August 2009 – Special Educator e-Journal

Table of Contents

Update from the U.S. Department Education

This Just In…. Dr. Roger Pierangelo, Executive Director of NASET Discusses Teachers’ Abuse of Restraint and Seclusion Techniques to U.S. News and World Report

Update From The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth Updates Website

Calls to Participate

Special Education Resources

Upcoming Conferences, Workshops, and Events

Get Wired!—The Latest on Websites and Listservs

Funding Forecast and Award Opportunities

Acknowledgements

Download a PDF Version of This Issue

Update from the U.S. Department of Education

President Obama, U.S. Secretary of Education Duncan Announce National Competition to Advance School Reform

President Barack Obama and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today announced that states leading the way on school reform will be eligible to compete for $4.35 billion in Race to the Top competitive grants to support education reform and innovation in classrooms. Between the 2009 budget and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), more than $10 billion in grant money will be available to states and districts that are driving reform.
“This competition will not be based on politics, ideology, or the preferences of a particular interest group. Instead, it will be based on a simple principle—whether a state is ready to do what works. We will use the best data available to determine whether a state can meet a few key benchmarks for reform—and states that outperform the rest will be rewarded with a grant. Not every state will win and not every school district will be happy with the results. But America’s children, America’s economy, and America itself will be better for it,” President Obama said in a speech at the U.S. Department of Education headquarters in Washington.

The centerpiece of the Obama administration’s education reform efforts is the $4.35 billion Race to the Top Fund, a national competition which will highlight and replicate effective education reform strategies in four significant areas:

• Adopting internationally benchmarked standards and assessments that prepare students for success in college and the workplace
• Recruiting, developing, rewarding, and retaining effective teachers and principals
• Building data systems that measure student success and inform teachers and principals how they can improve their practices
• Turning around our lowest-performing schools.

“The $4.35 billion Race to the Top program that we are unveiling today is a challenge to states and districts. We’re looking to drive reform, reward excellence and dramatically improve our nation’s schools,” Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said at the event.

In addition to the Race to the Top Fund, over the coming months the Department plans to award more than $5.6 billion in additional grants through several other federal programs that support the Administration’s reform priorities, making available dollars that have been allocated by Congress under the FY 2009 budget and the ARRA. The Department of Education will be publishing draft regulations on each of the programs in coming weeks. In releasing the documents, Secretary Duncan is calling on state officials to intentionally prepare to use money from all of these programs in an integrated way to advance these essential areas of reforms.

The additional programs include the $650 million Investing in Innovation Fund. Like Race to the Top, the Investing in Innovation Fund is part of the ARRA. It will support local efforts by school districts and partnerships with nonprofits to start or expand research-based innovative programs that help close the achievement gap and improve outcomes for students.

With $297 million in the Teacher Incentive Fund, states and districts will create or expand effective performance pay and teacher advancement models to reward teachers and principals for increases in student achievement and boost the number of effective educators working with poor, minority, and disadvantaged students and teaching hard-to-staff subjects.

With $315 million from the Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems program, states will expand their data systems to track students’ achievement from preschool through college and link their achievement to teachers and principals. Applications for these funds are being posted today.

With $3.5 billion in Title I School Improvement Grants, the Department will support states in efforts to reform struggling schools, and focus on implementing turnaround models in the lowest-performing schools. Secretary Duncan has set a goal of turning around the bottom 5 percent of schools in the next five years. In addition, $919 million in State Educational Technology Grants to help bring technology into the classroom will be made available. These funds are distributed to states by formula but states must deliver at least half of the money to districts on a competitive basis. States can make all of the money competitive.

Within Race to the Top, $350 million has also been set aside to help fund common assessments for states that adopt common international standards. Draft guidelines and criteria for the Race to the Top competition as well as the second round of grants from the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund are being published today.

An application for the state data system grants also is being published today. In the coming weeks, the Department will release guidance on the Investing in Innovation Fund, the Teacher Incentive Fund, the Title I School Improvement Grants, and the State Educational Technology Grants.

The Department will finalize the regulations and start accepting applications for the Race to the Top competition this fall. The first round of grants will go out early next year. The second round of applications will likely be due in June 2010 and final awards will be made in September.

“States will have two chances to win,” Duncan said. “They have plenty of time to learn from the first-round winners, change laws where necessary, build partnerships with all key stakeholders, and advance bold and creative reforms.”

American Graduation Initiative: Strengthening Community Colleges

Yesterday, the President announced a historic commitment to higher education and especially community colleges. Today, Chairman Miller is building on that proposal to do even more for children and young people with his introduction of the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009. I just want to voice my support for that effort.

When we first proposed the shift to direct lending in March, we made the point that it is better to invest money for education rather than subsidizing banks. Clearly, the Chairman shares that view—as do many others.

The President, Chairman Miller, and I believe that $90 billion dollars can be better spent increasing college access and affordability by funding Pell grants, college completion grants, Perkins loans increases, community college challenge grants, infrastructure, and FAFSA simplification.

We need to pursue the President’s goal of producing more college graduates than any other country by 2020 while also being fiscally responsible. This week we’ve taken two important steps in that direction.

To improve federal efforts to promote quality education for Hispanic Americans. Sepulveda is visiting Hispanic communities to gain input prior to updating the executive order later this year.

Veterans Affairs Secretary Shinseki and Wife Join Secretary Duncan to Read to Children

Yesterday Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki and his wife, Patricia Shinseki, joined Secretary Arne Duncan to read to more than 100 children in grades pre-K through 4 from Bolling Air Force Base, the Fort Myer Youth Services program, and the Anacostia children’s development center. The Secretary read “The Imaginary Garden”; Veterans Affairs Secretary Shinseki read “Night Catch”; and Mrs. Shinseki read “I Feel a Foot!” This event was part of “Read to the Top!”—the Department’s summer reading initiative—which is partnering with community organizations nationwide to combat summer reading loss as part of President Obama’s “United We Serve” national volunteer campaign.
The weekly reading campaign will continue through the summer and feature various children’s books read by the Secretary, other Cabinet members and top Administration officials. During Education Week, July 27 through August 2, “United We Serve” will focus on the countless Americans who strengthen communities by rolling up their sleeves to read with a child, volunteer at a library, or organize a book drive, among other education-related service activities.

Service is an effective way to address many of the tough challenges facing 37 million Americans living in poverty. While “United We Serve” runs through the National Day of Service and Remembrance on Sept. 11, its goal is to become a sustained, collaborative effort to promote service as a way of life for all Americans. The initiative, led by the Corporation for National and Community Service, aims to expand the impact of existing organizations by engaging new volunteers in their work and to encourage volunteers to develop their own projects with friends, family and neighbors. To become involved, visit www.Serve.gov.

Union Teachers Accept Duncan Challenge to Join Him on Reform

The nation’s second-largest teachers union told Secretary Duncan on Monday that they’re “with” President Obama’s education agenda and eager to collaborate as long as education reform isn’t “done to” teachers. It was an encouraging message from the 1.4-million-member American Federation of Teachers (AFT), because reforming education in partnership with teachers has been this administration’s approach from the beginning.

Arne demonstrated his belief in that collaborative approach by sporting the same button that 2,000 teachers at a Washington, D.C., hotel were also wearing. “Do it WITH us, not TO us,” the button said.

“I think we have a chance to do something very, very special—together,” the Secretary told AFT President Randi Weingarten at the start of a Q and A with members in Washington for a series of workshops. “Great teachers are performing miracles every single day.”

Weingarten praised Duncan for getting discussions of reform beyond the “camp mentality.” For their part, she said, unions need to offer ideas, not be intransigent. Quoting AFT’s legendary president Albert Shanker, Weingarten reminded her members “you can’t beat something with nothing.”

