January 2012 – Special Educator e-Journal

Table of Contents

• Update from the U.S. Department of Education

• Calls to Participate

• Special Education Resources

• Update From The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

• Latest Employment Opportunities Posted on NASET

• Upcoming Conferences and Events

• Funding Forecast and Award Opportunities

• Acknowledgements

• Download a PDF Version of This Issue

---

Update from the U.S. Department of Education

Department of Education Awards $200 Million to Seven States to Advance K-12 Reform

The U.S. Department of Education announced today that sevenstates -Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania- will each receive a share of the $200 million in Race to the Top Round 3 (RTT3) fund to advance targeted K-12 reforms aimed at improving student achievement.

“These seven states are now among 22 Race to the Top winners spread out across the country that are investing in key education reforms to prepare more students for college and careers,” U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said. “Race to the Top has been a pivotal program that has generated more progress in improving our nation’s education system over the last three years than we’ve seen over the last decade. We look forward to partnering with these states to continue this important work.”

The 21 states and D.C. have been awarded grants through three rounds of Race to the Top, which includes the Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge Fund. In addition to the states awarded today, Race to the Top winners are California, Delaware, D.C., Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Washington. These states serve 65 percent of the nation’s children and 59 percent of the low-income students in the country.

As runners-up in the last year’s Race to the Top competitions, nine states were eligible for round three awards to invest in a portion of their round two plans. However, South Carolina opted out and California submitted an incomplete application.

RTT3 focuses on supporting efforts to leverage comprehensive statewide reform, while also improving science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. The seven winning applications include commitments to enhance data systems, raise academic standards, improve principal and teacher support and evaluation systems and implement school interventions in underperforming schools.

Congress recently passed an omnibus spending bill for fiscal year 2012 that includes an additional $550 million for Race to the Top. The bill includes language that will allow the Department to create a district-level competition and continue the investment in the Early Learning Challenge.

NEA Teachers Step Up

Last year the National Education Association (NEA) took a courageous step by creating a Council on Effective Teachers and Teaching’s (CETT) and giving them independence and power to make recommendations to transform the teaching profession. On December 8, they moved forward by releasing the commission’s report. In doing so, NEA leaders showed themselves to be serious partners in reform and strong advocates for students and teachers.

The CETT’s report, Transforming Teaching, was written by 20 practicing teachers who took a year to think creatively and imaginatively about how to reform their profession. Their recommendations call for teachers to take on the enormous responsibility to lead their profession in new directions. It treads in some controversial waters–minimizing tenure and last-in, first out practices–in favor of peer review and a focus on identifying, developing and supporting effective teaching.

As Maddie Fennell, CETT’s chair, says, “For educators to be recognized by the public as professionals, they must create a field that has an identifiable body of knowledge, that trains teachers in that knowledge, and that decides who is able enter and exit the field. We–as a profession–don’t do these things.”

CETT has several core recommendations to transform this vision of teaching into a reality, including changes in the way teachers are prepared, evaluated and compensated. The report describes a compensation system under which teachers are paid as professionals based on their effectiveness in the classroom and on their career path, not by current method of rewarding them for degrees earned and years in the classroom. The commission believes that teachers should be evaluated using student growth as one of several measures. Others could include peer review, principal observations, and student or parent feedback. And teachers need to be involved in making school decisions so that professional learning is targeted to teachers’ needs and reflects the realities of the classroom.

The commission’s report reflects what is happening in states and school districts across the country. My home state of Illinois recently passed a new law that tackles some of the most important issues facing the teaching profession, such as when to grant tenure, how to identify teachers who need support and development, and how to use our best teachers to improve instruction in other classrooms. Following the release the CETT report, NEA President Dennis Van Roekel said, “It’s up to us to own our own profession. I think the union is an important part of that.” And Maddie Fennell affirmed, “The boldness will come from those who choose to do the work to make this vision a reality.”

I applaud the leadership that the NEA has shown in creating this commission and releasing the initial report, and I look forward to following the NEA’s work in the future.

Arne Duncan is the U.S. Secretary of Education

‘Investing in Innovation’ Creates STEM Awards

The Department of Education’s Investing in Innovation (i3) competition provides funding to school districts and non-profit organizations around the country to develop new approaches to longstanding challenges in education. Today, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced the 23 applicants who will receive grants from the 2011 i3 competition. For the first time, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education was a priority of the competition. Five of the 23 awards will address that critical area and include programs devoted to:

• Expanding student access to STEM Advanced Placement courses;
• Creating an “innovation ecosystem” that identifies specific barriers to success in STEM courses and connects schools with instructional designers to help overcome them; and
• Developing a robotics program to help reduce summer learning loss in middle school.

Other areas that i3 grants will address include teacher and principal effectiveness; high-quality standards and assessments; turning around low-performing schools; and improving rural achievement. Some of the projects in these areas will:

• Expand an early childhood program that improves school readiness and increases family involvement in education;
• Use technology for teacher coaching, professional development, and recruiting, including building professional development “recommendation engines” like those used by Amazon and Netflix; and
• Turn around low-performing rural high schools by implementing a STEM and technology-supported school model.

In addition to the $148 million in funding provided by the Department of Education, the applicants raised $18 million in private-sector commitments from a wide range of philanthropic organizations, local businesses, and individuals.

More information about all of the 2011 grantees is available on the i3 website. Information about all applicants is available at data.ed.gov.

Jefferson Pestronk is Special Assistant in the Office of Innovation and Improvement at the Department of Education

Sorry, Kermit — It Can Be Easy Being Green

As Director of the new Green Ribbon Schools program, I have visited a lot of Green Schools. I have been thrilled by geothermal heating and cooling systems; intrigued by water retention ponds and cisterns; and delighted by practical yet attractive recycled building materials. But I’ve also been impressed by schools that have “gone green” through sheer ingenuity. My visits to schools that look like any other reinforce our understanding that any school, no matter its resources or location, can take relatively simple steps toward the goals of the Green Ribbon Schools recognition award.

Every school can become a green school by making progress in the areas of: 1) environmental impact and energy efficiency; 2) health and wellness; and 3) environmental literacy. So what does a green school look like? Don’t be fooled by ordinary appearances. What sets apart a green school requires a look inside, where enterprising school administrators, teachers and community members lead enthusiastic students toward change.

In a green school, the community might help with the construction of a simple outdoor amphitheater that serves as an open air classroom. A green school can start a recycling program that encourages communities without district waste management programs to bring their recyclables to school for collection. Or recognize quarterly the class with the highest number of students commuting by a means other than their parents’ cars. Administrators can engage community volunteers to help students plan and maintain school gardens. They can adopt a no cupcake policy and offer students healthy birthday reward alternatives, such as additional recess. They might ask students to “trash the trash” with reusable lunchware. A good-humored principal might don his Mr. Banana costume – and check his self-esteem at the door – all in the name of teaching young scholars good nutrition.

