February 2010 – Special Educator e-Journal

Table of Contents

Update from the U.S. Department Education

Intersection: Navigating the Road to Work

Update From The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

Calls to Participate

Special Education Resources

Upcoming Conferences, Workshops, 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

2009 Year inReview

The Department of Education (ED) and the Obama Administration kicked off 2009 with a goal to get America on track and to return to being number one in the world in high school and college graduation rates, school readiness and overall academic achievement. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and the profound impact of the President’s commitment and personal example were the bookends for this unparalleled effort to significantly improve our country’s education system. The year 2009 will likely be remembered as a breakthrough year for education reform and a guidepost for what is to come.

To read the full report go to:
http://www2.ed.gov/about/reports/annual/2009review.html

23 Students from an Aspiring LA “Turnaround School” Write to Secretary Duncan and Receive a Reply

In December, Secretary Duncan made a stop at Samuel Gompers Middle School in Los Angeles.  He saw a school with many challenges and a great deal of diversity.  Students from Gompers wrote to Secretary Duncan following his visit.
Gompers is one of 12 schools that Mayor Villaraigosa has assumed control of as part of his Partnership for Los Angeles Schools.  This partnership is focused on turning-around low-performing schools. Gompers has made improvements to their school culture, improved student attendance, and made the school a safer place to be.  The staff has worked hard to build school operational systems, offer more professional development and teacher collaborative structures, and it has begun to regain the trust of the students, parents, and staff through the development of shared decision-making processes.  Improving instructional practice and raising student performance is now the focus of the school.

Over the past 15 months, the Partnership has successfully implemented several operational improvements at Gompers, including:

1) Dramatic facilities investments through an investment of $900,000 in the few weeks before school to repair basis needs, including bathroom renovations, exterior painting, floor repair, new lighting, and new windows.  Gompers has also benefitted from the completion of $2.5 million in capital projects, with another $1.2 million underway, since the Partnership began working with the school, for projects such as classroom repair, asphalt paving, and fire alarm repair

2) Recruiting and retaining talent through a partnership that hired “The New Teacher Project” in the first year to help recruit outstanding teachers

3) A per pupil funding implementation took place a new per pupil funding model that is designed to more equitably distribute district resources and allow schools to have greater flexibility in how they make spending decisions

4) Implementation of the MyData Dashboard, a web-based program that provides real-time student data  to teachers

5)  Acess to instructional technology through a donation from Direct TV, which donated a TV and educational programming for the model Parent Center, and a Time Warner donation of approximately $15,000 in computers and e-learning subscriptions.

Duncan Speaks at Dr. King’s Church on 81st Birthday of the Legendary Civil RightsLeader

To a full house of more than 1000 elementary, high school and college students who gathered to celebrate the 81st birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan challenged America to realize King’s vision through education.

Calling education the “civil rights issue of our generation,” Duncan said, “Freedom is the ability to think and to pursue your own path—and only education can give you that freedom.”

“If Dr. King were here today, he would call on a new generation of leaders to build on his work by doing the most important thing each of you can do: get an education, learn to think, learn to compete, and learn to win” Duncan said.
The event at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, where Dr. King and his father served as pastors, was sponsored by the National Action Network. Reverend Al Sharpton joined Duncan along with students from area public schools, Spelman and Morehouse Colleges, and Clark-Atlanta University.
Duncan also highlighted the work of the Office of Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Education, which enforces civil rights laws on behalf of school children with disabilities, and protects against gender and racial discrimination. The Office also provides technical assistance to school districts seeking to promote educational equity.

“In recent years, this office has not been as aggressive as it should be. But that’s about to change,” Duncan said. This year, for example, the Office of Civil Rights will broaden its data collection process to highlight inequity around issues such as student discipline, distribution of effective teachers, and access to rigorous curriculum. This information will help shape the administration’s education equity agenda.

In his remarks, Duncan referenced King’s urgent appeal from a jail cell in Birmingham, Alabama, saying, “We can’t wait five or 10 more years to transform struggling schools. We need to act now and we need to act together. Dr. King showed us the path—and he gave us the vision. Now it’s our job to make it real.”

Statement in Support of the People of Haiti

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan issued the following statement in support of the people of Haiti:

“Like all Americans, I am deeply saddened by the destruction and loss of life caused by the earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the people of Haiti, and especially to its children and its educators. I am hopeful that the U.S. Department of Education can play a role in helping the people of Haiti rebuild their lives and rebuild their schools.”