Touching on charter schools and how to hold them accountable, the value of bilingual education in a globally competitive society, how he thinks schools should extend their hours to be community centers, and ways to retool federal education law, Arne took questions from AFT members from some of the nation’s largest urban school districts. (The AFT mostly represents educators in cities. Arne did a similar town hall recently with the larger National Education Association, which represents more than 3 million teachers elsewhere.)
Not all the Secretary’s ideas and stances were popular with AFT. He endured a smattering of boo’s and groans with a smile. His endorsement of paying teachers based on their performance—with their students’ achievement being just one factor in that calculation—earned applause when Duncan said the entire school should be rewarded if students are succeeding.

“What I’m really interested in is results,” Arne said. “Let’s not get ideological about this; let’s take what works and scale it up.”

Adults can only change students’ lives for the better if they get past their own “dysfunction.” And that goes for the Secretary of Education and policymakers in Washington, too.

“I can’t just talk about it,” Arne said. “I have to walk the walk.” And wear the button.

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This Just In….

Dr. Roger Pierangelo, Executive Director of NASET Discusses Teachers’ Abuse of Restraint and Seclusion Techniques to U.S. News and World Report

Cindy Kilmer will never forget the look of that chair. Worn, leather straps crisscrossed over its high-back, wooden structure—one strap to hold the head and additional straps to restrain the chest, waist, knees, ankles, and wrists. It resembled an electric chair, Kilmer says. The chair is designed to support someone who cannot sit up on his own, but special education teachers at one West Virginia elementary school used it to restrain Kilmer’s then 4-year-old daughter, Christy, who has cerebral palsy and autism, for being “uncooperative,” according to the findings of an investigation conducted by the Government Accountability Office. Kilmer says she saw the chair in her daughter’s classroom while picking her up from school.

Dr. Roger Pierangelo, Executive Director of the National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET), attributes teachers’ abuse of restraint and seclusion techniques to a combination of inexperience, stress, and the lack of proper training. Though his students in the special education and literacy department at Long Island University are taught not to use the techniques under any circumstances, some teachers in programs at other universities are given no formal guidance on the dangers of the techniques yet still will use them in moments of frustration with students. Although such moments can come frequently for special education teachers, stress is not an excuse for abusing a student, Pierangelo says. And many of the teachers who use the most dangerous restraints, ones that restrict students’ breathing, often fail to try other, less harmful techniques first, he added. “[Teachers’] use of the restraint is often a reactive response, an impulse, not a decision made using logic.”

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Update From The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES

Under this area, families can find information that helps them raise a child with a disability (where to find services, how to cope with sibling issues, what to know about the law). Here’s one of our favorites, written especially for parents who’ve recently found out their child has a disability, but also very useful to service providers working with families.

• You Are Not Alone
  Patricia McGill Smith speaks candidly to parents about the emotions that many parents of exceptional children experience and offers a perspective for living and coping with the impact of disability upon the family.
  http://www.nichcy.org/FamiliesAndCommunity/Pages/notalone.aspx

Not a parent or family member? Well, there’s lots of info under Families and Community for community members, too! Are you a…child care provider? a transportation provider? an employer? Here’s where you can connect with info to help children with disabilities achieve their full potential in the community. For example:

• What should child care providers know about the ADA?
  http://www.nichcy.org/FamiliesAndCommunity/Pages/resources-preschool.aspx

EARLY INTERVENTION PROVIDERS

Well, it should be pretty clear who THIS section is meant for! If you’re involved in providing early intervention services to children with disabilities (birth through two), then splash in this puddle a while. Here are two connections you may find very useful:

• Parent Participation (notification, consent, and involvement)
  All about promoting the active involvement of families in early intervention.
  http://www.nichcy.org/babies/Parentparticipation/Pages/Default.aspx
• Need to train EI staff? Looking for professional development opportunities for yourself?  
  http://www.nichcy.org/EarlyInterventionProviders/Pages/EIStaffTrainingDevelopment.aspx

SCHOOLS AND ADMINISTRATORS

Teachers, principals, related services providers, LEA administrators, here’s a page built with you in mind. There’s a lot to choose from, so you may wish to have a thorough look yourself, but here are two for starters—one for teachers and one for administrators:

• Understanding How the Brain Learns
  It’s more than gray matter; it’s downright fascinating: The ABCs of the Brain, What Learning Does to Your Brain, Applying Brain Research to Education, Brain Research and Disability.
  http://www.nichcy.org/EducateChildren/effective/Pages/brain101.aspx
• Staff Development
  Everything from soup to nuts here: connect with the expert, best practices in coaching and mentoring, how to start a professional learning community, training for paraprofessionals, and resources a school can use in staff development across a wide variety of topics.
  http://www.nichcy.org/Pages/StaffDevelopment.aspx

STATE AGENCIES

A great deal goes on at the state level that has impact down to the local level, making up-to-date info essential to have when it’s time for decision making and policy setting. What are other states doing? What do the feds have to say on a given subject? What are the in’s and out’s of the law? Look here, you’ll find quick connection to such resources as:

• Guidance from OSEP and the U.S. Department of Education
  Where to find it, and on what subjects you’ll find it.
  http://www.nichcy.org/StateAgencies/Pages/DOEguidance.aspx
• RTI (Response to Intervention)
  What it is, current models, what other states are doing, and RTI hot topics and resources. http://www.nichcy.org/Pages/RTI.aspx

IT ALL STARTS IN FAMILIES ANDCOMMUNITIES

Public comments sought.
The American Psychological Association’s (APA) Task Force on Guidelines for Assessment and Treatment of Persons with Disabilities is seeking public comments on proposed Guidelines for Assessment of and Intervention with Individuals Who Have Disabilities. The 90-day period for receipt of comments ends July 31, 2009, so if you have something to say, use APA’s online comment form before the month ends. http://forms.apa.org/pi/disability/

Connecting with disability info.
DisabilityInfo Connection is the quarterly newsletter of DisabilityInfo.gov. It provides updates and information on useful tools and resources, federal partner initiatives for people with disabilities, and news and events. Sign up and let the info flow your way!
http://www.disabilityinfo.gov/digov-public/public/DisplayPage.do?parentFolderId=5208

The state of LD, 2009.
No, we’re not talking about an actual state (with a state code you’ve never seen before). We’re talking about The State of Learning Disabilities, a new report from the National Center for Learning Disabilities on the status of children and adults with LD in the US. The report shatters common myths about LD and provides benchmark data to compare and contrast how people with LD are faring in school and work.
http://www.ncld.org/images/stories/OnCapitolHill/PolicyRelatedPublications/stateofld/stateofld2009.pdf

Making the laws of the land accessible to the people of the land.
That’s the tagline at the top of OpenJurist’s website. OpenJurist’s mission is to give access to published court opinions without charge. It currently has over 600,000 opinions from the United States Supreme Court and United States Courts of Appeals. http://openjurist.org/

Speaking of Court opinions…what about private school tuition reimbursement?
The Supreme Court ruled in June that “parents of special education students may seek government reimbursement for private school tuition, even if they have never received special education services in public school” (as reported in the New York Times, 6/22/09).  Read about the case and the Supreme Court’s ruling at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/23/education/23special.html?ref=education

Training modules for high school students with disabilities.
Visit the George Washington University HEATH Resource Center, click the “Module” tab at the top, and you’ll find 16 modules written for high school students with disabilities preparing for transition from high school. Most titles relate to going off to college, getting along with professors, finding accommodations in that environment, and self-advocacy, but not all. There are also modules on rehabilitation services, career and technical education, and independent living (with the subtitle “Living On My Own, Away From Home, Having To Do My Laundry All Alone”). Find these (and quite a few other resources) at: http://www.heath.gwu.edu

Graduation requirements and diploma options for students with disabilities: What families and advocates need to know.
This InfoBrief from NCLD-Youth (the National Consortium on Leadership and Disability for Youth) discusses the importance of making informed decisions about diploma options, of understanding the consequences of graduating with different types of diplomas, and the need for youth, families, and IEP teams to consider these issues early.
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/assets/info_briefs/infobrief_issue22.pdf

For employers: A disability employment resource guide.
Are you an employer looking to recruit, hire, and retain employees with disabilities? ODEP has released its new Four-Step Reference Guide just for you. The guide covers topics such as Incentives & ROI, Recruiting, Interviewing & Hiring, and much more.
http://www.dol.gov/odep/documents/Flip%20Guide_FINAL_3%2030_508%20compliant2.pdf 

