In this issue you will Find Topics On:
- Adolescent School Performance
- After School Programs
- Art Education and At-risk Students
- Assistive Technology
- Autism
- Behavior Management
- Careers
- Charter Schools and Disabilities
- Children’s Health
- Disability Awareness
- Early Intervention
- Family and Community
- Inclusion
- Intellectual Disabilities
- Parent Involvement
- Participation Requests
- Suicide Prevention
- Transition Services
- Universal Design
Adolescent School Performance
Teaching Adolescents to Become Learners: The Role of Noncognitive Factors in Shaping School Performance (June 2012)
Report
https://tinyurl.com/8ym9srv
“Teaching Adolescents to Become Learners: The Role of Noncognitive Factors in Shaping School Performance,” from the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research, summarizes research on five categories of non-cognitive factors related to academic performance: academic behaviors, academic perseverance, academic mindsets, learning strategies, and social skills; and discusses how these factors interact to affect academic performance, and the relationship between non-cognitive factors and classroom/school context, how non-cognitive factors matter for students’ long-term success, and how educators can support the development of non-cognitive factors within their schools and classrooms.
After School Programs
Making the Connections Report on What Intermediaries Do for Afterschool Programs (June 2012)
Report
https://tinyurl.com/bvvedwd
In “Making the Connections: A Report on the First National Survey of Out-of-School Time Intermediary Organizations,” the Collaboration for Building After-School Systems, with support from the Wallace Foundation, discusses the successes and challenges faced by organizations at the center of complex, cross-sector community change initiatives nationwide in advancing the quality, coordination and availability of afterschool programs.
Art Education and At-risk Students
National Endowment for the Arts on Benefits of Arts Education for At-Risk Youth (March 2012)
Report
https://www.nea.gov/news/news12/Arts-At-Risk-Youth.html
“The Arts and Achievement in At-Risk Youth: Findings from Four Longitudinal Studies,” a report by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), found that at-risk students who have access to the arts in or out of school tend to have better academic results, better workforce opportunities, and more civic engagement. The study reports these and other positive outcomes associated with high levels of arts exposure for youth of low socioeconomic status.
Assistive Technology
NICHCY Webpage on States’ Assistive Technology Projects (2012)
Report
https://nichcy.org/laws/ata
The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) offers a webpage on the Assistive Technology Act, which was passed by Congress to promote providing Assistive Technology to persons with disabilities, so they can more fully participate in education, employment, and daily activities. The webpage provides connections with the law itself, a summary of its purposes and provisions, and information on each state’s Assistive Technology project funded under the Act.
Autism
Autism and the iPad: Finding the Therapy in Consumer Tech (May 2012)
Newsletter
https://fctd.info/newsletters
The buzz about iPad “apps” (applications) is hard to miss, with an app for almost everything. The iPad apps are having an impact on the lives of many, including children and youth with disabilities. The May issue of FCTD’s Technology Voices interviews Sargent of the Lakeside Center for Autism in Seattle on their experience in using iPad apps with children, identifying apps which have been successful for them and discussing the needs of family members in supporting their children’s use of the device.
Behavior Management
Reducing Behavior Problems in the Elementary Classroom
A set of resources from the Doing What Works website that provides evidence-based resources on preventing and addressing behavioral issues.
https://dww.ed.gov/Reducing-Behavior-Problems/topic/?T_ID=25
Careers
Fact Sheet for Youth and Young Adults with Disabilities Interested in Starting a Career with the Federal Government
Fact Sheet
https://tinyurl.com/7v2ptgo
The Schedule A hiring authority can benefit youth and young adults with disabilities who have an interest in a career with the Federal government. It can also be a fast track way for Federal agencies to bring in talented individuals with disabilities. This fact sheet provides tips on understanding and using Schedule A. Schedule A is a hiring authority for Federal agencies to use to tap into a diverse and vibrant talent pool without going through the often-lengthy traditional hiring process. It allows eligible individuals to apply for a Federal appointment through a noncompetitive hiring process, without competing with the general public. Schedule A can be used to hire people in all professions from clerical staff to attorneys.
