March 2008 – Special Educator e-Journal

Table of Contents

Message from the Executive Directors

NASET Member Survey

NASET Award Nominations Now Being Accepted

Letter to the Editor: AUTISM:  Learning From Each Other– Dr. Howard Karlitz

Controversial Issue of the Month: The No Child Left Behind Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: A Progress Report

This Just In……. NIH SCIENTISTS DETECT FATAL COPPER DISORDER AT BIRTH:  Early Treatment Extends Survival

Update from the National Dissemination Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities  (NICHCY)

Q and A: Questions and Answers On Highly Qualified Teachers Serving Children with Disabilities

Calls to Participate

Special Education Resources

Upcoming Conferences, Workshops, and Events

Funding Forecast and Award Opportunities

Intersection: Navigating the Road to Work

Latest Career Center Classifieds

Acknowledgements

Message from the Executive Directors

Dr. Roger Pierangelo & Dr. George Giuliani

Welcome to the March 2008 edition of the NASET Special Educator e-Journal.  To those of you who are new members, this is NASET’s publication that keeps its members up to date with all of the latest news in special education that we feel is important for special education teachers, professors, and those seeking a career as a  special education teacher.

Membership in NASET is growing faster each day, both with renewals and new members. We thank all of you for referring your colleagues to us. NASET is dedicated to meeting all of the needs of special educators throughout the world.

In this edition, we need your help.  Every year, NASET does an informal and brief survey of our members.  In this edition, we need your insight about NASET.  We want to know your thoughts and opinions on NASET.  Please take the time to answer a few questions about NASET.  It should only take you 5-10 minutes, at most.  We will take your answers very seriously.  In order for us to be a community of professionals working together, we need your input on your desires and feelings about us.

Remember that NASET is your organization, and anything we can do to enhance your professional development, we will take very seriously.  NASET is working very hard to meet all of your needs, and we hope to continue to furnish you with professional and practical resources.

We hope you enjoy the March 2008 edition of the NASETSpecial Educator e-Journal.

Sincerely,

Dr. Roger Pierangelo and Dr. George Giuliani
Executive Directors

Controversial Issue of the Month

The No Child Left Behind Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: A Progress Report

Last month, the National Council on Disability (NCD) sent a progress report on No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to President Bush.  This report documents changes in student outcomes, professional practices, and policy across the country. It provides both a follow-up of a similar 2004 NCD report and a more detailed reporting of trends and attitudes about NCLB and IDEA over the past several years. For this report, NCD spoke to dozens of researchers, practitioners, and state administrators from across the country about NCLB and IDEA. In addition, it conducted a study of 10 of the largest states in the nation, representing approximately half the U.S. general population.  The entire report can be viewed at
http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/premium-publications/2008/NoChildLeftBehind_IDEA_Progress_Report.html

The introductory letter to the President from NCD is below.  We’d like your thoughts on this matter. Is NCLB working in your classroom? For your students? Your school? Or if you are a parent, in your home?  Please send your comments regarding the report to specialeducator@naset.org

The No Child Left Behind Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: A Progress Report
Letter of Transmittal
The President
The White House
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

The National Council on Disability (NCD) is most pleased to present you with a copy of a report entitled The No Child Left Behind Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: A Progress Report. Thanks to the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, with its push for improved student outcomes, as well as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), educators across the United States are reexamining their practices to find ways to close the achievement gaps between groups of students. Students with disabilities are a focus of this attention as schools and states work hard to improve their academic outcomes. Policymakers are studying the ongoing implementation of both NCLB and IDEA to determine the most effective means for serving students with disabilities.

NCD commissioned this study to assist policy leaders and stakeholders in assessing the impact of NCLB and IDEA on schools, including student outcomes produced. This report provides a detailed analysis of such key questions as (a) How has student achievement status changed since the laws were (re)authorized? (b) What impact have the laws had on assessment systems, accountability systems, and systems of personnel development? and (c) Which barriers are impeding the achievement of students with disabilities, and how can those barriers be overcome?

In our evaluation of NCLB and IDEA, students with disabilities appear to be doing better academically, and they also appear to be graduating with diplomas and certificates at higher rates than in prior years. Data suggest, however, that there is still certainly concern about the dropout levels of students in the states. Regardless of whether that concern is definitional or real, we ultimately need to better understand the manifestations of new rules and regulations on these students. According to our analyses, one of the most important results of NCLB and IDEA appears to be that students with disabilities are no longer ignored. To that end, NCLB and IDEA have had a significant, positive impact. Teachers, administrators, and the community are becoming aware of what students with disabilities are capable of achieving if they are held to the same high standards and expectations as their peers.

As our nation’s policymakers continue their work on NCLB Act reauthorization, it is important to recognize the complex interplay among the federal law, state laws and regulations, and actual practice at the district and school levels. Some of the requirements in NCLB have had unintended consequences, and any proposed changes to the law should be carefully considered to ensure that additional unintended consequences are not created, especially for students with disabilities.