Including people with disabilities in national volunteer service programs.
This list of resources, from the Corporation for National and Community Service, provides links to methods for including people with disabilities in national service programs, including accessibility assessments, mentoring, special education students as camp counselors, and many other ideas.
http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/practices/topic/152

THE LITTLE ONES: EARLY INTERVENTION/EARLY CHILDHOOD

Interested in Head Start?
Then you might be interested in Head Start 2007 State Profiles, published in June by the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP). The individual state profiles show 2007 data on programs, participants, families, and staff for Head Start programs in each state, including preschool, Early Head Start, American Indian and Alaskan Native Head Start, and Migrant or Seasonal Head Start.
http://www.clasp.org/ChildCareAndEarlyEducation/headstartdata2007.htm

Do policies for preschoolers affect the care that infants and toddlers receive?
Find out in this new policy brief from the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER). The brief looks at the extent to which increasing public support for state pre-K programs has helped or hurt the provision of care for younger children. The authors provide recommendations for changes to preschool policies that would benefit infant/toddler care and avoid unintended negative consequences. http://nieer.org/docs/index.php?DocID=268

Early learning and readiness for school.
Foster young children’s early learning and readiness for school with this new interactive learning tool from ZERO TO THREE. The tool gives parents and caregivers key information about how children develop school readiness skills; includes video clips of children learning these skills through everyday interactions with their parents; and describes parent-child activities that can help children develop school readiness skills.
http://www.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_par_sri 

Early childhood inclusion: A joint policy statement of DEC and NAEYC. This joint policy statement comes from the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and represents a historic step by providing a shared national definition of inclusion.
http://www.dec-sped.org/About_DEC/PositionConcept_Papers/Inclusion

And speaking of inclusion…how about a video?
Connect: The Center to Mobilize Early Childhood Knowledge recently released a 12-minute video entitled Foundations of Inclusion Birth to Five, which includes highlights from the DEC/NAEYC Joint Position Statement on Early Childhood Inclusion (just mentioned). The video also discusses questions many teachers and families have about inclusion, such as: What is it? Is there research to support it? What are characteristics of high-quality inclusive settings?
http://community.fpg.unc.edu/connect?nectac 

The science of early childhood.
You may find these three briefs very interesting. They’re products of the Center for the Developing Child at Harvard University:

• Brief #1: The Science of Early Childhood Development http://www.developingchild.harvard.edu/content/downloads/inbrief-ecd.pdf 
• Brief #2: The Impact of Early Adversity on Children’s Development http://www.developingchild.harvard.edu/content/downloads/inbrief-adversity.pdf
• Brief #3: Early Childhood Program Effectiveness  http://www.developingchild.harvard.edu/content/downloads/inbrief-programs.pdf

The State of Preschool 2008.
The National Institute of Early Education Research at Rutgers (NIEER) has released the 6th edition of its annual analysis of state-funded preschool programs. This latest edition shows impressive expansion in preschool enrollment and spending. http://nieer.org/yearbook/

SCHOOLS, K-12 

July 20-31, 2009: FCTD’s Summer Institute on assistive and instructional technologies.
The Family Center on Technology and Disability (FCTD) is providing a free, two-week online summer institute, July 20-31, 2009. This year’s institute has two learning strands: “Accessible Instructional Materials: NIMAS and Beyond” and “Social Media Tools.” Participants can register for continuing education units.
http://www.fctd.info/show/home 

Teachers: Web sites to know.
Looking for low-cost curriculum and professional development resources? Visit here!
http://www.teachersourcebook.org/tsb/articles/2009/03/16/02sites.h02.html 

Professional development: Language development for English language learners.
Intended for state and district leaders, this professional development module provides background knowledge on language development, language assessment of English language learners, academic language instruction, and vocabulary K-12. It is designed to be used as a four-hour train-the-trainer session. Other options include using the materials in the Facilitator’s Guide as a study group tool with other ELL professionals or using the information and completing the activities as a self-study guide.
http://centeroninstruction.org/resources.cfm?category=ell&subcategory=&grade_start=&grade_end=

Professional development: Progress monitoring in math.
This professional development module, which includes a PowerPoint presentation and a presenter’s manual, describes progress monitoring, explains common techniques often mistaken for progress monitoring, and discusses how to apply progress monitoring in mathematics at both the elementary and secondary levels. Download it from the Center on Instruction, at: http://centeroninstruction.org/resources.cfm?category=math&subcategory=materials&grade_start=0&grade_end=12#229

Progress monitoring tools: Which is best for your neck of the woods?
Use the Progress Monitoring Tools Chart just released by the National Center on Response to Intervention. The chart provides ratings on the technical adequacy of reading and math progress monitoring tools used within an RTI context. The chart’s purpose? To help educators and families select the progress monitoring tools that best meet their individual needs.
http://www.rti4success.org/chart/progressMonitoring/progressmonitoringtoolschart.htm

Virtual personnel prep programs for special educators.
This policy analysis introduces what’s going on in virtual personnel preparation for special educators. Findings are presented from five programs for preparing special educators virtually (National University, Florida’s Virtual ESE program, University of Kentucky, George Washington University, and West Virginia University).
http://projectforum.org/docs/VirtualPersonnelPrepProgramsforSpecialEducators-SeveralApproaches.pdf 

Promoting quality in preK-Grade 3 classrooms.
This issue brief from the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) highlights actions and achievements of NASBE’s Early Childhood Education Network to improve early childhood education in several states. 
http://nasbe.org/index.php/ecen/90-ecen-project-resources/627-promoting-quality-in-prek

Lexia Reading: Does it work?
Read the What Works Clearinghouse report on Lexia Reading, a computerized reading program that provides phonics instruction and gives students independent practice in basic reading skills. See how the WWC rated the research on Lexia Reading at:
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/reports/beginning_reading/lexia/

Exploring what works in science instruction.
Find out, in this look at the 8th grade science classroom. 
http://www.ets.org/Media/Research/pdf/PICSCIENCE.pdf

Videos of school-wide PBIS.
Easy to watch, full of info! Find out the basics of positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) and how schools are providing PBIS as part of a school-wide plan to improve student behavior. PBIS.org provides this wealth of SWPBS video films in streaming and download formats.
http://www.pbis.org/swpbs_videos/default.aspx

Considerations for seclusion and restraint use in SWPBS.
The use of student seclusion and restraint in schools has garnered a great deal of attention recently, especially after the release of GAO’s report on the subject (see the next item). See what the PBIS center has to say on the subject from the perspective of SWPBS.
http://www.pbis.org/common/pbisresources/premium-publications/Seclusion_Restraint_inBehaviorSupport.pdf

That GAO report on seclusion and restraint…
A very disturbing report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) found cases of abuse of special education students due to restraints and seclusion over the past 20 years. As the report points out, there are no federal laws restricting the use of seclusion and restraints in public and private schools; at the state level, the laws are widely divergent.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-09-719T

Congress gets involved.
Horrified by the GAO report, Congress holds hearings on the abusive and deadly uses of seclusion and restraint in U.S. schools. Read all about it, and listen to the archived webcast:
http://edlabor.house.gov/hearings/2009/05/examining-the-abusive-and-dead.shtml

Learning supports and small schools.
This UCLA Center for Mental Health in Schools brief focuses on “How do small schools provide student and learning supports and how can they do it better?” It describes the current movement toward establishing small schools, discusses the problems small schools confront in addressing barriers to learning and teaching, and offers recommendations for how small schools can enhance learning supports.
http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/learningsupportssmallschools.pdf 

Educating ELLs at the high school level.
This practitioner issue brief, subtitled “A Coherent Approach to District- and School-Level Support,” outlines successful strategies and recommendations for state-level policymakers, administrators, schools, and districts to use in educating ELLs in high school.
http://www.betterhighschools.org/docs/EducatingELLsattheHSLevel_042209.pdf

