December 2011 – Special Educator e-Journal

Table of Contents

• Update from the U.S. Department of Education

• Calls to Participate

• Special Education Resources

• Update From The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

• Latest Employment Opportunities Posted on NASET

• Upcoming Conferences and Events

• Funding Forecast and Award Opportunities

• Acknowledgements

• Download a PDF Version of This Issue

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Update from the U.S. Department of Education

11 States Seek Flexibility from NCLB to Drive Education Reforms in First Round of Requests

Just seven weeks after President Obama announced a plan to offer greater flexibility from federal education mandates in exchange for a strong commitment to core reforms that boost student achievement, 11 states formally submitted to the U.S. Department of Education requests for waivers from key provisions of No Child Left Behind (NCLB).

The following states, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Tennessee filed requests based on locally-designed plans to implement college and career ready standards; develop rigorous accountability systems that include a focus on low-performing schools and schools with persistent achievement gaps; and create better systems for developing, supporting and evaluating principals and teachers.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan commended the states requesting waivers saying, “We set a high bar and an aggressive deadline, but these states rose to the challenge. Clearly, there’s tremendous urgency for reform at the local level because our economy and our future are directly tied to the quality of public education. States and districts want flexibility from NCLB so they can make local decisions in the best interests of children—and they can’t wait any longer.”

If their plans are approved, these 11 states will:

• Set performance targets to graduate students from high school ready for college and career rather than having to meet NCLB 2014 deadlines based on arbitrary measures of proficiency.
• Design locally-tailored interventions for schools instead of one-size-fits-all remedies prescribed at the federal level.
• Be free to measure school progress using multiple measures rather than just test scores.
• Have more flexibility in how they spend Title 1 dollars.

The 11 waiver requests will be posted on-line later this week along with the names of the peer reviewers who will convene immediately after Thanksgiving to review them. States seeking flexibility in the first round will be notified by mid-January or earlier.

Since the President’s announcement in September, 39 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico have signaled their intent to seek flexibility from NCLB. The next deadline for requests is in Mid-February. States can also make requests later in the spring.

The flexibility package was developed with input from state education leaders across America under waiver authority granted to the U.S. Department of Education in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). More comprehensive reforms, outlined in President Obama’s Blueprint for Reform, await Congressional reauthorization of the ESEA.

Statement by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on the “Connect to Compete” Initiative

Following is a statement today by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on the “Connect to Compete” Initiative.

“Children live in an ever-more interconnected world where their success in competing for the jobs of tomorrow will increasingly depend on their ability to understand, operate and adapt to computer-based technology and online environments. And, we are seeing that smart use of technology can improve the opportunity to learn for people of all ages. Yet, the U.S. trails countries like Singapore and South Korea in expanding access to broadband Internet. By supplying low-income families with affordable Internet, computers and free digital training, the FCC’s national “Connect to Compete” initiative will play a key role in providing more of our nation’s children with a 21st century education.

“Last year, the U.S. Department of Education released the National Education Technology Plan to promote the role technology can play in transforming education. Applying technology to our entire education system can have a cascading impact on improving student learning, expanding effective practices, using data to support decision-making and encourage continuous improvement. Connect to Compete addresses the need to build and expand technology infrastructure, one of five core components outlined in the National Education Technology Plan.

“I commend and thank the more than a dozen corporate and nonprofit partners for their leadership in breaking down barriers to Internet and technology access for tens of millions of Americans. Our collective efforts to increase access to technology and improve education will have a tremendous influence in providing greater opportunities for children across the U.S. while also making a significant investment in our nation’s economic future.”

Education Secretary Celebrates Top Schools and Their Leaders at 2011 National Blue Ribbon Schools Awards Ceremony

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan honored 315 schools as the 2011 National Blue Ribbon Schools at an awards luncheon at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. The Blue Ribbon School award honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools that have helped close the achievement gap and whose students attain and maintain high academic goals. The schools—266 public and 49 private—are among more than 6,000 that have received the coveted award over the past 29 years.

“America’s long-term economic prosperity and civic engagement depends on our children receiving a world-class education,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “National Blue Ribbon Schools are committed to accelerating student achievement and preparing students for success in college and careers. Their success is an example for others to follow.”

Additionally, seven principals from the 2011 Blue Ribbon Schools were selected for special honors to recognize their leadership. At a breakfast ceremony today, they received the Terrel H. Bell Award for their outstanding work in fostering successful teaching and learning. The award is named after the former secretary of education to honor exceptional leaders who overcome challenging circumstances and maintain committed to providing an excellent education for every student.

“You can’t have a great school without a great principal,” Duncan said. “It’s the principal who shapes the vision, sets the tone, and targets the energy of the many people who run a school. It’s the principal who inspires, cajoles, and models the excellence he or she knows the school can reach. We don’t celebrate success enough in education—and the Bell Award recognizes principals for the essential work they do every day.”

