April 2010 – Special Educator e-Journal

Table of Contents

Update from the U.S. Department Education

Calls to Participate

Update From The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

Special Education Resources

Upcoming Conferences, Workshops, and Events

Latest Job Listings

Funding Forecast and Award Opportunities

Acknowledgements

Download a PDF Version of This Issue

Update from the U.S. Department of Education

Education Secretary Duncan Issues Statement on The Nation’s Report Card in Reading for 4th, 8thGraders

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today issued the following statement on The Nation’s Report Card: Reading 2009, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) at Grades 4 and 8:

“Today’s results once again show that the achievement of American students isn’t growing fast enough. After modest gains in recent years, 4th grade reading scores are flat and 8th grade scores were up just one point. The achievement gap didn’t narrow by a statistically significant amount in either grade. Like the NAEP 2009 math scores released last fall, the reading scores demonstrate that students aren’t making the progress necessary to compete in the global economy.

“We shouldn’t be satisfied with these results. By this and many other measures, our students aren’t on a path to graduate high school ready to succeed in college and the workplace.

“President Obama’s agenda for school reform is focused on improving student achievement. Through the Race to the Top program and the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, we are supporting efforts to create standards and assessments that prepare students for success in college and careers. We’re also ensuring every child has an excellent teacher and that teachers are rewarded for excellent work. We’re helping states build data systems to track whether students are meeting those standards. And we’re turning around our lowest-performing schools.

“People across the country need to work together to make these reforms happen. That includes elected officials, community leaders, educators, parents, and students themselves. We all need to build a better future for our children and our country.”

Office for Civil Rights Revamps Civil Rights Data Collection, Unveils New Web Site for Survey Data

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced today that it will begin collecting new data to measure whether all students have equal educational opportunity and to inform its enforcement of federal civil rights laws. The data will be collected through the Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC), which surveys school districts in a variety of areas related to civil rights in education.

“Getting relevant, accurate and accessible data is a prerequisite to critical analysis and good decision-making,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “Our hope and expectation is that by ensuring that the data collected by the CRDC covers the critical issues in civil rights in education, the department and all stakeholders will have the information they need to ensure that school districts and schools are living up to the promise of providing equal educational opportunity.”

After conducting a comprehensive review of the past survey and considering comments from numerous stakeholders, OCR added new data items to be used in the 2009-10 CRDC. The new data items cover critical topics such as students’ participation in algebra and other college-preparatory subjects, retention, teacher experience/absenteeism, school funding, harassment, restraint/seclusion, and additional information related to discipline.

Most of the data collected by the CRDC will be disaggregated by race/ethnicity, sex, disability, and limited English proficient status. Along with these changes, OCR streamlined the survey by removing several other data items.
In 2010, the CRDC sample will expand from 6,000 to 7,000 school districts.

Every school in a district that is part of the sample is surveyed. The sample now includes all districts with enrollments of more than 3,000 students. The survey, which will be conducted in two parts (March and October 2010), will collect data for the 2009-10 school year.

OCR also has launched a new Web site, http://ocrdata.ed.gov, to make the CRDC data more accessible and usable to its wide variety of users. The Web site contains CRDC data from 2000-2006, and OCR will post the 2009-10 data when it becomes available. The Web site enhancement was undertaken as part of the department’s on-going commitment to transparency and accessibility.
For further information about OCR, please visit, www.ed.gov/ocr. For further information on the 2009-10 CRDC, visit http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/whatsnew.html.

U.S. Education Department Announces Civil Rights Review of English Learner Students In LosAngeles

Two days after Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced plans to step up enforcement of civil rights law on behalf of students in a speech in Selma, Ala., the U.S. Department of Education announced its first formal civil rights enforcement action. The department will examine the academic opportunities and access of English Learner (EL) students in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) to assess whether they are being denied equal educational opportunities.

The Los Angeles compliance review is one of a series of activities that a reinvigorated Office for Civil Rights (OCR) will be undertaking in coming months. L.A. School Superintendent Ramon Cortines is cooperating with the department’s review.

Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Russlynn Ali said, “We welcome his support and applaud his readiness to better serve EL students. We all understand that when one group of students is struggling, we are morally and legally obliged to take action.” Ali said that only three percent of EL students in LAUSD high schools are proficient in math and English, and the district’s programs have not undergone a civil rights compliance review for more than a decade.

OCR will assess whether LAUSD provides EL students with an effective program of English language development and meaningful access to core curricular content. The review will also examine whether the district regularly evaluates the implementation and effectiveness of the EL program and communicates effectively with parents of EL students.

“At this time, we have reached no conclusion as to whether any violations of federal law exist,” Assistant Secretary Ali emphasizes. “But the number of EL students and children of color in Los Angeles is large. It is critical that all students in the district receive equal access to a quality education. If civil rights violations are found, we will seek to put an end to them promptly.”

