June 2009 – Special Educator e-Journal

Table of Contents

Update from the U.S. Department Education

Update From The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

Calls to Participate

Special Education Resources

Upcoming Conferences, Workshops, and Events

Get Wired!—The Latest on Websites and Listservs

Funding Forecast and Award Opportunities

Acknowledgements

Download a PDF Version of This Issue

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Update from the U.S. Department of Education

Secretary Duncan Sets Tone for ‘Race to the Top’ By Naming Innovative New Leader

Citing a track record of innovative ideas with rapid and effective implementation, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today announced that Joanne Weiss will lead development of the “Race to the Top Fund” to catalyze innovation and restore America’s global leadership in public K-12 education.
Weiss has a record of success in investment strategy and management assistance that includes a portfolio of investment ventures at the New Schools Venture Fund, a national nonprofit venture philanthropy firm, during the last eight years. She also led the organization’s research agenda and oversaw operations.

“Recruiting successful professionals from the entrepreneurial community is one way we will change the culture and our way of doing business at the Department of Education,” Secretary Duncan said during a videoconference today with the audience at the annual NewSchools Venture Fund annual Summit in Pasadena, Calif. “We may never have an opportunity like this again to dramatically improve our country’s educational system with huge investments in a few strategic areas to make changes that are deep and foundational.”
“Joanne will help us push a strong reform agenda that is entrepreneurial in spirit, providing carrots and sticks, to change the way we do business, and fundamentally turn around underperforming schools in ways that last for decades,” Duncan said.

Throughout her career, Weiss has helped to pioneer innovative work to increase the effectiveness of teaching and learning processes. Prior to joining NewSchools Venture Fund, she was CEO of Claria Corporation, an e-services recruiting firm that helped emerging-growth companies build teams quickly and well. Weiss has spent 20 years in the design, development, and marketing of technology-based products and services for education. She was senior vice president of product development at Pensare, an e-learning company that created business innovation programs for the Fortune 500 market. Prior to Pensare, she was co-founder, interim CEO, and vice president of products and technologies at Academic Systems, a company that helps hundreds of thousands of college students prepare for college-level work in mathematics and English.

Weiss holds a degree in biochemistry from Princeton University.

Secretary Duncan Asks: Will California Lead or Retreat in Public K-12 Education’s Race for the Top?

SAN FRANCISCO — Three days after California voters rejected ballot measures to restore state funding for public schools, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan visited the state today and told more than 500 business, education, political, philanthropic, and community leaders not to retreat from their responsibilities to prepare all children to graduate high school college- and career-ready.

Even as California’s 2008 Academic Performance Index data was released showing some improvement, Secretary Duncan challenged the audience at the San Francisco School Alliance luncheon to rebuild its public school system and again be the envy of the world.

“Your state once had the best education system in the country. From cradle to career, you took care of your children,” Secretary Duncan said. “You made sure they were ready to enter your universities or be productive participants in the workforce. I ask you, is California going to lead the race to the top or are you going to lead the retreat?”

Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), $4 billion was released to stabilize California’s state finances and another $1.3 billion to supplement federal programs for children challenged by poverty and special needs. This fall, $2 billion in state stabilization funds will be sent to California. However, the stimulus is about recovery and driving innovative school reforms. In fact, $5 billion in ARRA’s State Fiscal Stabilization Fund is reserved for the secretary of education to make competitive grants. The Department of Education will conduct a national competition among states for a $4.35 billion state incentive “Race to the Top” fund to improve education quality and results statewide.

President Obama is deeply committed to this program because it will enable the department to spur reform on a national scale – driving school systems to adopt college- and career-ready, internationally benchmarked standards. It will provide incentives to create state-of-the-art data collection systems, assessments and curricula to meet higher standards. It will encourage states to recruit, train, mentor and support a great, new generation of teachers to better prepare our students for college and careers.

Before visiting the pre-kindergarten through Grade 8 Paul Revere School and the University of California-San Francisco, Secretary Duncan told the Alliance audience that California needs to end its budget stalemate and provide state dollars for public schools.

“That will free up stimulus dollars you can use for reform – internationally competitive standards, good data, good teachers, and turning around the worst of your schools,” Secretary Duncan said. “If you succeed in that, I’ll reward you for your efforts.”

Middle-Class Task Force Announces Agency Partnerships to Build a Strong Middle Class Through a Green Economy

Denver — U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced the Department’s participation in new agency partnerships to foster job growth for a new green economy at Tuesday’s meeting of the Middle-Class Task Force in Denver. Along with the Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan and Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, the Department of Education has committed to developing new policies, proposals and ideas to help America’s middle class.

“It was clear at our first meeting in Philadelphia that partnerships—on the federal, state and local levels—are critical to creating green opportunity for middle-class Americans,” Vice President Biden said. “This insight was an instructive one for our Task Force, and we’ve been hard at work turning this advice into action. Over the past three months, members of the Task Force and their staffs have come together to work on ways in which we can leverage programs at different agencies to ensure that green jobs are accessible to middle-class workers, as well as to lower-income workers trying to gain a foothold into the middle class.”

The Department of Labor and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are partnering to bring training and employment to public housing residents. In a joint letter, Secretaries Solis and Donovan encouraged local Workforce Investment Boards and Public Housing Agencies to work together to bolster pathways to training and employment for residents of HUD housing. Through this new partnership, residents of public housing will be able to more easily find training programs and sustainable employment in the green job sectors created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). To read the letter, click this link.

Additionally, Secretaries Duncan, Chu and Solis announced a collaboration to make it a major priority to institutionalize cross-agency communication about private sector jobs created as the result of federal action. Through these efforts, jobs created will be connected to training programs and career pathways that can provide transitions for adults between employment and for students from high school to postsecondary education and into careers.