The Terrel H. Bell Awards were presented to the following principals by the U.S. Department of Education, together with the National Association of Elementary School Principals, the Association for Middle Level Education and the National Association of Secondary School Principals:

• Karen Daugherty, Rose Tree Elementary School, Media, PA
• Deirdra Gardner, Piedmont Open Middle School, Charlotte, NC
• Nichole Heyen, Lincoln Magnet School, Springfield, IL
• Lauren Kinney, Sundance Elementary School, Beaumont, CA
• Traci Jackson, Shirley Hills Elementary School, Warner Robins, GA
• Karen Noble, Hillcrest Elementary School, Nederland, TX
• Jack Spatola, Beacon School of Excellence, PS 172, Brooklyn, NY

The Bell Award is part of the Blue Ribbon Schools Program. More information about Blue Ribbon Schools can be found at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/index.html. A list of the 2011 Blue Ribbon Schools is available at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/awards.html.

Departments of Education and Defense to Launch “Learning Registry” Tools and Community

The U.S. Departments of Education and Defense announced the launch of “Learning Registry,”an open source community and technology designed to improve the quality and availability of learning resources in education. The launch is an important milestone in the effort to more effectively share information about learning resources among a broad set of stakeholders in the education community.

“Learning Registry addresses a real problem in education, by bridging the silos that prevent educators from sharing valuable information and resources,” said Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “The Registry also allows content developers, curriculum coordinators, principals, counselors, and everyone else who supports good teaching in the classroom to benefit from the combined knowledge of the field.”

The project was made possible by a $2.6 million investment, with the Departments of Education and Defense contributing $1.3 million each to the effort.

Rather than creating an alternative destination to existing websites, Learning Registry is a communication system that allows existing educational portals and online systems to publish, consume and share important information about learning resources with each other and the public, while respecting the privacy of individual users.

Basic data about resources—grade level, subject area and author—can be shared through Learning Registry, as well as more complex data such as curricular standards alignment information. This platform for innovative data sharing also allows user activities to be shared anonymously, such as the types of educators who find a specific resource particularly useful (e.g., elementary teachers, or those focused on working with migrant students, etc.).

The Learning Registry community and technology are intended to create opportunities for future innovation in areas that are just now starting to be explored. The project is an open, community–supported activity – any organization or individual can contribute to or use the technology. Learning Registry technology’s open source license permits integration into other open projects, and in commercial applications.

The project is a voluntary collaboration among many organizations that want to share more and new types of information about learning resources with one another and the public. Federal agencies participating in the Learning Registry community, in addition to U.S. Departments of Education and Defense, include National Archives and Records Administration, Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institution. Private sector organizations collaborating on the project include PBS, National Science Digital Library, Agilix, Institute for Knowledge Management in Education (ISKME), BetterLesson, Benetech, Booz Allen Hamilton, JISC UK, European Schoolnet, Achieve, and JES & Co. State and local governments involved in the project include the Florida Department of Education’s CPALMS project and the California Department of Education’s CTE Online and Brokers of Expertise projects supported by the Butte County Office of Education/CADRE in California.

A recording of the event will be made available on the U.S. Department of Education’s website (www.ed.gov). For further details about Department of Education’s involvement in Learning Registry and related initiatives, please contact the Department’s Office of Education Technology. For further information and contact with collaborators using Learning Registry, visit the community website www.learningregistry.org.

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Calls to Participate

2012 Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity Seeks Presentation Proposals
http://www.pacrim.hawaii.edu/
The Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity, sponsored by the Center on Disability Studies, will be in Honolulu, HI, March 26-27, 2012, and seeks proposals for poster presentations, interactive roundtables, 30-minute topical presentations, 60-minute breakout presentations, 90-minute seminar/colloquium, and 120-minute interactive workshops. Each proposal can be submitted under only ONE topic area and must include an abstract synopsis of 50 words or less. The application form is on the Web site. Deadline for applications: December 16, 2011.

Call For Papers On School-Justice Partnerships To Keep Kids in School
http://www.ncjfcj.org/images/stories/pdf/s-j%20call%20for%20papers10-26-11.pdf
The New York State Permanent Judicial Division on Justice for Children has issued a call for papers for its National Leadership Summit on School-Justice Partnerships, “Keeping Kids in School and Out of Court.” The Summit will take place from March 11–13, 2012, in New York, NY, and will highlight the importance of partnerships between the education and justice systems. Papers may be submitted on a variety of topics, including adolescent development, information sharing, courts and juvenile justice, multidisciplinary collaborations, federal and state policies and initiatives, and data, research, and evaluations. Abstracts are due by November 15 and may be submitted online (at www.surveymonkey.com/s/AbstractSubmittalFormFor2012SchoolJusticeSummit). Available in pdf (61.9 KB, 2 pp).

Our World, Our Future National Service-Learning Conference Seeks Affiliates
http://www.nylc.org/events/2012-conference-affiliate-form
The 23rd Annual National Service-Learning Conference® and youthrive PeaceJam Leadership Conference will be in Minneapolis, MN, April 11-14, 2012. Conference participants will share on how youth passion, creativity, and innovation can address world issues and how to enlist young people in leadership roles to work in partnership with adults through service-learning. The conference seeks affiliates who will provide non-monetary support for the conference by: providing a link from the affiliate’s Web site to the conference Web site (http://nslc.nylc.org/); including conference announcements in the affiliate’s electronic and/or print publications; and sending two conference announcements to internal and/or external email lists between October 1, 2011, and April 1, 2012. Conference affiliates will receive recognition on the conference Web site and in the 2012 conference program guide, regular updates, and a link on the conference Web site to the affiliate’s Web site. Deadline to become an affiliate: December 15, 2011.