Ali will discuss the new compliance review in three forums in Los Angeles on March 10, including a stakeholders forum at 1:30 p.m. at the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce; a press conference at the Chamber at 3:15 p.m. with Superintendent Cortines; and a special town hall event from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Saint Anne’s Conference Center.

“I am looking forward to learning about Los Angeles’ programs for EL learners,” says Ali. “In today’s information age, America has to both raise the bar for student learning and close the achievement gap — anything less is economically unsustainable and morally unacceptable.”

New Jersey to Receive More Than $66 Million to Turn Around Its Persistently Lowest AchievingSchools

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today announced that New Jersey will receive more than $66 million to turn around its persistently lowest achieving schools through the School Improvement Grants (SIG) program. These funds are part of the $3.5 billion that will be made available to states this spring from money set aside in the 2009 budget and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

“When a school continues to perform in the bottom five percent of the state and isn’t showing signs of growth or has graduation rates below 60 percent, something dramatic needs to be done,” said Duncan. “Turning around our worst performing schools is difficult for everyone but it is critical that we show the courage to do the right thing by kids.”

The $66,672,258 made available to New Jersey is being distributed by formula to the state and will then be competed out by the state to school districts. In order for a school district to apply for these funds, it must have a state-identified “persistently lowest achieving” or a Tier III school — a school that has failed to meet annual yearly progress for two years and is not identified as a persistently lowest achieving school.

However, Tier III schools can only receive funds once all of the state’s persistently lowest achieving schools have received funds. New Jersey’s application, which includes its list of persistently lowest achieving schools, as defined by the state, can be found here: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/sif/summary/index.html.

School districts will apply to the state for the funds this spring. When school districts apply, they must indicate that they will implement one of the following four models in their persistently lowest achieving schools:

• TURNAROUND MODEL: Replace the principal, screen existing school staff, and rehire no more than half the teachers; adopt a new governance structure; and improve the school through curriculum reform, professional development, extending learning time, and other strategies.
• RESTART MODEL: Convert a school or close it and re-open it as a charter school or under an education management organization.
• SCHOOL CLOSURE: Close the school and send the students to higher-achieving schools in the district.
• TRANSFORMATION MODEL: Replace the principal and improve the school through comprehensive curriculum reform, professional development, extending learning time, and other strategies.

Once schools receive SIG funds, they will be able to begin to spend them immediately to turn around schools this fall. States may apply to the Education Department for a waiver to allow them to spend funds over a three-year period. An additional $545,633,000 has been provided for SIG in 2010 and will be awarded to states to fund additional schools in the 2011-12 school year. The department has also made a request for an additional $900 million for the program in the 2011 budget.

To top

Calls to Participate

RFPs Due for “Embracing Difference… It’s Time,” TASH’s 35th Annual Conference
http://www.tash.org/2010tash/about.htm
TASH is accepting RFPs for its 35th Annual Conference: “Embracing Difference…It’s Time,” in Denver, CO, December 8-11, 2010. All RFP applications are due by April 1, 2010. This year’s conference will highlight the elements of the first TASH National Agenda: Inclusive Education, Community Living, Employment, Human Rights, and People of Color. The conference will focus on innovative practices to promote inclusion and reduce the disparities experienced by individuals with significant disabilities in schools, community living, and employment, and will also address human rights concerns and issues often faced by people of color.

The “Mission Accessible” National Disability Media and History Project
https://sites.google.com/a/pinedafoundation.org/ios/dart-diaries-50-states
The “Mission Accessible” National Disability Media and History Project is looking for volunteers to transcribe historical state documents and oral history videos. Transcriptions will be included in a new database and video editor scheduled for launch July 26, 2010, the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Volunteers can work from their own computers. This could be a meaningful volunteer project for students with disabilities in work-based learning and other secondary transition programs. Participation would allow students to develop and use their reading, keyboarding, and other job skills and could serve as a springboard to discussions of disability rights and the disability rights movement. “It’s Our Story” also needs technology volunteers to lead in creating a beta site that will make its archives available in a public, accessible, and searchable format.

Update From The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

NEW THIS MONTH FROM THE NATIONAL DISSEMINATION CENTER

A-Z topics.
Looking for info on a particular disability topic? This new page should speed up the process.
http://www.nichcy.org/InformationResources/Pages/topics.aspx

Spanish language resources.
If you need to connect Spanish-speaking families with disability resources, this page will help you. You don’t need to speak Spanish either, because the page is written primarily in English.
http://www.nichcy.org/Pages/spanishresources.aspx 

Disability awareness and inclusion.
Updated for 2010 action! We’ve also included a separate page of resources on school inclusion.
http://www.nichcy.org/FamiliesAndCommunity/Pages/awareness-inclusion.aspx

Research 101 and Research 102.
Your primers for understanding research information have been updated, too. Access both at:
http://www.nichcy.org/Research/Basics/Pages/Default.aspx

The audio program for A Student’s Guide to the IEP.
You asked for it, many of you, and it’s finally here! Or perhaps we should say “they” are here:

• the student guide’s audio program, where you’ll hear from students with disabilities who’ve gotten involved in developing their own IEP (including several who’ve lead the IEP meeting)
  http://www.nichcy.org/InformationResources/Documents/audio/st1audio.mp3  
• the audio program for parents and professionals, where those who’ve helped students get involved in the IEP process share their stories and advice
  http://www.nichcy.org/InformationResources/Documents/audio/ta2audio.mp3

Both are now posted on NICHCY website in MP3 format, so you no longer have to ask us for a CD or cassette to listen to–simply download the MP3 file, which will play on your computer (through Windows Media Player and iTunes both). You can also burn the files to a CD for use elsewhere.

