May 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

Intersection: Navigating the Road to Work

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

U.S. Education Secretary Duncan Announces Appointments at the U.S. Department of Education

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today announced the appointment of Robert Shireman as deputy undersecretary and Massie Ritsch as deputy assistant secretary for External Affairs and Outreach at the U.S. Department of Education.

In his role, Shireman will advise the Department on college financial issues and other higher education initiatives. A leading expert on college access and financial aid, he previously served as a congressional appointee to the Federal Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, an advisor to U.S. Sen. Paul Simon and as part of President Clinton’s White House National Economic Council. Shireman is founder of the Institute for College Access and Success and the Project on Student Debt. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from University of California at Berkeley and masters’ degrees from Harvard in education and the University of San Francisco in public administration.

Ritsch will oversee outreach to education associations, foundations and think-tanks. He comes to the Department from his job as communications director at the Center for Responsive Politics where he served as chief strategist for the organization and, among other duties, oversaw the organization’s award-winning Website, OpenSecrets.org. Ritsch also served as vice president of the Sugerman Communications Group in Los Angeles, where he helped salvage public funds for a consortium of innovative schools chartered by the Los Angeles Board of Education, as well as garner support for a universal preschool initiative. Prior to his time at Sugerman, Ritsch covered local education issues and the 2000 presidential campaign for the Los Angeles Times. He received his bachelor’s degree in politics from Princeton University.

Nearly $1.4 Billion in Recovery Funds Now Available for Illinois to Save Teaching Jobs and Drive Education Reform

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today announced that nearly $1.4 billion is now available for Illinois 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 thousands of teaching jobs at risk of state and local budget cuts.

“The real impact of the nearly $2 billion Illinois has received so far will be determined not at the federal level, but at the local level in districts across the state,” Duncan said. “We will be watching to see if Illinois state leaders, superintendents, principals and teachers seize this critical opportunity to turn around whole systems and schools.”

Illinois is receiving $1.4 billion today per the State’s successful completion of Part 1 of the State Stabilization Application, which was made available April 1. Eighty two percent of these funds are to be distributed to public elementary, secondary, and higher education institutions, with the remaining 18 percent to be available for education, school modernization, public safety, or other government services. Illinois, California and South Dakota are the first three states to successfully complete applications and be approved for the first round of state stabilization funding. Illinois will be eligible to apply for another $678 million in state stabilization funds this fall.

To date, Illinois has received nearly $500 million in education stimulus funds—representing a combination of funding for Title I, IDEA, Vocational Rehabilitation grants, Independent Living grants, Impact Aid dollars and Homeless Education grants. On April 1, Illinois received more than $210 million in Title I funding and more than $270 million in IDEA funding. This amount represents 50 percent of the total Title I and IDEA funding for which Illinois is eligible. On April 1, Illinois also received more than $10 million in Vocational Rehab funds and nearly $2 million in Independent Living funds. On April 10, the state received more than $624,000 in Impact Aid Funding and $2.6 million in Homeless Education grants.
In order to receive today’s funds, Illinois provided assurances that they 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.

Illinois is also required by the U.S. 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.
To view Illinois’s application, please visit: http://www.ed.gov/programs/statestabilization/resources.html.

$108.8 Million in Stimulus Funds Available for Targeted School Construction and Homeless Student Programs

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today announced that $108.8 million in funding for targeted students and communities is now available to states under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. Today’s announcement follows the first $44 billion in education-related Recovery funds made available on April 1.

The release of funds includes $39.6 million in 180 Impact Aid Construction grants for communities with military bases, Indian reservations and other federal property that do not generate local tax revenues. Another $69.2 million in 52 Homeless Children and Youth grants helps states and school districts meet the educational and related needs of homeless students.