12th Annual Lights On Afterschool Celebration
http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/
Lights On Afterschool provides an opportunity for afterschool programs to promote the benefits of engaging in high quality learning beyond the classroom. Participants are encouraged to host their own events and invite parents and community members, or work with other programs in the community to host a larger event.

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

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

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

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

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

 

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Special Education Resources

A Question of Delivery
Report
http://www.publiceducation.org/newsblast_current.asp
Research from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and its partners in the Campaign for High School Equity, reported in “A Question of Delivery,” finds that African-American and Latino parents and caregivers perceive high dropout rates and low college attendance as problems in their communities. These parents individually are committed to ensuring the educational success of their children, but are unaware of the larger public school reform movement, and face many barriers to achieving a strong education and college degrees for their children. Reform organizations and education leaders should work with the parents on the parents’ terms to engage them in a collective, coordinated effort that would empower them to hold the educational system accountable for more effective and inclusive reforms and innovations and increase their children’s chances to be ready for college and complete a degree.

American Association of School Administrators: Improving College-Going Toolkit
Toolkit
http://www.aasa.org/content.aspx?id=20650
The American Association of School Administrators’ (AASA) has released the “Improving College-Going Toolkit,” as part of its mission of advocating for high-quality public education for all students. Produced with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the toolkit has three goals: to provide school district leaders with a greater awareness and understanding of the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund reporting requirements for college enrollment and persistence; to provide tools and strategies for communicating these new data items to boards, teachers, families; and to provide levers of change to improve college-going and persistence rates, by ensuring that school system leaders are equipped to increase college-going rates.

Becoming Independent
Film
http://www.qualitymall.org/products/prod1.asp?prodid=7524&code=102411&id=1649
This film is about three young adults with disabilities, and shows them at work and home. It explains their lives, hopes and dreams for the future.

Building the Legacy: IDEA 2004
Q&A Document
http://idea.ed.gov/explore/view/p/,root,dynamic,QaCorner,10,
This Questions and Answers document from the U.S. Department of Education gives information on the workings of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Child Indicator Fall Newsletter
Newsletter
https://mail.google.com/mail/?shva=1#inbox/133649bd2602ea29
Child Trends’ newsletter “The Child Indicator,” issued three times a year, has information on major developments and new resources within the child and youth indicators field. The Fall 2011 issue provides a roundup of recent updates to key national indicator publications and features new resources, including the 2011 “KIDS COUNT” data book, on the importance of geographic location for a child’s well-being, as growing economic insecurity and declining opportunity among families affect children, the “worst” states performing 2-4 times more poorly on every indicator than the “best” states; and of interventions to address the needs both of children, through high-quality early childhood and literacy programs, and of their parents, through programs that increase family income and assets. Child Trends produces and distributes “The Child Indicator” with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

How Rural High Schools are Preparing Students for College and Careers through Dual Enrollment and Career and Technical Education
Archived Webinar
http://www.aypf.org/Webinars/Wb072811.htm
This webinar, held July 28, 2011, described how rural schools are preparing students with the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in college and in jobs by creating learning opportunities through dual enrollment and career and technical education, highlighting the challenges and successes of two small, rural high schools that are improving college and career readiness for all students by collaborating with community colleges and local businesses, Patton Springs School (Afton TX), and Loving High School (Loving, NM). Also addressed was how the U.S. Department of Education is supporting the college and career readiness efforts of rural schools.

Life After High School Transition Tool Kit: Strategies Tools and Resources
Tool Kit
http://www.qualitymall.org/products/prod1.asp?prodid=10932&code=102411&id=1649
This guide has tools and resources for families of youth with disabilities to assist in creating successful transition plans.

NCWD/Youth New Publications
Articles
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/
The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) has issued the October 2011 of its electronic newsletter “Intersection: Navigating the Road to Work.” The newsletter offers information to improve programs and services for all youth and especially youth with disabilities. The Web site also links to other recent publications from NCWD/Youth, including “Improving High School Outcomes for All Youth: Recommendations for Policy & Practice,” a Policy Brief, on the need to implement policies and practices to improve high school and post-school outcomes for all students, including those with diverse learning and support needs; and “Bullying and Disability Harassment in the Workplace: What Youth Should Know,” an InfoBrief to help youth, including youth with disabilities, recognize signs of bullying in the workplace and to recognize how bullying differs from disability harassment, with strategies to help address the issue.

NDTAC 2011 National Conference Materials on Leading and Managing Change for Program Improvement
Conference Materials
http://www.neglected-delinquent.org/nd/events/2011/default.asp
The National Evaluation and Technical Assistance Center for the Education of Children and Youth Who are Neglected, Delinquent or At Risk (NDTAC) held a conference on “Leading and Managing Change for Program Improvement,” June 1-3, 2011, and has made available on its Web site conference materials on ways to respond to change, promote change through the use of effective practices, and make change proactively within existing systems in order to better serve youth who are neglected, delinquent, or at-risk. The conference page includes presentations, session descriptions, PowerPoint slides, and related handouts.