Through this partnership, the Department of Energy will identify ways to notify the Department of Labor as funding commitments are made and jobs are created. The Department of Labor will, in turn, provide the information to local One Stop Employment Centers that will connect unemployed workers with jobs, training and education opportunities. The Department of Education will help identify the educational resources for training to ensure that educational opportunities linked to job creation are comprehensive. To read the Memorandum of Understanding, click this link.

“Schools must prepare students for college and careers, and adults must have affordable opportunities to continue learning if our country is to drive the global economy recovery,” Secretary Duncan said. “Partnerships such as this one demonstrate how government can be a catalyst for renewal as workers reinvent themselves and learn new skills. At the same time, the creative minds of America’s students will develop the emerging industries that feed a green economy if we support their growth.”

The Labor Department also officially announced plans to release $500 million from the Recovery Act for grants to prepare workers for careers in the energy efficiency and renewable energy sectors. These funds are targeted to help underserved communities, and $50 million will assist communities affected by auto industry restructuring. The competition for grant money is anticipated to begin June 2009, with application closing dates starting during the late summer.
“Our workers are our nation’s greatest asset, and investing in our nation’s workforce is critical during these tough economic times,” Secretary Solis said. “The $500 million grant competition being announced today is another way the Department of Labor is committed to helping workers from all backgrounds through difficult restructuring times and pave pathways to rebuild a stronger middle class.”

“In these challenging economic times, it is crucial for government agencies to collaborate to find innovative ways to create jobs and get Americans working again,” Secretary Donovan said. “I am proud of this new partnership, which will allow public housing residents to gain easier access to job training programs, build skills and participate in the new green jobs economy.”

“Working together to foster more jobs, particularly in the renewable energies sector, means more bang for our buck and more help for middle-class families. That’s what this Task Force is about—developing policies, coming up with ideas across the spectrum of agencies and working together to put them into action,” Secretary Chu said. “While we make progress in strengthening our economy and putting more Americans back to work, we are cutting our dependence on foreign oil and combating climate change.”

Through these partnerships, the Education Department, HUD, the Labor Department and the Energy Department are leveraging resources to connect workers to green career pathways and sustainable employment, advancing existing and future training and education programs, and helping to ensure employers have access to a qualified workforce for the green economy of the 21st century.

$165 Million in Recovery Funds Now Available for Idaho to Save Teaching Jobs and Drive Education Reform

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today announced that $165 million is now available for Idaho under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. This funding will lay the foundation for a generation of education reform and help save hundreds of thousands of teaching jobs at risk of state and local budget cuts. Idaho will be eligible to apply for another $81 million this fall. Today’s funding is being made available per Idaho’s successful completion of Part 1 of the State Stabilization Application, which was made available on April 1st.

“The $165 million Idaho will receive today is part of the single largest boost in education funding in recent history,” said Duncan. “The President’s leadership and support from Congress have made this historic investment possible. Idaho can now utilize these funds to save jobs and lay the groundwork for a generation of education reform.”

To date, Idaho has received more than $48 million in education stimulus funds—representing a combination of funding for Title I, IDEA, Vocational Rehabilitation Grants and Independent Living Grants. On April 1st, Idaho received more than $17 million in Title I funding and $29 million in IDEA funding. This represents 50% of the Title I and IDEA funding Idaho is eligible for in total. On April 1st, Idaho also received nearly $2 million in Vocational Rehab funds and $332 thousand in Independent Living funds.

In order to receive today’s funds, Idaho provided assurances that it will collect, publish, analyze and act on basic information regarding the quality of classroom teachers, annual student improvements, college readiness, the effectiveness of state standards and assessments, progress on removing charter caps, and interventions in turning around underperforming schools.

Idaho is also required by the Department of Education to report the number of jobs saved through Recovery Act funding, the amount of state and local tax increases averted, and how funds are used.

See Idaho and other state applications for initial funding under the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund Program at: http://www.ed.gov/programs/statestabilization/resources.html.

$806 Million in Recovery Funds Now Available for Virginia to Save Teaching Jobs and Drive Education Reform

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today announced that $806 million is now available for Virginia under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. This funding will lay the foundation for a generation of education reform and help save hundreds of thousands of teaching jobs at risk of state and local budget cuts. Virginia will be eligible to apply for another $397 million this fall. Today’s funding is being made available per Virginia’s successful completion of Part 1 of the State Stabilization Application, which was made available on April 1st.

“The $806 million Virginia will receive today is part of the single largest boost in education funding in recent history,” said Duncan. “The President’s leadership and support from Congress have made this historic investment possible. Virginia can now utilize these funds to save jobs and lay the groundwork for a generation of education reform.”

To date, Virginia has received $240 million in education stimulus funds—representing a combination of funding for Title I, IDEA, Vocational Rehabilitation Grants and Independent Living Grants. On April 1st, Virginia received $83 million in Title I funding and $151 million in IDEA funding. This represents 50% of the Title I and IDEA funding Virginia is eligible for in total. On April 1st, Virginia also received $6 million in Vocational Rehab funds and $1 million in Independent Living funds.

In order to receive today’s funds, Virginia provided assurances that it will collect, publish, analyze and act on basic information regarding the quality of classroom teachers, annual student improvements, college readiness, the effectiveness of state standards and assessments, progress on removing charter caps and interventions in turning around underperforming schools.
Virginia is also required by the Department of Education to report the number of jobs saved through Recovery Act funding, the amount of state and local tax increases averted, and how funds are used.

See Virginia and other state applications for initial funding under the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund Program at: http://www.ed.gov/programs/statestabilization/resources.html.

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Update From The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

NICHCY has maintained a core of key publications for many years, updating them every time our nation’s special education law is reauthorized or significant changes occur in the field. Here are the latest to get complete facelifts so they are not only shiny-new again but are also consistent with the requirements of IDEA 2004 and its regulations.