NCWD/Youth, ODEP Webinar on New Soft Skills Curriculum (June 2012)
Archived Webinar
https://www.ncwd-youth.info/webinars#2012-06-Soft-Skills
NCWD/Youth and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) hosted a webinar on ODEP’s new curriculum, “Skills to Pay the Bills: Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success,” which focuses on teaching “soft” or workforce readiness skills to youth, including youth with disabilities. Created for youth development professionals as an introduction to workplace interpersonal and professional skills, the curriculum is targeted for youth ages 141-21 in both in-school and out-of-school environments. The program structure is modular, with hands-on activities that focus on six key skill areas: communication, enthusiasm and attitude, teamwork, networking, problem solving and critical thinking, and professionalism.
National High School College and Career Readiness (2012)
Database
https://www.betterhighschools.org/CCR/overview.asp
The National High School Center’s web page on College and Career Readiness derives from their scan of more than 70 organizations that address college and career readiness and identified more than 70 such organizations through a focus on policy, practice, advocacy, access and research. Through this scan, the Center identified three major strands of work and created a College and Career Development Organizer to help users examine the CCR landscape and each of the three strands. The Organizer is a tool that can support the development of strategies and initiatives to better prepare all students for college and careers. Additionally, the National High School Center has created tools and briefs to extrapolate on the College and Career Development Organizer and provide further insight into the wide field of college and career readiness initiatives.
Charter Schools and Disabilities
GAO Report on Charter Schools & Students with Disabilities (June 2012)
Report
https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-543
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a report on “Charter Schools: Additional Federal Attention Needed to Help Protect Access for Students with Disabilities.” While the number of charter schools is growing rapidly, questions have been raised about whether charter schools are appropriately serving students with disabilities. GAO analyzed federal data on the number and characteristics of students with disabilities; visited charter schools and school districts in three states; and interviewed representatives of federal, state, and other agencies that oversee charter schools. GAO recommends that the Secretary of Education take measures to help charter schools recognize practices that may affect enrollment of students with disabilities by updating existing guidance and conducting additional fact finding and research.
Children’s Health
Spotlight on Child Health Issues (July 2012)
Newsletter
https://www.medicalhomeinfo.org/about/newsletter/archive/#spotlight
The National Center for Medical Home Implementation’s e-publication, “Spotlight on Child Health Issues,” supplements their monthly “Medical Homes @ Work” e-newsletter and provides information and practical medical home resources for providers, families, and states regarding popular child health topics. The July issue focuses on Health Information Technology. Some other issue topics have been Mental Health (May 2012), Transitioning from a Pediatric to an Adult Medical Home (October 2011), and Child Care Programs (Spring 2011).
Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics on America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being (2012)
Report
https://childstats.gov
Each year since 1997, the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics has published a report on the well-being of children and families. Pending data availability, the Forum updates all 41 indicators annually on its web site and alternates publishing a detailed report, “America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being,” with a summary version that highlights selected indicators. The America’s Children series makes Federal data on children and families available in a nontechnical, easy-to-use format in order to stimulate discussion among data providers, policymakers, and the public.
Disability Awareness
Disability Awareness
This page includes a variety of resources on both disability awareness and disability etiquette.
https://nichcy.org/families-community/awareness
Fact Sheets for Specific Disabilities
Each fact sheet defines the disability, describes its characteristics, offers tips for parents and teachers, and connects you with related information and organizations with special expertise in that disability.
https://nichcy.org/disability/specific
Early Intervention
CELL Practice Guides with Adaptations
These guides make it easier for young children with disabilities to participate in early literacy learning activities. Written for both parents and practitioners, the practice guidesescribe everyday home, community, and childcare learning opportunities that encourage early literacy learning.
https://www.earlyliteracylearning.org/pg_tier2.php
Enhancing Recognition of High-Quality, Functional IFSP Outcomes and IEP Goals: A training activity for Infant and Toddler service providers and ECSE teachers
Here’s a helpful resource from our friends at the National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center that includes useful examples and worksheets.