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Intersection: Navigating the Road to Work

NCWD/Youth Releases Policy Brief on Supporting Youth with Mental Health Needs
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/policy-brief-02
Last fall, NCWD/Youth released a policy brief entitled “Supporting Transition to Adulthood Among Youth with Mental Health Needs: Action Steps for Policymakers.” This policy brief provides specific recommendations to aid policymakers across youth-serving systems to better serve youth with mental health needs. The following recommendations appear in the report:

• provide multidimensional, integrated services tailored to young people’s needs
• collaborate and coordinate across state and local agencies
• broaden eligibility criteria for mental health services
• involve youth and families in policy development
• leverage various federal and state funding sources
• build the competencies of career education and workforce professionals
• design and fund pilot demonstrations that evaluate promising practices

This policy brief is one in a series that NCWD/Youth published based on four major reports released in the last few years focusing on transition-age youth with mental health needs.

NCWD/Youth Partners with NAWDP to Promote Professional Development
http://www.nawdp.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Certification
NCWD/Youth is pleased to announce an expanded partnership with the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP), a national voice and membership organization for professionals in the workforce development field.  This partnership will build on the Youth Service Professionals’ Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (YSP/KSA) initiative led by the National Youth Employment Coalition and the Institute for Educational Leadership. NAWDP will be working with NCWD/Youth to promote this work by identifying training opportunities to implement the new YSP/KSA, promoting the YSP/KSA modules to its members, and creating a streamlined connection between the YSP/KSA modules and NAWDP’s Certified Workforce Development Professional Credential and Youth Service Endorsement.  NAWDP’s Youth Service Endorsement is based on the 10 KSA areas and this new partnership will further align the professional development efforts of both organizations.  Youth service professionals and organizations will benefit from expanded training opportunities, increases in staff competencies, and clearer pathways to professional certification.

NCWD/Youth to Convene Youth Service Professionals Advanced Training Webinar Series
http://www.dynamicinstitute.com/Catalog/catalog_pkgdetail.cfm?ID=469
NCWD/Youth, in partnership with Dynamic Works Institute, will conduct a series of five webinars from January to March 2010 aimed at providing youth service professionals with advanced training opportunities based on its work over the last nine years.

Youth Service Professionals Advanced Training Series:

• It’s Not Crazy Making: Helping Youth with Mental Health Needs Avoid Transition Cliffs February 10, 2010; 2:00 – 3:30 pm EST
• Can’t Ask, Afraid to Tell: Disability Inquiries and Disclosure in the Workforce Development System
  February 24, 2010; 2:00 – 3:30 pm EST
• Locked Up but Not Locked Out: Serving Youth Involved in the Juvenile Justice System
  March 10, 2010; 2:00 – 3:30 pm EST
• Everybody Learns, Everybody Works: Creating Inclusive Workforce Development for Youth with Learning Disabilities
  March 24, 2010; 2:00 – 3:30 pm EST

ODEP to Convene Listening Sessions in Early 2010
http://www.disabilitylisteningtour.com
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) is hosting a series of listening sessions in early 2010 intended to provide opportunities for the public to provide input to senior federal officials on more effective ways to employ women, veterans, and minorities with disabilities, as well as on what currently works to increase employment for all people with disabilities. ODEP seeks input particularly from individuals and consumers (including youth and adults with disabilities, parents, and caregivers), employers (both public and private), and service providers and advocacy organizations (including independent living centers, One-Stops, and state rehabilitation programs). In addition to taking comments at the in-person regional sessions listed below, ODEP also accepts comments online.
Listening Sessions:

• Chicago, IL – February 11, 2010
• San Francisco, CA – February 16, 2010
• Atlanta, GA – February 24, 2010
• Boston, MA – March 3, 2010

Kathy Martinez, Assistant Secretary of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, Delivers Remarks at Disability-Focused Green Jobs Roundtable
http://www.dol.gov/odep/media/speeches/20091216_GREEN.htm
In mid-December, Assistant Secretary of Labor Kathy Martinez, who heads the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), delivered remarks at an ODEP-sponsored meeting entitled “Strategies for Including People With Disabilities in the Green Jobs Talent Pipeline: A Roundtable Discussion.”

IEL Launches Mentoring Program for Youth with Disabilities in the Juvenile Justice System
http://ramp.iel.org
In October 2009, the Institute for Educational Leadership launched its new Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program (RAMP). Twelve communities in eight states are participating in this mentoring program funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Building on materials developed by NCWD/Youth, RAMP is a high tech, career-focused mentoring program for youth with disabilities involved with or at risk of becoming involved with the juvenile justice system. RAMP site leaders convened in November 2010 for the program’s kick off and orientation event.