It is also important to provide flexibility with regard to student performance while holding on to the idea of meeting a high standard. High expectations with differentiated learning and instruction should be the twin foundations for the law.

Thanks to your Administration’s leadership on NCLB, we are confident that the nation can continue to fight against low expectations for students with disabilities, and can continue to win.

On behalf of all students with disabilities in America, NCD stands ready to provide you and your Administration with whatever resources we have to further implement these two vital federal public education laws.

Sincerely,

John R. Vaughn
Chairperson

(The same letter of transmittal was sent to the President Pro Tempore of the U.S. Senate and the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.)

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This Just In……

NIH Scientists Detect Fatal Copper Disorder at Birth:  Early Treatment Extends Survival

A test developed by NIH scientists could greatly extend the survival of infants with Menkes disease, a rare, otherwise fatal disorder of copper metabolism. The scientists devised a test to diagnose the condition early, when the chances for successful treatment are greatest. A study appearing in the “New England Journal of Medicine” describes how the scientists devised the test to diagnose the condition early, when the chances for successful treatment are greatest.

Untreated, Menkes disease results in irreparable harm to the brain and nervous system. Treatment consists of injections with a copper-containing drug. Children with Menkes disease typically die during the first decade of life. Previously, there was no blood test for early detection of Menkes disease.

“The study represents an important advance in the diagnosis and treatment of a rare but devastating genetic disorder,” said Duane Alexander, M.D., Director of NIH’s National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the lead NIH institute that conducted the study. “The laboratory techniques the researchers used to detect Menkes disease eventually may provide the basis for a newborn screening test to identify children with Menkes at birth, so they have the greatest chance to benefit from treatment.”

The study was a collaboration between researchers in the NICHD, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), and the NIH Clinical Center. The NINDS researchers contributed expertise in testing for nervous system chemicals known as catecholamines. Catecholamine levels are determined by a copper-dependent enzyme and for this reason are abnormal in Menkes disease infants.

Menkes disease occurs in about one in 100,000 newborns and is caused by a defect in a gene that regulates copper levels in the body, explained Stephen G. Kaler, M.D., Clinical Director of the NICHD and lead author of the study. This defect, in the gene designated ATP7A, causes abnormally low levels of copper in the brain and liver as well as excessive amounts of copper in the kidneys and intestines. Copper, although only needed in trace amounts, is an essential nutrient that plays a critical role in brain development, he said.

Infants with Menkes disease usually appear normal at birth but start to show developmental delays at 6 to 8 weeks. Affected children may experience seizures and below normal body temperature. Children with Menkes disease also develop distinctive kinky hair, which is steel-colored or colorless and is easily rubbed off the skull.

Dr. Kaler explained that copper is needed for the production of myelin, an insulating material that surrounds certain types of brain and nerve cells. The deposition of myelin around brain and nerve cells is nearly completed by age 2, so the disorder can potentially be treated if copper replacement therapy is started soon after birth. Symptoms of Menkes disease do not usually develop until 2 to 3 months of age, but by that time, the copper deficiency has already caused significant brain damage which treatment seems unable to reverse, Dr. Kaler said.

The defective gene in Menkes disease is located on the X chromosome. Because males have only one X chromosome, they have only one copy of the ATP7A gene and so are severely affected by the disorder. Females have two X chromosomes. If they have a defective ATP7A gene, they are not severely affected, because their remaining X chromosome usually has a functioning ATP7A gene.

In their research, Dr. Kaler and his co-workers evaluated male infants who were considered to be at risk for Menkes disease.

Based on catecholamine levels, the researchers predicted 12 male newborns would develop Menkes disease and administered the copper-containing drug, beginning at a very early age. DNA studies of the ATP7A gene confirmed the diagnosis in each case. The infants were given the copper injections for three years, receiving two shots daily for the first year and one shot a day during the second and third years. Because long-term exposure to copper can damage the kidneys, the copper injections were stopped after 3 years. The researchers followed the infants throughout childhood to track their survival rates and mental development. Those who received injections soon after birth had a much greater survival rate when compared with a previously documented group of Menkes disease infants who had not received early copper injections.

Of the 12 males in the study, 92 percent were still alive an average of 4.6 years later. Only 13 percent of the males in the earlier group of late-diagnosed patients were alive an average of 1.8 years after diagnosis.

Dr. Kaler said that the study participants did not show any decline in health after stopping the copper replacement.

The boys varied in their response to the copper treatment. Two developed relatively normally, whereas the remainder had varying degrees of developmental impairment. When Dr. Kaler and his coworkers examined the nature of the defect in the boys’ ATP7A gene, they found that boys with particular alterations in the gene responded better to the copper injections than did boys with other defects in the gene. They demonstrated that the ATP7A genes of the boys who had the best clinical responses to the copper injections retained some rudimentary capacity to regulate copper.