“Given our difficult economic circumstances, it’s very important that targeted communities and at-risk populations benefit immediately from the stimulus program,” Duncan said. “These investments will create jobs and boost local economies, while also helping raise student achievement.”
The Impact Aid Construction grants, which will be distributed by formula, can help repair and modernize schools and alleviate overcrowding. State agencies will receive the Homeless Children and Youth funds by formula and may distribute them to districts via formula or competitive process.

Secretary Duncan Announces Appointment of Glenn Cummings as Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Vocational & Adult Education

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today announced the appointment of Glenn Cummings as Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Vocational & Adult Education, where he will help administer, and coordinate programs that are related to adult education and literacy, career and technical education, and community colleges. The programs and grants managed by the Office of Vocational and Adult Education support a wide range of activities that help prepare young people and adults for further education and successful careers. These investments total approximately $1.9 billion annually.

Glenn Cummings is the former Speaker of the House in the Maine House of Representatives where he provided leadership for the passage of a bi-partisan biennial budget; brokered an agreement on the largest economic investment bond package in the state’s history; and led a bi-partisan effort to increase higher education appropriations. In his time in the legislature, Cummings has also served as Majority Leader and as the House Chair on the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. Cummings will be leaving his position as Dean of Advancement at Southern Maine Community College where he also founded the Entrepreneurial Center. He recently served as Co-Chair of the Obama for Maine campaign. Prior to his work in the legislature, Cummings served as Executive Director of the Portland Partnership where he built strategic partnerships between businesses and high school students.

Cummings is working on his Doctorate in Higher Education Management from the University of Pennsylvania and has previously earned a Masters of Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, a Master of Arts in Teaching from Brown University and a Bachelor of Arts from Ohio Wesleyan University.

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Update From The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

It All Starts in Families and Communities

Is your child going to repeat a grade in school?
We are coming up on the time when schools advise many parents that their child will be retained in grade because of making insufficient progress. If this sounds familiar, then you may find a new issue of the Wrightslaw newsletter a real tour de force on challenging that decision.
http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/retain.letter.htm 

Parents as collaborative leaders.
This new online Parent Leadership Training Curriculum, a joint project of the University of Vermont and the PACER Center, empowers parents of children with disabilities to advocate for change.
http://www.uvm.edu/~pcl/modules.php

IEP team meetings: A guide for participation for parents.
http://www.nasponline.org/families/iep.pdf (English) 
http://www.nasponline.org/families/iep_sp.pdf (Spanish) 

25 parent tips for an effective IEP meeting.
Courtesy of the Matrix Parent Network and Resource Center.
http://www.matrixparents.org/pub/pdf/25IEPTips4.08.pdf (English)
http://www.matrixparents.org/pub/Spanish%20pdf/25consejosdelpadreIEP.pdf (Spanish)

Don’t forget NICHCY’s All about the IEP pages.
Everything you ever wanted to know about IEPs, suggestions for developing them, the in’s-and-out’s of IEP meetings, and loads of connections to resources on the crown jewel of special education.
http://www.nichcy.org/EducateChildren/IEP/Pages/default.aspx

And what about your child’s placement?
NICHCY recently launched a section of our website focused on all things “placement,” especially considering LRE (least restrictive environment) in placement decisions. Find out more about the tools and services available to children to support their placement in the regular educational environment, the first option the IEP team considers and that IDEA strongly prefers. 
http://www.nichcy.org/EducateChildren/placement/Pages/default.aspx

Reusing assistive technology.
OSERS is taking the lead on a national level to promote and encourage AT reuse through grants to state agencies, non-profit organizations and other entities to support AT reuse. OSERS also is funding a national coordination center, the Pass It On Center, which encourages people to offer assistive technology devices for donation, for sale or purchase to others who may benefit from using technology unneeded or discarded equipment. Many AT Exchanges are operated through state AT Act Programs and function like a classified advertisement in your local newspaper. Visit this interactive map to identify reuse locations in your state: 
http://passitoncenter.org/locations/Search.aspx 