Transition toolkit.
The “Life After High School Transition Tool Kit” is the winner of TATRA’s new Award for Excellence in Transition. A product of New Hampshire’s PTI, the toolkit is available online at: http://www.pacer.org/tatra/2009Award.pdf 

Work experience manual.
The Work Experience Manual, a product of the MT Rural Institute, includes a variety of resources and guidelines for school and community-based work experience programs.
http://ruralinstitute.umt.edu/transition/Articles/RIWorkExperience_Manual.pdf

What post-school outcome data can do for you.
The National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities, in partnership with the National Post-School Outcomes Center, has created an online guide, “Making Connections Across Indicators to Improve Post-School Outcomes: Early State Efforts.” The guide provides information on six states that have begun to display, analyze, and apply data across Part B Indicators 1, 2, 13, and 14. http://www.ndpc-sd.org/knowledge/improve_postschool_outcomes/default.php 

STATE & SYSTEM TOOLS

ARRA funds for start-up of state early childhood advisory councils.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will be making $100,000,000 available as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). Grants will be awarded to help States develop and implement a plan established by their State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care for children from birth to school entry. The funding is for one-time startup grants to develop and implement State Advisory Council plans. Applications are due by August 1, 2010. To learn more, visit:
http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/Program%20Design%20and%20Management/sac/state_advisory_councils.html 

Info center on ARRA.
Visit Learning Point’s Recovery and Reinvestment Center to find resources and tools to navigate the ARRA, including a fund finder, state-specific sheets, and much more. http://www.learningpt.org/recovery/

Questions and answers on secondary transition.
This is one of a series of question and answer (Q&A) documents prepared by OSERS to address some of the most important issues raised by requests for clarification on a variety of high-interest topics. http://idea.ed.gov/explore/view/p/%2Croot%2Cdynamic%2CQaCorner%2C10%2C

Retention and attrition of local special education directors.
Hot off Project Forum’s press, this analysis describes the perceptions of state directors of special education about issues related to job turn-over and retention and attrition of local special education directors. The brief also suggests strategies for addressing these issues at both the state and local education agency level. http://www.projectforum.org/docs/RetentionandAttritionofLocalSpecEdDirectors.pdf

Does having board-certified teachers actually improve student outcomes?
The What Work Clearinghouse addresses this question with its recently released National Board Certification and Teacher Effectiveness: Evidence from a Random Assignment Experiment, which describes the results of a study that examined whether having a teacher with National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification improves student achievement.
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/premium-publications/quickreviews/nbcert/ 

Accountability assessments for students with disabilities.
NCEO has revisited and updated its 2001 document on the principles and characteristics that underlie inclusive assessment and accountability systems. The new report reflects what’s been learned during the past seven years. It addresses state and district K-12 academic content assessments designed for system accountability, with a specific focus on all students with disabilities, including targeted groups of students (e.g., English language learners with disabilities). http://www.cehd.umn.edu/nceo/OnlinePubs/Synthesis70/index.htm

Financial accounting.
The 2009 edition of Financial Accounting for Local and State School Systems is now available from the National Center for Education Statistics.
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2009325

Supreme Court affirms reimbursement for special education.
The Supreme Court has ruled that “parents of special education students may seek government reimbursement for private school tuition, even if they have never received special education services in public school” (as reported in the New York Times, 6/22/09).  Read about the case and the Supreme Court’s ruling at: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/23/education/23special.html?ref=education

Improving adolescent literacy.
The successes of 5 states (CT, KY, NH, UT, and WV) are outlined in a new publication by the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE).  Reporting on the results from NASBE’s State Adolescent Literacy Network, this resource describes how leaders have produced real changes in state focus and policies as part of a comprehensive literacy plan.
http://nasbe.org/index.php/file-repository/Education-Issues/School-Leadership/Policy-Update/State-Action-to-Improve-Adolescent-Literacy/

Children in out-of-home (foster) care.
Solving the Data Puzzle: A How-To Guide on Collecting and Sharing Information to Improve Educational Outcomes for Children in Out-of-Home Care is a new resource offered by the Legal Center for Foster Care and Education. This how-to guide gives details on relevant legal and policy considerations, as well as examples from around the country, and includes checklists to guide education and child welfare agencies in collaboration. www.abanet.org/child/education/premium-publications/solvingthedatapuzzle.pdf

What are states up to with AA-MAS?
AA-MAS stands for “Alternate Assessment Based on Modified Achievement Standards” and Project Forum has reviewed how states are implementing AA-MAS. The policy brief includes background information on alternate assessments, a listing of the federally funded projects that have supported these assessments, initial state implementation, and a discussion of issues related to the AA-MAS. http://www.projectforum.org/

What guidelines are states using for AA-MAS?
Here’s a synthesis report from NCEO on the participation guidelines that states are currently using to consider who will participate in state assessments using an AA-MAS.
http://www.cehd.umn.edu/nceo/OnlinePubs/Synthesis71/default.htm 

SPECIAL FOCUS:Recreation

Recreation is this month’s special topic, and it’s a very big one! There are so many different activities you can pursue recreationally—reading, swimming, visiting a park, summer camps, traveling, and on and on. The sheer diversity of how any of us might enjoy leisure moments makes it impossible to do more here than connect you with resources of much more information on recreation for people with disabilities. Use the suggestions and connections these resources offer to explore what’s possible for you and yours. Hope these help you find the fun in the sun.

Physical activities galore.
Be sure to visit the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD) for its wealth of info. NCPAD maintains searchable directories of organizations, programs, and facilities that provide opportunities for accessible physical activity. Fact sheets on a variety of physical activities for people with disabilities are also available.  www.ncpad.org

Visit a park.
Visit the National Park Service website and find out more about local, state, and national parks and the opportunities they offer to enjoy nature, our natural resources, fresh air, and each other. There are 370 parks and 7 regional offices under the National Park Service. A listing of all national parks and facilities, including general information about their accessibility, is available at: www.nps.gov/parks.html

Try a sport.
Disabled Sports USA is the nation’s largest organization providing year-round sports and recreation activities to children and adults with physical disabilities. In conjunction with its nationwide network of chapters serving people in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, Disabled Sports USA offers such activities as snow skiing, water skiing, bicycling, white water rafting, horseback riding, mountain climbing, sailing, camping, and track and field. Visit Disabled Sports USA’s website for the telephone number of a local chapter near you.
www.dsusa.org/

In pursuit of art.
VSA arts (formerly Very Special Arts) seeks to create a society where all people with disabilities learn through, participate in and enjoy the arts. To that end, they offer a wide range of educational programs and resources through a network of state-level programs and their website. If artistic expression interests you, check out what VSA arts has to offer.
http://www.vsarts.org/

Storytime!
Libraries are great places to find summer fun, piles of books, and connection to what’s going on in the community. If reading is a difficult activity, tho, it’s likely to be avoided. Have you considered books on tape, CD, or in digital formats? Listen to the story, in other words. Not only can you find books in these formats in local libraries, but you can also check out the services (and outrageous book collections) of:

• National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (http://www.loc.gov/nls), a free national library program of Braille and recorded materials for persons with visual and physical disabilities.
• Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (http://www.rfbd.org), a national nonprofit service organization that provides educational and professional books in accessible format to people with visual impairments, learning disabilities, and other physical disabilities that prevent them from reading printed material.
  How about an exchange program?

The National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange provides free info and referral services related to the participation of people with disabilities in international exchange programs. Join the Clearinghouse’s mailing list for info about exchange opportunities, and for sure take a look at the very helpful “tipsheets” available to help travelers with disabilities.
http://www.miusa.org/ncde
 
Get the whole family involved.
Visit Family TLC to access family activities: games, sports, crafts, music, cooking, nature and more. Find parenting tips, articles on child development and hundreds of new age-appropriate child activities each month.
http://www.familytlc.net/index.html

More family fun.
Crafts, parties, recipes, games, travel, how-to videos…yours for the exploring!
http://familyfun.go.com/
 
Visit the Fun-Attic.
Isn’t that a great name for a website offering The Great Game List? Browse for game ideas, resources and activities for birthday parties, picnics, youth groups, summer camps, company events, educators, family life, home schooling or just for the fun of it.
http://www.funattic.com/game_list.htm
 
Get practical.
Here’s a good site full of helpful suggestions and advice on orchestrating the logistics of fun.
http://www.kaboose.com/index.html 

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National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth Updates Website

Washington, DC – This month, the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) released an updated version of its content rich website, http://www.ncwd-youth.info/.  Since the original launch of the NCWD/Youth website, it has been the go-to place for information relating to youth with disabilities and the workforce development and transition systems supporting them in their transition to the world of work.