Feeding Therapy: Treating the Whole Child
Many children with disabilities require feeding support. Feeding therapist Melanie Potock treats young children who have difficulty eating a variety of foods. Here she offers the factors she examine when assessing a young child’s feeding difficulties.
https://www.specialeducationadvisor.com/feeding-therapy-treating-the-whole-child/
Foundations of Transition for Young Children
This 8-minute video provides an overview of the desirable outcomes of transition, research identifying effective transition practices, as well as the legal requirements of early childhood transition.
Family and Community
IDEA, Inclusion and Getting Parents Involved
Mary LaCorte from North Carolina’s Parent Training and Information Center invites us to share strategies, activities and resources for effectively involving parents in IFSP and and IEP meetings.
Resources from the Parent Center Network:
Evidence-Based Practices at School: A Guide for Parents
Promising Practices-Fluency: Helping Your Child Read and Understand
https://www.parentcenternetwork.org/assets/files/national/all47.pdf
How Will I Know If My Child is Making Progress?
https://www.parentcenternetwork.org/assets/files/national/all13.pdf
Top 10 Tips to Help Me Help Your Special Child
Suggestions from The Friendship Circle on how parents can support teachers to better serve a child with a disability.
Inclusion
Resources for the Inclusive Classroom
The Inclusive Class offers an online binder filled with teaching strategies, sample forms, behavior resources, classroom resources and more.
https://www.livebinders.com/play/play_or_edit?id=116468
Intellectual Disabilities
Intellectual Disabilities in Your Classroom: 9 Tips for Teachers
NICHCY’s latest blog offers practical tips for supporting students with intellectual and other disabilities.
https://nichcy.org/intellectual-disabilities-in-your-classroom
Parent Involvement
School Engagement Among Parents of Middle School Youth (May 2012)
Issue Brief
https://tinyurl.com/49xz2de
Most researchers, policymakers, and educators believe that children do better in school when their parents are involved in their education. However, there is no “gold standard” for how to engage parents. Schools often employ a broad range of “parent involvement” efforts, with little clear evidence about what works best and for whom. This issue brief uses data from Chapin Hall’s evaluation of the Elev8 full-service schools initiative to reflect on the efficacy of different parent engagement approaches during the middle school years.
National PTA’s Parents’ Guide to Student Success (2012)
Guide
https://www.pta.org/4446.htm
The National PTA has developed the “Parents’ Guide to Student Success” in response to the Common Core State Standards in English language arts and mathematics, now used in more than 40 states. Created by teachers, parents, education experts, and others from across the country, the standards provide clear, consistent expectations for what students should be learning in each grade to prepare for college and career. Guides are available in English and Spanish.
US Department of Education Parent & Family Engagement Resources (2012)
Database
https://www.ed.gov/parent-and-family-engagement
The Department of Education is has launched a new parent web page that provides resources aimed at parent and family engagement. This addition to ED’s site is a resource for those interested in learning more and getting involved in their child’s education.
Participation Requests
CADRE Survey on Parental Conflict and Special Education Decision Making
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/V786TK9
CADRE is developing a resource focusing on issues that families experience in times of high stress due to divorce or estrangement and strategies that can be used to assist them, particularly during the process of special education decision making. CADRE invites responses on a brief survey to assist them in developing this resource.
Inclusive Schools Network
https://tinyurl.com/7vguh9j
The Inclusive Schools Network seeks input from people who use or offer inclusive education services, to learn more about what kinds of information and services the Network could offer, and invites responses on a brief survey of opinions.
National School Safety Advocacy Council’s Conference on Bullying Seeks Session Proposals
https://tinyurl.com/8knek5f
The National School Safety Advocacy Council’s Annual National Conference on Bullying will be held February 27-March 1, 2013 in Orlando, Florida. Any professional with advanced knowledge and experience dealing with issues surrounding bullying is invited to submit session proposals or original research for presentation during the 2013 conference, to share effective models, policies, research and information and provide colleagues with insights and best practices addressing the bullying issues facing schools and communities. Deadline for proposals: October 19, 2012.