Dr. Kaler and his colleagues are now working to develop from their research a test that health care providers could use to routinely screen newborn males for Menkes disease.

“I think our findings may be especially meaningful to parents who have suffered due to this condition and lost children to it,” Dr. Kaler said. “Menkes disease and other rare disorders of childhood convey a burden to families that is unfair and underappreciated. That a disorder occurs rarely is meaningless if one’s child, grandchild, or sibling is affected.”

Dr. Kaler added that while additional treatment approaches are still needed for many Menkes patients, the present work signals the beginning of an era when the parents of any infant born with this disease can anticipate better clinical outcomes. He encouraged couples with a family history of Menkes disease to contact the NIH if they have questions about this research study. He can be reached at 301-496-8368.

Additional information about Menkes disease is available from the NINDS at http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/menkes/menkes.htm.

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Q and A

Questions and Answers On Highly Qualified Teachers Serving Children with Disabilities

The final regulations for the reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) were published in the Federal Register on August 14, 2006, and became effective on October 13, 2006. Since publication of the final regulations, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) in the U.S. Department of Education has received requests for clarification of some of these regulations. This is one in a series of question and answer documents prepared by OSERS to address some of the most important issues raised by requests for clarification on a variety of high-interest topics. Generally, the questions, and corresponding answers, presented in this Q&A document required interpretation of IDEA and the regulations and the answers are not simply a restatement of the statutory or regulatory requirements. The responses presented in this document generally are informal guidance representing the interpretation of the Department of the applicable statutory or regulatory requirements in the context of the specific facts presented and are not legally binding. The Q&As are not intended to be a replacement for careful study of IDEA and the regulations. The statute, regulations, and other important documents related to IDEA and the regulations are found at idea.ed.gov.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004) requires that all public elementary and secondary special education teachers be “highly qualified” as special education teachers. The definition of “highly qualified special education teachers” in the IDEA [20 U.S.C. 1401(10)] is aligned with No Child Left Behind’s highly qualified requirements under that statute at section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) [20 U.S.C. 7801(23)] and the implementing regulations at 34 CFR §200.56. Section 300.18(g)(1) of the IDEA regulations states that a teacher who is highly qualified under section 602(10) [20 U.S.C. 1401(10)] of IDEA shall be considered highly qualified for purposes of the ESEA. Section 300.18 of the IDEA regulations establishes requirements for special education teachers in general, as well as those teaching core academic and multiple subjects and those not teaching core academic subjects. In addition, it establishes requirements for special education teachers teaching to alternate achievement standards and describes alternative routes to certification. The regulations also clarify what it means to be a “new” special education teacher and that the highly qualified teacher requirements do not apply to teachers hired by private elementary schools and secondary schools. Section 300.156 of the IDEA regulations requires that each SEA establish and maintain personnel qualifications.

A.”New Teacher” Designation

Authority: The requirements for “new” special education teachers are found in the regulations at 34 CFR §300.18(a) through (d) and (g)(2).

Question A-1: What are the qualifications for a teacher to become highly qualified if the teacher is a “new teacher” of special education teaching children who will be learning to alternate achievement standards and taking alternate assessments?

Answer: When used with respect to a special education teacher who teaches core academic subjects exclusively to children who are assessed against alternate achievement standards established under 34 CFR §200.1(d), highly qualified means the teacher, whether new or not new to the profession, may either:

• Meet the applicable requirements of section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and 34 CFR §200.56 for any elementary, middle, or secondary school teacher who is new or not new to the profession; or
• Meet the requirements of paragraph (B) or (C) of section 9101(23) of the ESEA as applied to an elementary school teacher, or, in the case of instruction above the elementary level, meet the requirements of subparagraph (B) or (C) of section 9101(23) of the ESEA as applied to an elementary school teacher and have subject matter knowledge appropriate to the level of instruction being provided and needed to effectively teach to those standards, as determined by the State.

The regulations promulgated under section 1111(b)(1) of the ESEA permit States to use alternate achievement standards to evaluate the performance of a small group of children with the most significant cognitive disabilities who are not expected to meet grade-level standards even with the best instruction. An alternate achievement standard sets an expectation of performance that differs in complexity from a grade-level achievement standard. Section 602(10)(C)(ii) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (the Act or IDEA), therefore, allows special education teachers teaching exclusively children who are assessed against alternate achievement standards to meet the highly qualified teacher standards that apply to elementary school teachers.

