information useful and valuable. As always, we welcome your feedback. Please feel free to contact us at nichcy@aed.org.
Best wishes for spring!
Your friends at the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities
| | It All Starts in Families and Communities | Autism Awareness Month.
Now. This April. There are quite a few events and activities planned and many sources of information, including the ones we've listed here: Is your child going to repeat a grade in school? We are coming up on the time when schools advise many parents that their child will be retained in grade because of making insufficient progress. If this sounds familiar, then you may find a new issue of the Wrightslaw newsletter a real tour de force on challenging that decision.
http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/retain.letter.htm
Parents as collaborative leaders.
This new online Parent Leadership Training Curriculum, a joint project of the University of Vermont and the PACER Center, empowers parents of children with disabilities to advocate for change.
http://www.uvm.edu/~pcl/modules.php
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IEP team meetings: A guide for participation for parents. 25 parent tips for an effective IEP meeting. Courtesy of the Matrix Parent Network and Resource Center.
http://www.matrixparents.org/pub/pdf/25IEPTips4.08.pdf (English) Don't forget NICHCY's All about the IEP pages. Everything you ever wanted to know about IEPs, suggestions for developing them, the in's-and-out's of IEP meetings, and loads of connections to resources on the crown jewel of special education. http://www.nichcy.org/EducateChildren/IEP/Pages/default.aspx
And what about your child's placement?
NICHCY recently launched a section of our website focused on all things "placement," especially considering LRE (least restrictive environment) in placement decisions. Find out more about the tools and services available to children to support their placement in the regular educational environment, the first option the IEP team considers and that IDEA strongly prefers.
http://www.nichcy.org/EducateChildren/placement/Pages/default.aspx
Reusing assistive technology. OSERS is taking the lead on a national level to promote and encourage AT reuse through grants to state agencies, non-profit organizations and other entities to support AT reuse. OSERS also is funding a national coordination center, the Pass It On Center, which encourages people to offer assistive technology devices for donation, for sale or purchase to others who may benefit from using technology unneeded or discarded equipment. Many AT Exchanges are operated through state AT Act Programs and function like a classified advertisement in your local newspaper. Visit this interactive map to identify reuse locations in your state:
http://passitoncenter.org/locations/Search.aspx A new website in Spanish on bipolar disorder and depression.
Courtesy of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance!
http://www.dbsalianza.org/ And from NCEO, also something in Spanish. NCLB e IDEA: Lo que los Padres de Estudiantes con Discapacidades Necesitan Saber y Hacer is the Spanish translation of NCLB and IDEA: What Parents of Students with Disabilities Need to Know and Do.
http://cehd.umn.edu/nceo/OnlinePubs/NCLBeIDEA.pdf What about that adolescent of yours? Do tell.
The University of Illinois at Chicago is looking for parents and caregivers of children aged 12-18 with special needs to complete a Web-based survey on the lifestyle and environment of adolescents with disabilities. Access the survey at
http://www.healthforyouth.org/ and enter the access code: ECP3.
A Guide to Social Security Benefits and Employment for Young People with Disabilities (2009 Edition).
This booklet from the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) provides basic information about Social Security disability and health benefit programs, discusses what happens to Social Security disability and health benefits when a young person goes to work, and explains how to maximize a young person's options when he or she goes to work.
http://www.communityinclusion.org/article.php?article_id=211
Disclosure of disability information at a one-stop career center: Tips and guidelines. One-Stops Career Centers (One-Stops) were established under the federal Workforce Investment Act to provide a full range of job seeker assistance under one roof. One-Stops are located at a variety of locations in each state, with more than 3,200 centers across the country. More than 13 million people per year use the One-Stop system. Many are people with disabilities. Should they disclose their disability when they use the One-Stop?
http://www.communityinclusion.org/article.php?article_id=269 | | The Little Ones: Early Intervention/Early Childhood | What the stimulus bill means for those involved in early childhood work.
The Council for Exceptional Children has done us all a favor with its Questions & Answers: How the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Impacts Special Education and Early Intervention, which summarizes the portions of ARRA that CEC believes will be of particular interest to professionals who work on behalf of
students with disabilities and/or gifts and talents.
http://www.cec.sped.org/Content/NavigationMenu/PolicyAdvocacy/CECPolicyResources/EconomicStimulus/Stimulus_Q_A.htm
More on the the ARRA and early childhood.
NECTAC has reviewed and organized key ARRA resources on its Web site, including links to the law and the official federal site, as well as guidance from the U.S. Department of Education. NECTAC also link to summaries of the early
childhood provisions in the law and analyses and/or recommendations from various organizations on the use of ARRA funds.
http://www.nectac.org/arra.asp
The 2009 Section 619 Profile is out!