At the high school level, a motivated environmental science teacher could have a huge impact, using an aquaponic garden to teach the nitrogen cycle in biology, horticulture and other environmental science classes. Students might develop not only science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills through their projects, but also develop civic skills. Students could use the profits from the plants they grow and sell to improve the schools’ environmental impact and cost savings. The teacher might organize an annual clean-up in nearby woodlands, highways or trails and garner local organizations’ sponsorship and collaboration. The green high school’s environmental club can help the school transition to compact fluorescent bulbs and task lighting, reducing the energy consumption of classrooms, and to implement a recycling program.

These are all real-life examples from visits not far from the U.S. Department of Education’s Washington, D.C. headquarters, but efforts such as these are being implemented all across the country. Every school that takes these simple steps can save energy, reduce costs, increase health and wellness, and offer effective environmental education. These schools are proving that it’s easier than you think being green.

US Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools is a federal recognition award and should not be confused with any green schools program conducted by non-governmental entities.

Andrea Falken, Director, Green Ribbon Schools

Jose Rico Appointed Director of White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced the appointment of José Rico as the new director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. The Initiative is in charge of expanding academic excellence and improving educational opportunities for Hispanics for President Obama and Secretary Duncan.

“For the last two years as the Initiative’s deputy director, José has helped create an active national network of Latino community leaders to increase the academic success of Hispanics to meet President Obama’s 2020 college completion goal,” Duncan said. “We’re fortunate that José will take the helm at the Initiative and lead the Obama Administration’s efforts to improve educational opportunities for Hispanics.”

Hispanics are the largest minority group in the public education system, comprising more than 1 in 5 students in the nation’s elementary, middle and high schools, according to a report by the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. The report shows that Hispanics will drive the growth of the labor force over the next several decades, accounting for 60 percent of the nation’s growth between 2005 and 2050.

“Hispanic students have graduated at lower rates than others for a long time, making it impossible for America to advance if they continue to fall behind,” Rico said. “Improving Hispanic educational excellence isn’t just a Latino problem. It’s a challenge for all Americans.”

Prior to his work with the Administration, Rico served from 2005-2009 as principal of Chicago’s Multicultural Arts High School, named by then Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan as founding principal in 2005. He previously worked for the University of Illinois-Chicago’s Small Schools Workshop to help develop small, innovative learning communities in public schools. He also worked during this time as a school improvement coach and on charter school projects with the Knowledge Works Foundation and the National Council of La Raza.

Earlier, Rico was program director for Public Allies, a nonprofit dedicated to community service; and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant Rights, organizing its Removing Barriers to Education campaign, working with parents around the state to ensure their children were not denied access to education. Rico earned a bachelor’s degree at Northeastern Illinois University, a master’s degree from University of Illinois-Chicago in curriculum instruction and another master’s from National-Louis University in administration.

To top

Calls to Participate

Participants Sought for Survey on Mentoring Services for High-Risk Youth
www.surveymonkey.com/s/YouthMentoringSurvey
The National Mentoring Partnership, Global Youth Justice, and the National Partnership for Juvenile Services are conducting a survey to improve the design and delivery of mentoring services for youth at risk for delinquency, alcohol and drug abuse, truancy, and other problem behaviors. Results will be included in a research report and in training and technical assistance materials, which will be free and available online. The survey is funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Mentoring and juvenile justice professionals working in detention, corrections, probation, dependency courts, delinquency courts, and teen court/youth court diversion programs are encouraged to participate.

PEPNet Training Institute at AHEAD 2012
http://www.pepnet.org/pti/
The PEPNet 2.0 Training Institute (PTI) is seeking proposals for presentations for the first ever PEPNet 2.0 National Conference, to be held in conjunction with the Association of Higher Education and Disabilities (AHEAD) 2012 Conference in New Orleans, LA, July 9-14, 2012. Papers should address issues related to enrolling, retaining, and instructing students who are deaf or hard of hearing or to the varying communication needs of, and methods used by, individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, such as oral transliteration services, cued language transliteration services, sign language transliteration and interpreting services, and transcription, Information about the PEPNet Training Institute at AHEAD 2012 in New Orleans is now posted. Deadline for proposals: January 5, 2012.

U.S. High School Students: Spend a Funded Semester Abroad
http://exchanges.state.gov/youth/programs/yesabroad.html
Through international exchange, youth with disabilities have the power to dispel stereotypes and challenge personal assumptions about cultures in other parts of the world. Through the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program, 55 American high school students, ages 15-18.5, can apply for a scholarship to study in a country with a significant Muslim population, including Egypt, Ghana, India, Malaysia, Morocco, and others. The program encourages students with disabilities to apply to attend high school and participate in cultural and leadership activities in a YES program country in the 2012-13 school year. Deadline: January 11, 2012.

America’s Promise Launches Grad Nation Communities
http://www.americaspromise.org/gradnationcommunities
America’s Promise Alliance is drafting more communities into its campaign to boost high school graduation. The Alliance recently launched Grad Nation Communities, part of the Grad Nation Campaign, a 10-year initiative to mobilize all Americans to take action to end the high school dropout crisis and better prepare young people for college and the 21st century workforce. The Alliance invites communities to join this network of cities and towns that will work to improve high school graduation rates by focusing on the local schools that are most in need of improvement.

National Disability Employment Awareness Month
http://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/NDEAM.htm
National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is a national campaign held each October to raise awareness about disability employment issues and celebrate the many contributions of America’s workers with disabilities. NDEAM’s roots go back to 1945, when Congress enacted a law declaring the first week in October each year ”National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week.” In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed the name to “National Disability Employment Awareness Month.” When the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) was established in 2001, it assumed responsibility for NDEAM, working to expand its reach and scope. But NDEAM’s true spirit lies in the creative observances held across the nation every year. ODEP offers a variety of resources to help employers, schools and organizations, and communities participate in NDEAM. Activities can be as simple as putting up NDEAM posters, or as comprehensive as implementing a disability education program. All are important in fostering a more inclusive America, where every person’s abilities are recognized all year round. The theme for NDEAM 2011 is “Profit by Investing in Workers with Disabilities,” which promotes the valuable of people with disabilities to America’s workplaces and economy.

National Disability Employment Awareness Month Presidential Proclamation
http://tinyurl.com/4yhqvny
The presidential proclamation of NDEAM 2011 recognizes the skills that people with disabilities bring to the workforce, and urges rededication to improving employment opportunities in both the public and private sectors for those living with disabilities. The full text is on the White House Press Office’s Web site.

Survey for Parents Will Assess Community Services for Children with Special Needs
http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/402046/MCHB
The newly founded National Center for Ease of Use of Community-Based Services is conducting a survey for parents of children with special needs on the effectiveness of community-based services. Results from the survey will be used to help the Center identify what’s working, what’s not, and how it can better help children receive the health care services they need.