Section 300.18(c)(2) of the regulations requires that if a teacher (who is teaching exclusively to alternate achievement standards) is teaching students who need instruction above the elementary school level, the teacher must have subject matter knowledge appropriate to the level of instruction needed to effectively teach to those standards. The purpose of this requirement is to ensure that teachers exclusively teaching children who are assessed based on alternate academic achievement standards above the elementary level have sufficient subject matter knowledge to effectively instruct in each of the core academic subjects being taught, at the level of difficulty being taught. For example, if a high school student (determined by the IEP Team to be assessed against alternate achievement standards) has knowledge and skills in math at the 7th grade level, but in all other areas functions at the elementary level, the teacher would need to have knowledge in 7th grade math in order to effectively teach the student to meet the 7th grade math standards.

__________________

Question A-2: Is a veteran regular education teacher who continues to be employed by a district and is re-assigned as a special education teacher after obtaining special education certification considered to be “hired” as a special education teacher upon reassignment, and therefore eligible to demonstrate competence in the core academic subjects he or she is teaching as a “new” special education teacher?

Answer: Yes. A fully certified regular education teacher, who subsequently becomes fully certified or licensed as a special education teacher, would be considered a new special education teacher when first hired as a special education teacher. If the teacher is teaching multiple subjects as a special education teacher and is highly qualified to teach mathematics, language arts or science, he or she will have two years from the date of hiring as a special education teacher to demonstrate competence in the other core academic subjects he or she is teaching.

__________________

Question A-3: If a teacher has taught special education in one State and begins teaching in a different State, would the teacher be considered a “new” special education teacher under IDEA?

Answer: A special education teacher who has been teaching in one State and begins teaching in a different State is not considered “new to the profession.” States may choose to honor another State’s licensure or certification and determination of competence in core academic subjects based on the other State’s High Objective Uniform State Standards of Evaluation (HOUSSE) procedures. On the other hand, a State may choose to require teachers from other States to satisfy its own certification or licensure requirements, and to demonstrate competency in the core academic subjects that they teach under the new State’s standards and procedures.

B. Enforcement and Sanctions

Authority: The requirements for ensuring that special education teachers are highly qualified are found in the regulations at 34 CFR §300.156.

Question B-1: What are the consequences for an SEA or an LEA for not meeting HQT under IDEA and how will the HQT requirements be enforced under IDEA?

Answer: The SEA must make sure that all special education teachers are highly qualified and that the LEA is taking measurable steps to recruit, train, hire and retain highly qualified special education teachers. If an LEA is failing to pursue these actions, the SEA must take measures, appropriate to the situation, to bring the LEA into compliance with the Act.

The Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) currently monitors the implementation of the highly qualified teacher standards for teachers of core academic subjects under the ESEA. This includes special education teachers who teach core academic subjects.

The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) collects data about special education personnel qualifications and requires that SEAs establish and maintain qualifications to ensure that personnel who are essential to carry out Part B of the Act are appropriately and adequately prepared and trained. Those personnel must also have the content knowledge and skills to serve children with disabilities, consistent with 34 CFR §300.156.

C. Due Process

Authority: The provisions regarding limiting access to due process for failure to comply with the HQT requirements are found in the regulations at 34 CFR §§300.18(f) and 300.156(e).

Question C-1: May a parent file a due process request with violations other than the school’s failure to provide a HQT and then include the violation of failure to provide a HQT as a part of the due process? Or is the failure to provide a HQT never allowed to be included in a due process hearing?

Answer: Questions about whether a teacher is highly qualified are not ones on which parents or students can get any relief through a due process hearing. See 34 CFR §§300.18(f) and 300.156(e). The language in the regulation that ‘nothing in this part shall be construed to create a right of action’ means that a claim that a teacher is not highly qualified may not serve as a basis for relief for an individual student or class of students under IDEA.

If concerns arise about whether a special education teacher is highly qualified, the Department encourages parents to try to resolve issues at the school level. It would make sense for them to talk to their child’s principal first, before doing anything else, to find out what the school is doing to ensure that the teacher gets the training that he or she needs to meet the highly qualified standards. If they are not satisfied with the steps the LEA is taking, they could file a complaint with the State educational agency (SEA). An organization or an individual other than a parent of a child served under IDEA may also file a complaint about staff qualifications with the SEA, consistent with the State complaint procedures in 34 CFR §§300.151 through 300.153.

D. Charter Schools

Authority: The requirements regarding highly qualified special education teachers in charter schools are found in the regulations at 34 CFR §300.18(a) through (h).

Question D-1: What are the highly qualified teacher requirements for a teacher in a charter school?

Answer: To be highly qualified, a teacher in a charter school must meet the certification and licensing requirements, if any, set forth in the State’s public charter school law, hold at least a bachelor’s degree and, if the teacher is teaching core academic subjects, demonstrate competency in the core academic areas he or she teaches. The certification requirements for charter school teachers are established in a State’s public charter school law, and may differ from the requirements for full State certification for teachers in other public schools.

E. Preschool

Authority: The definition of “highly qualified special education teachers” is at 34 CFR §300.18.

Question E-1: What are the HQT requirements for preschool teachers?