Also from NECTAC, the profile updates information provided by state coordinators on state policies, programs, and practices under the Preschool Grants Program (Section 619 of Part B) of IDEA. http://www.nectac.org/pubs/titlelist.asp#sec619_16
New PEELS report: The Early School Transitions and the Social Behavior of Children with Disabilities.
The National Center for Special Education Research has released the third major report from the Pre-Elementary Education Longitudinal Study (PEELS). This report describes changes in services and eligibility at times of transition, transitions into kindergarten, and social skills and problem behavior of young children with disabilities.
http://www.peels.org/reports.asp
Inclusion.
The 9th National Early Childhood Inclusion Institute will be held July 14-16, 2009 in Chapel Hill, NC. Interested? Find out all at:
http://www.nectac.org/~meetings/inclusionmtg2009/splash.html
Research into early childhood education is afoot.
Funded by IES (Institute of Education Sciences), the National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education focuses on conducting research, disseminating research findings, and carrying out leadership activities aimed at improving the quality of early childhood education across the United States. www.ncrece.org
Early childhood assessment videos.
The Colorado Department of Education's Results Matter program has developed a series of videos on ways to use observation, documentation, and assessment to inform practice. Titles include but aren't limited to: Linking Documentation and Curriculum; The Essential Role of Observation and Documentation; and Sharing Documentation with Families. Hear practitioners talk about their exemplary practices and also watch them in action. You can view the clips online or download QuickTime versions of the videos to use in educational and professional development activities.
http://www.cde.state.co.us/resultsmatter/RMVideoSeries.htm
And a video on developmentally appropriate practice.
This video, developed by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is 53 minutes online and demonstrates teachers and children interacting in a classroom, with input from experts on the practices being observed.
http://www.naeyc.org/dap/resources.asp
RTI in preschool.
Roadmap to Pre-K RTI: Applying Response to Intervention in Preschool Settings is a report from the RTI Action Network. It explains how the essential components of RTI (universal screening and progress monitoring with research-based, tiered interventions) can be applied in preschool settings.
http://www.rtinetwork.org/Learn/RTI-in-Pre-Kindergarten
Did you know there was a center on RTI in preschools?
Neither did we. But fortunately there is---the Center for Response to Intervention in Early Childhood. Lots of very interesting info on its site, too.
http://www.crtiec.org/ | ARRA and the Department of Education.
The Department of Education has created a specific web page on the ARRA (American Recovery Reinvestment Act). Currently, it offers the press release; a more detailed fact sheet; an overview to understand how the funds will impact you, your students, and your school; and links to budget information, including state-by-state allocations for formula-based programs, as well as a brief "video statement" by Secretary Arne Duncan. Additional information on the act will be posted as it becomes available.
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/
2009 Web conference series on positive behavior support.
TASH offers a 6-part series called Positive Behavior Support: Designing and Implementing Effective Support Plans. Schedule: April 15th, 22nd, 29th, May 6th, 13th and 20th. Registration fees apply. Sign up at:
http://www.tash.org/index.html
Reducing behavior problems in the elementary school classroom.
From IES, this practice guide provides information to help elementary school educators as well as school and district
administrators develop and implement effective prevention and intervention strategies that promote positive student behavior.
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/pdf/practiceguides/behavior_pg_092308.pdf
PBIS in the classroom.
Universal Positive Behavior Support for the Classroom is now available on PBIS.ORG. The newsletter describes core components and strategies for effective behavior support in a classroom setting.
http://pbis.org/pbis_newsletter/volume_4/issue4.aspx
Preventing mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders among young people.
The National Research Council and Institute of Medicine report that young people experience mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders as commonly as they experience fractured limbs, costing the U.S. an estimated $247 billion annually. The report highlights classroom and other interventions that work.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12480
RTI for struggling readers.
Also new from IES, here's Assisting Students Struggling with Reading: Response to Intervention (RtI) and Multi-Tier Intervention in the Primary Grades. Teachers and reading specialists can utilize these strategies to implement RtI and multi-tier intervention methods and frameworks at the classroom or school level. Recommendations cover how to screen students for reading problems, design a multi-tier intervention program, adjust instruction to help struggling readers, and monitor student progress.
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/publications/practiceguides/
RTI for principals.
From the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Principal Leadership, here's one resource in two parts. Part 1 gives a general explanation of RTI, its importance to secondary school principals, and a description of the components of effective RTI programs. Part 2 discusses tiered interventions including whole-school, small-group, and individual interventions that make RTI initiatives successful. Both parts are available via the Center on Instruction.
http://centeroninstruction.org/resources.cfm?category=specialed&subcategory=&grade_start=&grade_end
Glossary of RTI terms.