The updated version of the website offers new content areas focusing on what all youth need with an emphasis on youth with disabilities and other vulnerable populations:

• Workforce Development
• Professional Development
• Youth Development and Leadership
• Helpful resources including expanded definitions, acronyms, and helpful links for a variety of topical areas
• White papers, manuals, guides, and fact sheets on a variety of policy areas

Additionally, the website features a fresher look and a user-friendly interface including:

• Easier search capabilities
• Publications arranged by categories
• Fast access to Innovative Strategies
• Updated contact list for High School/High Tech sites

The updated version of the site provides numerous publications free of charge, background papers, InfoBriefs on a variety of topics, and much more. 
NCWD/Youth assists state and local workforce development systems to better serve all youth, including youth with disabilities and other vulnerable youth. The NCWD/Youth, created in 2001, is composed of partners with expertise in education, youth development, disability, employment, workforce development, and family issues. Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), the NCWD/Youth is housed at the Institute for Educational Leadership in Washington, D.C. NCWD/Youth offers a range of technical assistance services to state and local workforce investment boards, youth councils, and other workforce development system youth programs. 

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Calls to Participate

K-16 Teachers Invited to Apply for Fulbright Program
http://www.fulbrightteacherexchange.org/cte.cfm
The Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, provides opportunities for full-time K-16 teachers with at least three years’ experience to participate in direct exchanges of positions with colleagues from other countries for a semester or academic year. U.S. teachers are eligible to apply for a direct exchange of teaching positions with a counterpart in another country teaching the same subject(s) at the same level. Apply by October 19, 2009.

Youth LEAD
www.youthleadyouthcongress.org
Youth LEAD provides teens and young adults with developmental disabilities with resources and support to set and meet their goals for education, employment and inclusive recreation. Youth LEAD also helps youth-serving community organizations increase inclusive programming for individuals with developmental disabilities. The program is run by the University of Missouri-Kansas City Institute for Human Development and funded by a grant from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities. The Youth LEAD program team is recruiting for the second year of the Urban Leadership Academy. The Urban Leadership Academy is an eight-month leadership program for teens and mentors that meets one Saturday per month, October-May, with an emphasis on urban teens and adults under 30. A flyer for the Urban Leadership Academy, and applications for both teens and mentors are included on the Web site. Applications are due September 1, 2009; the academy will begin in October.

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Special Education Resources

Adolescent Literacy: Forging a Local, State, and National Vision of How to Help All Students Acquire the Foundational Skills that Will Enable Them to Succeed in School, Work, and Life 
Report
http://www.all4ed.org/events/BatonRougeAdolescentLiteracy060809
The Alliance for Excellent Education hosted “Adolescent Literacy: Forging a Local, State, and National Vision of How to Help All Students Acquire the Foundational Skills that Will Enable Them to Succeed in School, Work, and Life,” on June 8 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The forum featured Congressman Rodney Alexander (R-LA), Congressman Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Mayor-President Kip Holden of East Baton Rouge Parish, and Louisiana State Superintendent Paul Pastorek. Information on the speakers and agenda and links to video/audio from the event are at the Web site.

Alternate Assessment Based on Modified Achievement Standards: An Initial Review of State Implementation 
Policy Analysis
http://www.projectforum.org/
The Alternate Assessment Based on Modified Achievement Standards: An Initial Review of State Implementation, an in-depth policy analysis from Project Forum at NASDSE, is a review of the implementation of the alternate assessment based on modified achievement standards (AA-MAS) by states that have chosen to make it a part of their assessment program. It contains background information on alternate assessments, a listing of the federally funded projects that have supported these assessments, initial state implementation, and a discussion of issues related to the AA-MAS.

America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2009 
Report
http://childstats.gov/
The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics has released “America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2009.” This report continues a series of annual reports to the nation on conditions affecting children in the United States. The National Center for Education Statistics within the Institute of Education Sciences, in cooperation with 21 other federal agencies, contributes indicators to the report and supports its production. The report has three demographic background measures and 40 selected indicators to describe the population of children and depict child well-being in the areas of family and social environment, economic circumstances, health care, physical environment and safety, behavior, education, and health. This year’s report has a special feature on children with special health care needs.

Diplomas Count 2009: Broader Horizons 
Report Summary
http://tinyurl.com/ncsqc7
An archive of the June 11 interactive presentation and discussion of the key findings from this year’s annual Diplomas Count report is now available.

Disability Employment Resource Guide for Employers 
Reference Guide
http://tinyurl.com/cc9bpc
The Office of Disability Employment Policy has released “Diversifying Your Workforce: A Four-Step Reference Guide to Recruiting, Hiring, & Retaining Employees with Disabilities” for employers. The guide covers topics such as Incentives & Return on Investment (ROI), Recruiting, Interviewing & Hiring, and more. Available in pdf (11 pages, 901 KB).

Graduation Requirements and Diploma Options for Students with Disabilities: What Families and Advocates Need to Know  
InfoBrief
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/assets/info_briefs/infobrief_issue22.pdf
This InfoBrief from the National Consortium on Leadership and Disability for Youth (NCLD-Youth) discusses the importance of making informed decisions about diploma options, of understanding the consequences of graduating with different types of diplomas, and the need for youth, families, and IEP teams to consider these issues early. Available in pdf (8 pages, 107 KB).

Including People with Disabilities in National Volunteer Service Programs
List of Resources
http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/practices/topic/152
“Effective Practices Tagged with ‘Disability Inclusion’,” from the Corporation for National and Community Service, is a list of resources providing links to methods for including people with disabilities in national service programs, including accessibility assessments, mentoring, special education students as camp counselors, and many others.

National Center for Education Statistics’ New Data Systems Standards and Guidelines
Guidelines
http://nces.ed.gov/dataguidelines/
The National Center for Education Statistics within the Institute of Education Sciences has developed a new Data Systems Standards and Guidelines Web site to help data system designers and managers build and/or improve education data systems. This site includes resources and web links from work done by NCES, technology standards organizations, the States and school districts that make up the National Forum on Education Statistics, and State data system managers who share lessons learned and tools developed in building their own data systems.

New Resource on Cultural Competency  (2009) 
Report
http://www.familyvoices.org/pub/general/CommunityBrokers_04-27-2009.pdf
“Growing Your Capacity to Engage Diverse Communities by Working with Community Liaisons and Cultural Brokers” is a Family Voices booklet that describes a new approach to family and community engagement that involves community liaisons and cultural brokers. The information is based on knowledge and experience of family leaders around the country. Available in pdf (24 pages, 569 KB).

New Tool to Promote Youth and Family Participation in State Post-School Outcome Surveys 
Survey Flyers
http://psocenter.org/data_collection.html
Post-School Outcome Survey Flyers designed to help states and school districts increase youth/family participation in “Indicator 14” post-school outcome surveys are now available online. The flyers were created as handouts for students with Individualized Education Programs who are leaving school and their families. Available in both Spanish and English and designed with youth and family readers in mind, the flyers convey essential points about the purpose of Indicator 14 data collection activities and encourage participation in the process. School districts can add their own contact information, and the flyers can be customized to reflect a state’s unique format or survey process. Prepared by the National Post-School Outcomes Center (NPSO) in collaboration with PACER Center, they can be downloaded at no cost from the NPSO Web site.

OSERS Questions and Answers on Secondary Transition 
Information Summary
http://tinyurl.com/ktpqsu
OSERS has updated several question and answer (Q&A) documents on their Web site, including the “Q and A: Questions and Answers on Secondary Transition.”