Social Security Administration Launches Ticket to Work Website
http://www.choosework.net
The Social Security Administration launched the new ChooseWork.net website for people with disabilities receiving Social Security disability benefits. The site features an overview of Ticket to Work programs, videos and stories from individuals involved with Ticket to Work, links, resources, and more.

Training Institutes 2010 Conference to Focus on Practice and Performance for Serving Young People with Mental Health Needs
http://gucchd.georgetown.edu/training/80146.html
The National Technical Assistance Center for Children’s Mental Health at the Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development, in partnership with the Child, Adolescent and Family Branch of the federal Center for Mental Health Services and The Annie E. Casey Foundation, will convene Training Institutes on local systems of care for children, adolescents, and young adults with or at risk for mental health challenges and their families from July 14 – 18, 2010 in Washington, DC. The Institutes will focus on how to provide effective clinical interventions, services, and supports and how to measure performance.

HSC Foundation Accepting Applications for Advocates in Disability Award for DC-Area Youth
http://www.hscfoundation.org/2010ADA.php
The HSC Foundation is currently accepting applications for its Advocates in Disability Award for a young individual with a disability who has dedicated him/herself to positively affecting the lives of individuals with disabilities and their families in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. The award process is open to young people between the ages of 14 and 26. The HSC Foundation is accepting applications online through March 4, 2010.

California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Releases Publication on Financial Aid for Youth Who Are Unaccompanied or From Foster Care
http://www.casey.org/Resources/Publications/pdf/ProvidingEffectiveFinancialAid.pdf
The Foster Youth Success Initiative at the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) released a publication entitled “Providing Effective Financial Aid Assistance to Students from Foster Care and Unaccompanied Homeless Youth: A Key to Higher Education Access and Success.”
CCCCO created this guide upon recognizing that a significant number of youth from foster care were struggling to find needed support and assistance in obtaining financial aid. Acknowledging this need, CCCCO sponsored a concerted effort called the Foster Youth Success Initiative to bring issues affecting these youth to the forefront and to improve their ability to access postsecondary education and benefit from the support services that are available but are often unknown to them.

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Update From The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

NICHCY offered many new or updated resources this New Year.

Top 10 of 2009.
In NICHCY’s blog, we recap the top 10 of 2009 in terms of News You Can Use articles, special education and disability tweets, and shared articles.
http://www.nichcy.org/BLOG/Pages/default.aspx 

Behavior Suite updated.
NICHCY’s Behavior Suite is a collection of five separate resource pages on addressing behavior challenges in children and youth. Find the behavior expertise you need, connect with resources to improve behavior at home and behavior at school, read about assessment of behavior, developing a behavior intervention plan, and offering positive behavioral supports to students. All begin at: http://www.nichcy.org/Pages/behaviorsuite.aspx 

Assistive Technology Act.
Our page on the Tech Act received some very low ratings from visitors…and it’s no wonder. Hopefully, you’ll find the new one more to your liking!
http://www.nichcy.org/Laws/Other/Pages/AssistiveTechnologyAct.aspx

IT ALL STARTS IN FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES

In January: National Mentoring Month and the Martin Luther King National Day of Service: Whatcha gonna do?
Lots of ideas and connections to be had in the Resource Center’s December 2009 newsletter.
http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/files/YourResourceConn-Dec09.pdf

Looking for info on Section 504?
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a civil rights law designed to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability in any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. NICHCY hears from many folks searching for more info on how Section 504 applies to children with disabilities. Here are a number of resources on the subject:

• FAQs from the horse’s mouth.
  What the U.S. Department of Education has to say.
  http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/504faq.html
• More from the U.S. Department of Education.
  http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/edlite-FAPE504.html
• Section 504 and children with AD/HD.
  http://www.help4adhd.org/en/education/rights/504
• Using Section 504 to help children with disabilities in school.
  http://www.elc-pa.org/pubs/downloads%202009/UsingSection504inSchoolfinal.pdf
• From Wrightslaw.
  http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/sec504.index.htm

Benefits for children with disabilities.
This booklet describes the kinds of Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and health benefits for a child with a disability and explains the evaluation of disability claims for children.

• In English | http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10026.html
• In Spanish | http://www.ssa.gov/espanol/10926.html

Benefits from the EPSTD program.
EPSTD stands for Early & Periodic Screening & Diagnostic Treatment, a Medicaid program that provides for comprehensive and preventive health screening for individuals under the age of 21, including those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Since one in three U.S. children under age six is eligible for Medicaid, EPSDT offers a very important way to ensure that young children receive appropriate health, mental health, and developmental services.