Have you ever asked what the difference is between curriculum-based assessment and curriculum-based measurement? Have you heard of standard treatment protocol but are unsure as to what it means? Find these answers and more in this new Glossary of RTI terms from the National Center on Response to Intervention.
http://www.rti4success.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1132&Itemid=142
TBI: Identification, assessment, classroom accommodations.
This 17-page publication gives a general overview of how schools can best meet the needs of students with traumatic brain injury.
http://www.mssm.edu/tbicentral/resources/publications/students_with_tbi.shtml
New IDEA requirement: You know that "summary of student achievement" that's due for some students?
IDEA 2004 added a new requirement for school systems with respect to certain students with disabilities who are exiting secondary school with a regular diploma or because of "aging out" of eligibility for FAPE under state law. Now, for each such student, schools must provide a summary of the student's academic achievement and functional performance, including recommendations on how to assist the youth in meeting his or her postsecondary goals. If your school system is wondering how to fulfill this new requirement, here's an example of how one local district is.
http://www.vase.k12.il.us/Forms/SOP.html
And how are states measuring student progress toward IEP goals?
If a student's IEP has no benchmarks or short-term objectives, how is progress toward his or her annual goals measured? This February 2009 brief policy analysis from Project Forum describes the policies and practices that states have instituted to ensure that IEP teams provide for this. The analysis was based on data received from a survey of all states and a follow up interview with three states. Mechanisms to measure student progress on IEP goals across the nation and specific state strategies for tracking this progress are described.
http://projectforum.org/docs/StateTrackingtoMeasureStudentProgressTowardIEPGoals.pdf
FAPE under Section 504.
The U.S. Department of Education provides an overview of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which states that school districts are required to provide a "free appropriate public education" (FAPE) to each qualified person with a disability who is in the school district's jurisdiction, regardless of the nature or severity of the person's disability. This ED publication answers three questions about FAPE according to Section 504: (1) Who is entitled to a free appropriate public education? (2) How is an appropriate education defined? and (3) How is a free education defined?
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/FAPE504.pdf
Study gives edge to 2 math programs.
Two programs for teaching mathematics in the early grades are Math Expressions and Saxon Math. These two have also emerged as winners in early findings released last week from a large-scale federal experiment that pits four popular, and philosophically distinct, math curricula against one another. So reports Education Week, at:
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2009/03/04/23math-2.h28.html
| U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan talks with Education Week.
See the video. In an exclusive interview with Education Week, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan discussed the
administration's ideas on removing ineffective teachers, implementing performance pay, and holding education schools
accountable for their graduates' performance.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/section/video-galleries/27duncan_interview.html
Determinations of LEA Compliance with IDEA: Strategies and Resources Used by States.
This brief policy analysis presents IDEA 2004 language requiring states to make annual determinations each local education agency. Findings from a survey to which 45 state directors of special education responded are described. Findings include processes states use in making determinations, resources used, enforcement actions taken and benefits and challenges encountered in making determinations. A discussion follows. http://projectforum.org/docs/DeterminationsofLEACompliancewithIDEA-StrategiesandResourcesUsedbyStates.pdf
Stimulus package to impact education technology.
The ARRA doubles the current federal budget for education technology, allocating $650 million to states for education technology initiatives. Learn about the funding opportunities that are coming your way, as part of Education Week's ongoing analysis of Schools and the Stimulus.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2009/02/25/22stimtech.h28.html
The NAEP and students with disabilities.
Measuring the Status and Change of NAEP State Inclusion Rates for Students with Disabilities explains that, since the late 1990s, participation rates of students with disabilities in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) from different states have fluctuated. To address concerns that these changes may affect the validity of reports on achievement trends, NAEP has instituted policies for providing test accommodations for students with disabilities; developed a methodology to correct for the bias resulting from changing inclusion rates; and implemented procedures to increase the number of students with disabilities who are included as test takers.
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2009453
How's your state doing on educational technology?
Technology Counts 2009: Breaking Away From Tradition focuses on how online education is expanding opportunities for raising student achievement. You will want to see how your state's use of educational technology compares to the rest
of the country. Use the interactive maps and state data comparison tool to get the benchmarking information you need.
http://www.edweek.org/go/tc09
Guidance from the Department to assist in establishing uniform high school graduation rate.
The U.S. Department of Education has released non-regulatory guidance to implement a uniform and accurate measure of the high school graduation rate that is comparable across states. The non-regulatory guidance provides states, local education agencies, and schools with information about how to implement the uniform graduation rate regulations, including making data public so that educators and parents can compare how students of every race, background and income level are performing.
http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/guid/hsgrguidance.pdf
GAO report on young adults with serious mental iIllness and transition.
The transition to adulthood can be difficult for young adults who live with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Due to concerns about young adults with serious mental illness transitioning into adulthood, GAO was asked to provide information on (1) the number of these young adults and their demographic characteristics, (2) the challenges they face, (3) how selected states assist them, and (4) how the federal government supports states in serving these young adults and coordinates programs that can assist them. The full report:
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08678.pdf
The ADA Amendments Act of 2008.