The two guides accompanying these programs are listed on our Publications page under “S” for A Student Guide to the IEP.
http://www.nichcy.org/InformationResources/Pages/NICHCYPublications.aspx#s 

ITALL STARTS IN FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES

SSA adds 38 new compassionate allowance conditions.
This is the first expansion since the original list of 50 conditions (25 rare diseases and 25 cancers) was announced by the Social Security Administration in October 2008. The new conditions range from adult brain disorders to rare diseases that primarily affect children. For more information about the SSA’s Compassionate Allowances initiative, go to:
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/compassionateallowances

Request for comments from the Social Security Administration.
Public comments are requested on SSA’s procedures for evaluating DAA–drug addiction or alcoholism. Deadline for comments: March 30, 2010. Find out more at:
http://socsecnews.blogspot.com/2010/01/policy-change-on-substance-abuse-coming.html

Another request for comments: Draft revisions to the DSM-5.
The American Psychiatric Association has released preliminary draft revisions to its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and is inviting comments from both professionals and the general public until April 20, 2010. The proposed revisions include using the term Intellectual Disability in place of Mental Retardation, as well as including Asperger’s syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder under the broader diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders. To view all proposed revisions and to submit comments, go to:
http://www.dsm5.org/Pages/Default.aspx

Interested in participating in a study to identify very early brain features that may be characteristic of autism?
The Infant Brain Imaging Study is being conducted by the Center for Autism Research, which is seeking to enroll families who have an infant 6 months old or younger and who have a older sibling with autism or an older sibling who is typically developing. Babies will come to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia at 6, 12, and 24 months of age to receive developmental evaluations and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Parents will receive comprehensive evaluation reports at no cost and will be paid for their family’s time and travel. To learn more, visit:
http://tiu.research.chop.edu/trialfinder/static/docs/car/2009/09/25/IBIS_Flyer.pdf

So you want to be an advocate?
In this issue of the Special Ed Advocate, Wrightslaw explains what you need to learn to become an advocate and where you can get training. You’ll also find a reading and resource list and learn how advocates use flyer campaigns to educate others.
http://www.wrightslaw.com/nltr/10/nl.0216.htm

Self-care: Why parents of children with disabilities must nurture themselves.
From Disaboom. If you haven’t visited Disaboom, you’ll be glad you did.
http://tinyurl.com/ygxny6e

The “other child” with special needs: Understanding siblings.
Another from Disaboom.
http://tinyurl.com/yhqobwe

Positive discipline for children with special needs.
And a third from Disaboom.
http://tinyurl.com/ygstpz8

Need a glossary on assistive and instructional technology?
You’ll be glad that FCTD (Family Center on Technology and Disability) has updated its glossary with new terms and expanded definitions.
http://www.fctd.info/show/glossary

Stuttering.
The mystery behind the complex disorder called stuttering has become a little clearer with the recent discovery of three genes for stuttering. http://www.stutteringhelp.org/Default.aspx?tabid=798

A practitioner’s guide to community-based transportation planning.
This guide from the Community Transportation Association of America can help your community expand mobility options for people with disabilities by increasing their access to transportation.
http://tinyurl.com/ygjoo8y 

THELITTLE ONES: EARLY INTERVENTION/EARLY CHILDHOOD

Early childhood inclusion training resources.
SpecialQuest’s Preschool Inclusion Series videos and training sessions explore several aspects of including preschool-age children who have disabilities in programs and settings with their typically developing peers.  
http://tinyurl.com/yc939nt

Register for next month’s 7th Annual Young Child Expo and Conference.
To be held in New York City | April 9-10, 2010
The conference will bring together top leaders to provide the latest information about essential topics in early childhood development, including sessions on autism treatment approaches, early literacy, multicultural basics, and speech/language issues. Read all about it and register at:
http://www.youngchildexpo.com/

Have you visited the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child?
If not, you may wish to. Lots of great resources about our little ones and how they develop, such as these two offerings:

• The science of the developing child
  http://developingchild.harvard.edu/topics/science_of_early_childhood/
• Understanding intervention
  http://developingchild.harvard.edu/topics/understanding_intervention

Get Ready to Read! Resources for Spanish-speaking parents now available.
Get Ready to Read! has added a section to its website that provides resources to help Spanish-speaking parents help their children build early literacy and learning skills before kindergarten. It also offers practical tips to help parents communicate with educators and day care providers about their child’s developmental progress.
http://getreadytoread.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=98&Itemid=107