Project Forum’s Special Education Value-Added Performance Evaluation Systems: A State-level Focus
Policy Analysis
http://www.projectforum.org/
This brief policy analysis describes current special education teacher and related services provider performance evaluation systems in the states. It begins with background on methods of measuring teacher effectiveness and describes data collected through a survey of states and results regarding states roles in performance evaluation frameworks, differentiation of these frameworks for special educators, how evaluation data are used for special educators, and recommendations from the states that responded. (Most states reported that they were too early in the development or implementation of their performance evaluation systems to provide detailed information regarding use of data or recommendations.)

Scaling Up School and Community Partnerships: The Community Schools Strategy Coalition for Community Schools
Guide
http://www.communityschools.org/scalingup/
“Scaling Up School and Community Partnerships,” published by a partnership between the Coalition for Community Schools and the Institute for Educational Leadership, is a guide that describes the what, why, and how of system-wide expansion of community schools, to help communities and schools at various points in the process of planning and implementing a community schools strategy. It is an interactive guide, designed to help school districts and their public and private community partners organize and mobilize community resources to support student success.

The Challenges and Successes of School Turnaround: Looking Back and Charting the Course Forward
Film
http://newmediamanager2.net/popup/1863
At a briefing on school turnaround filmed July 15, 2011, Dr. Warren Simmons, Executive Director of the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University, addressed the definition and history of school turnaround, reviewed the range of stakeholders involved, discussed the successes and challenges inherent in turning around chronically underperforming schools, and examined the federal initiatives currently being undertaken to address this crisis.

The Facts on Charter Schools and Students with Disabilities
Issue Brief
http://nichcy.org/premium-publications/charters
Charter schools are new in public education and have generated a lot of interest and inquiry. This new issue brief from NICHCY answers ten commonly asked questions that families and educators of students with disabilities have about charter schools, such as whether charter schools are required to serve students with disabilities, how charter schools are funded compared to other public schools, and what teacher certification requirements for charter schools are. Links to state-specific resources on charter schools work in individual states are also included.

The Power of Digital Inclusion: Technology’s Impact on Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities
Report
http://www.ncd.gov/premium-publications/2011/Oct042011
The National Council on Disability, an independent federal agency, released “The Power of Digital Inclusion: Technology’s Impact on Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities,” which examines the importance of social media and other information technologies in connecting people to job opportunities, with recommendations for opening the doors to digital technologies that can lead to better jobs for more people with disabilities.

UCLA Center Mental Health in Schools Program and Policy Analysis About Promoting Youth Development in Schools
Information Resource
http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/yd.pdf
The UCLA Center Mental Health in Schools Program and Policy Analysis has published “About Promoting Youth Development in Schools,” an information resource. Youth development principles, despite wide interest, are often still a marginal concern in school improvement policy and practice. This resource provides information for decision makers and planners about the fundamental importance of promoting youth development through enhancing student assets and improving settings and pairing it with an agenda to address factors interfering with such development. Available in pdf (102 KB, 16 pp).

UCLA Center Mental Health in Schools Program and Policy Analysis Resource Aid for Improving Teaching and Learning Supports by Addressing the Rhythm of a Year
Resource Aid
http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/rhythms.pdf#page=14
The UCLA Center Mental Health in Schools Program and Policy Analysis has published “A Resource Aid for Improving Teaching and Learning Supports by Addressing the Rhythm of a Year,” thematic resource aids reflecting the yearly rhythm of schools, for school staff, especially student and learning supports personnel, to use in planning a proactive and timely focus on some basic concerns that arise throughout the year and in planning and implementing interventions. Available in pdf (302 KB, 14 pp).

Voices in Education: Civic Investment in Public Education
Magazine Issue
http://annenberginstitute.org/VUE/
Available as of November 7, 2011, the Annenberg Institute for School Reform is releasing the Winter 2012 issue of “Voices in Urban Education” #32, developed in partnership with Public Education Network and building on the work of PEN’s National Commission on Civic Investment in Public Education. The issue features the first redesign of VUE since its inception in 2003 and addresses topics in civic investment in public education and urban education.

 

Work, Assistive Technology, and Transition-Aged Youth
Updated Report
http://www.nls.org/natmain.htm
The website of the National Assistive Technology (AT) Advocacy Project provides a link to this updated manual (originally published as “Funding of Assistive Technology to Make Work a Reality” in 2001), which focuses on a case scenario involving a 17 year old with multiple needs for AT as she completes her special education program, attends college, and eventually moves on to her employment goal. In the process, she will access several different benefit programs as funding sources for AT, including the special education program, the state vocational rehabilitation agency, Medicaid, Medicare, and SSI’s Plan for Achieving Self Support. The National AT Advocacy Project of Neighborhood Legal Services, Inc., provides technical assistance, training, and other support services to attorneys and advocates who work at Protection and Advocacy programs and specialize in assistive technology issues.

Doing What Works
http://dww.ed.gov/
Doing What Works (DWW), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, contains an online library of resources that may help teachers, schools, districts, states and technical assistance providers implement research-based instructional practice. Much of the DWW content is based on information from the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) What Works Clearinghouse.

Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs Web Tool
http://www.findyouthinfo.gov/GrantsSearch.aspx
The Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs has created an online Web tool that allows users to search for federal grant opportunities by youth topic or federal agency on Grants.gov. The tool uses a filter to search for grants that are likely to fund youth programs. Grants.gov is a Web site that allows users to search and apply for thousands of federal grants.