Answer: The highly qualified special education teacher requirements apply to all public elementary and secondary school special education teachers, including early childhood or preschool teachers if a State includes the early childhood or preschool programs as part of its elementary and secondary school system. If the early childhood or preschool program is not a part of a State’s public elementary and secondary school system, the highly qualified special education teacher requirements do not apply.

F. High Objective Uniform State Standards of Evaluation (HOUSSE)

Authority: HOUSSE is specifically discussed in the regulations at 34 CFR §§300.18(d)(2) and (3) and 300.18(e).

Question F-1: Recently, the Department released guidance asking States to phase out the HOUSSE procedures. What is the Department’s current guidance on HOUSSE, especially as it relates to special education teachers?

Answer: On September 5, 2006, the Secretary sent a letter to Chief State School Officers noting that a number of States had proposed actions to limit the use of HOUSSE, and further expressing the Department’s intent to pursue a phase-out of HOUSSE procedures through the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The Secretary also strongly encouraged States to eliminate the use of HOUSSE procedures, to the extent practicable. In particular, she expressed concern about the practice of allowing teachers assigned to new subjects to use non-rigorous HOUSSE procedures to quickly demonstrate subject-matter competency. However, the September 5 letter recognized continued use of HOUSSE procedures in certain circumstances, including for special education teachers teaching multiple subjects who were highly qualified in language arts, mathematics, or science at the time of hire.

__________________

Question F-2: How does HOUSSE work for multi-subject teachers of special education students?

Answer: Currently, special education teachers who are not new to the profession and teach two or more core academic subjects exclusively to children with disabilities are permitted to demonstrate competence in all the core academic subjects that the teacher teaches in the same manner as other elementary, middle, and secondary school teachers who are not new to the profession, including through HOUSSE covering multiple subjects. A new special education teacher who is highly qualified to teach math, language arts, or science has up to two years from the date of employment to demonstrate competence in the other core academic subjects he or she teaches, including through the use of a HOUSSE. The State may develop a separate HOUSSE for special education teachers, which may include a single HOUSSE evaluation for multiple subjects, provided that it would not establish a lower standard for content knowledge requirements for special education teachers.

G. State Examinations / Qualifications / Certifications

Authority: The provisions concerning State examinations, qualifications, and certifications are found in the regulations at 34 CFR §300.18.

Question G-1: Does a resource special education teacher need to pass core academic subject tests to consult with regular education teachers?

Answer: A special education resource teacher who only consults with regular education teachers does not need to demonstrate competence in core academic subjects. He or she must, however, hold special education certification. If the special education resource teacher is also teaching core academic subjects, he or she will need to demonstrate competence in those subjects.

_______________

Question G-2: My State does not have a special education teacher exam. How will I become highly qualified in special education?

Answer: To be considered highly qualified, all special education teachers must hold full certification or licensure in special education in the State where they are teaching and have at least a bachelor’s degree. States determine what is required for certification and licensure, which may or may not involve an exam. In addition, if special education teachers are teaching core academic subjects, they must demonstrate competency in the core academic subjects they teach.

______________

Question G-3: If a qualified special education teacher provides direct student “supplemental” instruction in one or more core academic subjects in support of the general education teacher’s instruction in the core academic subject(s), does the special education teacher need to be highly qualified in the core subjects?

Answer: All special educators need to be highly qualified as defined in IDEA, but special educators are not required to demonstrate subject matter competence in any core academic subject, if they are only (1) providing consultation services to other teachers, such as adapting curricula, using behavioral supports and interventions, or selecting appropriate accommodations for children with study skills or organizational skills or (2) reinforcing instruction that the child has already received from a highly qualified teacher in that core academic subject.

H. Highly Qualified Special Education Teachers and Private Schools

Authority: The provisions regarding highly qualified special education teachers and private schools are found in the regulations at 34 CFR §§300.18(h), 300.138, and 300.146(b).

Question H-1: Do private school special education teachers who are providing special education to children with disabilities have to have a bachelor’s degree and be fully certified?

Answer: The HQT requirements do not apply to special education teachers hired by private elementary and secondary schools, including private school teachers hired or contracted by LEAs to provide equitable services to parentally-placed private school children with disabilities under 34 CFR §300.138.

______________

Question H-2: If a local educational agency sends a special education teacher (employed by the LEA) to a private school to fulfill a student’s IEP, does that teacher have to be highly qualified?

Answer: Yes, any public elementary or secondary school teacher must meet the highly qualified requirements under both NCLB and IDEA.

_____________

Question H-3: If an SEA or an LEA places a child with a disability in a private school, does the private school teacher have to be highly qualified? Are there any certification or licensure requirements for private school teachers when the SEA or LEA is placing students with disabilities in private schools?