The Brain Spot and TBI.
This website is designed for persons with TBI who are learning to use the
Internet or are frustrated by other complicated web sites. 
http://www.unc.edu/depts/recreate/spot/frame.html

A new website in Spanish on bipolar disorder and depression.
Courtesy of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance!
http://www.dbsalianza.org/

And from NCEO, also something in Spanish.
NCLB e IDEA: Lo que los Padres de Estudiantes con Discapacidades Necesitan Saber y Hacer is the Spanish translation of NCLB and IDEA: What Parents of Students with Disabilities Need to Know and Do.
http://cehd.umn.edu/nceo/OnlinePubs/NCLBeIDEA.pdf

What about that adolescent of yours? Do tell.
The University of Illinois at Chicago is looking for parents and caregivers of children aged 12-18 with special needs to complete a Web-based survey on the lifestyle and environment of adolescents with disabilities. Access the survey at
http://www.healthforyouth.org/ and enter the access code: ECP3. 

A Guide to Social Security Benefits and Employment for Young People with Disabilities (2009 Edition).
This booklet from the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) provides basic information about Social Security disability and health benefit programs, discusses what happens to Social Security disability and health benefits when a young person goes to work, and explains how to maximize a young person’s options when he or she goes to work.
http://www.communityinclusion.org/article.php?article_id=211 

Disclosure of disability information at a one-stop career center: Tips and guidelines.
One-Stops Career Centers (One-Stops) were established under the federal Workforce Investment Act to provide a full range of job seeker assistance under one roof. One-Stops are located at a variety of locations in each state, with more than 3,200 centers across the country. More than 13 million people per year use the One-Stop system. Many are people with disabilities. Should they disclose their disability when they use the One-Stop?
http://www.communityinclusion.org/article.php?article_id=269

The Little Ones: Early Intervention/Early Childhood

What the stimulus bill means for those involved in early childhood work.
The Council for Exceptional Children has done us all a favor with its Questions & Answers: How the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Impacts Special Education and Early Intervention, which summarizes the portions of ARRA that CEC believes will be of particular interest to professionals who work on behalf of students with disabilities and/or gifts and talents. – Click Here

More on the the ARRA and early childhood.
NECTAC has reviewed and organized key ARRA resources on its Web site, including links to the law and the official federal site, as well as guidance from the U.S. Department of Education. NECTAC also link to summaries of the early
childhood provisions in the law and analyses and/or recommendations from various organizations on the use of ARRA funds.
http://www.nectac.org/arra.asp

The 2009 Section 619 Profile is out!
Also from NECTAC, the profile updates information provided by state coordinators on state policies, programs, and practices under the Preschool Grants Program (Section 619 of Part B) of IDEA. 
http://www.nectac.org/pubs/titlelist.asp#sec619_16

New PEELS report: The Early School Transitions and the Social Behavior of Children with Disabilities.
The National Center for Special Education Research has released the third major report from the Pre-Elementary Education Longitudinal Study (PEELS). This report describes changes in services and eligibility at times of transition, transitions into kindergarten, and social skills and problem behavior of young children with disabilities.
http://www.peels.org/reports.asp

Inclusion.
The 9th National Early Childhood Inclusion Institute will be held July 14-16, 2009 in Chapel Hill, NC. Interested? Find out all at:
http://www.nectac.org/~meetings/inclusionmtg2009/splash.html

Research into early childhood education is afoot.
Funded by IES (Institute of Education Sciences), the National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education focuses on conducting research, disseminating research findings, and carrying out leadership activities aimed at improving the quality of early childhood education across the United States.
www.ncrece.org

Early childhood assessment videos.
The Colorado Department of Education’s Results Matter program has developed a series of videos on ways to use observation, documentation, and assessment to inform practice. Titles include but aren’t limited to: Linking Documentation and Curriculum; The Essential Role of Observation and Documentation; and Sharing Documentation with Families. Hear practitioners talk about their exemplary practices and also watch them in action. You can view the clips online or download QuickTime versions of the videos to use in educational and professional development activities.
http://www.cde.state.co.us/resultsmatter/RMVideoSeries.htm