Using technical assistance to promote service and system change.
The Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Young Children (TACSEI) has published the fourth installment in its Roadmap to Effective Intervention Practices series. This new resource is meant to help a range of stakeholders (e.g., early childhood service providers, parents, technical assistance providers) understand the types of TA that are most beneficial to achieve particular practice and systems outcomes.
http://www.challengingbehavior.org/do/resources/documents/roadmap_4.pdf

Tap into Title I funds to support high-quality early education initiatives.
Two resources from Pre-K Now will tell you how:

• New Beginnings: Using Federal Title I Funds to Support Local Pre-K Efforts
  http://www.preknow.org/documents/titleI_Sep2009.pdf
• Tapping Title I: What Every School Administrator Should Know
  http://www.preknow.org/documents/TitleI_PartII_Jan2010.pdf

Practical approaches to early childhood professional development.
The key to improving the early education of all young children, including those with special needs, is the effective preparation and development of the professionals who work with them. This CD-ROM from ZERO TO THREE includes course handouts, outlines, activities, and syllabi, and lists hundreds of additional resources (video, print, and on-line). Cost: $69.95.
http://tinyurl.com/yhmzph9

SCHOOLS, K-12

Principal preparedness to support students with disabilities and other diverse learners.
This proceedings document from Project Forum begins with a background section that draws a picture of the increasing demands principals face as they strive to provide learning environments that support all students; the challenge between being a manager and an instructional leader; and the important role of principals for students with disabilities. Findings from the policy forum are discussed as challenges and recommendations to address these challenges.
http://projectforum.org

National State Leaders’ Summit on Deaf Education.
Council Bluffs, Iowa | April 21-23, 2010
The 2010 summit gives state teams the opportunity to learn strategies for using current research and effective strategies to make decisions for improvement as they are applied to accountability for student outcomes in deaf education. Registration is now open at:
http://www.pepnet.org/iowa_summit_421.asp

The ultimate guide to special needs teaching: 100+ resources and links.
http://www.teachingtips.com/blog/2008/06/25/the-ultimate-guide-to-special-needs-teaching-100-resources-and-links/

Free technology resources for teachers.
The subtitle of this blog is “A review of free technology resources and how teachers can use them.” Sound good to you? Check it out.
http://www.freetech4teachers.com/

Free resources for special educators.
Heard of SEN Teacher? This site provides cost-free teaching and learning resources for students with special needs and learning disabilities.
http://www.senteacher.org/

Special education needs: Top 9 assistive technology products.
Another resource from Disaboom.
http://tinyurl.com/yf39j59 

Matching AT to students’ special needs.
Assistive Technology to Meet K-12 Student Needs is a great resource offered by the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. It provides extensive lists of AT for vision, hearing, communication, access, and learning and studying. 
http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te7assist.htm 

Resources for teachers of learners with severe, profound, intensive, significant, complex, or multiple special needs.
http://teachinglearnerswithmultipleneeds.blogspot.com/

RTI corner.
RTI stands for Response to Intervention, as you probably know. It’s a hot topic in education these days, so perhaps you’re looking for the latest info available. Let us tell you then about these: 

• RTI: Guiding principles for educators.
  From the International Reading Association. Look around the site while you’re there, there’s a lot of great info for educators.
  http://www.reading.org/downloads/resources/RTI_brochure_web.pdf
• RTI: Online professional development modules and resources for classroom assessment.
  http://www.schoolsmovingup.net/cs/smu/view/e/3416
• Intervention Central.
  This website is committed to the goal of making quality RTI resources available to educators at no cost. There, you’ll find all sorts of intervention ideas, downloadable resources, and tools for educators, such as: entertaining ideas for educating students; classroom ideas for developmental disabilities; effective teacher commands for establishing classroom control; defiant kids (communication tools for teachers); and what every teacher should know about punishment techniques and behavior plans.
  http://www.interventioncentral.org/

Annotated bibliographies on transition issues.
Several resources have been added to the growing list of annotated bibs from NSTTAC (National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center), including separate bibs on health, sexuality, and customized employment. Check out the full list of available bibliographies at:
http://www.nsttac.org/products_and_resources/AnnotatedBibliographies.aspx

Planning ahead: 12th Annual Autism Summer Institute.
August 9-12, 2010 | Nashua, NH
Conducted by the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire. Read more at:
https://www.events.unh.edu/RegistrationForm.pm?event_id=6732

STATE & SYSTEM TOOLS

U.S. Department of Education makes public state-by-state restraint and seclusion information.
The Department has posted a summary of state laws, regulations, policies, and guidelines regarding the use of restraint and seclusion techniques in schools.
http://www.ed.gov/policy/seclusion/seclusion-state-summary.html

Building an early childhood professional development system.
The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices has just published this brief, which outlines steps governors can take to build a statewide system of professional development for personnel who work with young children. The brief was co-authored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and is based on the NAEYC state policy blueprint.
http://www.nga.org/Files/pdf/1002EARLYCHILDPROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT.PDF