Personnel Improvement Center
http://www.personnelcenter.org/
The Personnel Improvement Center (PIC): National Center to Improve Recruitment and Retention of qualified Personnel for Children with Disabilities contains information to help increase the nation’s capacity to recruit, prepare, and retain fully qualified special educators, early intervention and related service providers through knowledge development, technical assistance and dissemination, and leadership coordination.

The National Center for Homeless Education
http://center.serve.org/nche/index.php
The National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE) at the SERVE Center is a Web site supporting the education of children and youth experiencing homelessness. NCHE is the U.S. Department of Education’s technical assistance and information center in the area of homeless education, and covers such areas as products and resources (national, state, and local), legislation, and best practices.

What Works Clearinghouse
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/
The What Works Clearinghouse, an initiative of the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), has been updated to give the public better ways to find what works in education. Publications are now categorized into 15 topic areas. Resources included under topic areas include reviews, practice guides, and intervention reports.

 

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Update from the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

NEW FROM NICHCY!   The Facts on Charter Schools and Students with Disabilities. Charter schools are fairly new in public education, and they’ve generated a lot of interest and inquiry. In this new issue brief, we answer 10 commonly asked questions that families and educators of students with disabilities have about charter schools. We also offer links to state-specific resources that can help you better understand how charter schools work in your individual state. http://nichcy.org/premium-publications/charters   Preguntas Comunes de los Padres sobre los Servicios de Educación Especial. We’ve updated the Spanish version of our popular Questions Often Asked by Parents about Special Education Services to reflect the requirements of IDEA 2004. Good for Spanish-speaking parents new to special education! http://nichcy.org/espanol/publicaciones/lg1sp ___________________________________________

 

HELPFUL RESOURCES ON ACCOMMODATIONS FROM NICHCY Classroom accommodations. That’s the subject of the special focus section of our April 2010 eNews You Can Use. It’ll take you to excellent guidance on how to address the needs of students with disabilities through accommodations in the classroom. It also identifies resources on specific disabilities such as autism, AD/HD, learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, and more. http://nichcy.org/newsletters/april2010#special Supports, modifications, and accommodations for students. For many students with disabilities–and for many without–the key to success in the classroom lies in having appropriate adaptations, accommodations, and modifications made to the instruction and other classroom activities. This page is intended to help teachers and others find information that can guide them in making appropriate changes in the classroom based on what their students need. http://nichcy.org/schoolage/accommodations Assessment and accommodations. This is one of NICHCY’s Evidence for Education briefs. It’s not limited to just discussing how to make accommodations in testing but also delves into classroom accommodations. http://nichcy.org/research/ee/assessment-accommodations/ Accommodations in assessment. Recognizing that disability has its impact, IDEA permits children with disabilities to participate in large-scale assessment programs with accommodations. It’s the responsibility of the IEP team to decide how the student with a disability will participate, and then to document that decision in the child’s IEP. So how do you decide what a student needs? http://nichcy.org/schoolage/iep/iepcontents/assessment/ ___________________________________________

 

FROM OUR FRIENDS AT THE IDEA PARTNERSHIP Speaking of accommodations. The IDEA Partnership is dedicated to improving outcomes for students and youth with disabilities through shared work and learning. In keeping with that mission, you’ll find lots of useful resources posted on its Learning Port. This month (given our focus), we point you to the Learning Port’s materials on accommodations. http://www.learningport.info/topics/?topic_id=1303 ___________________________________________

 

IT ALL STARTS IN FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES Public comment sought: Use of public benefits or insurance under Part B of IDEA. The Secretary of Education is asking for public comment on proposed amendments regarding the use of public benefits or insurance in which a child participates to provide or pay for services required under Part B of IDEA. Comments are due on or before December 12, 2011. Read all about it, at: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-09-28/html/2011-22784.htm The IEP Team: The law, the reality and the dream. Ideally, your child’s IEP team will include all the right players. Who should be on that winning team? New from the National Center for Learning Disabilities. http://tinyurl.com/3pkbuv7 Family guide to systems of care for children with mental health needs. Are you concerned that your child needs help getting along with others, controlling his or her behavior, or expressing emotions? Depending on your child’s needs and your family’s situation, you might look for help from schools, health clinics or hospitals, health insurance providers, community mental health centers, social service programs, and, possibly, the courts. This Family Guide informs caregivers and families about how to seek help for children with mental health problems. http://store.samhsa.gov/shin/content/SMA05-4054/SMA05-4054.pdf When there’s a spinal cord injury. FacingDisability.com connects families who suddenly have to deal with a spinal cord injury with people like them who have already “been there” and “done that.” The site collects life experiences surrounding spinal cord injuries and brings them to the web where you can see and hear the answers to the questions most often asked after a spinal cord injury. The site has over 1,000 videos. http://www.facingdisability.com/ __________________________________________

 