IES Grant Competitions
http://ies.ed.gov/ncser/projects/11awards2.asp
Through the National Center for Special Education Research, the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) recently awarded 16 grants under the Special Education Research Grants Program, and one grant under the Special Education Research and Development Center Program. These applications were considered under the September 2010 deadline, and total spending for these new grants is $45.5 million. Descriptions and structured abstracts for these new grants are available on their Web site

---

To top

Special Education Resources

America’s Literacy Directory
Online Directory
http://literacydirectory.org/
“America’s Literacy Directory” is an online data directory to help learners find local literacy programs that provide help with reading, writing and math skills, GED preparation and testing, English as a second language programs, and citizenship or civics education.

Autism Internet Modules
Modules
http://www.autisminternetmodules.org/
These modules on a variety of topics were developed by the Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence in partnership with others to provide information on the assessment and identification of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), recognizing and understanding behaviors and characteristics, transition to adulthood, employment and numerous evidence-based practices and interventions.

Casey Family Programs Updates Providing Effective Financial Aid Assistance to Students from Foster Care and Unaccompanied Homeless Youth
Guide
http://www.casey.org/resources/Publications/ProvidingEffectiveFinancialAid.htm
“Providing Effective Financial Aid Assistance to Students from Foster Care and Unaccompanied Homeless Youth (Version 2.0)” has been updated by NASFAA, The California Community College Chancellor’s Office, and Casey Family Programs to comply with the current FAFSA. It provides information for anyone who helps youth from foster care and unaccompanied homeless youth to secure financial aid for postsecondary education or training programs on how to respond to the 2011-2012 FAFSA questions 52-57 that determine federal financial aid dependency status for these students. Also included is a section on sensitive communications, developed with input and guidance from students. This guide will is useful for college financial aid professionals, independent living coordinators, guidance counselors, financial aid counselors, social workers and advocates who are helping youth to secure the maximum allowable financial aid.

Casey Family Programs Updates Supporting Success: Improving Higher Education Outcomes for Students from Foster Care
Framework
http://www.casey.org/Resources/Publications/SupportingSuccess.htm
“Supporting Success: Improving Higher Education Outcomes for Students from Foster Care (Version 2.0)” provides program development information and tools for college student support services, administrators, advisors, financial aid counselors and advocates. Background information, recommendations, strategies and model program examples are provided to assist colleges in improving their support for students coming from foster care.

Centers for Youth with Disabilities, Parents, and Professionals Working in Transition and Employment Planning
Research Briefs
http://rsatac.ed.gov/docs/VRBrief_Centersforyouth.pdf
The “VR Research in Brief” series is designed to summarize current research findings in topics of expressed interest by the TA Network membership. The briefs analyze the implications of the research findings for vocational rehabilitation service providers, partners, and systems, and are prepared by experts in the field in coordination with the NTAC. “Centers for Youth with Disabilities, Parents, and Professionals Working in Transition and Employment Planning” provides information on Rehabilitation Services Administration Parent Training resources. Available in pdf (290 KB, 3 pp).

Communities of Color and Public School Reform: Findings from Qualitative and Quantitative Research Conducted May-June 2011
Research Report
http://publiceducation.org/pdf/2011_National_Conference/Communities_of_Color_Slides.pdf
In “Communities of Color and Public School Reform: Findings from Qualitative and Quantitative Research Conducted May-June 2011,” the Campaign for High School Equity found that African-American and Latino parents and caregivers perceived high dropout rates and low college attendance as problems and were highly committed to ensuring the educational success of their children, but were unaware of the larger public school reform movement. The parents’ commitment to the goals of a strong education and college degrees for their children offers an opening to engage them in a collective, coordinated effort to hold the educational system accountable for more effective and inclusive reforms and innovations. The research is available in pdf (194 KB, 53 pp).

Community Schools Strategy Made Easy
Guide
http://www.communityschools.org/scalingup/
The Coalition for Community Schools has released “Scaling Up School and Community Partnerships: The Community Schools Strategy,” an interactive web-based tool to help school and community leaders at different points in planning for, implementing, and sustaining a community schools strategy to understand the community school strategy and learn about building a system of community schools. The guide draws from the work of local community schools initiatives that directly affect student achievement, attendance, family engagement, and other factors. It presents end-state benchmarks for scale-up, and includes stories from successful community school systems, as well as videos of community leaders talking about scale-up, literature on scale-up stories, and answers to questions about each scale-up stage, using LinkedIn.

Crime during the Transition to Adulthood: How Youth Fare as They Leave Out-of-Home Care
Report
http://tinyurl.com/4tpzs3y
The transition to adulthood is complex period for all youth, and may be particularly difficult for youth aging out of the child welfare system. In “Crime during the Transition to Adulthood: How Youth Fare as They Leave Out-of-Home Care,” Chapin Hall researchers examined criminal behavior and criminal justice system involvement among a sample of 732 youth in three states transitioning from out-of-home care to adulthood, findings that foster youth, like their peers, engaged in less crime over time as they move into adulthood. While foster youth reported more crime than their peers as they approached the transition, by age 19 and 21 there were few differences between the groups, yet foster youth remained much more likely than their peers to be arrested. The report called for renewed efforts to minimize the placement instability that often characterizes the lives of those in care.

Department of Education Answers Questions on Secondary Transition in Updated Guidance
Q&A Document
http://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/transition-q-a.pdf
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has issued “Questions and Answers Document on Secondary Transition” to provide guidance on identifying postsecondary goals in training, education, employment, and, where appropriate, independent living. Available in pdf (32.8 KB, 7 pp).

Department of Justice Video on Tribal Youth and Their Communities
Public Service Announcement Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFjJT_0r9LE
The U.S. Department of Justice has released “That’s My People,” a public service announcement video on the issues that tribal youth identified as important to address with their tribal leaders. “That’s My People” was developed and filmed at the 2011 National Intertribal Youth Summit at the Santa Fe Indian School in Santa Fe, NM, and is available online.

Education Week Online on Middle Schoolers Getting Prepped for College
Report
http://tinyurl.com/c6kbkya
“Middle Schoolers Getting Prepped for College” discusses the rise in college- and career-readiness programs targeted at middle schoolers, particularly disadvantaged ones, spurred by mounting research showing that middle school is a key time to improve the academics and attitudes needed to succeed in high school, college, and beyond. Successful programs aimed at the middle grades cannot focus solely on mapping out coursework and taking standardized tests, but have to reach young adolescents in innovative ways that combine the efforts of parents, schools, and the community to set those students on a path to readiness, and students have to feel they are pursuing their own goals. Several examples of successful programs are discussed.

How Career Pathway Bridges Help Basic Skills Students Earn Credentials That Matter
Program Highlights
http://sparkaction.org/content/farther-faster-six-promising-programs-show
Students forced to complete a long sequence of remedial or English language classes before they can begin their postsecondary program rarely earn college certificates or degrees. “Farther, Faster: Six Promising Programs Show How Career Pathway Bridges help Basic Skills Students Earn Credentials That Matter” is a brief from the Center for Law and Social Policy highlighting six promising programs that show how career pathway bridges help lower-skilled students move farther and faster along college and career paths through dual enrollment in linked basic skills and occupational certificate courses.