Changes to state policies can bolster induction programs.
The National Center to Inform Policy and Practice in Special Education Professional Development (NCIPP) has issued a report describing how state policy can provide a structure for successful induction practices in local education agencies (LEAs). NCIPP suggests that induction practices include professional development and orientation, as well as reduced teaching loads.  Specific recommendations for mentoring special educators are included.
http://education.ufl.edu/grants/ncipp/files_6/NCIPP_Policy_010310.pdf

More from NCIPP on teacher induction.
Want to know more about teacher induction? Visit NCIPP and find literature reviews, the role that cpllaboration can play in supporting induction and retention of new special educators, and how to develop and sustain school-university partnerships in special education teacher prep.
http://education.ufl.edu/grants/ncipp/reports.php

What’s involved in scaling up the implementation of evidence-based practices in education? 
The State Implementation of Scaling-up Evidence-based Practices (SISEP) Center is focused on the very issue. Check out SISEP’s annotated bibliography of the literature pertaining to “scaling up.”
http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~sisep/docs/Scale_Up_Annotated_Biblio_FINAL_0409.pdf

SPECIAL FOCUS: Health Information Centers

Chances are, if you’re reading this newsletter, you know and care about someone who has a disability. You may work directly with those who have disabilities, or have one yourself. However that disability impacts your life, chances are also good that you’re a bit of an information hound, looking high and low for what’s known about the disability or disabilities in question.

Have you ever visited the websites that radiate out from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)? It’s truly astounding how much information you can find there, in English and Spanish. We thought we’d focus on just some of them, in the hopes that they can help you in your quest to find information and resources.

Start at NIH’s home page.
http://www.nih.gov/index.html 
Take a long moment and scan the page. You’ll decide for yourself, of course, where you want to go and start investigating, but we draw your attention to two immediate routes:

• the HEALTH tab (very near the top of the page, on the left, next to the HOME tab) |  http://health.nih.gov/
• the INSTITUTES tab (toward the right on the line of tabs across the top of the screen) | http://www.nih.gov/icd/index.html

Under the HEALTH tab, you’ll find health topics A-Z, health categories organized by systems of the body (brain and nervous system, digestive system, etc.), conditions and diseases (including, for example, genetics/birth defects), and much more. Explore deeper, through any of these links, and hopefully find the disability or condition in which you’re interested.

Under the INSTITUTES tab, you’ll find a comprehensive list of the 27 institutes and information centers that make up NIH. In addition to conducting research into specific health conditions and disabilities, these institutes make scads of information available to the public on those conditions. Have a look at the list, and pick the institute(s) that are investigating the disability or disabilities in which you yourself are interested.

Visit the CDC.
http://www.cdc.gov/
CDC stands for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You hear about the CDC on the news all the time, and it offers some of the latest info on health conditions and disabilities. At the link above (the home page), you’ll immediately see the option to explore Diseases and Conditions A-Z. A good place to start, if you’re on a quest for disability info.

Like NIH, the CDC has multiple info centers and initiatives. Here’s one you may be especially interested in:

National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities.
Here, you can explore infant topics (such as genetic disorders and newborn screening for hearing and other impairments); child topics (where you’ll find info on AD/HD, autism spectrum disorders, developmental disabilities, and much more); disability topics (e.g., people with disabilities, spina bifida); blood disorders (such as sickle cell anemia); and A-Z topics, where it’s all in one place.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/index.html

Visit the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center.
http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/
This center offers pointblank information in English and Spanish on rare disorders. If the disorder you’re interested in is a rare one, this is definitely a place to visit. At the link above, click on GARD (the info center), and you’ll go directly there. Use the search box in the middle of the page to enter the rare disorder in which you are interested.

How about the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine?
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/atoz.htm
This center is actually a part of the NIH and, like other NIH centers, offers a great deal of info to the public in English and Spanish. Definitely worth exploring! The link above will start you on the Health Topics A-Z page.

To top

Special Education Resources

Closing the Expectations Gap 2010 
Report
http://www.achieve.org/ClosingtheExpectationsGap2010
Achieve’s fifth annual “Closing the Expectations Gap” report shows that in the five years since the National Governors Association (NGA) and Achieve co-sponsored the National Education Summit on high schools, the goal of aligning high school graduation requirements with the demands of college and the workplace has gone from a radical concept to the new norm throughout the country. The 50-state survey measures the same five areas of reform each year.

Disability Awareness and Inclusion 
Web Resources
http://www.nichcy.org/FamiliesAndCommunity/Pages/awareness-inclusion.aspx
NICHCY receives many calls and emails each year from people looking for materials on disability awareness, needing the materials for many different reasons, from classroom instructional units, to Girl Scout information fairs, to school reports. This resource page, which can be found on NICHY’s web site provides just a sample of selected materials available from different organizations.