THE LITTLE ONES: EARLY INTERVENTION/EARLY CHILDHOOD Side-by-side comparison of the 2011 final Part C regulations to the 1999 regulations. Yes! This side-by-side comparison of the new regulations with the previous ones for Part C has been developed by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), its Division for Early Childhood (DEC), and the IDEA Infant Toddler Coordinators Association. http://tinyurl.com/4y73wgw Companion slides with the side-by-side. The IDEA Infant Toddler Coordinators Association also offers several companion slide sets that distill the side-by-side comparison by subject. At the link below, these resources include the word “slides.” http://www.ideainfanttoddler.org/regulations.htm Fragile X syndrome. Early Developments devotes an entire issue to Fragile X Syndrome: a chronology of research discoveries about Fragile X, screening newborns for FXS, addressing behavior challenges, and speech-language development. http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~ncedl/PDFs/ED8_2.pdf Video | Child Outcomes Step by Step. This video describes and illustrates the three child outcomes adopted by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and reported on by all state early intervention (Part C) and preschool special education (Part B/619) programs as part of their Annual Performance Report (APR). The video explains functioning necessary for each child to be an active and successful participant at home, in the community, and in other places like a child care program or preschool. It can be used to provide an overview to the three outcomes for professional development and training, orienting families, and introducing the outcomes to other constituents such as policymakers or funders. Now that’s a resource! http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~eco/pages/videos.cfm Early identification of autism spectrum disorders | Learning module. This module describes the early characteristics of ASD and a recommended set of practices that will lead to early identification of ASD. This includes a description of surveillance, screening, and diagnostic assessment practices along with the tools and processes that will assist professionals in communicating with families about their young child’s status relative to ASD. http://autismpdc.fpg.unc.edu/content/early-identification-asd-module “Little Kids, Big Questions” podcast series. Everyone seems to have an opinion about how to handle parenting challenges. This podcast series empowers listeners to find their own way through, using research as their guide. Little Kids, Big Questions is a series of 12 podcasts with leading experts that translates the research of early childhood development into practices that mothers, fathers, and other caregivers can tailor to the needs of their own child and family. From Zero to Three. http://www.zerotothree.org/parentingpodcasts NECTAC’s eNotes is a treasure trove of resources. Again, we must say that NECTAC keeps the field up to date on new resources for early intervention systems, providers, and families. Rather than just repeat NECTAC’s news (too much like stealing their thunder), we enthusiastically suggest having a look at eNotes from October, easily viewed at: http://www.nectac.org/enotes/enotes.asp What works in early childhood education? Visit the What Works Clearinghouse’s review of early childhood education interventions (for preschoolers, aged 3-5) for evidence of their effectiveness in promiting children’s school readiness. http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/topic.aspx?sid=4 ____________________________________________________________

 

SCHOOLS, K-12 Visit NCEO’s Accommodations pages-they’re fantastic! You’d better bring a big bag to haul away the resources you find at NCEO (National Center on Educational Outcomes). Enter through the link below and find sections answering FAQs, publications, links to state websites posting their accommodations policies and information, and more. http://www.cehd.umn.edu/NCEO/TopicAreas/Accommodations/Accomtopic.htm A quick chart of accommodations for specific types of disabilities. http://tinyurl.com/6hvrep7 Related services: Common supports for students with disabilities. This new module from the IRIS Center describes related services and offers an overview of the benefits they provide to students with disabilities in the general education classroom. It highlights 5 commonly used related services (physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, social work services, and psychological services) and briefly highlights many of the other related services identified in IDEA ’04. http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/rs/chalcycle.htm Educator’s guide to getting accessible materials for your students. From the center that knows all about accessible instructional materials, the AIM Center. http://aim.cast.org/learn/aim4families/school/accessible_textbooks Instructional accommodations and great teacher tools. From Special Connections, this series of webpages connects teachers, families, and IEP teams with tools related to instructional accommodations, including how to keep track of what works. http://tinyurl.com/4xb5nrp Accommodations and instructional practices for specific disabilities. Accommodations need to be individualized to address the needs of each student. The nature of the student’s disability will affect the types of accommodations to be made. So let’s get specific! Attention deficit disorders. Check out examples of accommodations that teachers can make to adapt to the needs of students with ADD in the areas of inattention, impulsivity, mood, academic skills, organization, motor activity, compliance, and socialization. http://addwarehouse.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/article4.htm Autism spectrum disorders. Visit the online training modules for teachers on 24 evidence-based practices for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. From the National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders. http://autismpdc.fpg.unc.edu/content/autism-internet-modules-aim Down syndrome. This guide, Supporting the Student with Down Syndrome in Your Classroom, comes from the Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan, but includes lots of useful information for teachers everywhere. http://www.dsawm.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=EdUFKA910ek%3D&tabid=87 Fetal alcohol syndrome. Reach to Teach is a valuable resource for parents and teachers to use in educating elementary and middle school children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). The booklet provides a basic introduction to FASD, and provides tools to enhance communication between parents and teachers. http://www.fasdcenter.samhsa.gov/documents/Reach_To_Teach_Final_011107.pdf   Hearing impairments or deafness. Here’s an IEP checklist for teams working on behalf of a student with hearing loss. http://www.handsandvoices.org/pdf/IEP_Checklist.pdf Learning disabilities. From the National Center for Learning Disabilities. http://www.ncld.org/at-school/general-topics/accommodations Special health care needs. Here’s a manual from the state of Montana that educators, school nurses, and parents throughout the U.S. may find helpful. http://www.opi.mt.gov/pdf/SpecED/guides/HealthCareNeeds.pdf Traumatic brain injury. TBI Education offers evidence-based information and resources for people working with students who have a traumatic brain injury. http://www.cbirt.org/tbi-education/ Visual impairments. From the IRIS Center, here’s a training module called Accommodations to the Physical Environment: Setting up a Classroom for Students with Visual Disabilities. Its resources offer helpful tips on setting up the physical aspects of your classroom and introduce types of equipment used by students with visual disabilities. http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/v01_clearview/chalcycle.htm See also the special focus sections of these recent issues of News You Can Usefor more insight and info into accommodations that work for students with specific disabilities: August 2010 | Teaching Students with Disabilities, Part 1 http://nichcy.org/newsletters/aug2010#special September 2010 | Teaching Students with Disabilities, Part 2 http://nichcy.org/newsletters/sept2010#special When you’re 18 – A health care transition guide for young adults. Information to help young adults understand what it means to be legally in charge of their health care and how to stay healthy as they grow into adulthood. Includes quizzes on being an adult with special needs, life as an adult, talking with doctors, plus additional Web resources on college and work. This link opens a PDF document. http://hctransitions.ichp.ufl.edu/pdfs/cms_wy18_lowres_09.pdf ____________________________________________________________