Improving Outcomes for Youth in Transition
Report
http://sparkaction.org/resources/58891
“Improving Outcomes for Youth in Transition,” from the Journal of Child and Youth Care Work, reports on a training program for supervisors, caseworkers, and community partners of the Iowa child welfare system to help foster youth better transition to living independently, developed between 2005 and 2008 by the University of Iowa and the Iowa Department of Human Services. The program trains supervisors in key concepts of transition planning and helps them facilitate trainings with their own staff and other community agencies and overcome challenges encountered.

My Future, My Way: First Steps Toward College – A Workbook for Middle and Junior High School Students
Workbook
http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/premium-publications/my_future_my_way/index.html
This U.S. Department of Education publication for middle and junior high school students helps youth learn about the range of postsecondary school options, the benefits of higher education, how to pay for college, and how to start preparing for college and career in middle school. Personalized activities help youth think about how college can help them achieve their individual career goals.

NCES Releases High School Career/Technical Education Participation Web Tables
Tables
http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/ctes/tables/index.asp?LEVEL=SECONDARY
The U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences’ National Center for Education Statistics has released “Career/Technical Education (CTE) Statistics.” This set of six tables presents information on the participation of public high school graduates of the class of 2009 in CTE, including the percentage of graduates who earned credits in CTE overall, as well as in various occupational areas within CTE, and the average number of credits earned in CTE and in occupational areas. Three tables focus on graduates in 2009, and three tables on participation trends from 1990 to 2009.

NCLD/Y Introduces New Internship Guide for Youth with Disabilities
Guide
http://ncld-youth.info/Downloads/intern-guide-final.pdf
The National Consortium on Leadership and Disability for Youth (NCLD/Y) published a guide for youth with disabilities interested in pursuing an internship, “On-Ramp to Employment, A Guide for Students with Disabilities to Getting and Making the Most of an Internship.” It leads young people through the step-by-step process of finding, applying for, participating in an internship. It includes information focused on career exploration, interview and resume building, goal setting, and networking, as well as tips on finding accessible housing, navigating the transportation system, disclosing a disability, and employing a personal care attendant. Available in pdf (8.15 MB, 100 pp).

 

NCLD/Y on Education Alignment & Accountability in an Era of Convergence
Article
http://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/article/view/921
The National Consortium on Leadership and Disability for Youth (NCLD/Y) is conducting a research and demonstration project on how Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs) guide high school students toward college and careers. As part of this work, two NCWD/Youth papers were recently published. The first, “ Education Alignment & Accountability in an Era of Convergence: Policy Insights from States with Individual Learning Plans & Policies,” in “Education Policy Analysis Archives,” found that to date limited fiscal investments in professional development and systematic data collection have constrained ILP-IGP implementation and evaluation. Recommendations for state policy improvements included aligning ILP policies with state plans for improving outcomes in federal programs for students confronting economic, language and disability challenges.

NCLD/Y on The Nature & Use of Individualized Learning Plans as a Career Intervention Strategy
Article
http://jcd.sagepub.com/content/early/2011/04/26/0894845311414571
The National Consortium on Leadership and Disability for Youth (NCLD/Y) is conducting a research and demonstration project on how Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs) guide high school students toward college and careers. As part of this work, two NCWD/Youth papers were recently published. The second, “The Nature & Use of Individualized Learning Plans as a Career Intervention Strategy,” in “Journal for Career Development”(electronic version, forthcoming in 2012 in the print version), found that ILPs are being implemented in high schools throughout the United States as strategic planning tools that help students align course plans with career aspirations and often include the development of postsecondary plans; parents, teachers, and students indicate that ILPs result in students’ selecting more rigorous courses, better teacher-student relationships, and positive parent-school relations. The article describes the emergence of ILPs, promising practice strategies, challenges associated with gaining whole school buy-in, and the potential for career and vocational research.

NCSER Special Topic Report on the Secondary School Programs and Performance of Students With Disabilities
Report
http://ies.ed.gov/ncser/pubs/20123000/
The U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences’ National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) has released “Secondary School Programs and Performance of Students With Disabilities: A Special Topic Report of Findings From the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2,” which uses data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 dataset to provide a national picture of what courses students with disabilities took in high school, in what settings, and with what success in terms of credits and grades earned.

 

NDTAC Fact Sheet on Juvenile Justice Education (January 2011)
Fact Sheet
http://www.neglected-delinquent.org/nd/docs/NDFactSheet.pdf
“Fact Sheet: Juvenile Justice Education,” a factsheet on the characteristics of educational services provided by juvenile justice facilities in the United States, is available on the National Evaluation and Technical Assistance Center for the Education of Children and Youth Who Are Neglected, Delinquent, or At Risk (NDTAC) Web site. It presents information on the prevalence and type of education services, student participation in education services, and perceived quality of education services, etc. Available in pdf (876 KB, 6 pp).

Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) Integrated Employment Toolkit
Toolkit
http://www.dol.gov/odep/ietoolkit/
The Toolkit offers a collection of resources, reports, papers, policies, fact sheets, case studies, and discussion guides from a variety of sources to accommodate the full range of users and increase capacity and understanding about the value and potential of integrated employment. It is organized by different audiences or perspectives. Within each audience, there are key, commonly-asked questions to guide the user to the appropriate materials.

Reentry Programs for Students with Disabilities in the Juvenile Justice System: Four State Approaches
Policy Analysis
http://www.projectforum.org/
“Reentry Programs for Students with Disabilities in the Juvenile Justice System: Four State Approaches,” a Project Forum document prepared under Federal Cooperative Agreement H326F050001, is a brief policy analysis that defines reentry, describes federal efforts to support successful reentry of juvenile justice offenders, relates the prevalence of students with disabilities in the juvenile justice system and recounts recommended reentry strategies from experts in the field. The findings from interviews with four states (AZ, GA, HI, OR) and a review of program-related documents are provided. The goal of these state programs is to reduce recidivism by supporting the smooth transition of youth with disabilities from correctional facilities to community-based schools, jobs and support services.

Secondary Transition Collection
Resources List
http://tinyurl.com/cma4sx4
Transition services under IDEA 2004 are defined as a coordinated set of activities for a student with a disability that is designed to be within a results-oriented process. The focus is on improving the academic and functional achievement of the child with a disability to facilitate the child’s movement from school to post-school activities. The tools and resources in this Secondary Transition Collection help to improve the transition process.

The Facts on Charter Schools and Students with Disabilities
Issue Brief
http://nichcy.org/premium-publications/charters
This brief from the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) clarifies the role of charter schools in serving students with disabilities. It provides links to each state’s charter guidance, as well as to helpful Web sites for more information.

Transition Basics from TransCen
Modules
http://tinyurl.com/77erzzl
TransCen, Inc., has developed a series of free online self-paced modules that provide an overview and orientation to main concepts, geared to help people understand the basics of transition services. The modules are aligned with competencies endorsed by national initiatives.