And a video on developmentally appropriate practice.
This video, developed by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is 53 minutes online and demonstrates teachers and children interacting in a classroom, with input from experts on the practices being observed.
http://www.naeyc.org/dap/resources.asp

RTI in preschool.
Roadmap to Pre-K RTI: Applying Response to Intervention in Preschool Settings is a report from the RTI Action Network. It explains how the essential components of RTI (universal screening and progress monitoring with research-based, tiered interventions) can be applied in preschool settings.
http://www.rtinetwork.org/Learn/RTI-in-Pre-Kindergarten

Did you know there was a center on RTI in preschools?
Neither did we. But fortunately there is—the Center for Response to Intervention in Early Childhood. Lots of very interesting info on its site, too.
http://www.crtiec.org/

Schools, K-12

ARRA and the Department of Education.
The Department of Education has created a specific web page on the ARRA (American Recovery Reinvestment Act). Currently, it offers the press release; a more detailed fact sheet; an overview to understand how the funds will impact you, your students, and your school; and links to budget information, including state-by-state allocations for formula-based programs, as well as a brief “video statement” by Secretary  Arne Duncan.  Additional information on the act will be posted as it becomes available. 
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/ 

2009 Web conference series on positive behavior support.
TASH offers a 6-part series called Positive Behavior Support: Designing and Implementing Effective Support Plans. Schedule: April 15th, 22nd, 29th, May 6th, 13th and 20th. Registration fees apply. Sign up at:
http://www.tash.org/index.html

Reducing behavior problems in the elementary school classroom.
From IES, this practice guide provides information to help elementary school educators as well as school and district
administrators develop and implement effective prevention and intervention strategies that promote positive student behavior.
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/pdf/practiceguides/behavior_pg_092308.pdf

PBIS in the classroom.
Universal Positive Behavior Support for the Classroom is now available on PBIS.ORG. The newsletter describes core components and strategies for effective behavior support in a classroom setting.
http://pbis.org/pbis_newsletter/volume_4/issue4.aspx

Preventing mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders among young people.
The National Research Council and Institute of Medicine report that young people experience mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders as commonly as they experience fractured limbs, costing the U.S. an estimated $247 billion  annually. The report highlights classroom and other interventions that work.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12480

RTI for struggling readers.
Also new from IES, here’s Assisting Students Struggling with Reading: Response to Intervention (RtI) and Multi-Tier Intervention in the Primary Grades. Teachers and reading specialists can utilize these strategies to implement RtI and multi-tier intervention methods and frameworks at the classroom or school level. Recommendations cover how to screen students for reading problems, design a multi-tier intervention program, adjust instruction to help struggling readers, and monitor student progress.
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/premium-publications/practiceguides/

RTI for principals.
From the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Principal Leadership, here’s one resource in two parts. Part 1 gives a general explanation of RTI, its importance to secondary school principals, and a description of the components of effective RTI programs. Part 2 discusses tiered interventions including whole-school, small-group, and individual interventions that make RTI initiatives successful. Both parts are available via the Center on Instruction.
http://centeroninstruction.org/resources.cfm?category=specialed&subcategory=&grade_start=&grade_end

Glossary of RTI terms.
Have you ever asked what the difference is between curriculum-based assessment and curriculum-based measurement? Have you heard of standard treatment protocol but are unsure as to what it means? Find these answers and more in this new Glossary of RTI terms from the National Center on Response to Intervention.
http://www.rti4success.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1132&Itemid=142

TBI: Identification, assessment, classroom accommodations.
This 17-page publication gives a general overview of how schools can best meet the needs of students with traumatic brain injury.
http://www.mssm.edu/tbicentral/resources/premium-publications/students_with_tbi.shtml