Empowering Effective Teachers: Readiness for Reform
Report
http://tinyurl.com/yfenma8
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has released a series of briefs focused on identifying readiness and implementing reform and how the education community has focused too little on the recruitment, evaluation, development, placement, and retention of highly effective teachers. The foundation has asked nine school districts and one coalition of charter management organizations to propose strategies for significantly improving teacher effectiveness and for measuring it. The first report, “Readiness for Reform,” identifies four key areas for success and discusses assessing a school’s strengths and weaknesses.

Empowering Effective Teachers: Strategies for Implementing Reforms 
Report
http://tinyurl.com/yjsrc6x
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has released a series of briefs focused on how the education community has focused too little on the recruitment, evaluation, development, placement, and retention of highly effective teachers. As a step toward changing this, the foundation has asked nine school districts and one coalition of charter management organizations to propose strategies for significantly improving teacher effectiveness and for measuring it. The second report, “Strategies for Implementing Reforms,” is on ways for making the reforms.

High-Risk Indicators in Middle School for Dropping Out  
Policy Brief
http://www.nmsa.org/portals/0/pdf/research/Research_from_the_Field/Policy_Brief_Balfanz.pdf
In “High-Risk Indicators in Middle School for Dropping Out,” a new study from Johns Hopkins University, researchers pinpoint the time in middle school when students can be seen to have “fallen off the path to high school graduation.” The study found middle-grade experiences “have tremendous impact on the extent to which [students] will close achievement gaps, graduate from high school, and be prepared for college.” The fifth through eighth grades must therefore be reconceptualized, considered “the launching pad for a secondary and post-secondary education system that enables all students to obtain the schooling and/or career training they will need to fully experience the opportunities of 21st century America.” Available in pdf (16 pages, 410 KB).

New York City as a Case Model for Reform  
Issue Brief
http://www.all4ed.org/files/NYCOverviewJan2010.pdf
As the nation has embraced the need to graduate every student ready for college and careers, high school reform and strategies to address low performance and close achievement gaps are at the top of the education agenda. Federal policymakers looking ahead to opportunities to support this work, such as the upcoming reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, are looking at districts that have been engaged in major reform, to understand the implications for supporting and encouraging these reforms. “New York City as a Case Model for Reform,” the first in a series of briefs, describes the theory of action underlying the efforts of the New York City Department of Education and some of the specific strategies it has employed to improve high schools. Available in pdf (16 pages, 780 KB).

Primary Sources: America’s Teachers on America’s Schools  
Report
http://www.scholastic.com/primarysources/pdfs/100646_ScholasticGates.pdf
According to a new survey underwritten by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Scholastic, Inc., American teachers are more interested in school reform and student achievement than their paychecks, reports the Associated Press. The national poll, the largest of teachers ever completed, includes the opinions of teachers in every grade, in every state, and across every demographic, to keep teachers’ voices in the debate over education reform. Available in pdf (110 pages, 798 KB).

Principal Preparedness to Support Students with Disabilities and Other Diverse Learners: A Policy Forum Proceedings Document 
Report
http://tinyurl.com/ygq3br9
This policy forum proceedings document provides background on the increasing demands principals face as they strive to provide learning environments that support all students; and discusses both the balance between being a manager and an instructional leader, and the important role of principals for students with disabilities. Findings from the policy forum identify challenges and discuss recommendations to address these challenges. Available in pdf (305 KB, 25 pp).

Spanish Language Resources from NICHY  (February 2010)
Web Resources
http://www.nichcy.org/Pages/spanishresources.aspx
NICHCY provides information and assistance in Spanish on specific topics. This page is presented here in English and in Spanish to help both those who are looking for information in Spanish for themselves and those looking for Spanish materials to share with their Spanish-speaking families.

The Consequences of Dropping Out of High School
Report
http://tinyurl.com/yzsvg7e
“The Consequences of Dropping Out of High School,” a Center for Labor Market Studies report, outlines the employment, earnings, incarceration, teen and young adult parenting experiences and family incomes of the nation’s young adult high school drop-outs and their better educated peers in 2006–2008 The report finds lifelong labor market, earnings, and marriage problems for all young people who drop out of high school, which appears especially prevalent with young black men. Available in pdf (16 pages, 52.9 KB).

The Economic Benefits of Reducing the Dropout Rate in the Nation’s Largest Metropolitan Areas: A Boom to Regional Businesses 
Video
http://www.all4ed.org/events/011210EconomicBenefits
“The Economic Benefits from Halving the Dropout Rate: A Boom to Businesses in the Nation’s Largest Metropolitan Areas” was released on January 12 and highlights the economic benefits that the local economies of the nation’s 45 largest metro areas could expect if the number of high school dropouts were cut in half. The study, conducted by the Alliance and funded by State Farm®, includes estimates on important local economic factors such as individual earnings, home and auto sales, job and economic growth, spending and investment, tax revenue, and human capital.