• Learn about the EPSTD program.
  http://www.hrsa.gov/epsdt/
• The Knowledge Path on EPSTD.
  http://www.mchlibrary.info/knowledgePaths/kp_EPSDT.html
• Find services in your community.
  http://www.mchlibrary.info/KnowledgePaths/kp_community.html Find out about government benefits available in your state for eligible children.
  What’s nice about this site is that you pick your state from a map or drop-down menu and are given a long list of government benefit programs that your state is operating, with specific emphasis on those for low-income families. You can view the benefit details of those programs in your state and determine your own eligibility for them, right there on the website.
  http://www.govbenefits.gov/govbenefits_en.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=gbcc_page_locate_state&_nfls=false 

Vehicle purchase/modification funding resources.
Easter Seals Project Action lists resources for funding if you need to modify a vehicle, or purchase a new one and make it accessible.
http://projectaction.easterseals.com/site/DocServer/vehicle_funding.pdf 
 
 
The PTA’s reference guide to state laws on family engagement in education.
The National PTA gives key facts, background, analysis, noteworthy statutes, and policy recommendations for state PTAs and other family and child advocates for crafting successful school-family engagement legislation at the state level. http://www.pta.org/State_Laws_Report.pdf

Reading Planet for your kids.
The RIF Reading Planet is a colorful and interactive website where children (ages 6 to 15) can explore a fun, online world of books as they engage in reading and writing games and activities.
http://www.rif.org/kids/readingplanet.htm   

Tips on communicating with a non-verbal child.
http://www.howtodothings.com/health-fitness/how-to-communicate-with-a-non-verbal-child 

New mediation and resolution sessions guide.
The Advocacy Institute partnered with the Children’s Law Clinic at Duke
Law School to develop a new guide for families and advocates on
preparing for mediations and resolution sessions.
http://www.advocacyinstitute.org/resources/Preparing.for.SpEd.Mediation.Resolution.Sessions.pdf

Upcoming LDA conference: February 17-20, 2010.
The Learning Disabilities Association of America’s 47th Annual International Conference will be held in Baltimore, MD.  http://www.ldaamerica.org/conference/index.asp 

11th Annual National Fatherhood & Families Conference: February, 23-26, 2010.
To be held in Los Angeles, California.
This national professional development conference is intended for parents, practitioners, managers, senior and executive management from nonprofit, faith based, higher education, corrections, law enforcement, child support, Head Start, Healthy Start, probation, and so many more professions. http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=301456883&u=3356563

THE LITTLE ONES: EARLY INTERVENTION/EARLYCHILDHOOD

Learning about child development.
The website How To Do Things is a fascinating treasure trove of how-to’s on an unbelievable range of subjects. We’ve sprinkled links to many of its offerings throughout this newsletter. The one identified here will connect you to sites and resources intended to help you learn about child development.
http://www.howtodothings.com/education/how-to-learn-about-child-development

Detect hearing loss early via the EHDI program.
EDHI (Early Hearing Detection & Intervention) programs  are located in states and territories and are designed to identify infants with hearing loss.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/ehdi/default.htm (in English)
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/ehdi/spanish/default.htm (in Spanish)

How autism emerges: Patterns of onset in the first years of life.
A 44-minute video from the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center.
http://kc.vanderbilt.edu/site/newsandevents/podcastandvideo/page.aspx?id=1764 

Early signs of a learning disability: LDA on early childhood.
Children who may have a disability often exhibit signs that their development is not typical at a very early age. The presence of significant delays in specific areas of development, when other skills are age appropriate, could indicate that a child has a learning disability. This resource page at the Learning Disabilities Association of America will connect you with helpful resources to help you understand the early signs of learning disabilities, early assessments, and ways to help children.
http://www.ldanatl.org/aboutld/parents/early_childhood/index.asp 

Early childhood mental health services: Four state case studies.
This in-depth policy analysis from Project Forum provides a background of the early childhood mental health (ECMH) focus of many organizations and legal elements of why it is essential that children with disabilities be included in a comprehensive mental health system. http://projectforum.org/docs/EarlyChildhoodMentalHealthServices-FourStateCaseStudies.pdf 

Preschool games guide.
What’s more mischievous than a bored preschooler? Whether you’re a teacher or parent, an arsenal of games can bring peace back to your group. This guide will provide you a list of games for the next time your kids get a little antsy. 
http://www.ehow.com/topic_7813_preschool-games-guide.html 

Spanish-language health resources Knowledge Path.
This Knowledge Path was compiled by the Maternal and Child Health Library at Georgetown University. It points to current, high-quality Spanish-language health resources for health professionals and consumers.
http://www.mchlibrary.info/KnowledgePaths/kp_spanish.html 