Categories of Disability Under IDEA
If you’re familiar with NICHCY products, then you’ll know this one by its former name, “Disabilities That Qualify Infants, Toddlers, Children, and Youth for Services under the IDEA.” A long and frightening title, wasn’t it, but no more. If you want to find out how IDEA defines the disability categories under which a child may be found eligible for services (see, the old title did make sense), this publication will tell you. Posted online at:
http://www.nichcy.org/InformationResources/Documents/NICHCY%20PUBS/gr3.pdf

Your Child’s Evaluation
What’s involved in evaluating a child to determine if he or she has a disability and is eligible for special education and related services? Find out in 4 easy-to-read pages that describe IDEA’s requirements for evaluation. Posted online at:
http://www.nichcy.org/InformationResources/Documents/NICHCY%20PUBS/bp1.pdf

Your Child’s Evaluation
Here is a comprehensive but brief look at the special education process from start to finish. It begins with the question “Why is my child struggling in school?” and goes on to describe the evaluation process under IDEA, how eligibility for special education is determined, and what’s involved in writing and implementing the individualized education program (IEP), the crown jewel of special education. New provisions in IDEA regarding IEP meetings are also detailed. The publication finishes with brief looks at reevaluation and IDEA’s vehicles for resolving disputes that may arise between parents and school systems. Find the revamped and expanded LG1 online at:
http://www.nichcy.org/InformationResources/Documents/NICHCY%20PUBS/lg1.pdf

Developing Your Child’s IEP
Written expressly for parents by a parent, this 28-pager gets to the heart and soul of the IEP. It looks at every component of this all-important document, otherwise known as the Individualized Education Program. Every child with a disability receiving special education under IDEA must have an IEP, and parents are important members of the team that develops it. Want to be more involved in that process? New and shiny, this publication stands ready to help.
Find it online at:
http://www.nichcy.org/InformationResources/Documents/NICHCY%20PUBS/pa12.pdf
 
 
NICHCY launched a new series of questions and answers about IDEA, beginning with these two offerings:

Questions and Answers about IDEA: Purposes and Key Definitions
Find out what Congress established as the purposes of IDEA. Also learn how four of IDEA’s key terms are defined: free appropriate public education (FAPE), child with a disability, special education, and related services. These 8 pages are yours for the reading and downloading, at:
http://www.nichcy.org/InformationResources/Documents/NICHCY%20PUBS/QA1.pdf

Questions and Answers about IDEA: Parent Participation
A parent’s right to participate in meetings and decision making regarding their child’s special education is one of IDEA’s foundational principles, strongly supported through explicit provisions and guarantees. Go straight to the heart of the matter in this 12-page Q&A summarizing parental rights of participation and describing prior written notice, the procedural safeguards notice, and the in’s-and-out’s of parental consent. Find it at:
http://www.nichcy.org/InformationResources/Documents/NICHCY%20PUBS/QA2.pdf

IT ALL STARTS IN FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES

The Family Support Clearinghouse wants to talk about fund-raising basics and how to strengthen your organization.
We all talk about what we could accomplish if only we had more money. Getting more money is a skill, one that you can learn. That’s the topic of the moderated discussion at the Family Support Clearinghouse from May 11 – August 11, and you are most welcome to take part. Moderators will offer guidance and answer questions on fund-raising. You can track the conversations, offer your own advice and experience, and ask questions. The discussion is designed for people just beginning to explore opportunities to raise money as well as more experienced fundraisers wanting to expand their knowledge and skill. 
See the discussion here:
http://kinforums.org/family/index.php?topic=25.0

Interested in joining the discussion? Learn how to get registered here:
http://www.familysupportclearinghouse.org/network/pages/familyforum.aspx 

What’s shaped the disability community in the USA? Read our roots.
It’s all in the Disability History Timeline, a new resource and discussion guide available in English and in Spanish from the National Consortium on Leadership and Disability for Youth. Starting shortly after the U.S. was founded, the guide features examples of the remarkable diversity, creativity, and leadership that has shaped the disability community and American culture.  (Designed primarily for youth and emerging leaders with disabilities; suitable for use with other audiences as well.) Available online at:
http://www.ncld-youth.info/publications.htm#disability_history_timeline

Looking for resources in multiple languages on developmental conditions?
If you’re interested, the CDRC Multilingual Web Resource will welcome your visit. The link below will connect you with websites in a variety of languages, to provide information regarding developmental conditions, as well as local, national, and international resources for families. Multilingual info on many different disabilities is available (e.g., ataxia, ADD, autism, and those are just the As) as well as info on issues (e.g., child behavior, education and intervention, law and policy). It is CDRC’s hope that this tool will also provide some means for clinicians to provide “take-home” information to the families they serve. Have a look-see at:
http://www.ohsu.edu/oidd/LEND/multilingual_resources/index.html

Helping people with mental health challenges live in the community.
This guide is called Evidence-Based Practices: Shaping Mental Health Services Toward Recovery. It focuses on Assertive Community Treatment, whose goal is to help people stay out of the hospital and to develop skills for living in the community so that their mental illness is not the driving force in their lives. Available online at:
http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/cmhs/CommunitySupport/toolkits/community/

Finding help for children with mental health needs.
This 2009 guide comes from the National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health and provides information on how to seek care for children with mental health needs.
http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/premium-publications/allpubs/Ca-0029/default.asp

Youth leadership resources in Spanish.
And speaking of NCLD-Youth (the National Consortium on Leadership and Disability for Youth), that’s definitely one place to visit if you’re looking to promote the leadership abilities of Spanish-speaking youth with disabilities. NCLD-Youth has made Spanish versions of the following documents available:

Nothing About Youth with Disabilities Without Youth with Disabilities: A Guide to Legislative Advocacy
Learning to Lead?: A Self-Assessment for Youth
Are They Learning to Lead?: A Self-Assessment for Staff

You’ll find all three at this address (scroll to find the versions you’d like, in PDF or in Word, in English or in Spanish):
http://www.ncld-youth.info/publications.htm

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

THE LITTLE ONES: EARLY INTERVENTION/EARLYCHILDHOOD

Infant-Toddler training modules available in Spanish.
The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) has a Spanish version of its Promoting Social and Emotional Competence: Infant Toddler Training modules, including facilitator guides, trainer scripts, PowerPoint slides, participant handouts, and training video clips. The modules are intended for early care and education providers who work with children birth to 2 and their families. Available online at: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/csefel/inftodd.html 

Promoting mental health and preventing mental and behavioral disorders.
Here is a training guide for the early childhood services community, available from SAMHSA, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Recognizing the critical role that child care providers play in facilitating a young child’s social, emotional, and cognitive development in collaboration with the child’s parent and significant caretakers, the guide is intended to help child care providers find effective ways to work with children who are experiencing multiple challenges.
http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/premium-publications/allpubs/svp05-0151/ 

Autism spectrum disorders: Screening and early identification.
Responding to the interest of the National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders, NECTAC queried Part C and Section 619 Coordinators about their screening measures, diagnostic instruments and procedures, and trends in identifying young children with ASD under the age of five years. Hot off the press, here’s what NECTAC found (4 pages).
http://www.nectac.org/~pdfs/pubs/queries/queries_asdscreening.pdf

And speaking of autism spectrum disorders …
The Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Library offers a new edition of its knowledge path on ASD, an electronic guide to resources about screening for ASD, diagnosis, treatment and intervention, communication, education, vocational challenges, and impact on family life. Available online at:
http://www.mchlibrary.info/KnowledgePaths/kp_autism.html
 
What does the research have to say about early childhood transition?
OSEP asked the National Early Childhood Transition Center (NECTC) to review the literature on early childhood transition, with a special focus on children with disabilities and their families. Interested? Read what emerged from NECTC’s review of the literature from 1990 to 2006.
Full report, at:
http://www.hdi.uky.edu/NECTC/Publications/papers.aspx
Summary of the major findings, at:
http://www.hdi.uky.edu/NECTC/Publications/transalterts.aspx

Young learners and assistive technology (AT): How to’s.
CITEd (the Center for Implementing Technology in Education) bundles several resources into a tidy package about using AT with young children. The package includes:
FAQs on AT and young children.
What are the benefits of using AT with young children? Can a child be too young for AT? Find the answers to these and many more frequently asked questions about the use of technology during early childhood.
http://www.asu.edu/clas/tnt/home_files/e_faq.html

Help for young learners: How to choose AT.
AT can be used to improve the social and cognitive participation and growth of young children with disabilities. Read CITEd’s Info Brief for more information and a six-step guide to AT decision making for young learners.
http://ldonline.org/article/8088

Technology to bring early childhood programs to scale.
Watch and listen as Dr. Landry, a nationally recognized expert in early childhood education, discusses her use of technology to prepare young children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to start school. (The link below will take you to “For Administrators” within CITEd’s Learning Center. Look under “Featured Resources” and you’ll see the title. Click on it and watch the show.)
http://www.cited.org/index.aspx?page_id=57

SCHOOLS, K-12

And the 2009 National Teacher of the Year is….
…a special educator! Anthony Mullen is an educator at the ARCH School in Greenwich, Connecticut and was chosen for the honor by the Council of Chief State School Officers. He’s also a retired NYPD police officer who now works in an alternative education branch for at-risk kids. He’s quoted in the New York Daily News as saying, “The investigator in me was looking for a common thread that linked all good teachers. And I finally came to realize that the very best teachers have one common quality–they know how to read a story” that each kid brings to the classroom in themselves. Read more at:
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/education/2009/04/29/2009-04-29_exfinest_top_teach_in_us.html

Developing a Positive School Climate.
The April newsletter of the Center for Comprehensive School Reform and
Improvement examines the research base behind school climate and what school administrators can do to create a positive school climate that enhances the learning environment and improves perceptions among students, staff, parents, and community members.
http://www.centerforcsri.org/files/TheCenter_NL_Apr09.pdf

What teachers should know about cultural and linguistic differences.
This IRIS Center module examines the ways in which culture influences the daily interactions that occur across all classrooms and provides practice for enhancing culturally responsive teaching.
http://www.iriscenter.com/resource_TOOL_new/new_materials.html

Working with the school nurse to promote educational success for students with health needs.
Also from the IRIS Center, this module is designed for school personnel who may be collaborating with the school nurse during IEP meetings or during other occasions involving the health problems of students with disabilities.
http://www.iriscenter.com/nur02_schoolnurse/chalcycle.htm

RTI for students struggling with math.
New from IES, here’s Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics: Response to Intervention (RtI) for Elementary and Middle Schools. 
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/pdf/practiceguides/rti_math_pg_042109.pdf

The 2009 Red Book on work incentives is out!
The Red Book is a guide to the employment-related provisions of Social Security Disability Insurance and the Supplemental Security Income Programs for educators, advocates, rehabilitation professionals, and counselors serving people with disabilities. It’s available online at:
http://www.ssa.gov/redbook/ 

STATE & SYSTEM TOOLS

Computer-based testing accommodations.
This month’s edition of the Family Center on Technology and Disability’s News and Notes focuses on computer-based testing accommodations and universally-designed assessments. 
http://www.fctd.info/resources/newsletters/index.php 