USDOL Releases Integrated Employment Toolkit
Toolkit
http://www.dol.gov/odep/ietoolkit/
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy has released its new Integrated Employment Toolkit. The Toolkit offers a resources, reports, papers, policies, fact sheets, case studies, and discussion guides from a variety of sources to accommodate the range of users and increase capacity and understanding about the value and potential of integrated employment. Answers to key, commonly asked questions guide users to appropriate materials.

Who Can Help?
Blog
http://nichcy.org/who-can-help
The “Who Can Help?” blog from the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) provides a State Organization Search as a guide to finding state agencies, disability-specific organizations, organizations for parents, and other disability organizations in each state.

---

To top

Update from the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

NEW FROM NICHCY! Inclusion in Action: Good Morning! The latest NICHCY blog features guest blogger Nicole Eredics. She takes us inside her inclusive classroom, where we start the day as her students do. http://nichcy.org/inclusion-in-action-good-morning Who Can Help? The latest NICHCY blog guides you through our State Organization Search to find state agencies, disability-specific organizations, organizations for parents, and other disability organizations in your state. http://nichcy.org/who-can-help The Facts on Charter Schools and Students with Disabilities Our apologies for the premature announcement last month; this helpful resource clarifies the role of charter schools in serving students with disabilities. Use our list of links to find your state’s charter guidance, as well as to connect with “helpful websites” for more information. http://nichcy.org/premium-publications/charters ___________________________________________

 

FROM OUR FRIENDS AT THE IDEA PARTNERSHIP Secondary Transition Collection Transition services under IDEA 2004 are defined as a coordinated set of activities for a student with a disability that is designed to be within a results-oriented process. The focus is on improving the academic and functional achievement of the child with a disability to facilitate the child’s movement from school to post-school activities. The tools and resources in this Secondary Transition Collection help to improve the transition process. http://tinyurl.com/cma4sx4 ___________________________________________

 

IT ALL STARTS IN FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES Tips for surviving family gatherings. About.com’s Terri Mauro shares ways you can plan to “mak[e] family gatherings good, not ghastly.” http://specialchildren.about.com/od/inthecommunity/a/holiday.htm I’m booooooooooooooored. We all know that cry! If you hear it during the holiday season, run to these 4 articles for some easy ideas for spontaneous child-amusing–no pre-planning or preparation needed. http://specials.about.com/service/newsletters/specialchildren/1322233200.htm Speaking of family life . . . Care.com offers advice for family and caregivers on managing the impact of a child’s disability on family life. Find specific tips for specific disabilities including Down syndrome, epilepsy, Asperger’s, and more. http://www.care.com/special-needs-effect-on-family-life-p1167-q227936.html One more holiday survival guide. Dan Coulter offers advice for families to make holidays with an autism spectrum disorder more manageable. http://www.coultervideo.com/articles/83/stacking-deck-family-holidays Gift ideas for children with autism. From the National Autism Resources blog, 10 Fun Gifts That Teach Children with Autism Social Skills. http://tinyurl.com/bwzcpwe Sensory friendly films. Holiday breaks are a great time to catch the latest kid movies, but if you have a little one on the autism spectrum or other sensory issues, attending a noisy, visually arresting film might be a tall order. Fortunately, AMC Entertainment offers a special screening of the latest kid-friendly movie with lower sound levels, lights turned low, and invitations to move around, talk, or sing along. Check out your local AMC listing for the first Saturday of every month–December’s selection is the new Muppets movie! http://www.amctheatres.com/sff/ New Spanish resources from NCLD. The National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) has recently released its collection of Spanish-language resources for parents of children with learning disabilities. http://www.ncld.org/recursos-en-espanol Autism fact sheet in multiple languages. The University of Southern California (USC), Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) has translated (with permission) the CDC “Learn the Signs. Act Early” Autism Fact Sheet into multiple languages to reach underserved populations and to encourage early identification of autism. The Autism Fact Sheet is available in Arabic, Armenian, Farsi, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, Thai, and Vietnamese. http://www.uscucedd.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=455&Itemid=426 __________________________________________

THE LITTLE ONES: EARLY INTERVENTION/EARLY CHILDHOOD Holidays & fairness. Many early childhood educators have questions about how to approach the holidays. From the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves offers useful information and tools for teachers as they consider the specific families in their program. http://www.naeyc.org/content/anti-bias-guide-holidays Make and take workshop: Reducing challenging behavior by clarifying expectations, rules, and routines. The Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention’s Make and Take Workshops are designed to provide information on a focused topic. This month’s workshop addresses the difference between program-wide expectations and classroom rules, the importance of teaching expectations to children in a manner that is developmentally appropriate, and strategies and techniques to teach clear expectations. http://www.challengingbehavior.org/communities/make_n_take/make_n_take_home.html Behavior training programs. From the What Works Clearinghouse, The Incredible Years is designed for children (ages 0-12) with challenging behaviors and focuses on building social and emotional skills. Lessons can be delivered to children referred for difficult behavior or to an entire classroom as a preventative measure. http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/interventionreport.aspx?sid=590 Part C non-regulatory guidance. This guidance provides parents, early intervention service (EIS) providers, State lead agencies, and other interested parties with detailed information about the some of the changes made to the Part C regulations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The document focuses on where changes were made to regulatory requirements that directly affect infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families and local EIS providers and programs. http://tinyurl.com/chuk2cj ____________________________________________________________

 

SCHOOLS, K-12 11th annual Inclusive Schools Week is Dec. 5-9, 2011! Inclusive Schools Week is an annual international event celebrated the first week in December. It is a time when schools and communities can begin or continue the journey toward providing a quality education to all children regardless of differences in ability, gender, ethnicity, language and health status. The Inclusive Schools Network offers Activities and Resources for Schools, Classrooms, and Families. Get your kit today! http://inclusiveschools.org/files/116/ Free teaching resources. Federal Resources for Educational Excellence is a great source for information on holidays as well as history, language arts, math, and more. Resources come from the Library of Congress, Department of Education, the National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, Institute of Museum and Library Sciences, and more. http://www.free.ed.gov/index.cfm A resource aid for improving teaching and learning supports by addressing the rhythm of a year. The UCLA Center for Mental Health in Schools has published thematic resource aids reflecting the yearly rhythm of schools, for school staff (especially student and learning supports personnel) to use in planning a proactive and timely focus on some basic concerns that arise throughout the year and in planning and implementing interventions. http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/rhythms.pdf Implementing RTI in urban settings. In Cultural Adaptations When Implementing RTI in Urban Settings, Chemay Morales-James and a team from New York University’s Metropolitan Center for Urban Education outline cultural adaptations to consider when developing and implementing RTI in urban settings. They also define a culturally responsive RTI approach to guide schools that are addressing disproportionate representation of minorities in suspension and special education. http://tinyurl.com/cm8kl5o Writing an inclusive IEP. Practical advice from Christi Kasa and Julie Causton-Theoharis on how to write IEP goals to meet students’ needs within the context of the general education classroom. http://speakout.peakparent.org/index.php/current-newsletter/writing-an-inclusive-iep ____________________________________________________________