SCHOOLS, K-12

Are you using Windows Vista? Tweak it for students with disabilities.
The Ease of Access Center in Vista gives powerful tools to people with visual or auditory disabilities so they can use a computer more effectively. This 3-minute video will show you how to tweak the system to great effect.
http://www.5min.com/Video/Tweak-Windows-Vista-for-People-with-Disabilities-210066013

Oh, that sweet How To Do Things site.
As mentioned above, you might enjoy the How to Do Things site, where you’ll see a spectrum of guidance on all manner of things. Here are several that we thought might be useful to teachers:

• How to find technology communication tools for the classroom.
  http://www.howtodothings.com/education/how-to-find-technology-communication-tools-for-the-classroom
• How to improve study skills in middle school.
  http://www.howtodothings.com/education/a2964-how-to-improve-study-skills-in-middle-school.html
• How about study skills and strategies for high schoolers?
  http://www.howtodothings.com/education/a2470-how-to-improve-study-skills-for-high-school-students.html
• How to teach life skills in special education.
  http://www.howtodothings.com/education/a4393-how-to-teach-life-skills-in-special-education.html
• How to maintain dry erase white boards.
  http://www.howtodothings.com/education/how-to-maintain-dry-erase-white-boards 

Revisiting the good stuff. NICHCY recommends….
Just like in the new blogs we added of the Top 10 of 2009, we’d like to mention materials from others that summarized the best of last year (yes, 2009 really is now, officially, last year).

• Don’t miss the Special Edition from the Center on Instruction.
  COI’s December 2009 email identifies a host of effective resources for states, districts, and schools as they work in the four reform priority areas: effective use of data, improving teacher quality, turning around low-performing schools, and standards and assessments. Rather than repeat this great email with its listing of on-target resources for schools, we’ll give you the address and you can enjoy for yourself!  http://www.centeroninstruction.org/newsletters.cfm
• Special teacher edition from CITEd on Harness the Power of Technology to Bring STEM to Life for Struggling Students.
  http://www.tfeinc.com/blog/2009/12/technology-brings-stem-to-struggling-students/

Reading interventions in grades K-3: From research to practice.
This report summarizes high-quality research studies and synthesizes their findings on the effects of extensive reading interventions and related implications for practice for students with reading problems or learning disabilities in an RTI setting.
http://www.centeroninstruction.org/files/Extensive%20Reading%20Interventions.pdf

A comprehensive K-3 reading assessment plan: Guidance for school leaders. This document from the Center on Instruction provides guidance to school leaders about a comprehensive assessment plan as a critical element of a school-level plan for preventing reading difficulties.
http://www.centeroninstruction.org/files/K-3%20Reading.pdf

Will this 9th grader with disabilities graduate from high school? Accurate predictors.
This report from the National High School Center determines that freshman year course performance—more than background characteristics such as race, gender, socioeconomic status or prior achievement—predicts which students with disabilities are most at risk for dropping out of high school. According to the report, absences, course failures, course credits, and GPA can all be used to accurately predict whether ninth-graders with disabilities will graduate from high school.

• For the report.
  http://www.betterhighschools.org/docs/NHSCCCSRSpecialEd.pdf
• For the Webinar audio and the presentation.
  http://www.betterhighschools.org/webinar/NHSCCCSRWebinar120809.wmv

Approaches to tiered intervention for helping significantly struggling learners in high school. 
This report defines RTI models, explores benefits and challenges faced at the high school level, shares a snapshot of implementation at the high school level, and outlines the necessary resources needed to support this work. http://www.betterhighschools.org/docs/NHSC_RTIBrief_08-02-07.pdf

Check out the National High School Events Calendar.
The National High School Center’s calendar includes meetings and conferences, workshops, and dialogues that are relevant to high school improvement. If you have an activity to add, you can!
http://www.betterhighschools.org/event_calendar.aspx

Systematic reviews of research on postsecondary transitions: Identifying
effective models and practices.