Universal design for learning: Policy challenges and recommendations.
This proceedings document from Project Forum provides an introduction that includes federal education regulatory language for universal design for learning (UDL). It summarizes panel presentations from the higher education, state-level, local-level and national-level perspectives. Throughout the panel and during the subsequent group discussions, several suggestions and proposed strategies to improve policy to impact implementation of UDL were given by participants. These are summarized.
http://www.projectforum.org/ 

Support for educating English language learners in high school.  
As more English language learners (ELLs) enter schools across the country, it has become increasingly important for states to provide the appropriate guidance and support to local educational agencies (LEAs) so that ELLs are able to graduate and succeed after high school. This document reports practices that emerged from a 5-year study of the educational environment for ELLs in California and has implications across the country.
http://www.betterhighschools.org/docs/EducatingELLsattheHSLevel_042209.pdf

Autism spectrum disorders: What states are doing to serve a growing population.
This document from Project Forum describes approaches states are using as part of their initiatives to identify and address the needs of children and youth with ASD.
http://projectforum.org/docs/ASD-StatePartCandPartBInitiativestoServeAGrowingPopulation.pdf 

Accommodations issues (from the Standards and Assessments Peer Review).
This report is the second in a three-part series providing information to states about the monitoring of accommodations to address the question of how states meet the NCLB requirement to routinely monitor the extent to which test accommodations are consistent with those provided during instruction, specifically for students with IEPs. This technical report provides a comprehensive analysis of the peer review guidance information and the methodology used in the research, as well as summarizing themes found across multiple peer reviews of state assessment systems.
http://cehd.umn.edu/nceo/OnlinePubs/Tech51/Technical51.pdf 

Implementing RTI using Title I, Title III, and CEIS funds.
This presentation in PDF from the U.S. Department of Education addresses how funds under Title I and Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CEIS) funds under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) may be used to support Response to Intervention (RTI) in public schools.
http://www.ed.gov/programs/titleiparta/08-0398rti.pdf 

Guide to federal sources for asset-building initiatives.
This guide aims to help policy makers and initiative leaders identify federal funding sources to support asset-building initiatives for low-income families, individuals with disabilities, youth, and others at the state, local, and community levels.
http://www.financeproject.org/premium-publications/FindingFunding_AssetBuildingInititatives.pdf

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Calls to Participate

NIDRR Proposed Priorities
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-10653.htm
The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) is proposing funding priorities for its Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program: four priorities for Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers (RRTCs) and three for Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERCs). Funding priorities focus research attention on areas of national need. The Assistant Secretary may use these priorities for competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2009 and later years. Comments about this notice can be mailed to Donna Nangle, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, #6029, Potomac Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC 20202-2700; or by e-mail to donna.nangle@ed.gov, including the term “Proposed Priorities for RRTCs and RERCs” and the priority title in the subject line of the message. Deadline for comments: June 8, 2009.

The Lancet: Special Issue on Disability
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(09)60631-0/fulltext
The Lancet, the second-highest-ranked medical/health journal in the world, is preparing to publish a special issue later this year on the topic of disability which will coincide with World Disability Day on December 3, 2009. The deadline for submission of primary research papers is July 31, 2009.

Accelerate, a Juried Exhibition of Young Emerging Artists with Disabilities
http://www.vsarts.org/PreBuilt/showcase/gallery/exhibits/vw/current/
Very Special Arts (VSA) is now accepting entries for Accelerate, a national juried exhibition of young emerging artists with disabilities. The program is open to artists between the ages of 16 and 25, living in the United States, who have a physical, cognitive, mental, or sensory disability. Submissions must be original work completed within the last three years and after the onset of disability. Eligible media include, but are not limited to, paintings and drawings (oil, watercolor, acrylic, pencil, or charcoal), fine art prints, photography, computer-generated prints, digital art, and time-based media (video, film). Work must have a visual component. Both representational and abstract works are welcomed. The competition will present one grand prize of $20,000, a first award of $10,000, a second award of $6,000, and twelve awards of excellence of $2,000 each. Deadline: June 19, 2009.

New Initiatives at Think College
http://tinyurl.com/d9kot3 The Institute for Community Inclusion (UMass Boston) and its partner organizations have launched new two new major programs related to college for students with intellectual or developmental disabilities and need help to identify college programs or services that support students with intellectual disabilities. This information will be used to identify the characteristics and outcomes of these postsecondary education programs to further understand their impact on individuals with intellectual disabilities. If your college and/or school system has a program or provides services or if you know of any programs or services that exist in your community, region, or state, even if you are not directly involved, please contact them.

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Special Education Resources

A Developmental Perspective for High School Practitioners on College and Workplace Readiness 
Article
http://www.childtrends.org/Files//Child_Trends-2009_04_28_RB_HighSchoolPrac.pdf
This brief identifies gaps in current high school curricula, suggests how high schools can modify curricula to help students attain the skills they need, and highlights practices that are particularly effective for students facing specific challenges. Available in pdf (6 pages, 2.04 MKB).

A Developmental Perspective on Workplace Readiness: Preparing High School Students for Success  (April 2009) 
Article
http://www.childtrends.org/Files//Child_Trends-2009_04_28_RB_WorkReady.pdf
This brief highlights specific competencies in the areas of social, cognitive, and psychological development that research has identified as necessary for a person to become a valued and skilled employee and identifies strategies high schools can use to help young adults develop these competencies. Available in pdf (6 pages, 2.05 MKB).

Accelerated Learning for All: How Access to College Courses Can Help Struggling Students Graduate from High School and Succeed in College and Work Materials  (March 2009)
Proceedings
http://www.all4ed.org/events/early_collegeHS_initiative
The Accelerated Learning for All forum highlighted the Early College High School Initiative and the Gateway to College program and focused on the challenges of early college high schools, policies and practices to overcome those challenges, and the implications of these experiences for national and federal efforts to improve America’s schools.