STATE & SYSTEM TOOLS Early identification of autism spectrum disorders | Online module. The National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders offers this free online module addressing the importance of early identification, early characteristics of ASD, and a recommended set of practices that will lead to early identification of ASD. The module also provides information about national resources and initiatives committed to early identification for the purpose of follow up and referral to services, resources, and supports. http://autismpdc.fpg.unc.edu/content/early-identification-asd-module Secondary “Just in Time” training resources. The National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (NSTTAC) offers resources to provide transition personnel at all levels with access to information on critical secondary transition competencies. There are separate documents for secondary special education teachers, secondary transition specialists, and state agency secondary special education administrators http://www.nsttac.org/content/secondary-transition-just-time-training-resources-0 Explore data trends across states. The Data Accountability Center (DAC) is excited to introduce its Analytic Tool. This tool provides users with the most recent publicly available state-level IDEA data. The tool may be used to view data trends, generate data reports, copy data into spreadsheets, generate graphics as appropriate to the data selected, and run cross-tabulations using variables collected as part of that data set. https://www.ideadata.org/DACAnalyticTool/Intro_2.asp

 

---

To top

Latest Employment Opportunities Posted on NASET

$125,000 Salary for Master Middle School Teachers

New York, New York

Job Category: Full Time

Posted on Friday 02. of December 2011

Description

Earn a $125,000 salary and join a team of master teachers at The Equity Project (TEP) Charter School, recently featured on the front page of the New York Times: (http://www.tepcharter.org/nytimes.php).

TEP is a 480-student 5th through 8th grade middle school in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City.

Learn more and apply today at http://www.tepcharter.org/apply.php

Also, we invite you to learn more about TEP Charter School and about teaching at the school on our Live Online Information Session (link below):

http://www.tepcharter.org/info-session-for-teachers.php

About TEP Charter School

TEP aims to put into practice the central conclusion of a large body of research related to student achievement: teacher quality is the most important school-based factor in the academic success of students, particularly those from low-income families. In singling out teacher quality as the essential lever in educational reform, TEP is uniquely focused on attracting and retaining master teachers. To do so, TEP uses a three-pronged strategy that it terms the 3 R’s: Rigorous Qualifications, Redefined Expectations, & Revolutionary Compensation. For more information, visit us online at http://www.tepcharter.org

Compensation

$125,000 salary + potential annual bonus, full benefits package

Qualifications

http://www.tepcharter.org/overview-the-3Rs.php

Email:jobs@tepcharter.org

________________________________________________________________

Master Educator

Washington, D.C.

Job Category: Teacher Evaluator

Posted on Thursday 01. of December 2011

Job Description

Position Overview In the fall of 2009, DCPS launched a ground-breaking teacher performance assessment system as part of its effort to become one of the highest performing school systems in the country. This performance assessment system,IMPACT, seeks to create a culture in which all school-based personnel have a clear understanding of what defines excellence in their work, are provided with constructive and data-based feedback about their performance, and receive support to increase their effectiveness. One of the key elements of this system (IMPACT) is the Master Educator role. Master Educators have three primary responsibilities:

1)to serve as impartial, third-party evaluators of teacher performance,

2) to provide teachers with targeted, content-specific feedback and resources and

3) to provide instructional capacity to support DCPS reform initiatives. Currently, DCPS is looking for master educators in the following content areas:

• Early Childhood (Preschool – Kindergarten)
• Elementary (Grades 1-6)
• Bilingual Education
• English as a Second Language
• Secondary Science
• Secondary English
• Secondary Social Studies
• World Languages
• Secondary Math
• Art
• Music
• Special Education
• Health and Physical Education

Roles & Responsibilities

Specific responsibilities of the master educator role include, but are not limited to the following: Teacher Observations (Approximately 75-80%):

• Evaluating teacher practice through classroom observations. Each master educator will complete approximately 100 30-minute observations per observation cycle (2 observation cycles per academic year).
• Maintaining detailed observational records, thoroughly documenting and rating evidence from each observation.
• Writing detailed reports to accompany each observation. Reports will include explanations of the teacher’s ratings, evidence, and suggestions for growth.
• Conducting one-on-one post-observation conferences with all observed teachers which allow opportunity to dialogue about specific areas of development.
• Providing targeted professional development to teachers by providing clear and direct feedback, leading content-specific professional development workshops, collaborating with school-based instructional coaches, and connecting teachers with professional development resources. District-wide Instructional Capacity (Approximately 20-25%):
• Collaborating with other DCPS staff and departments to further overall district initiatives, including curricular and professional development design, school outreach, and recruitment and selection efforts.
• Attending meetings and on-going trainings as required.
• Performing other duties as assigned.

Job Requirements

Candidates must possess the following professional qualifications:

• At least 5 years of teaching experience in a low-income school
• Documented evidence of success raising student achievement in a low-income school
• Exceptional writing and oral communication skills
• The ability to work effectively with others at all levels of an organization and to consistently display a high level of professionalism in all interactions
• An ability to critically assess challenges and identify appropriate solutions
• Strong organizational skills, including keen attention to detail and the ability to adhere to strict deadlines
• Excellent time-management and a willingness to work non-standard hours
• Ability to work in ambiguous situations, while maintaining a sense of possibility
• Previous experience developing and providing support and training to other educators (preferred)
• Knowledge of adult learner theory (preferred)
• Comfort working with Microsoft Office suite (preferred).

Job Benefits

Compensation/Other Information: The Master Educator is a DCPS employee who primarily works in the field, conducting observations of, and conferencing with, teachers across the District of Columbia Public Schools system. The position therefore requires significant travel and the ability to effectively manage time independently. Master Educators receive extensive training on the Teaching and Learning Framework, as well as, delivering effective feedback both written and orally. Master Educator positions will be available in July 2012, however, please note that there may be some availability, based on subject area, for mid-year positions in the 2011-2012 school year. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and the formal application for the 2012-2013 school year will open in late January. The annual salary for the Master Educator role is $90,000. In addition, Master Educators receive a comprehensive benefits package through the Council of School Officers union, which includes health, dental, and vision benefits.

Contact Information

Emily Allshouse Coordinator, Master Educator Program

Email:emily.allshouse@dc.gov

Phone: 202.299.2146

________________________________________________________________

Special Education Classroom Teacher Assistant

Joliet, Illinois

Job Category: Special Education Classroom Teacher Assistant, Assistant Teacher, Paraprofessional

Posted on Thursday 10. of November 2011

Special Education Services, a member of The Menta Group, offers elementary, middle, and high school programming to special education students residing in the mid-state Illinois and the Chicago metro area; and the Maricopa and Pinal County areas of Arizona. Elementary and middle school curricula emphasize real-world, community-based learning. Classrooms are designed to be active learning environments where young people have the opportunity to experience educational and behavioral success on a regular basis.