This report focuses on transition programs for youth to postsecondary
education. It’s from the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education (NRCCTE).  http://tinyurl.com/yftk7z2

STATE & SYSTEM TOOLS

Linking data across agencies: States that are making it work.
As a condition for receiving funds under the ARRA, every governor and chief state school officer agreed to develop statewide longitudinal data systems to follow students from early learning to postsecondary education and into the workforce. This report looks at the work of Children’s Cabinets and others to share data across agencies in order to improve the planning and delivery of services. The brief highlights work going on in Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut, Florida, Washington, Minnesota, South Carolina, New Mexico, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah and the District of Columbia.
http://tinyurl.com/yd4fuc7

Accessibility principles for reading assessments.
The National Accessible Reading Assessment Projects (NARAP) recently
published a set of principles to inform state directors of assessment
and special education and other groups about the best practices for
creating accessible reading assessments for individuals with
disabilities.
http://www.narap.info/premium-publications/reports/NARAPprinciples.pdf

What effects have the foreclosures and mortage crises had on education?
http://www.serve.org/nche/ibt/foreclose.php
 
Support for students whose families have lost their homes to foreclosure.
This brochure from the National Center for Homeless Education provides information on how children and youth whose families have lost their home to foreclosure may qualify for services under the McKinney-Vento Act. 

• Download the brochure in English.
  http://www.serve.org/nche/downloads/fc_broch.pdf
• Download the brochure in Spanish/en español.
  http://www.serve.org/nche/downloads/fc_broch_esp.pdf 

Pubs still flooding from the National Center for Education Research.
NCER continues to release a veritable flood of publications resulting from the more than 400 research grants funded since 2002. Organized by topic areas such as reading, writing, mathematics, science, and education policy, the publications include scientific articles describing the impacts of novel instructional practices on student achievement, articles describing new curricula written for teacher use, and brief summaries of research aimed at the general public.

 To see what’s emerged from all that research as of September 2009, visit: http://ies.ed.gov/ncer/pdf/NCER_pubs.pdf
• To find what’s come out the door since October 2009, visit:
http://tinyurl.com/yajky34 

SPECIAL FOCUS: Helpful How To’s

Life rolls along a bit more smoothly when you know how to do stuff. So, to start the year off with positive strategies and knowledge, here are some crash courses across a range of topics, including but not limited to disability. Many come from the How To Do Things site, but many don’t. May any and all make your ride a bit smoother!

Non-Disability Related How To’s

• How to block your cell phone number.
  http://www.howtodothings.com/electronics/a1942-how-to-block-your-cell-phone-number.html
• How to decide whether or not to homeschool.
  http://www.ehow.com/how_5807076_decide-whether-not-homeschool.html
• How to develop an elementary school technology plan.
  http://www.ehow.com/how_5816230_develop-elementary-school-technology-plan.html
• How to ask for forgiveness.
  http://www.howtodothings.com/family-relationships/how-to-ask-for-forgiveness
• How to listen effectively.
  http://www.howtodothings.com/family-relationships/how-to-listen-effectively
• Managing classroom behavior: For first year teachers.
  http://www.ehow.com/way_5814412_classroom-strategies-first-year-teachers.html
• How to make family dinners fun.
  http://www.howtodothings.com/family-relationships/how-to-make-family-dinners-fun
• How to start a conversation.
  http://www.howtodothings.com/family-relationships/how-to-start-a-conversation

Disability-Related How To’s

How to’s…autism.
This video, How to Help a Child with Autism, is 3+ minutes long and was made in collaboration with TACA (Talking about Curing Autism).
http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/video/how-to-help-a-child-with-autism-281661/ 

How-to’s….dyslexia.
http://www.ehow.com/topic_1352_coping-with-dyslexia.html

How to use captioning in your podcasts.
It’s a big help to participants with hearing impairments!
http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/video/how-to-use-captioning-in-your-podcasts-245025/ 

House cleaning basics.
Not really about disability, but helpful for those learning daily living skills and who are starting to live on their own.
http://www.ehow.com/topic_7798_housecleaning-basics.html 

Fight the winter blues: Seasonal Affective Disorder.
If you’ve noticed feelings of depression, lethargy or moodiness around the winter season, you may be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder. Don’t let the winter blues get you down. Let this guide teach you about treatment plans and coping strategies.
http://www.ehow.com/topic_405_seasonal-affective-disorder.html

How to toilet train… 

• a child with disabilities? Here’s one article: http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/parentingadvice/a/sp_needs_potty.htm And here’s another: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/potty-training-children-with-disabilities.html 
• a child with autism?
  http://www.teacch.com/toilet.html
• a child with cerebral palsy?
  http://www.originsofcerebralpalsy.com/04-care/01-bathing-toilet.html
• a child with developmental disabilities?
  http://www.dcs-cde.ca.gov/rsc/toilettraining.pdf
• a child with developmental disabilities?
  http://www.consultantlive.com/display/article/10162/1425974?verify=0
• a child with OCD?
  http://www.ehow.com/how_5750595_potty-train-toddler-ocd.html

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Calls to Participate

A New Day: We’re Listening
http://www.disabilitylisteningtour.com/
US Department of Labor Assistant Secretary Kathleen Martinez is spearheading a Listening Tour with the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and other federal partners to solicit ideas from employers and individuals with disabilities on three key topics: more effective ways to increase employment of women, veterans and minorities with disabilities; identification of federal and state systems that are effectively collaborating to achieve successful employment results for people with disabilities; and top priorities on which the federal government should focus to support an increase in the employment of persons with disabilities. Six sites have been selected, from each of the six Department of Labor Regions: Dallas (January 21), Philadelphia (January 27), Chicago (February 11), San Francisco (February 16), Atlanta (February 24), and Boston (March 3), with registration/comment periods for each opening one month beforehand.