Removing Roadblocks to Rigor: Linking Academic and Social Supports to Ensure College Readiness and Support Pathways to College Network  
Report
http://www.ihep.org/assets/files/programs/pcn/Roadblocks.pdf
Removing Roadblocks to Rigor: Linking Academic and Social Supports to Ensure College Readiness and Support Pathways to College Network, a new program of the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP), is launching a national initiative to ensure that student needs for integrated academic and social support strategies are being addressed. This report offers a broad definition of academic and social support focused on integrating a range of strategies that enable students at all levels to successfully undertake challenging coursework through the identification of specific examples of support strategies in schools and higher education institutions. Available in pdf (32 pages, 350 KB).

Report Shows That Truly Few Have Been Left Behind 
Report
http://tinyurl.com/mtlbvo
The first report from the Center on Education Policy’s third annual analysis of state testing data, “Is the Emphasis on ‘Proficiency’ Shortchanging Higher- and Lower-Achieving Students,” finds that, contrary to widespread concerns, the mandates of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) have not sacrificed the needs of the highest and lowest achieving students in favor of those in the middle “proficient” level. The 50-state analysis, which for the first time includes data about student performance at the advanced and basic levels, profiles each state, showing trends in reading and math in elementary, middle, and high school.

Retention and Attrition of Local Special Education Directors 
Policy Analysis
http://www.projectforum.org/
Retention and Attrition of Local Special Education Directors, an in-brief policy analysis from Project Forum at NASDSE, describes challenges, as perceived by state directors of special education, related to this issue and proposes strategies for addressing this problem at both the state and local education agency level.

Schools and Staffing Survey: Characteristics of Public and Bureau of Indian Education Elementary and Secondary School Library Media Centers 
Report
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2009322
The third of the National Center for Education Statistics within the Institute of Education Sciences five Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) reports is “Characteristics of Public and Bureau of Indian Education Elementary and Secondary School Library Media Centers in the United States: Results From the 2007-08 Schools and Staffing Survey.” Information on it and a link to the full report is at the Web site.

Schools and Staffing Survey: Characteristics of Public School Districts 
Report
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2009320
The National Center for Education Statistics within the Institute of Education Sciences has released five Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) reports. SASS is a nationally representative sample survey of public, private, and Bureau of Indian Education-funded (BIE) K-12 schools, principals, and teachers in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Information on “Characteristics of Public School Districts in the United States: Results from the 2007-08 Schools and Staffing Survey” and a link to the full report is at the Web site.

Schools and Staffing Survey: Characteristics of Public, Private, and Bureau of Indian Education Elementary and Secondary School Principals 
Report
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2009323
The fourth of the National Center for Education Statistics within the Institute of Education Sciences five Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) reports is “Characteristics of Public, Private, and Bureau of Indian Education Elementary and Secondary School Principals in the United States: Results From the 2007-08 Schools and Staffing Survey.” Information on it and a link to the full report is at the Web site.

Schools and Staffing Survey: Characteristics of Public, Private, and Bureau of Indian Education Elementary and Secondary School Teachers 
Report
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2009324
The fifth of the National Center for Education Statistics within the Institute of Education Sciences five Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) reports is “Characteristics of Public, Private, and Bureau of Indian Education Elementary and Secondary School Teachers in the United States: Results From the 2007-08 Schools and Staffing Survey.” Information on it and a link to the full report is at the Web site.

Schools and Staffing Survey: Characteristics of Public, Private, and Bureau of Indian Education Elementary and Secondary Schools 
Report
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2009321
The second of the National Center for Education Statistics within the Institute of Education Sciences five Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) reports is “Characteristics of Public, Private, and Bureau of Indian Education Elementary and Secondary Schools in the United States: Results From the 2007-08 Schools and Staffing Survey.” Information on it and a link to the full report is at the Web site.

The Parents as Collaborative Leaders Curriculum 
Module Set
http://www.uvm.edu/~pcl/modules.php
A new leadership training curriculum helps empower parents of children with disabilities to advocate for change in their communities. The Parents as Collaborative Leaders curriculum, a project of the University of Vermont and PACER, is now available as 10 PowerPoint modules on the Parents as Collaborative Leaders Web site.

Web Standards, Accessibility and Usability 
Guide
http://webstandards.psu.edu/accessibility
This Accessibility Guide from Penn State University provides information on making Web-based course material, lectures and assignments accessible for people with disabilities.

Graduation Requirements and Diploma Options for Students with Disabilities: What Families and Advocates Need to Know 
InfoBrief
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/resources_&_Publications/information_Briefs/issue22.html
This InfoBrief from the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) explores the importance of making informed decisions about diploma options, understanding the consequences of graduating with different types of diplomas, and considering these issues early.

Successful Transition Models for Youth with Mental Health Needs: A Guide for Workforce Professionals 
InfoBrief
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/resources_&_Publications/information_Briefs/issue23.html
This InfoBrief from the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) describes the systems service barriers faced by youth with mental health needs as they reach adulthood and highlights new models and strategies designed to break down those barriers and help these youth transition successfully into the workplace.

Cities in Crisis 2009: Report Pegs Average Graduation Rate in Nation’s Largest Cities at 53% 
report
http://tinyurl.com/kwbulq
The nation’s largest cities showed some progress in increasing their graduation rates from 1995-2005, but their average graduation rate of 53% is well below the national average of 71%, according to “Cities in Crisis: Closing the Graduation Gap, a report released last month by Editorial Projects in Education, Inc. with support from the America’s Promise Alliance and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

eSchool News’ Educator Resource Center  (2009)
web page
http://www.eschoolnews.com/resources/measuring-21st-century-skills/
K-20 graduates will need “21st Century Skills” for the U.S. to succeed in the global economy success. In 2012, “tech literacy” will be added to our Nation’s Report Card, measuring student proficiency in the application of technology for the first time. To prepare for the coming technology assessment, educational leaders need to provide data on how well their students are progressing, how effective their teachers are, and how technology instruction is helping students solve real-world problems. eSchool News has compiled an extensive resource library that addresses these issues and shares experience from educators who have met the challenges.

Family Routines and Relationships Strengthen Poor Families 
research brief
http://www.childtrends.org/Files//Child_Trends-2009_5_14_RB_poorfamstrengths.pdf
Although poor families experience socioeconomic disadvantages, these families may be strengthened by their family routines and relationships, according to a new Child Trends research brief. “The Strengths of Poor Families” analyzes data for more than 100,000 families from the 2003 National Survey of Children’s Health to find the similarities and contrasts between poor and more affluent families. Available in pdf (8 pages, 213 KB).

FCTD’s Summer Camp: Trees, Tents & Technology
report
http://www.fctd.info/resources/newsletters/index.php
In this year’s Assistive Technology (AT) Goes to Camp issue, the Family Center on Technology and Disability (FCTD) interviews Darla Motil, R.N., from the Achievement Centers for Children in Ohio, on using AT to support a child’s camp experience, provides resources to help families of children with disabilities who use AT for their child’s camp experience, and features organizations that focus on aspects of the summer camp experience and the role of AT in enriching that experience.

Forum Brief: Linking Academics, Technology and 21st Century Skills: New Tech High Schools, a Scalable Model for Public Education 
report
http://www.aypf.org/forumbriefs/2009/fb032709.htm
This brief from the American Youth Policy Forum reports on the New Tech high school model, focused on project-based learning, innovative uses of technology in the classroom and fostering a strong culture of student responsibility, which has emerged as a successfully-replicated approach to transforming high school education in the U.S., with 42 public schools across nine states.

Learning Supports and Small Schools: A Policy and Practice Analysis Brief 
report
http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/learningsupportssmallschools.pdf
This UCLA Center for Mental Health in Schools brief focuses on “How do small schools provide student and learning supports and how can they do it better?” It describes the current movement toward establishing small schools, discusses the problems small schools confront in addressing barriers to learning and teaching, and offers recommendations for how small schools can enhance learning supports and draws on previous policy and practice analyses done by the Center, other reports and analyses available online, and perspectives solicited directly from colleagues working at state departments, districts and schools, and professional associations. Available in pdf (40 pages, 196 KB).