What a Superlative Student Assessment System Should Look Like 
http://www.ccsso.org/premium-publications/details.cfm?PublicationID=381
A white paper from the Council of Chief State School Officers considers what a student assessment system would entail if built from the best practices in current educational research and educational systems in the U.S. and high-achieving nations around the world. The paper suggests that any assessment process should support a range of purposes that should include informing learning and instruction, determining progress, measuring achievement, and providing partial accountability information.

What Works for Older Youth During the Transition to Adulthood
Fact Sheet
http://tinyurl.com/ylhpsmp
A new Child Trends fact sheet, “What Works for Older Youth During the Transition to Adulthood,” examines the role that programs for older youth can play in promoting positive development and subsequent self-sufficiency in adulthood. It synthesizes the findings from 31 rigorous evaluations of programs; all of the programs evaluated youth outcomes during the transition to adulthood (ages 18-25), but programs varied in the ages of targeted youth. Available in pdf (15 pages, 281 KB).

Winning School Board Support for Arts Learning: A Toolkit for Action
http://www.keepartsinschools.org/School_board/schoolboard.html

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Latest Job Listings

Seeking Excellent Special Education Teachers

Job Category: Special Education Teacher Pre-K to 12

Description
The New York City Department of Education is seeking excellent teachers who are or will be certified in special education for the September 2010-2011 school year. We offer competitive salaries and benefits, opportunities to grow and achieve as a professional, and the choice of 1,600 unique schools with their own missions and educational approaches.

The Office of Teacher Recruitment and Quality is currently conducting interviews for special education slots in TRQ Select, our program for teacher applicants who show the highest potential. Members of TRQ Select get access to a recruitment manager and extra support in making their transition to teaching in our schools. In addition to a competitive salary, special education teachers who work in one of our high-needs schools are eligible for an annual bonus of $3,400 for up to four years. Special education teachers with more than two years of experience are also eligible for a $15,000 grant through our Housing Support program. For more information on teaching in New York City, eligibility criteria, application information, and online and in-person events, please visit http://www.teachnyc.net or contact us at teachnyc@schools.nyc.gov. The deadline to apply for consideration for TRQ Select is April 19, 2010.

Benefits
Salary $45,000.00 – 54,000.00

Contact
Please visit:  http://www.teachnyc.net or contact us at teachnyc@schools.nyc.gov.

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Special Education Teachers for2010-11 School Year

Description
Little Keswick School is looking for experienced, licensed candidates certified in ED and/or LD to work in supportive teaching environment with low staff/student ratios.  We are seeking candidates with experience in differentiated instruction at the high school level.  Experience in advanced math, Spanish, chemistry, and physics is a plus.

Requirements
Licensed to teach in the state of Virginia and certified in Ed and/or LD.

Benefits
Being part of a nationally recognized program. Tuition and course assistance available.  Medical, dental, life insurance, paid vacation, tuition assistance, and profit sharing plan & 401K.

Contact
Marc J. Columbus, Headmaster
Phone: 434-295-0457
Fax: 434-977-1892
Email: childebrand@littlekeswickschool.net
Website: www.littlekeswickschool.net

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Funding Forecast and Award Opportunities

Forecast of Funding Opportunities under the Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs for Fiscal Year 2010
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 2009-2010 and provides actual or estimated deadlines for the transmittal of applications under these programs. The lists are in the form of charts organized according to the Department’s principal program offices and include programs and competitions previously announced as well as those to be announced at a later date.

Forecast of Funding Opportunities under the Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs for Fiscal Year 2010
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 2009-2010 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 2009-2010 Discretionary Grant Application Packages
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html
This site, from the Department of Education, provides information on grant competitions that are currently open.

FY 2009-2010 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.

Entertainment Software Association: Grants for Youth Programs
http://www.theesa.com/foundation/application.asp
The ESA Foundation supports geographically diverse projects and programs that benefit American youth of all races and denominations to make a difference in the quality of their life, health, and welfare. The foundation seeks to harness the collective power of the interactive entertainment industry to create positive social impact in our communities. Deadline: April 15, 2010.

Got breakfast? Foundation Announces Silent Hero Grants for Summer Food Programs
http://tinyurl.com/yfyqfsl
The Got Breakfast?® Foundation has announced the expansion of its Silent Hero Grant Program to award participants in Summer Nutrition Programs. Grants from $2,000-$10,000 will be awarded to public schools, non-profit private schools, local governments, National Youth Sports Programs or 501c(3) non-profit organizations participating in the federal Summer Nutrition Program. The grant monies can be used for such needs as serving equipment, staffing, and nutrition. Deadline: April 1, 2010.

Lemelson-MIT Program: InvenTeams
http://web.mit.edu/inventeams/about.html
The InvenTeam initiative, created by the Lemelson-MIT Program, offers an opportunity for high school students to cultivate their creativity and experience invention. InvenTeams are teams of high school students, teachers, and mentors that receive grants up to $10,000 each to invent technological solutions to real-world problems. Each InvenTeam chooses its own problem to solve. Initial application deadline: April 23, 2010.