Thompson Instructional Center provides an enriched educational environment for students in grades K – 8. The bright hallways and large classrooms are ideal for active learning and the school’s curriculum promotes positive growth and development. Both regular and special education students benefit from the school’s staff of committed educators and clinicians. Educational options are flexible at Thompson, ensuring that the individual needs of each student can be addressed.
Thompson Instructional Center is a public-private partnership between Joliet Public Schools District 86 and Special Education Services. Thompson offers academic instruction to students in kindergarten through 8th grade.

Duties of the Teacher Assistant consist of:

• Lead or co-teach a class of students with behavior/emotional/social/learning disorders.
• Provide behavior support in self-contained classroom.
• Prepare and adapt materials for use in the classroom.
• Maintain classroom order, safety and materials.
• Communicate behavioral concerns of students to appropriate staff.
• Implement and maintain behavioral program policies and data.
• Attend all staff meetings and in-service training as requested.
• State Certified Paraprofessional preferred.
• College Associates Degree/two years college classes.
• High School Diploma or GED.
• Ability to obtain CPI Certification.
• At least 23 years of age.
• Previous experience working with special needs children.
• Must be able to lift at least 50 lbs.
• Clean driving record and must be able to drive student van.

Qualifications:

This position offers an access to medical, dental, vision plans, 403(b), sick pay, holiday pay, and personal/vacation days. The salary range is comparable for the position and area, depending upon certification and qualifications.

Apply at:

www.thementagroup.org/careers/apply

danyell.taylor-johnson@menta.com

Fax:(815) 774-5866
eoe

---

To top

Funding Forecast and Award Opportunities

Forecast of Funding Opportunities under the Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs for Fiscal Year 2011-2012
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/find/edlite-forecast.html
This document lists virtually all programs and competitions under which the U.S. Department of Education has invited or expects to invite applications for new awards for fiscal year 2011-2012 and provides actual or estimated deadlines for the transmittal of applications under these programs. The lists are in the form of charts organized according to the Department’s principal program offices and include programs and competitions previously announced as well as those to be announced at a later date.

Forecast of Funding Opportunities under the Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs for Fiscal Year 2011-2012
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/find/edlite-forecast.html
This document lists virtually all programs and competitions under which the U.S. Department of Education has invited or expects to invite applications for new awards for fiscal year 2011-2012 and provides actual or estimated deadlines for the transmittal of applications under these programs. The lists are in the form of charts organized according to the Department’s principal program offices and include programs and competitions previously announced as well as those to be announced at a later date.

FY 2011-2012 Discretionary Grant Application Packages
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html
This site, from the Department of Education, provides information on grant competitions that are currently open.

FY 2011-2012 Discretionary Grant Application Packages
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html
This site, from the Department of Education, provides information on grant competitions that are currently open.

Captain Planet Foundation: Grants for the Environment
http://captainplanetfoundation.org/
The Captain Planet Foundation funds hands-on environmental projects to encourage youth around the world to work individually and collectively to solve environmental problems in their neighborhoods and communities. Maximum award: $2,500. Eligibility: U.S.-based schools and organizations with an annual operating budget of less than $3 million. Deadline: January 15, 2012.

Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation: Christopher Columbus Awards
http://www.christophercolumbusawards.com/
The Christopher Columbus Awards Program combines science and technology with community problem-solving. Students work in teams with the help of an adult coach to identify an issue they care about and, using science and technology, work with experts, conduct research, and put their ideas to the test to develop an innovative solution. Maximum award: $25,000 Foundation Community Grant and an all-expense-paid trip to Walt Disney World to attend the program’s National Championship Week, plus a U.S. Savings Bond of $2,000 for each student team member. Eligibility: middle-school-age (grades 6-8) children; teams do not need to be affiliated with a school to enter. Deadline: February 6, 2012.

EPA: Urban Waters Small Grants
http://www.epa.gov/urbanwaters/funding/
Urban Waters Small Grants fund research, studies, training, and demonstration projects that will advance the restoration of urban waters by improving water quality through activities that also support community revitalization and other local priorities. The funding is part of the Urban Waters program of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which supports communities in their efforts to access, improve, and benefit from their urban waters and the surrounding land. Maximum award: varies. Eligibility: states, local governments, territories, Indian Tribes, and possessions of the U.S. (including the District of Columbia), public and private universities and colleges, public or private nonprofit institutions, intertribal consortia, and interstate agencies. Deadline: January 23, 2012.

Muzak Heart and Soul Foundation Invites Applications from Music Education Programs for Music Matters Grants Program
http://heart.muzak.com/what/grants.aspx
The Muzak Heart & Soul Foundation’s mission is to support music education. Through music education, a child can better achieve his/her full potential and stimulate personal and educational growth. Music Matters Grants for 2012 will focus on financial need in school and non-profit music programs throughout the United States. Grants will be awarded in April of 2012, with funds distributed by the end of 2012. Grant amounts for this cycle are up to $6,000 each and are made on an annual one-time basis. Programs should serve students in grades K-12. Deadline: February 17, 2012

National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award
http://www.nahyp.org/
The National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award honors out-of-school arts and humanities programs that celebrate the creativity of America’s young people, particularly those from underserved communities. This award recognizes and supports excellence in programs that open new pathways to learning, self-discovery, and achievement. Maximum award: $10,000. Eligibility: programs initiated by museums, libraries, performing arts organizations, universities, colleges, arts centers, community service organizations, schools, businesses, and eligible government entities. Deadline: January 31, 2012.

Target Launches $5 Million Giving Competition with “Ellen DeGeneres Show”
http://ellen.warnerbros.com/schoolgiving/
Target will distribute $5 million in grants of $100,000 each to elementary and secondary schools recommended by viewers of the “Ellen DeGeneres Show,” as part of its pledge to distribute $1 billion in support of education by the end of 2015. To participate, viewers must submit through the show’s Web site the name of a school that needs help and a compelling story that explains why the school should receive a grant. From those submissions, Target will select fifty schools to receive a grant, which can be used for new books, upgraded technology, and other efforts designed to improve the school’s learning environment. In addition, two schools will be featured on the “Ellen DeGeneres Show.” No deadline for application listed.

Youth Service America Offers Sodexo Youth Grants for Community Hunger Projects
http://www.ysa.org/grants/sodexoyouth/
Youth Service America and the Sodexo Foundation have announced they will award a hundred Sodexo Youth Grants of $500 each to youth-led service projects in the United States that address the issue of childhood hunger on Global Youth Service Day (April 20-22, 2012). The grant program seeks to fund service projects that engage students’ peers, friends, families, neighbors, Sodexo employees, and other community members in creative youth-inspired solutions to ending childhood hunger in their communities. Applicants must between the ages of 5 and 25. Deadline: January 17, 2012.

Earthwatch Institute Fellowships
http://www.earthwatch.org/aboutus/education/edopp/
The Earthwatch Institute offers educators fully-funded fellowships for hands-on learning with leading scientists doing field research and conservation on one of over 100 projects around the world. Maximum award: fully-funded fellowship. Eligibility: elementary, middle, and high school educators and administrators of any discipline. Deadline: February 13, 2012.