National Service-Learning Conference Seeks Proposals for Workshops
https://attendesource.com/profile/web/index.cfm?PKwebID=0x29850f48f
The 24th Annual National Service-Learning Conference seeks proposals for workshops. Workshops are the heart of the conference, providing professional development opportunities and showcasing service-learning projects from across the country. It is an opportunity to connect with people and share how a project was implemented, how it is connected to curriculum goals, and what makes it effective.
National Youth Leadership Council Requests Proposals for 24th Annual National Service-Learning Conference
https://attendesource.com/profile/web/index.cfm?PKwebID=0x29850f48f
The National Youth Leadership Council requests proposals for workshops and the service-learning showcase for the 24th Annual National Service-Learning Conference, March 13-15, 2013. Workshops provide professional development opportunities for youth and adults alike. The showcase highlights service-learning projects from across the country, providing opportunities to connect with people and share how a project was implemented, how it is connected to curriculum goals, and what makes it effective. Workshop proposals should offer innovative strategies grounded in research, focus on results, and be interactive. Deadline for proposals: September 21, 2012.
Department of Education Seeks Feedback on Vision for Results-Driven Accountability
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/osep/rda/index.html
The Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) is rethinking its accountability system in order to focus on results. OSEP’S vision for Results-Driven Accountability is that all components of accountability will be aligned in a manner to support states in improving results for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities, and their families. OSEP invites the public to help re-conceptualize the accountability system.
Suicide Prevention
SAMHSA Releases Toolkit for Suicide Prevention in High Schools (2012)
Toolkit
https://www.store.samhsa.gov/shin/content//SMA12-4669/SMA12-4669.pdf
The Suicide Prevention Resource Center of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released “Preventing Suicide: A Toolkit for High Schools.” The toolkit provides strategies to help high schools, school districts, and their partners design and implement strategies to prevent suicide and promote behavioral health among their students. It includes information on screening tools, warning signs and risk factors, statistics, and parent education materials. Available in pdf (3.81 MB, 230 pp).
Transition Services
Improving the Lives of Adolescents and Young Adults: Out-of-School Time Programs That Have Significant Positive Impacts (July 2012)
Brief
https://www.childtrends.org/
Child Trends’ latest brief, “Improving the Lives of Adolescents and Young Adults: Out-of-School Time Programs That Have Significant Positive Impacts,” identifies 43 programs that have significant impacts on adolescent or young adult outcomes. The brief uses Child Trends’ online database of experimentally evaluated social interventions for children and youth, Lifecourse Interventions to Nurture Kids Successfully (LINKS), to identify programs with manuals that have positive impacts on a range of outcomes, such as behavior problems, physical health, and education. This list of effective programs for adolescents and young adults reflects progress in identifying programs and models that assist positive development.
Division on Career Development and Transition Fact Sheets (2011)
Fact Sheets
https://www.dcdt.org/premium-publications/
The Council for Exceptional Children’s Division on Career Development and Transition (DCDT) has developed Fact Sheets on Independent Living, Vocational Education, Self-Determination, Age-Appropriate Transition Assessment, Transition Planning, Competencies,, and Student Involvement in the IEP Process.
Education for Life and Work: Developing Transferable Knowledge and Skills in the 2ast Century (2012)
Report
https://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13398
“Education for Life and Work: Developing Transferable Knowledge and Skills in the 21st Century,” from the National Research Council, discusses the key skills that increase deeper learning, college and career readiness, student-centered learning, and higher order thinking, including both cognitive and non-cognitive skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, effective communication, motivation, persistence, and learning to learn, as well as creativity, innovation, and ethics. All these are important to later success and may be developed in formal or informal learning environments. The report also describes how these skills relate to each other and to more traditional academic skills and content in the key disciplines of reading, mathematics, and science.
Universal Design
Universal Design for Learning: Implications and Applications in UT Knoxville FUTURE Program (2012)
Brief
https://www.thinkcollege.net/premium-publications/insight-briefs
“Universal Design for Learning: Implications and Applications in UT Knoxville FUTURE Program” is a “Think College! Insight” brief on the University of Tennessee’s experiences in using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to increase access to higher education for diverse learners, including students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD). It provides an overview of UDL, discusses how it is supported in the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, and shares strategies for using UDL in college programs for students with ID/DD