Answer: Each SEA must ensure that a child with a disability who is placed in, or referred to, a private school or facility by a public agency is provided an education that meets the standards that apply to education provided by the SEA and LEA. However, the HQT requirements do not apply to teachers hired by private elementary and secondary schools. This includes teachers hired by private elementary schools and secondary schools who teach children with disabilities placed in those schools by public agencies.

I. General

Authority: The requirements for paraprofessional qualifications are found in the regulations at 34 CFR §300.156(b).

Question I-1: What are the requirements regarding paraprofessional qualifications needed to provide services to children with disabilities?

Answer: Qualifications for paraprofessionals must be consistent with any State-approved or State-recognized certification, licensing, registration, or other comparable requirements that apply to the professional discipline in which those personnel are providing special education or related services. Paraprofessionals and assistants may be used to assist in the provision of special education and related services to children with disabilities if they are appropriately trained and supervised, in accordance with State law, regulation, or written policy.

_____________

Authority: The requirements for core academic subjects are found in the regulations at 34 CFR §300.10.

Question I-2: What are the core academic subjects?

Answer: “Core academic subjects” means English, reading or language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, arts, history and geography.

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Special Education Resources

So You Want to Become a Special Education Teacher?
First of all, you will need to be a qualified teacher. Most educational jurisdictions require additional certification to become special education teachers. However, you really need to understand the nature of the role. Here are 10 questions to ask yourself if you are considering a career in special education.  http://specialed.about.com/od/idea/a/speducator.htm

High School Reform: Integration of Special Education
This In-Brief Policy Analysis from the National Association of State Directors of Special Education is based on interviews with state and local education representatives from three states regarding strategies, resources, barriers, and recommendations for improving the integration of special education into high school reform efforts. Available in PDF (9 pages, 148 KB).
http://www.nasdse.org/premium-publications/HighSchoolReform-IntegrationofSpecialEducation.pdf 

Revisiting Graduation Requirements and Diploma Options for Youth with Disabilities: A National Study
This report from the National Center on Educational Outcomes presents the findings of its fourth national study of state graduation requirements for students with disabilities. The study was designed to describe variations across states in high school exit exam practices and the use of alternative diploma/credentialing options. It also examined the intended and unintended consequences for students when they are required to pass exit exams to receive a high school diploma, and the intended and unintended consequences of using single or multiple diploma options for students with disabilities. Available in PDF (53 pages, 1.5 MB).
http://cehd.umn.edu/NCEO/OnlinePubs/Tech49/TechReport49.pdf 

Transition Publications from PACER Center
This Web page from PACER Center provides information, resources, and technical assistance to parents of young adults with disabilities ages 14-21 and the professionals who work with them on transition-related topics, including postsecondary options, housing, employment, and recreation. Resources available for purchase include an interactive CD, curricula, a board game, brochures, videos, books, and ADA-related articles. The page also includes links to many handouts which can be downloaded for free.
http://www.pacer.org/premium-publications/transition.asp 

A “Ticket to Work” for Transitioning Youth – and Those Working With Them
The Social Security Administration’s Ticket to Work (TTW) program is designed to support effective transitions to employment for youth with disabilities ages 18-25. Young people receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security enroll in TTW and get tickets they can use to obtain services and job supports. The program is actively seeking grant applications from a range of organizations working with such young people. In this Q&A, Melody Goodspeed, Youth Transition Specialist for TTW, answers some common questions about the funding.
http://www.connectforkids.org/node/6090 

Aligning High School Graduation Requirements with the Real World: A Road Map for States
This policy brief from Achieve, Inc. featuring lessons learned by states that have put more rigorous graduation requirements in place. It addresses challenges of policy design as well as strategies for implementation, communication, and coalition-building.
http://www.achieve.org/node/980 

Career and Technical Education’s Role in Postsecondary Transitions 
As states and national organizations implement initiatives designed to improve the secondary and postsecondary education outcomes of our nation’s youth, numerous reform strategies with a strong focus on CTE have emerged. This brief from the Association for Career and Technical Education describes some of them. Available in PDF (8 pages, 2.7 MB).
http://www.acteonline.org/resource_center/upload/Transitions.pdf 

Facts From NLTS2: Orientation and Mobility Skills of Secondary School Students With Visual Impairments
This report from the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) presents information on the percentages of students with visual impairments who receive orientation and mobility services, including percentages for different segments of the population (blind vs. partially sighted, regular vs. special school placement, and demographic groups). It also discusses the levels of orientation and mobility skills in this population and factors associated with them. Data are from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2, a project of the U.S. Department of Education. Available in PDF (14 pages, 512 KB).
http://ies.ed.gov/ncser/pdf/20083007.pdf 