Autism Spectrum Disorders: Knowledge Path  (April 2009)
Guide
http://www.mchlibrary.info/KnowledgePaths/kp_autism.html
The new edition of the knowledge path, an electronic guide to resources produced by the MCH Library, contains information on Web sites, publications, distance learning resources, databases, and social media. The knowledge path is intended for use by health professionals, educators, researchers, policymakers, and families and will be updated periodically.

Being a Friend Helps  (January 2009) 
Brochure
http://whatadifference.samhsa.gov/docs/NASC_English_web_508.pdf
SAMHSA’s whatadifference.org has released a brochure in (also available in Spanish) that gives advice on how to provide support and friendship to people living with mental illnesses. Available in pdf (8 pages, 1.03 MB).

Career-Focused Services for Students with Disabilities at Community Colleges  (March 2009) 
Case Study Report
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/assets/background/disabilities-and-community-colleges.pdf
Prepared by NCWD/Youth and Workforce strategy Center, this case study report examines the efforts of community colleges to function as intermediaries in meeting the local workforce development needs of employers. It identifies promising practice models of collaboration between career services and disability student services to promote career opportunities and job attainment for students with disabilities. Available in pdf (81 pages, 412 KB).

Cities in Crisis: Closing the Graduation Gap: Educational and Economic Conditions in America’s Largest Cities  (April 2009)
Report
http://tinyurl.com/cuue98
A report from America’s Promise Alliance shows that while the nation’s dropout rate is abysmal – one in four of all American kids fails to graduate – some cities with dire records have made great progress. The study, which looked at data from 1995 to 2005, found that 13 cities saw double-digit improvement in their graduation rates, with Philadelphia; Tucson, AZ; and Kansas City, MO, boosting rates by 20% or more. Still, urban districts in general struggle with daunting statistics: On average, only half the kids graduate in the 50 biggest U.S. cities, according to the report. Available in pdf (33 pages, 1.76 MB).

Coalition for Student Achievement’s Smart Options: Investing the Recovery Funds for Student Success  (April 2009)
Report
http://www.coalitionforstudentachievement.org/economic_rec.asp
The Coalition for Student Achievement, convened in response to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and composed of 50 national organizations, has issued “Smart Options: Investing the Recovery Funds for Student Success,” recommending that governors, state school officers, superintendents, and other education leaders invest federal stimulus dollars to improve student performance by: (1) developing national standards for evidence-based, college- and career-ready testing; (2) producing comprehensive data on what works for students that educators, policymakers, and parents can use; (3) clear, differentiated systems to evaluate teachers meaningfully; (4) turning around low-performing schools by providing new, quality education options; and (5) helping struggling students by providing targeted interventions in reading, writing, and mathematics.

Culture Card: A Guide to Build Cultural Awareness: American Indian and Alaska Native  (January 2009) 
Guide
http://download.ncadi.samhsa.gov/ken/pdf/SMA08-4354/CultureCard_AI-AN.pdf
This guide is intended to serve as a general briefing to enhance cultural competence while providing services to American Indian and Alaska Native Communities. Available in pdf (4 pages, 1.04 MB).

Disabilities and Reading: Understanding the Effects of Disabilities and Their Relationship to Reading Instruction and Assessment  (March 2009)
Report
http://www.readingassessment.info/resources/index.htm
This report from the Partnership for Accessible Reading Assessment (PARA) is intended to provide common ground on the issues surrounding reading and students with various disabilities to facilitate discussion of accessible reading assessment. The information in this report was obtained through a review of literature and Web sites of national agencies and organizations, along with input and feedback from professionals in disability and provides: (1) an overview of the characteristics of students with each disability, (2) a description of common approaches to reading instruction for students with each disability, and (3) assessment approaches and issues in assessing reading for students with each disability.

Disability History Guide  (2007) 
History Guide
http://www.ncld-youth.info/Downloads/disability_history_timeline.pdf
This guide, from the National Consortium on Leadership and Disability for Youth, helps those with and without disabilities learn about the rich history of people with disabilities. Although designed primarily for youth and emerging leaders with disabilities, it can be used to educate a broader audience as well. Starting shortly after the United States was founded, the guide features examples of the diversity, creativity, and leadership that have shaped the disability community and American culture. Available in pdf (36 pages, 1.70 MB).

Going to Work: A Guide to Social Security Benefits and Employment for Young People with Disabilities  (2009) 
Guide
http://www.communityinclusion.org/pdf/GTW2009.pdf
This guide, updated for 2009, provides practical, hands-on information about Social Security disability and health benefit programs for families and professionals working with young people. Available in pdf (40 pages, 705 KB).

Helping Students Who Struggle to Write: Classroom Accommodations  (2008)
Article
http://www.ldonline.org/article/30373
Students with learning disabilities often dread writing. Details of spelling, punctuation, word choice, organization, handwriting are so much to remember that the task can be overwhelming. This article, by educational therapist and expert on language learning disabilities Regina Richards, describes classroom accommodations to make the writing process easier for struggling students and their teachers.

Including People with Disabilities in National Volunteer Service Programs  (2009)List of Resources
http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/practices/topic/152
This list of resources, from the Corporation for National and Community Service, provides links to methods for including people with disabilities in national service programs, including accessibility assessments, mentoring, special education students as camp counselors, and many other ideas.

Learning Around the Clock: Benefits of Expanded Learning Opportunities for Older Youth  (March 2009)
Article
http://tinyurl.com/cqtzoq
American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF) has released a new publication, “Learning Around the Clock: Benefits of Expanded Learning Opportunities for Older Youth.” It profiles 22 programs that provide expanded learning opportunities (ELOs) for older youth and provides evidence that ELOs improve academic performance, college and career preparation, social and emotional development, and health and wellness for youth.