Call for Abstracts from the Children’s Division of American Humane
http://www.americanhumane.org/protecting-children/resources/protecting-children-journal/
The Children’s Division of American Humane announces a call for abstracts for the journal Protecting Children. The issue entitled “Promising Results in Research and Practice: Understanding Disproportionality and Reducing Disparity in Child Welfare” will be published in March 2011. The deadline for abstract submission is February 5, 2010. Authors will be notified of the outcome of their abstract submissions in early September. If accepted, authors will be notified of a target word count, and full papers will be due July 1, 2010.

The Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation: Public Policy Fellowship Program 2010-2011
http://www.jpkf.org/
The Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation seeks exemplary professionals and/or family members of persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities who are currently working or volunteering in the field of inclusive services and supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities for an intensive one-year Public Policy Fellowship in Washington, DC. The purpose of the Fellowship is to prepare both early career and veteran leaders be leaders in public policy in their home state and/or nationally. The program provides a one-year full-time exposure to the federal public policy making process, and includes a stipend and modest relocation expenses.

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Special Education Resources

Educational Technology in Public School Districts
Report
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2010003
This First Look report, from the National Center for Education Statistics within the Institute of Education Sciences, presents data from a fall 2008 district Fast Response Survey System (FRSS) survey on the availability and use of educational technology, including information on networks and Internet capacity, technology policies, district-provided resources, teacher professional development, and district-level leadership for technology. The data are the results of a national district-level survey that is one of a set that includes district, school, and teacher surveys on educational technology.

Growth Models and Students with Disabilities: Report of State Interviews 
Policy Analysis
http://tinyurl.com/yzvthnv
This policy analysis includes a description of accountability requirements from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the assessments states use to meet this requirement; a comparison between status models for determining performance levels and growth models; and discussion of the complexity of adding a growth model to a state’s accountability and assessment system, obstacles to including students who participate in alternate assessments based on alternate academic standards in a growth model, and progress in instruction and assessment for this population of students that could ease these obstacles. Available in pdf (17 pages, 211 KB).

National High School Center Research Report 
Report
http://tinyurl.com/yjbdx5l
The National High School Center report, “What Matters for Staying On-Track and Graduating in Chicago Public Schools: A Focus on Students with Disabilities,” was co-released with the Consortium on Chicago School Research. The report determines that freshman year course performance (which entails more than background characteristics such as race, gender, socioeconomic status or prior achievement) predicts which students with disabilities are most at risk for dropping out of high school. The report, by Julia Gwynne, Joy Lesnick, Holly M. Hart and Elaine Allensworth, found that absences, course failures, course credits and GPA can all be used to accurately predict whether ninth-graders with disabilities will graduate from high school. Identifying early warning indicators is crucial for students with disabilities, who drop out of high school at alarming rates. Available in pdf (56 pages, 1.50 MB).

Special Education Scorecards from the National Center for Learning Disabilities
Scorecards
http://www.ncld.org/on-capitol-hill/policy-related-publications/special-education-scorecards
The National Center for Learning Disabilities has issued special education scorecards for every state, with information on each state’s special education enrollment, including students with learning disabilities, student performance on key indicators, federal funding provided to states in support of special education, and the state’s latest rating by the US Department of Education on its State Performance.

What Works for Parent Involvement Programs for Adolescents: Lessons from Experimental Evaluations of Social Interventions 
Fact Sheet
http://www.childtrends.org/_listFS.cfm?LID=348F6ECA-DC2E-46B2-AA77428D4931464C
This fact sheet from Child Trends presents lessons learned from 47 parent involvement programs that have had successful, unsuccessful, or mixed results for adolescents ages 12-17. The fact sheet includes a chart of the programs that worked or didn’t work for different outcomes, and a glossary summarizing the programs.