Knowledge Path: Children and Adolescents with Emotional, Behavioral, and Mental Health Challenges
This Knowledge Path from the Maternal and Child Health
Library at Georgetown University offers a selection of current, high-quality resources about children and adolescents with emotional, behavioral, and mental health challenges from the health, education, social services, and juvenile justice literature. It identifies tools to help professionals stay abreast of new developments in mental health care and conduct further research. Separate sections present resources for families and schools. The final part of the Path presents resources about specific emotional, behavioral, and mental health challenges, including ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Learning Disabilities, and Tourette Syndrome.
http://www.mchlibrary.info/KnowledgePaths/kp_Mental_Conditions.html 

Reviews from the What Works Clearinghouse: Dropout Prevention
The U.S. Department of Education’s What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) has released two new dropout prevention intervention reports. Find out how the WWC rated First Things First, a reform model intended to transform schools serving economically-disadvantaged students, and New Chance, a program for young welfare mothers who have dropped out of school that aims to improve both their employment potential and their parenting skills.
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/reports/topic.aspx?tid=06 

The Parenting Imperative: Investing in Parents so Children and Youth Succeed
This brief from the National Human Services Assembly looks at how a “parenting success strategy” can be used to strengthen families and communities. It discusses delivering effective family-centered services and provides recommendations for community groups, agencies, funders, and policymakers on how to maximize impact. Available in PDF (29 pages, 588 KB).
http://www.nassembly.org/fspc/documents/FSPPolicyBrief2210-30.pdf 

National Consortium for Health Systems Development
The National Consortium for Health Systems Development (NCHSD) is a technical assistance partnership providing flexible, tailored technical assistance to states developing comprehensive health and employment service systems for people with disabilities who want to work. Its Web site is a resource for states that are developing employment systems for people with disabilities, providing a library, resource exchange, and grants information. It offers a wide variety of information about what is happening at the state level around health-related employment supports for workers with disabilities as well as changes to state infrastructure around access to health care for workers with disabilities.
http://www.nchsd.org/ 

Pass It On Center: The National Assistive Technology Reuse Center
The Pass It On Center’s Web site is for individuals looking for ways to reduce the cost of Assistive Technology (AT) or Durable Medical Equipment (DME) or programs across the country that reuse, recycle, and refurbish AT and DME. Among other features, the site includes a map of state AT/DME reuse programs and information on how to deal with legal, liability, and regulatory information in reuse; build a facility for reuse of AT; make informed decisions about purchasing used AT; and plan for sustainability of reuse programs.
http://www.passitoncenter.org/ 

2008 Fact Sheet on Health Care Access and Utilization: Adolescents and Young Adults
This fact sheet from the National Adolescent Health Information Center contains the most recent available data on health insurance coverage, preventive and other health services, and unmet needs among adolescents and young adults ages 12-24, including those with special health care needs. It highlights trends and presents data by age, gender, income level, and race and ethnicity, and includes information on trends and data sources. Available in PDF (6 pages, 640 KB).
http://nahic.ucsf.edu/download.php?f=/downloads/HCAU2008.pdf 

Evidence for Education: Assessment and Accommodations
This report from the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) focuses on the following questions: (1) Which accommodations are appropriate for which students? (2) How do accommodations affect student learning and performance on tests? Available in PDF (12 pages, 534 KB).
http://research.nichcy.org/NICHCY_EE_Accommodations.pdf 

Federal Employment of People with Disabilities: Employing Students 
This Web page from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s Web site provides information on hiring and retaining students with disabilities in federal government jobs.
http://www.opm.gov/disability/hrpro_3-05.asp 

Intercultural Development Research Association
The Intercultural Development Research Association is an independent, private non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening public schools to work for all children. IDRA fulfills its mission through professional development, research and evaluation, policy and leadership development, and programs and materials development. Its Web site includes information about attrition and dropout rates, including the Coca-Cola Valued Youth dropout prevention Program.
http://www.idra.org/ 

National Center on Severe and Sensory Disabilities (NCSSD)
The National Center on Severe and Sensory Disabilities (NCSSD) is a resource center for information, training, and technical assistance for families and educators of more than 1 million school children who are deaf and hard-of-hearing, visually impaired, or who have severe disabilities. Its Web site includes sections on research, resources, technology, and news, as well as information about NCSSD and links to its newsletter and Pop-Up IEP resource.
http://www.unco.edu/ncssd/ 

Mapping Educational Progress 2008 
Six years after the passage of No Child Left Behind, the U.S. Department of Education has collected data about the academic performance of both students and schools. This Web page’s interactive map of the U.S. provides links to state data, including student achievement in reading and math, high school graduation rates, schools making adequate yearly progress, highly qualified teachers, parents taking advantage of tutoring and choice options, and state participation in flexibility options.
http://www.ed.gov/nclb/accountability/results/progress/index.html 

The Data Coach’s Guide to Improving Learning for All Students (2007)
This guide from WestEd helps both current and aspiring data coaches effectively facilitate school-based data teams and lead teachers in collaborative inquiry. It describes a data model that has been field-tested and proven effective in narrowing achievement gaps among students in all content areas and grade levels; achieving strong, steady gains in local and state assessments in mathematics, science, and reading; using data as a springboard for powerful conversations about race/ethnicity, class, education status, gender, and language differences; and developing shared values and vision for creating a high-performing, data-informed school culture. Cost: $49.95.
http://www.wested.org/cs/we/view/rs/861 