The new ADAA became effective on January 1, 2009. While the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has not yet completed the regulations for the new legislation, the Job Accommodation Network has developed a publication and a resource page featuring information that is currently available about the Act. The new publication is called JAN's
Accommodation and Compliance Series: The ADA Amendments Act of 2008. It will be periodically updated as additional information is made public and can be found at
http://www.jan.wvu.edu/LINKS/adalinks.htm
Scaling up evidence-based practices in education.
The State Implementation of Scaling-up Evidence-based Practices (SISEP) Center and the National Implementation Research Network (NIRN) have recently released the following summary briefs on implementing and scaling up
evidence-based practices in education. Titles include: | | Special Focus: Transitions | There are many different points in time where transitions occur. Our children exit early intervention (Part C) and move on to preschool (Part B), and on down the line---kindergarten, elementary, middle school, high school, adulthood. Here's a selection of resources along that very continuum.
School transition in your child's future? Tips for a smooth transition.
The March 2009 newsletter from the Matrix Parent Network and Resource Center tackles the issue. http://www.matrixparents.org/pub/newsletters.htm
Out of early intervention and into preschool.
Check out NICHCY's resource page, if your youngster with disabilities is moving from Part C services to Part B and preschool.
http://www.nichcy.org/babies/TransitionToPreschool/Pages/Default.aspx
Transitioning from elementary school to middle school.
This 2-pager from Matrix will also give you food for thought. http://www.matrixparents.org/pub/pdf/Transitioning_from_Elementary_to_Middle_School.pdf
Or from middle school to high school.
Another 2-pager from Matrix, to go with our theme of transitions.
http://www.matrixparents.org/pub/pdf/Transition_From_Middle_to_High_School1.pdf
And the BIG transition: From high school to adult life.
http://www.matrixparents.org/pub/pdf/TransitioningFromHighSchooltoAdultLife.pdf
For that adolescent of yours: A Life 4 Me.
This site is for middle school youth with disabilities. The site includes activities and resources directed at futures planning.
http://www.alifeforme.com
In Spanish: Getting ready for postsecondary education?
The U.S. Department of Education offers Preparacion Para La Educacion Postsecundaria Para Los Estudiantes Con Discapacidades: Conozca Sus Derechos Y Responsabilidades (Students With Disabilities Preparing For Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities).
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/transition-sp.html?exp=3
Transition videos for students.
The OSEP-funded NSTTAC focuses exclusively on transition to adulthood. They've just posted three new videos on their home page. The first gives a 16-minute overview of the NSTTAC website. The second and third videos are for students. The second video guides students through the writing of personal post-secondary goals, while the third video gets them acquainted with the Summary of Performance (SOP) now required by IDEA when students with disabilities exit secondary school.
http://www.nsttac.org
Going to college?
Going to College is a new Web site with information about living college life with a disability. It is designed for teens with disabilities and provides video clips, activities, information, and additional resources that can help students get a head start in planning for college.
http://www.going-to-college.org/
Health care for transitioning youth.
As a natural part of growing up, adolescents becoming adults must become responsible for their health care. Taking responsibility for one's own health care, as developmentally able, is part of becoming independent from one's family and finding a place in the adult community. If you're looking for a wealth of resources on making that transition, you will be thrilled at the connections the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) has assembled. It's waiting at your fingers, at:
http://www.aucd.org/template/page.cfm?id=618
Directory of projects and centers focusing on transition.
The Federal Interagency Partners in Transition Workgroup has developed "Strengthening Transition Partnerships: Building Federal TA Center Capacity," a directory of federally funded projects and centers focusing on youth transition. The directory includes 15 descriptions detailing the name of the project or center, the funding agency, and the target audience, as well as descriptions of each center's purpose, services provided, and links to center websites and publications. The document is not exhaustive of all transition services extended through federal, state, or local entities. Available in pdf (16 pages).
http://tinyurl.com/d3t6ov
| | Comments on our newsletter? Suggestions for future topics? Please feel free to contact us at nichcy@aed.org. We're here to help you help children with disabilities. | | | | | | | Coming Soon...Very Soon NICHCY has been working hard to update our publications related to IDEA, and we're in the homestretch, thanks to OSEP's reviewers and our Project Officer, Dr. Judy L. Shanley. Hopefully, in our next month's enewsletter, we'll be linking you to these basics, all new and shiny and accurate: - Categories of Disability under IDEA
- Your Child's Evaluation
- Questions Often Asked by Parents about Special Education Services
Two new publications will be: - Q&A on IDEA: Purposes and Key Definitions
- Q&A on IDEA: Parent Participation
| | |
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