 

STATE & SYSTEM TOOLS The Department’s Q&A guidance on secondary transition. OSEP has updated its guidance on secondary transition, including identifying postsecondary goals in training, education, employment, and, where appropriate, independent living. http://idea.ed.gov/explore/view/p/%2Croot%2Cdynamic%2CQaCorner%2C10%2C   Encouraging meaningful parent/educator collaboration: A review of recent literature. This document synthesizes findings from a number of recent academic studies and policy publications. Among the highlights is the idea that involvement may be too narrow a term to encapsulate the range and depth of partnerships that support students’ success. http://www.directionservice.org/cadre/meaningcollab.cfm Dropout prevention services that public schools use. NCES has released Report on Dropout Prevention Services and Programs in Public School Districts: 2010-11, which provides national data about how public school districts identify students at risk of dropping out, programs used specifically to address the needs of students at risk of dropping out, the use of mentors for at-risk students, and efforts to encourage dropouts to return to school. http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2011037 Understanding subgroups in common state assessments: Special education students and ELLs. This brief is part of a new series developed for states involved in the Race to the Top (RTTT) Assessment Consortia. The brief presents information on the characteristics of special education students, English Language Learners (ELLs), and ELLs with disabilities. It provides recommendations for the Consortia states about steps to take as they design their assessment systems. http://www.cehd.umn.edu/nceo/OnlinePubs/briefs/brief04/brief04.html Calculating disproportionality. The Data Accountability Center has just released revised editions of three resources to help you calculate racial/ethnic disproportionality in special education using: (1) the new set of seven racial/ethnic reporting categories, (2) other methodologies for calculating disproportionality, (3) requirements related to significant disproportionality in discipline, and (4) small cell sizes. Find all at: https://www.ideadata.org/Products.asp National assessment of IDEA. The National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance recently released the National Assessment of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The report describes the key purposes of the Act and its implementation effectiveness in key areas, including service provision, response to intervention, coordinated early intervening services, and promoting parent participation and dispute resolution. The congressionally mandated study is based on surveys of state agency directors and a nationally representative sample of district special education directors conducted in 2009. http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/pubs/20114026/index.asp Assessment results for students with disabilities, nationwide. The 2008-09 Publicly Reported Assessment Results for Students with Disabilities and ELLs with Disabilities is the 13th annual report by National Center on Educational Outcomes analyzing public reporting of assessment data for students with disabilities in K-12 schools in the United States. http://www.cehd.umn.edu/NCEO/OnlinePubs/Tech59/default.htm

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Latest Employment Opportunities Posted on NASET

Special Education Classroom Teacher Assistant

Joliet, Illinois

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

Posted on Thursday 10. of November 2011

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

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

Duties of the Teacher Assistant consist of:

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

Qualifications:

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

Apply at:

www.thementagroup.org/careers/apply

danyell.taylor-johnson@menta.com

Fax:(815) 774-5866
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Special Education Classroom Teacher

Country Club Hills, Illinois

Job Category: Full Time

Posted on Wednesday 02. of November 2011

Country Club Hills Tech & Trade Center (CCH), an affiliate of The Menta Group, offers a high school program that provides a variety of school-to-work options for special education students. In combination with a talented administration, and teaching and support staff, CCH is an ideal academic setting for adolescents who are preparing to become both literate and self-sufficient.

The ideal candidate will be prepared for teaching mainstream academics within a self-contained classroom, to teach special needs students with an emphasis on work skills as a basis for a career-path curriculum, and be willing to be trained to work in a clinical-educational setting with severely Behavior/Emotional Disordered students.

This person is comfortable with a variety of delivery techniques for special needs instruction: including direct instruction, simulation, co-operative learning within community based opportunities, and integration of technology within multi-disciplinary classroom projects; including integration of literacy skills and hands-on projects as part of the educational model. The classroom staff members function as collaborative building wide teams to better problem solve and find viable solutions to meet student’s academic needs.