Lost Opportunity: A 50-State Report on the Opportunity to Learn in America  report
http://blackboysreport.org/otlwebsite/
“Lost Opportunity,” from the Schott Foundation for Public Education, contains a state-by-state analysis, based on student performance data reported by state departments of education, that determines the opportunity to learn in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The Schott Foundation used resource models to identify the four core minimum resources that are necessary if a child – regardless of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status – is to have a fair and substantive opportunity to learn: high-quality early childhood education; highly qualified teachers and instructors in grades K-12; college preparatory curricula that will prepare all youth for college, work, and community; and equitable instructional resources.

ODEP’s New Disability Employment Resource for Employers 
reference guide
http://www.dol.gov/odep/documents/Flip%20Guide_FINAL_3%2030_508%20compliant2.pdf
To meet the need for a comprehensive, portable, and easy to understand guide for employers who want to recruit, hire, and retain employees with disabilities, the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) has released its new Four-Step Reference Guide, covering topics such as Incentives & ROI, Recruiting, Interviewing & Hiring, and more, also provides links and other resources. The print version of “Diversifying Your Workforce, A Four-Step Reference Guide to Recruiting, Hiring & Retaining Employees with Disabilities” will be available later this year. The on-line version is available in pdf (11 pages, 901 KB).

Parsing the Achievement Gap II 
Report
http://www.ets.org/Media/Research/pdf/PICPARSINGII.pdf
This report by the Educational Testing Service follows up on a 2003 study that examined how life experiences and life conditions correlated with cognitive development and student achievement. It brings the 2003 synthesis of research up-to-date, and asks if the gap among various population subgroups has narrowed in the intervening years. (Answer: No.) As with the first report, the follow-up report identifies 16 factors as they correlate to achievement. Available in PDF (38 pages, 2.42 MB).

Post-High School Outcomes of Youth with Disabilities up to Four Years After High School 
Report
http://ies.ed.gov/ncser/pubs/20093017.asp
This report from the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) uses data from the third wave of data collection from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2) to provide information on youth with disabilities who had been out of secondary school for up to four years in several key domains, including: 1) postsecondary education enrollment and educational experiences; 2) employment status and characteristics of the youth’s current or most recent job; 3) productive engagement in school, work, or preparation for work; 4) household circumstance (e.g., residential independence; parenting; financial independence); and 5) social and community involvement.

Post-School Outcome Data: Making Connections Across Indicators to Improve Post-School Outcomes 
guide
http://www.ndpc-sd.org/knowledge/improve_postschool_outcomes/default.php
The National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities, in partnership with the National Post-School Outcomes Center, has created an online guide, “Making Connections Across Indicators to Improve Post-School Outcomes: Early State Efforts.” Prepared by Cathy Hammond, Ph.D., and Loujeania Williams Bost, Ph.D., the guide provides information on six states that have begun to display, analyze, and apply data across Part B Indicators 1, 2, 13, and 14.

State-level Approaches to Co-Teaching 
Policy Analysis
http://projectforum.org/docs/State-levelApproachestoCo-Teaching.pdf
This Brief Policy Analysis from NASDSE’s Project FORUM describes findings from a survey of all state special education units on the topic of co-teaching. Findings are reported in the areas of terminology used, guidance available, requirements for IEPs and teachers, personnel preparation efforts, complementary initiatives, outcome data collection, challenges, and recommendations. Available in PDF (7 pages, 135 KB).

The Condition of Education 2009 
Report
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2009081
The Condition of Education 2009 summarizes important developments and trends in American education using the latest available data. The report presents 46 indicators on the status and condition of education. The indicators represent a consensus of professional judgment on the most significant national measures of the condition and progress of education for which accurate data are available. The 2009 print edition includes 46 indicators in five main areas: 1) participation in education; 2) learner outcomes; 3) student effort and educational progress; 4) the contexts of elementary and secondary education; and 5) the contexts of postsecondary education.

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Get Wired!—The Latest on Websites and Listservs

AcademicInfo
www.academicinfo.net/eddist.html
AcademicInfo is a reference guide to online degree and education resources.

Chapin Hall’s New Web site with Improved Access to Research
http://www.chapinhall.org/
Chapin Hall’s new Web site provides content and features and an updated navigation to browse through more than 200 publications and abstracts of ongoing research projects.

Parentwarrior.com
http://www.parentwarrior.com/
Parentwarrior.com is a site for parents who have lost their edge and want it back and for professionals looking for a fresh perspective on preventing dysfunctional behavior in children.

YouthLEAD Web site for Youth With Disabilities
http://www.youthleadyouthcongress.org/
The YouthLEAD project has a Web site for youth with disabilities that includes an online resource center, information on internet safety and security, and an interactive dashboard with all kinds of empowering content.

Chapin Hall Rolls Out New Web Site with Improved Access to Research
http://www.chapinhall.org/
Established in 1985, Chapin Hall is an independent policy research center whose mission is to build knowledge that improves policies and programs for children and youth, families, and their communities. Its new Web site provides new content and features and an updated navigation bar to help visitors browse more than 200 publications and abstracts of ongoing research projects.

National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange: Including Youth with Disabilities in Study and Travel Abroad Programs
http://www.miusa.org/ncde
The National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE) is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, and is managed by Mobility International USA. NCDE provides resources on how special education teachers, transition and VR specialists, and parents of youth with disabilities can encourage high school students to explore overseas opportunities, both broadening their interests in other cultures and their future career options; and on how they can welcome and work with international youth with disabilities hosted in their home communities. 

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Funding Forecast and Award Opportunities

Forecast of Funding Opportunities under the Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs for Fiscal Year 2009
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 2009 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 2008-2009 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.

American Association of School Administrators National Superintendent of the Year Program
http://www.aasa.org/awards/content1.cfm?ItemNumber=890
The American Association of School Administrators National Superintendent of the Year Program pays tribute to the talent and vision of the men and women who lead the nation’s public schools. Maximum award: $10,000. Eligibility: U.S. public school superintendents and superintendents of American schools abroad who plan to continue in the profession. Deadline: September 30, 2009.

Ameriprise Financial Community Giving Program
http://tinyurl.com/6wh449
Ameriprise Financial is accepting grant applications for its Community Giving Program. Grants will be awarded in three areas, Meeting Basic Needs, Supporting Community Vitality, and Volunteer Driven Causes, to nonprofits, in communities across the United States where its employees, advisors, and retirees live and work, to provide resources to at-risk populations, support community development, and conduct volunteer projects with Ameriprise employees, advisors, and retirees. The company prefers to direct funding to specific projects that can demonstrate innovative approaches with measurable results or capacity building rather than general operating support. The Meeting Basic Needs category supports programs and services that help at-risk populations stabilize their lives and become more self-sufficient. Consideration will be given to programs that help provide food, shelter, and self sufficiency. Supporting Community Vitality supports programs and services that build strong communities by creating economic vitality and cultural enrichment, providing support in the areas of community development, cultural enrichment, civic leadership, disaster response and recovery, and environmental awareness. The Volunteer Driven Causes category allows Ameriprise employees, advisors, and retirees to help determine where and how a portion of the grants are directed. Deadline: September 1, 2009

Do Something Disaster Grants for Young People
http://www.dosomething.org/grants/disaster
Do Something and the Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation have teamed up to offer $500 Disaster Grants to young people across the US and Canada. They want to hear from people building houses in New Orleans, planning an emergency coat drive for families in crisis this winter, or collecting toys for kids who’ve been through a natural disaster, etc. Each week in 2009 they are giving out $500 to a person with a project idea around the themes of disaster preparedness and emergency response.