Eat Well, Spend Less, Save Time
http://familyplus.bgca.org/YourFamily/LifeSkills/Pages/EatWellSpendLess.aspx
Tight times mean tight family budgets, but don’t have to mean unhealthy choices. Family Plus, a youth development and community building resource from the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, has resources to help families plan ahead to improve nutrition and cut costs. Plan the meals to prepare in the coming week, make a list of the ingredients needed, and then shop, advise nutrition experts in the University of Georgia’s Department of Foods and Nutrition. Having everything needed for the week on hand means fewer trips to the grocery store, and most people spend less when they shop less often.

Youth and Health: Public Discussions and Personal Decisions (Online Magazine)
http://www.whatkidscando.org/featurestories/2009/10_youth_and_health/index.html
The health of young people is always a cause for concern, including such issues as childhood obesity, tobacco and alcohol use, teen pregnancy, or serious automobile accidents. Teens are not very active when it comes to health policy, but that doesn’t mean they are not interested. The youth-written online magazine, “What Kids Can Do,” reports on how teens seek out information about key topics including sexual health, mental illness and healthy eating.

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Funding Forecast and Award Opportunities

Forecast of Funding Opportunities under the Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs for Fiscal Year 2009-2010
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/find/edlite-forecast.html
This document lists virtually all programs and competitions under which the U.S. Department of Education has invited or expects to invite applications for new awards for fiscal year 2009-2010 and provides actual or estimated deadlines for the transmittal of applications under these programs. The lists are in the form of charts organized according to the Department’s principal program offices and include programs and competitions previously announced as well as those to be announced at a later date.

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

Global Youth Service Day
http://www.ysa.org/grants/announcements/get-ur-good-grants-launched
Youth Service America, partnering with Miley Cyrus, has launched “Get Ur Good On,” small grants to support projects celebrating Global Youth Service Day, April 23-25, 2010, and will award 100 $500 grants to projects addressing important community issues such as poverty, education, and environmental sustainability. Deadline: February 22, 2010.

National Federation of the Blind Scholarship Program
http://www.nfb.org/scholarships
Applications are now being accepted for the 2010 National Federation of the Blind Scholarship Program. Each year at its national convention in July, NFB gives 30 scholarships to recognize achievement by blind scholars. The scholarships are available to blind students who will be enrolled in college or a graduate program beginning in the fall of 2010, including incoming freshmen. Scholarships range in value from $3,000 to $12,000. In addition to a scholarship, each winner will receive assistance to attend the 2010 National Federation of the Blind Annual Convention in July, providing opportunities for networking with active blind persons in many different professions and occupations. Deadline March 31, 2010.

Shared Planet Youth Action Grants
http://tinyurl.com/ydnuexb
The Starbucks Foundation has an open application period for its Shared Planet Youth Action Grants, which provide young people (ages 6-24) a continuum of services in social entrepreneurship and aid them in developing creative approaches to address pressing concerns. With these grants, Starbucks uses the spirit of innovation to inspire young people to take action and to create positive solutions to real local needs they see in their neighborhoods. Deadline for application: February 5, 2010.

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

Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge Invites Students and Teachers to Address Environmental Issues
http://wecanchange.com/
Students and teachers in grades K-8 will be awarded grants and publicity for their solutions to classroom environmental issues. Grades K to second will seek to create solutions to environmental issues in their classroom, grades third to fifth in their school and grades six to eight in their community. Student and teacher/mentor prizes, which vary according to grade level, include savings bonds, school grants, trips, TV appearances, and more. Deadline: Elementary-level entries is January 31, 2010; the deadline for middle-school entries is March 15, 2010.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Federal Student Aid Grant Program Fact Sheet
http://tinyurl.com/yfbe5tb
Disability.Gov has created a fact sheet that provides an overview of the major federal student aid grant programs. The federal government provides grant funds for students attending colleges, including career colleges and universities.

Grants, unlike loans, do not have to be repaid. (A Spanish version is at: http://tinyurl.com/yz2zheg.) Available in pdf (1 page, 164 KB).

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

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

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

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Acknowledgements

Portions of this month’s NASET Special Educator e-Journal were excerpted from:

• Committee on Education and the Workforce
• FirstGov.gov-The Official U.S. Government Web Portal
• National Center on Secondary Education and Transition, an electronic newsletter of the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET), available online at http://www.ncset.org/enews. NCSET is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs.
• National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth
• National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities
• National Institute of Health
• National Organization on Disability
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
• U.S. Department of Education
• U.S. Department of Education-The Achiever
• U.S. Department of Education-The Education Innovator
• U.S. Department of Labor
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration
• U.S. Office of Special Education
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

The National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) thanks all of the above for the information provided for this edition of the NASETSpecial Educator e-Journal.

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