Requirements:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Emphasis on work skills as a basis for a career path curriculum
• Flexible in which subject areas that they can work
• Student focused approach while presenting general areas of required subject material
• Willingness to be trained in working with Behavioral/Emotional Disordered students
• Demonstrated ability to work well in a fast paced environment

Benefits:

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

Qualifications:

• Teachers with State of Illinois special education certification (LBS1)/endorsement are encouraged to apply
• State certification in secondary education in high school academics, and vocational skills
• Willing to work toward achieving State of Illinois emergency approval in special education with assistance from the school
• Teach a self-contained classroom within all basic instructional areas
• Ability to work a regular school day and the ability to work with youth with emotional/behavioral/academic difficulties
• Employment is contingent upon a background check, employment physical and drug screen

Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply.

Contact:

Apply on-line at:www.thementagroup.org/careers/apply

Country Club Hills Trade and Technology Center
4187 W. 183rd Street
Country Club Hills, Illinois 60478
Fax to 708-798-9756
john.ritchey@menta.com
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Teaching Assistant/Life Skills Experience/Van Driver

Nokomis, Illinois

Job Category: Full Time

Posted on Wednesday 02. of November 2011

Special Education Services (SES), an affiliate of The Menta Group, is a non-profit agency serving K-12 high-risk children in Illinois and Arizona. With its no refusal, no suspension, no expulsion policy, SES students attend school daily regardless of their behavior. A continuum of services is offered to meet the educational needs of special needs, at-risk and high-risk public school students. Small class size, intensive clinical services, and a competently trained staff of educators combine to make this a positive and dynamic place to learn. All children have a right to quality education services.

We are currently seeking qualified applicants for the position of Teaching Assistant for Cornerstone Academy, a new Alternative Education School located in Nokomis, Illinois. Successful candidates will be creative, energetic and eager to develop and implement innovative solutions to critical problems in education. This Technician will be working in an atmosphere where data-driven decision making and teamwork is the norm.

Duties of the Teacher Assistant consist of:

• Lead or co-teach a class of students with behavior/emotional/social/learning disorders.
• Provide behavior support in self-contained classroom.
• Prepare and adapt materials for use in the classroom.
• Communicate behavioral concerns of students to appropriate staff.
• Implement and maintain behavioral program policies and data.
• Attend all staff meetings and in-service training as requested.
• Maintain classroom order, safety, and materials.

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

Qualifications:

• State Certified Paraprofessional preferred.
• College Associates Degree/two years college classes.
• High School Diploma or GED.
• Ability to obtain CPI Certification
• At least 23 years of age.
• Previous experience working with special needs children
• Must be able to lift at least 50 lbs
• Clean driving record/must be able to drive student van

Contact:

Apply at:www.thementagroup.org/careers/apply

Fax: 217-563-7606
Attn: Barbara Daugherty
Barb.Daugherty@menta.com
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Construction Trades Teacher

Tolleson & Phoenix, AZ

Job Category: Professional Services

Posted on Tuesday 01. of November 2011

Southwest Academy in Tolleson, and Southwest Education Center in Phoenix, members of The Menta Group, both provide a Special Education Services school with a kindergarten through 12th grade therapeutic educational services program for At-Risk and Behavior-Emotional-Developmentally disabled children living in and around the Pinal and Maricopa Counties, Arizona metro area. Small class size, intensive clinical services, and a competently trained staff of educators combine to make this a positive and dynamic place to learn. All children have a right to quality education services, to attend a program that maintains a no refusal, no suspension, no expulsion policy, and social-emotional learning under a continuum of learning and behavioral supports. Classroom teaching positions are open in elementary, middle, and high school classrooms.

We are looking for someone who has the passion and love to teach his or her trade to the young people in our schools. The Vocational Building Trades Instructors will split their instructional time between the two programs, and be responsible for the classroom instruction and hands on application of basic carpentry, rough and finish as specific to the project being worked on including basic residential house wiring, basic residential plumbing, basic HVAC as found in the residential sector. Staff will split their time with onsite training as well as appropriate field trips to job sites and or manufacturers, trade schools in the South & Southwestern Phoenix metro areas.

This staff will be responsible for setting up a basic shop, maintaining equipment in a safe working order and general shop safety instruction of students. Further responsibilities will include the development of projects, to aide in the skills being developed during the school year.

Job Requirements

We are looking for someone with a Bachelor’s degree in industrial or emerging technologies with 240 verified hours in the field; certificate in a non-CTE area with 240 verified work hours; business and industry professional with 1000 verified hours of work in the field.

The candidate will work collaboratively work with academic teachers to bridge the academic and vocational skills required to graduate high school.

This position offers an access to medical, dental, vision plans, 403(b), sick pay, holiday pay, and personal/vacation days. The salary range is comparable for the position and area, depending upon certification and qualifications. All of our programs post their open teaching positions on our website and feature an easy-to-complete application process.

For more information and to apply online, visit us at:

WWW.THEMENTAGROUP.ORG/CAREERS/APPLY

Contact

Tolleson, AZ
Send resume to: dawn.massani@menta.com
Fax:(623) 478-5026

OR:

Phoenix, AZ:
Send Resume to:mitch.henderson@menta.com
Fax: (602) 248-2937

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Funding Forecast and Award Opportunities

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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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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