Preventing Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Disorders among Young People  (2009)
Book
http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12480#description
The costs of treatment for mental health and substance use disorders among children, youth, and young adults are threats to health and well-being that often carry over into adulthood and are an enormous burden on the affected individuals, their families, and society. Prevention practices that can impede the onset or reduce the severity of mental health and addictive disorders are therefore important. “Preventing Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Disorders Among Young People” updates a 1994 Institute of Medicine book, “Reducing Risks for Mental Disorders,” focusing attention on recent research and program experience. The book can be ordered as a physical book or as a pdf file at the Web site.

Southwest DBTAC’s Disability Law Handbook  (2009)
Handbook
http://www.swdbtac.org/html/premium-publications/dlh/index.html
The Southwest DBTAC’s Disability Law Handbook is available on their Web site. Copies can be downloaded and printed. The Handbook is a 50-page guide to the Americans with Disabilities Act and other disability related laws, answering frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the Americans with Disabilities Act, the ADA Amendments Act, the Rehabilitation Act, Social Security, the Air Carrier Access Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act, and the Fair Housing Act Amendments. The book is being translated into Spanish and the translation is expected to be available in June 2009.

Starting Points for Communities Developing New Transition Programs for Young People with Mental Health Difficulties  (2008) 
Article
http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/PDF/pbTI-StartingPointsForNewTransitionPrograms.pdf
The Research and Training Center for Family Support and Children’s Mental Health has published this article to address the challenges in developing effective transition services for young people with mental health difficulties. The information provided is based on literature, research with young people and families, and evaluations of transition programs. The document synthesizes lessons learned and advice gained from youth, families, and transition service providers, and outlines ten important points that communities should focus on in developing transition programs. Available in pdf (8 pages, 701 KB).

The Case for School-Based Integration of Services  (2009)
Brief
http://www.ppv.org/ppv/publication.asp?section_id=24&search_id=&publication_id=267
Public/Private Ventures Groundwork Series has issued this brief on the movement for schools as community centers, on one-stop shopping as an efficient combination for health care, out-of-school-time learning, and family, and schools as an appropriate hub.

The Latino Education Crisis: The Consequences of Failed Social Policies  (February 2009)
Brief
http://www.aypf.org/forumbriefs/2009/fb022709.htm
At this American Youth Policy forum Patricia Gandará presented findings from the book she co-authored. She described the persistent gaps between Latino and white students at every level of education and demonstrated the social, economic, and political implications of this crisis.

The National Center for Education Statistics within the Institute of Education Sciences: New Indicators of Career/Technical Education Coursetaking: Class of 2005  (April 2009)
Report
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2009038
This Statistics in Brief uses data from the 2005 High School Transcript Study to examine the career/technical education (CTE) coursetaking of public high school graduates using new indicators of participation. These indicators examine the extent to which students participate in CTE and in specific occupational areas (such as agriculture and business) broadly (many students earning credits) versus deeply (many credits earned by participating students).

Un Amigo Marca una Gran Diferencia  (January 2009) 
Brochure
http://whatadifference.samhsa.gov/docs/NASC_Spanish_web.pdf
SAMHSA’s whatadifference.org has released a brochure in Spanish (also available in English) that gives advice on how to provide support and friendship to people living with mental illnesses. Available in pdf (8 pages, 4.61 MB).

Universal Design for Learning: Policy Challenges and Recommendations  (April 2009)
Proceedings
http://www.projectforum.org/docs/UDL-PolicyChallengesandRecommendations.pdf
This policy forum proceedings document is an introduction that includes federal education regulatory language for universal design for learning (UDL). It summarizes panel presentations from higher education, state, local, and national perspectives, as well as suggestions and proposed strategies to improve policy in implementing UDL given by participants during the panels and subsequent group discussions. Available in pdf (29 pages, 344 KB).

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Get Wired!—The Latest on Websites and Listservs

Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) Web site
http://tinyurl.com/rybyyv
The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Web site proposes a broader definition of achievement and accountability that promotes the development of children who are healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged.

AUCD Launches Interdisciplinary Technical Assistance Center (ITAC) Web Site
http://www.aucd.org/itac/template/index.cfm
ITAC’s Web site provides up-to-date information and news related to the interdisciplinary training of professionals in autism and developmental disabilities. The resources section provides a wealth of materials and links for individuals and programs. Also included in the site are events, funding opportunities, links to MCHB and the State Public Health Autism Resource Center, and a directory of CAAI-funded training programs.

E-Learn Web site Offers GED Support
http://www.passged.com/
The E-Learn, Inc., Web site has numerous free articles and information developed to support learners preparing for the GED and the networks that serve them. The articles include frequently asked questions, GED eligibility, study skills, test tips, scores, and how to get motivated and manage test anxiety. Articles also address GED benefits and resources, from where to take tests and why they’re valuable, to guides for finding financial aid and support.

Institute for Community Inclusion Launches Webpage Capturing Promising Employment Practices
http://communityinclusion.org/doc.php?doc_id=83&type=project&id=54
The Institute for Community Inclusion has new information on its Web site on the integrated employment opportunities expanding for individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities. The site is designed to increase communication and broaden perceptions about improving employment outcomes at the system level.

New Web site for College-bound Students with Disabilities
http://www.going-to-college.org
This Web site has been developed to help high school students learn about college living with a disability. The site provides video clips, activities, and resources that can help students get started in planning for college. Video interviews with college students with disabilities offer firsthand experiences from students with disabilities who have been successful. Modules include activities that help students explore more about themselves, learn what to expect from college, and examine important considerations and tasks to complete when planning for college.