Libri Foundation: Books for Children
http://www.librifoundation.org/apps.html
The Libri Foundation is a nationwide non-profit organization which donates new, quality, hardcover children’s books to small, rural public libraries in the United States through its BOOKS FOR CHILDREN program. Only libraries within the 50 states are eligible to apply. Libraries are qualified on an individual basis. In general, county libraries should serve a population under 16,000 and town libraries should serve a population under 10,000 (usually under 5,000). Libraries should be in a rural area, have a limited operating budget, and an active children’s department. Please note: Rural is usually considered to be at least 30 miles from a city with a population over 40,000. Deadline for application for upcoming grant period: April 15, 2010.

Nominations Invited for World of Children Annual Awards Program
http://www.worldofchildren.org/index.php/awards
The World of Children Awards program recognizes those who make a difference in the lives of children here in the USA and across the globe, regardless of political, religious or geographical boundaries, recognizing that our children are the world’s most important asset. The World of Children honors these leaders, and grants them funds of up to $50,000 in order to support the proven, high-impact programs they have created. Deadline: May 1, 2010.

SolidWorks: STEM Educators Grant
http://www.solidworks.com/pages/products/edu/RoboticsEducatorsGrant.html
The SolidWorks STEM Educators Grant awards SolidWorks Student Edition CAD software to individual U.S. educators in an initiative aimed at improving students’ math skills and their interest in technology-related careers. The grant includes training and lesson plans to help teachers and faculty from middle school through college integrate the four separate disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and math for more effective education. The maximum award is SolidWorks Student Edition CAD software, plus training and lesson plans. Deadline: April 1, 2010.

William T. Grant Foundation Offers Grants for Investigator Initiated Research on Youth Settings
http://www.wtgrantfoundation.org/
The William T. Grant Foundation supports work to improve the settings of youth between the ages of 8 and 25 in the United States. The foundation supports high-quality research designed to enhance the understanding of how youth settings work, how they affect youth development, and how they can be improved, as well as when, how, and under what conditions research evidence is used in policy and practice that affect youth and how its use can be improved. To be eligible for consideration, applicants must be employed at a nonprofit institution or college or university either in the United States or abroad. Deadline for letters of inquiry for grants in this area of support: April 6, 2010.

Funding Toolkit is Updated with New Grants, Tips, and Deadlines
www.connectforkids.org/fundingkit10
Individuals can make a difference, whether it is an individual with an idea to help the community, or someone already at work on behalf of kids and families – and funding helps. Connect for Kids has compiled some resources to help individuals find funds.

Powered by Service Offers Funding to Seed Youth-Led Service Projects
http://tinyurl.com/y8l7j44
Grants will be awarded to young people around the world who are conducting service projects that encourage youth to become involved in addressing problems facing their communities. Grants presently are being accepting only from Atlanta GA, Detroit MI, Los Angeles CA, Milwaukee WI, New Orleans LA and New York NY, but other communities will be added at intervals. Deadline: Open.

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.

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.

Disaboom Scholarship Directory
http://www.disaboom.com/scholarships
Disaboom recently launched a scholarship directory for students with disabilities, listing over 125 scholarships.

Federal Student Aid Grant Program Fact Sheet
http://tinyurl.com/yfbe5tb
Disability.Gov has created a fact sheet that provides an overview of the major federal student aid grant programs. The federal government provides grant funds for students attending colleges, including career colleges and universities. Grants, unlike loans, do not have to be repaid. (A Spanish version is at: http://tinyurl.com/yz2zheg.) Available in pdf (1 page, 164 KB).

Funding Education Beyond High School
http://tinyurl.com/yk7uot7
The US Department of Education’s Guide to Federal Student Aid (2009-2010) provides information for students and families on applying for federal student aid to pay for post-secondary education. This guide explains the application process, the various federal loans, grants, and work-study programs available, and how to apply for them. Education creates opportunities and is an important step toward success. Available in pdf (64 pages, 2.95 MB).

NASFAA and Casey Family programs: Guide to Financial Aid Assistance to Students from Foster Care and Unaccompanied Homeless Youth
www.casey.org/Resources/Publications/ProvidingEffectiveFinancialAid.htm
This guide provides information for those who help youth from foster care and unaccompanied homeless youth to secure financial aid for postsecondary education or training programs. It describes how to respond to new FAFSA questions 55-60 that will determine federal financial aid status for these students. A section on sensitive communications is also included. This guide will be useful for financial aid professionals, independent living coordinators, guidance counselors, financial aid counselors, social workers and advocates who are helping youth to secure the maximum allowable financial aid.

Scholarships and Internships for Latino Students with Disabilities
http://www.proyectovision.net/english/opportunities/scholarships.html
The World Institute on Disability (WID) has a five-year grant to establish the National Technical Assistance Center for Latinos with Disabilities living in the United States, through Proyecto Vision. Proyecto Vision’s website has a list of scholarship opportunities for college students who are Latino and who are living with disability.

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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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