Fund for Teachers: Grants
http://www.fundforteachers.org/about-us.php
The Fund for Teachers provides funds for direct grants to teachers to support summer learning opportunities of their own design. Maximum award: $5,000. Eligibility: teachers who work with students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12, with a minimum of three years teaching experience, full-time, spending at least 50 percent of the time in the classroom at the time grants are approved and made. Deadline: varies by state.

William T. Grant Foundation Offers Support for Research Projects Addressing Youth Social Settings
http://tinyurl.com/y8u89uc
The William T. Grant Foundation, which supports research to understand and improve the everyday settings of youth, ages 8-25, in the United States, is accepting Letters of Inquiry for its Investigator Initiated Grants program. The program is designed to support research projects that address the foundation’s current research interests: enhancing understanding of how youth social settings work, how they affect youth development, and how they can be improved; and when, how, and under what conditions research evidence is used in policy and practice that affect youth, and how its use can be improved. Applicants must be employed at a nonprofit institution, in the U.S. or abroad. Projects must address issues of compelling relevance for theory, policy, and/or practice affecting the settings of youth ages 8-25 in the U.S.; and reflect high standards of evidence and rigorous methods. Investigator-initiated grants usually range from $100,000 to $600,000 for projects of two to three years. Deadline for Letters of Inquiry: January 5, 2012

Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Invites Entries from Creative Teens
http://www.artandwriting.org/Alliance
The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, a nonprofit organization dedicated to recognizing the most talented teen artists and writers in the United States and Canada, is calling for entries for the 2012 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Creative teens in grades 7-12 are invited to submit work in 28 categories of art and writing. Student submissions are judged on the regional level by the alliance’s affiliates, and the top winning works are presented to national panels of creative leaders for consideration for the top honors. Fifteen graduating high school seniors will be awarded Portfolio Gold Medals, which include a $10,000 scholarship. Additional scholarships are made available to Portfolio Silver Medalists. To be eligible, students must be in grades 7-12 in a public, private, parochial, home-school, or out-of-school program in the U.S. or Canada, or in an American school abroad. Deadlines for submitting work vary by region and range from December 15, 2011, through January 15, 2012.

New Leaders for New Schools: Aspiring Principals Program
http://www.nlns.org/Admissions.jsp
New Leaders for New Schools is accepting applications for candidates who meet their selection criteria (listed on their website) and want to lead change for children in low-income communities by becoming urban public school principals. Candidates should have a record of success in leading adults, expertise in K-12 teaching and learning, a relentless drive to lead an excellent urban school, and an unyielding belief in the potential of every child to achieve academically at high levels. Eligibility: a minimum of 2-3 years of successful K-12 instruction experience; a teaching certificate preferred. This application is for candidates who are not currently in a school-based instructional or instructional leadership role and do not work in a district, charter management organization (CMO), or city that is offering the Emerging Leaders Program. Applications will be reviewed after each of the mini-deadlines of October 13 and December 1, 2011, with a final deadline of February 7, 2012.

Open Society Foundations’ Youth Initiative Seeks Proposals to Curate Web Pages at Youthpolicy.org
http://www.youthpolicy.org/blog/2011/09/call-for-curation-proposals/
The Open Society Foundations’ Youth Initiative seeks proposals from NGOs for up to $10,000 to develop and curate thematic pages on Youthpolicy.org, an online youth portal and community. The Web site aims to consolidate knowledge and information on youth policies across the world. Potential themes for Web site pages:, Participation and Citizenship, Activism and Volunteering, Children and Youth Rights, Global Drug Policy, Community Work, Research and Knowledge, Informal Learning, Environment and Sustainability, Multiculturalism and Minorities, Justice, etc. Proposals must outline how the theme will be addressed, how content will be produced on a regular basis, how and how many contributing authors and bloggers will be involved, and how users interested in the theme will be driven to and engaged at the site. Organizations seeking funding must be registered NGOs. Grants will not be made to individuals or for-profit entities. Proposals must be submitted in English and will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Best Buy: Teach @15 Award
http://www.bestbuy-communityrelations.com/teach_awards.htm
The Teach@15 Award program improves classroom learning by helping schools (grades 7-12) meet their technology needs. A teen member (age 13-18) who is a registered member on www.at15.com can nominate his/her school to win a Teach@15 Award. Maximum award: $1,500 in the form of Best Buy Gift Cards. Eligibility: accredited, nonprofit junior or senior public, private, parochial, magnet, and charter high schools in the U.S. serving any grades 7-12. Deadline: ongoing.

NEA Foundation and Consortium for School Networking Invite Ideas for Mobile Phone Education Innovations
http://tinyurl.com/28vmvu5
The NEA Foundation’s newest C2i challenge, conducted in partnership with the Consortium for School Networking, is inviting ideas for mobile phone technology that can transform teaching and learning. The foundation will award grants of $1,000 to as many as five individuals who post the best ideas on the C2i page at the U.S. Department of Education’s Open Innovation Portal. The solutions selected will be shared by the NEA Foundation and CoSN via multiple outlets. The C2i challenge is open to public school educators, students, and others with an interest in improving public education. Proposed solutions must effectively incorporate smart phones or cell phones. Portal registrants can also review, comment, and vote on the posted solutions.

AIAA Foundation: Grants for Excellence in Math, Science, Technology and Engineering
http://www.aiaa.org/content.cfm?pageid=244
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Foundation Classroom Grants encourage excellence in educating students about math, science, technology, and engineering. Eligibility: current AIAA Educator Associate or AIAA Professional members actively engaged as K-12 classroom educators. Maximum award: $200. Deadline: rolling.

USGA/Alliance: Grants for the Good of the Game
http://www.accessgolf.org/grants/alliance_grants.cfm
The National Alliance for Accessible Golf (Alliance) and the United States Golf Association (USGA), believing golf should be open to everyone, support a wide variety of programs that create opportunities for individuals with disabilities to participate in the sport. They especially encourage inclusive programming – opportunities that allow participants with disabilities and participants without disabilities to learn and play the game side by side. Maximum award: $20,000. Eligibility: tax-exempt, nonprofit organizations as defined under Section 501(c)3 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code or government entities such as public schools or municipalities. Deadline: rolling.

---

To top

Acknowledgements

Portions of this month’s NASET Special Educator e-Journal were excerpted from:

• Committee on Education and the Workforce
• FirstGov.gov-The Official U.S. Government Web Portal
• National Center on Secondary Education and Transition, an electronic newsletter of the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET), available online at http://www.ncset.org/enews. NCSET is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs.
• National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth
• National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities
• National Institute of Health
• National Organization on Disability
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
• U.S. Department of Education
• U.S. Department of Education-The Achiever
• U.S. Department of Education-The Education Innovator
• U.S. Department of Labor
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration
• U.S. Office of Special Education
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

The National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) thanks all of the above for the information provided for this edition of the NASETSpecial Educator e-Journal.

---

To top

Download a PDF Version of This e-Journal

To Download a PDF file for this issue of the Special Educator e-Journal – CLICK HERE

NOTE: To save on your computer – Right Click and use “Save As” or “Save Target As”.