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Funding Forecast and Award Opportunities

Forecast of Funding Opportunities under the Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs for Fiscal Year 2008-2009
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/find/edlite-forecast.html
This document lists virtually all programs and competitions under which the U.S. Department of Education has invited or expects to invite applications for new awards for fiscal year 2008-2009 and provides actual or estimated deadlines for the transmittal of applications under these programs. The lists are in the form of charts organized according to the Department’s principal program offices and include programs and competitions previously announced as well as those to be announced at a later date.

FY 2008-2009 Discretionary Grant Application Packages
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html
This site, from the Department of Education, provides information on grant competitions that are currently open.

2009 CVS Caremark Charitable Trust Grants
http://www.cvscaremark.com/community/our-impact/charitable-trust/how-apply
The CVS Caremark Charitable Trust focuses primarily on supporting charitable organizations that make a difference in the lives of children with disabilities. Resources are also allocated to help support organizations focused on providing healthcare to the uninsured. Deadline: June 15, 2009.

Campbell, Inc: Labels for Education
http://www.labelsforeducation.com/about.aspx
The Labels for Education Program gives schools free educational equipment in exchange for labels from Campbell products. Maximum award: varies. Eligibility: Schools or parents can coordinate label drives to raise resources for schools. Deadline: N/A.

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

Gale/Library Media Connection TEAMS Award 
http://www.galeschools.com/pdf/TEAMS-form.pdf
The Gale/Library Media Connection TEAMS Award recognizes and encourages the critical collaboration between the teacher and media specialist to promote learning, increase student achievement and develop 21st century skills. Maximum award: $2,500. Eligibility: All K-12 public and private schools in the United States and Canada. Available in pdf (2 pages, 517 KB). Deadline: June 15, 2009.

Nature of Learning Grant Program Offers Support for Outdoor classroom Programs
http://tinyurl.com/csjls7
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is accepting applications from organizations interested in initiating a Nature of Learning program in their communities. This program is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuge System’s community-based environmental education initiative. It uses National Wildlife Refuges as outdoor classrooms to promote a understanding of local conservation issues, encourage an interdisciplinary approach to learning, and connect classroom lessons to real world issues through field experiences and student-led stewardship projects. First year start-up grants are available for up to $10,000. Second year follow-up grants of up to $5,000 are available to support continued implementation of the Nature of Learning program. Matching contributions are not required, but preference will be given to applications that leverage the grant award with contributions from project partners. Deadline: June 15, 2009.

Project Ignition
http://sfprojectignition.com/
Sponsored by the National Youth Leadership Council and State Farm, Project Ignition invites teams of high school students, teachers, and community program leaders to create innovative service-learning projects that promote teen driver safety. Grants will be awarded to a maximum of 25 programs. The grantees’ school will receive a $2,000 grant to implement their program in the fall. Teams will then conduct their projects and submit a portfolio of their work for judging. Deadline: June 30, 2009.

Public Welfare Foundation Grants for Organizations in Disadvantaged Communities
http://www.publicwelfare.org/ApplyGrant/Guidelines.aspx#deadlines
The Public Welfare Foundation supports organizations that address human needs in disadvantaged communities, with emphasis on organizations that include service, advocacy, and empowerment in their approach. The Foundation provides both general support and project-specific grants. Maximum award: $50,000. Eligibility: public and private entities, including nonprofit organizations and for-profit organizations. The foundation is currently focusing on three program areas: criminal and juvenile justice, health reform, and workers’ rights. Deadline: July 29, 2009.

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

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

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

Save Our History Community Education and Preservation Projects
http://www.history.com/minisites/saveourhistory/
A total of $250,000 will be awarded to history organizations that partner with schools or youth groups on preservation projects that engage school-age children in learning about, documenting, and preserving the history of their communities. Eligible applicants are required to be nonprofit 501(c)(3) history organizations such as a museum, historical society, preservation organization, historic site, library, or archive. Other eligible applicants include local government agencies such as a parks and recreation commission, historic commission, department of local history, or other local government agency that owns and/or operates a historic site or property. Applicants must be located in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia. Applicants must partner with local elementary, middle, or high school(s), or organization(s) that provides educational programming for children of similar ages to design a historic education and preservation project. Deadline: June 5, 2009.

State Farm/National Youth Leadership Council: Project Ignition
http://www.sfprojectignition.com/
State Farm and the National Youth Leadership Council are sponsoring Project Ignition, which funds programs that give high school students and their teachers the chance to work together to address the issue of teen driver safety, with awards of up to $10,000 for teen-driver safety efforts. Eligibility: students grades 9-12. Deadline: June 30, 2009.

The Joshua O’Neill and Zeshan Tabani Enrichment Fund
http://tinyurl.com/cjyo27
The Joshua O’Neill and Zeshan Tabani Enrichment Fund offers financial assistance to young adults with Down syndrome who wish to enrich their lives by enrolling in postsecondary programs or taking classes that will help them gain employment, independent living skills, life skills, or others. Up to five grants will be awarded, each grant not to exceed $1000, and the grant may be used to pay for the tuition for a course or postsecondary program at a local college, educational institution, learning center or employment training program. Deadline: July 17, 2009.

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.

Project Vision
http://www.proyectovision.net/english/opportunities/scholarships.html
Project Vision lists scholarships available specifically for students with disabilities, including nearly 50 that have their application deadlines in March, April, and May.

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.

Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars
http://www.twc.edu/students/how_to_apply.shtml
The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars helps increase scholarship opportunities for students with disabilities. The Washington Center will complement students’ professional experience with solid academic training for credit from highly qualified instructors. In addition, students will be exposed to community, national and international leaders through workshops, seminars, lectures, embassy visits and networking events held throughout the course of each semester. Deadline for Fall 2009 applications: June 12, 2009.

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

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

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

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

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Acknowledgements

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

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

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

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