Ronald McDonald House Charities Accepting Letters of Inquiry for Grants to Improve Lives of Children
http://rmhc.org/what-we-do/grants/how-to-apply/
Grants will be awarded to nonprofits working to improve the health and well being of children under age 21 through national and global programs. The RMHC Board of Trustees is most interested in national and international organizations that have a specific program related to children’s health and well-being, addresses a significant funding gap or critical opportunity, has long-term impact in terms of replication or reach, produces measurable results, and is sustainable without relying on RMHC funding. Grants are not awarded to support ongoing general, operating, or administrative expenses. RMHC does not award grants to projects/programs that are local in scope (i.e. those that focus on one particular community/state or that are not replicable). Applicants, however, may contact their local RMHC Chapter for information about grants for local programs. Deadline for letters of inquiry: September 4, 2009

By Kids for Kids/NYSE Foundation/K12: NYSE Financial Future Challenge
http://www.bkfk.com/FinancialFuture/
The NYSE Financial Future Challenge asks kids to come up with new ways to teach their peers about finance, money management, and investing in the stock market. Entries may include games, books, websites, videos, and other media that illuminate the fundamentals of the stock market, enhance financial literacy, and make it easy for young people to learn about and even participate in the markets. Maximum award: $2,500 to invest in stocks, as well as media attention at the NYSE. Eligibility: youth ages 6-19 who reside in the U.S.; Washington, DC; and U.S. territories and possessions. Entry Deadline: August 31, 2009.

National Association of Independent Schools: Challenge 20/20 Program
http://www.nais.org/conferences/index.cfm?ItemNumber=147262&sn.ItemNumber=148035
Challenge 20/20 is an Internet-based program that pairs classes at any grade level (K-12) from schools in the U.S. with their counterpart classes in schools in other countries; together the teams (of two or three schools) tackle real global problems to find solutions that can be implemented at the local level and in their own communities. Elementary or secondary private, public, and charter schools from the U.S. and any other country are eligible to apply. Application deadline: August 17, 2009.

Open Meadows Foundation: Grants for Women and Girls
http://www.openmeadows.org/
Open Meadows Foundation is a grant-making organization for projects that are led by and benefit women and girls. It funds projects that reflect the diversity of the community served by the project in both its leadership and organization; promote building community power; promote racial, social, economic, and environmental justice; and have limited financial access or have encountered obstacles in their search for funding. Maximum award: $2,000. Eligibility: 501(c)(3) organizations with an organizational budget no larger than $150,000. Projects must be designed and implemented by women and girls. Deadline: August 15, 2009.

Share Our Strength to Offer Great American Bake Sale Grants to Help Fight Childhood Hunger
http://gabs.strength.org/site/PageServer?pagename=GABS_grants
Grants of up to $10,000 will be awarded by Share Our Strength’s Great American Bake Sale to nonprofits, schools, and local government agencies working to ensure children have access to after-school and summer meal programs. Grants for Program Sponsors will be awarded to organizations that directly sponsor USDA-reimbursed after-school and/or summer meal programs for children and will support efforts to increase the organization’s participation in these programs. Grants for Advocacy will be awarded to organizations that work to increase participation in USDA-reimbursed after-school and summer meal programs through outreach and advocacy, working with schools, community organizations, local businesses, and with a range of government officials to increase participation in summer and after-school meal programs. Applicants must be: nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations, schools with a valid NCES code, or local government entities that work to ensure children have access to after-school and summer meal programs. Deadline: September 30, 2009.

CVS: Caremark Community Grants
http://www.cvscaremark.com/community/our-impact/community-grants
The CVS Caremark Community Grants program awards funds to nonprofit organizations for programs targeting children with disabilities; programs focusing on health and rehabilitation services; public schools promoting a greater level of inclusion in student activities and extracurricular programs, and initiatives that give greater access to physical movement and play. Additionally, some contributions are made to organizations that provide uninsured individuals with needed care, in particular programs where the care received is of high quality and delivered by providers who participate in accountable community health care programs. Maximum award: $5,000. Eligibility: public schools with programs for children under age 18 with disabilities. Deadline: October 31, 2009.

Travelocity’s Travel for Good Volunteer Travel Opportunities
http://tinyurl.com/2v7sh2
Travelocity’s Travel for Good offers funding quarterly for its Change Ambassadors Grant to help support Americans who wish to travel to participate in volunteer opportunities (volunteer vacations). Two grants of $5,000 each will be awarded to individuals or groups going on volunteer vacations; applicants must demonstrate a previous commitment to volunteering and financial need. Deadline: not applicable.

American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD) Scholarship Program-2009-2010
http://tinyurl.com/quu22e
AAHD created the AAHD Scholarship Program to support students with disabilities who are pursuing higher education. Preference will be given to students who plan to pursue undergraduate/graduate studies in public health, health promotion, or disability studies, to include disability policy and disability research. As 2009 is the first year of the scholarship program, funds are limited and we anticipate that scholarships will be competitive. Scholarships will be limited to under $1,000. Deadline: October 15, 2009

Do Something Offers Grants for Community Action Projects
http://www.dosomething.org/grants/general/apply
Over the course of 2009, Do Something will award fifty-two grants of $500 each to help young people implement or expand a community action project, program, or organization. Applicants must be no older than 25 and a U.S. or Canadian citizen. Do Something grants cannot be used to fund travel costs, individual sponsorships, shipping costs, individual school fees, or fundraising expenses. Do Something grant applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Grants will be awarded on a weekly basis. Deadline: Rolling.

Financial Aid On Disabilityinfo.Gov
http://www.disabilityinfo.gov/digov-public/public/DisplayPage.do?parentFolderId=84
This Web site includes links to scholarship applications for students with various disabilities for graduate and undergraduate as well as vocational studies.

Got Grants?
http://www.teachersourcebook.org/tsb/articles/2009/03/16/02grants.h02.html
Successful education grant writers offer advice on how to access teacher-learning funds.

Michigan State Library of Financial Aid
http://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/3disable.htm
Michigan State’s comprehensive list of financial aid resources for students with disabilities can be found at their Web site.

Scholarships4students.Com
http://www.scholarships4students.com/special_scholarships.htm
Scholarships4students’s Web site includes a list of scholarships for students with disabilities, by disability category.

National Scholarship Providers Association
http://www.scholarshipproviders.org
The National Scholarship Providers Association (NSPA) web site offers information on NSPA scholarships for Latino students and for students formerly in foster care. A new NPSA product, the Scholarship Data Standard, allows students to complete an online scholarship application and then re-use the information with other scholarship providers without retyping their data.

Charles Lafitte Foundation: Grants for Education & Child Advocacy
http://www.charleslafitte.org/education.html
The Charles Lafitte Foundation Grants Program helps groups and individuals foster lasting improvement on the human condition by providing support to education, children’s advocacy, medical research, and the arts. Maximum award: varies. Eligibility: 501(c)3 organizations. Deadline: rolling.

Plum Grants
http://www.dosomething.org/programs/plum-grant-guidelines
Individuals who have recently created a sustainable community action project, program or organization and need $500 to further the growth and success of the program are eligible to apply for a Plum Youth Grant. Plum grants are given out weekly. Deadline: None.

Nonprofit Music Programs
http://www.guitarcentermusicfoundation.org/grants/index.cfm?sec=info
The Guitar Center Music Foundation’s mission is to aid nonprofit music programs across America that offer music instruction so that more people can experience the joys of making music. Maximum Award: $5000. Eligibility: 501(c)(3) organizations. Qualifying applicants are established, ongoing and sustainable music programs across the United States that provide music instruction for people of any age who would not otherwise have the opportunity to make music. Deadline: N/A.

Live Monarch Educator Outreach Program
http://www.lmf-educator-award.com/index.html
The Live Monarch Foundation Educator Outreach Program provides funding for U.S. teachers to enroll in the National Campaign to bring monarch butterflies into the classroom. This program provides education and materials to strengthen the monarch’s 3,000-mile migratory route within North America by creating self-sustaining butterfly gardens and refuges. Materials will be provided for each participant to raise a virtual butterfly and start a real butterfly garden with professional instruction on each level of its maintenance and care. Maximum Award: n/a. Eligibility: teachers and classrooms in areas on the monarch migratory route. Deadline: rolling.

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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.

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