The Promise of Inclusion: Notes on the Cultural Work of Equity in Education
At a recent NCCRESt/NIUSI LeadScape Winter Institute, Dr. Alfredo Artiles led a discussion about how educational leaders can work toward equity in schools, “opening the gate” to inclusive practices. He discussed the persistent achievement gap between students of color and their white counterparts, illustrated the influence of culture on teaching and learning, examined the difference between providing equal standards and accounting for student differences, and provided a structure for understanding the culture practices of schooling. Dr. Artiles’ presentation is available in PDF (41 pages, 4.4 MB). http://www.nccrest.org/events/Artiles_Leadscape_08.pdf 

Third Quarter 2007 OSEP Policy Documents on the Education of Infants, Toddlers, Children, and Youth with Disabilities
Correspondence from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) on the education of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities from July 1, 2007 through September 30, 2007 is now available online.
http://www.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/letters/2007-3/index.html 

Voices in Urban Education: Using Data for Decisions
Using data in educational decision making has become one of the hottest topics in the field. But using data for decisions still poses a challenge. How can districts and communities sift through data, analyze it, and make sure those who make decisions are able to make use of the data? How can decision making really be data-driven? This issue of Voices in Urban Education (VUE) looks at districts and communities that have shown success in using data effectively. VUE is a quarterly publication of the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University.
http://www.annenberginstitute.org/VUE/index.php 

Working Collaboratively: From School-Based Teams to School-Community-Higher Education Connections
Across the country, groups of people who often haven’t worked together previously are combining their talents and resources to improve outcomes for children and youth. They often form groups called collaboratives. This revised packet provides some guidance for what makes such collaborative efforts successful and what gets in the way. It provides an introduction to the nature and scope of working collaboratively at various levels of intervention. Also included are a set of resources to draw on in developing effective ways to work together to strengthen children and youth, families, schools, and communities. Available in PDF (122 pages, 732 KB).
http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/worktogether/worktogether.pdf

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Intersection: Navigating the Road to Work

Newly Released HS/HT Program Guide Provides Guidance on Implementing a Comprehensive Transition Program with a Proven Track Record
High School/High Tech (HS/HT) is recognized as one of the most successful strategies for assisting youth with disabilities as they transition from high school to post-school activities, including post-secondary education and employment. Over the years, HS/HT has evolved from a small program in a few localities that focused on exposing youth with disabilities to technology-related careers to a comprehensive program of transition services. Through an array of activities identified in the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy and the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth’s (NCWD/Youth) Guideposts for Success, HS/HT exposes youth with disabilities to careers in science, technology, engineering and math (the STEM careers) and encourages them to pursue post-secondary education to prepare for such careers.

The HS/HT Program Guide: A Comprehensive Transition Program Promoting Careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math for Youth with Disabilities is an updated and much expanded version of the HS/HT Program Manual that was produced in 2003. As HS/HT has spread to numerous states, the experiences of these programs and the resultant evolution of the HS/HT program from a locally-administered and implemented program to a state-administered and locally-implemented program have produced a wealth of additional information about the HS/HT program model. As a result, the newly released HS/HT Program Guide is full of information and materials used by the HS/HT programs throughout the country. Many thanks to these programs for their willingness to share their experiences, program materials, tips for partnership development, service strategies, activities, curriculum, and success stories, as well as their many examples of systemic change impacting how states and localities approach the provision of transition services. This information can be used by existing HS/HT programs for program improvement and expansion, and by new and developing programs to guide their implementation efforts. 

The HS/HT Program Guide can be downloaded from the NCWD/Youth website athttp://www.ncwd-youth.info/resources_&_Publications/hsht_guide.html  or single copies can be requested and multiple copies purchased from NCWD/Youth by calling (202) 822-8405.

Community Schools for All is the theme for the the National Forum of the Coalition for Community Schools
The National Forum of the Coalition for Community Schools is taking place April 30-May 2 in Portland, Oregon. Speakers include Pedro Noguera, an expert in diversity and education, and Susan Castillo, the Oregon Superintendent of Public Instruction, for the Coalition’s 10th anniversary forum. An international community schools plenary session, site visits, and more than 80 workshops are other highlights of the event. Visit the Coalition for Community School’s website at http://www.communityschools.org/  for more information.

National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) announces its annual conference NCIL’s annual conference is being held JULY 21 – 24, 2008, in Washington, DC. This year’s theme is “Time For Change. Use Your Power!” Visit NCIL’s website at http://www.ncil.org/conference/conference2008.html for more information.

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Acknowledgements

Portions of this month’s 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

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