New IDEA requirement: You know that “summary of student achievement” that’s due for some students?
IDEA 2004 added a new requirement for school systems with respect to certain students with disabilities who are exiting secondary school with a regular diploma or because of “aging out” of eligibility for FAPE under state law. Now, for each such student, schools must provide a summary of the student’s academic achievement and functional performance, including recommendations on how to assist the youth in meeting his or her postsecondary goals. If your school system is wondering how to fulfill this new requirement, here’s an example of how one local district is.
http://www.vase.k12.il.us/Forms/SOP.html

And how are states measuring student progress toward IEP goals?
If a student’s IEP has no benchmarks or short-term objectives, how is progress toward his or her annual goals measured? This February 2009 brief policy analysis from Project Forum describes the policies and practices that states have instituted to ensure that IEP teams provide for this. The analysis was based on data received from a survey of  all states and a follow up interview with three states. Mechanisms to  measure student progress on IEP goals across the nation and specific state strategies for tracking this progress are described.
http://projectforum.org/docs/StateTrackingtoMeasureStudentProgressTowardIEPGoals.pdf

FAPE under Section 504.
The U.S. Department of Education provides an overview of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which states that school districts are required to provide a “free appropriate public education” (FAPE) to each qualified person with a disability who is in the school district’s jurisdiction, regardless of the nature or severity of the person’s disability. This ED publication answers three questions about FAPE according to Section 504: (1) Who is entitled to a free appropriate public education? (2) How is an appropriate education defined? and (3) How is a free education defined?
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/FAPE504.pdf

Study gives edge to 2 math programs.
Two programs for teaching mathematics in the early grades are Math Expressions and Saxon Math. These two have also emerged as winners in early findings released last week from a large-scale federal experiment that pits four popular, and philosophically distinct, math curricula against one another. So reports Education Week, at:
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2009/03/04/23math-2.h28.html

State and System Tools

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan talks with Education Week.
See the video. In an exclusive interview with Education Week, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan discussed the
administration’s ideas on removing ineffective teachers, implementing performance pay, and holding education schools
accountable for their graduates’ performance.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/section/video-galleries/27duncan_interview.html

Determinations of LEA Compliance with IDEA: Strategies and Resources Used by States.
This brief policy analysis presents IDEA 2004 language requiring states to make annual determinations each local education agency. Findings from a survey to which 45 state directors of special education responded are described. Findings include processes states use in making determinations, resources used, enforcement actions taken and benefits and challenges encountered in making determinations. A discussion follows.
http://projectforum.org/docs/DeterminationsofLEACompliancewithIDEA-StrategiesandResourcesUsedbyStates.pdf

Stimulus package to impact education technology.
The ARRA doubles the current federal budget for education technology, allocating $650 million to states for education technology initiatives. Learn about the funding opportunities that are coming your way, as part of Education Week’s ongoing analysis of Schools and the Stimulus.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2009/02/25/22stimtech.h28.html

The NAEP and students with disabilities.
Measuring the Status and Change of NAEP State Inclusion Rates for Students with Disabilities explains that, since the late 1990s, participation rates of students with disabilities in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) from different states have fluctuated. To address concerns that these changes may affect the validity of reports on achievement trends, NAEP has instituted policies for providing test accommodations for students with disabilities; developed a methodology to correct for the bias resulting from changing inclusion rates; and implemented procedures to increase the number of students with disabilities who are included as test takers.
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2009453 

How’s your state doing on educational technology?
Technology Counts 2009: Breaking Away From Tradition focuses on how online education is expanding opportunities for raising student achievement. You will want to see how your state’s use of educational technology compares to the rest of the country.  Use the interactive maps and state data comparison tool to get the benchmarking information you need.
http://www.edweek.org/go/tc09

Guidance from the Department to assist in establishing uniform high school graduation rate.
The U.S. Department of Education has released non-regulatory guidance to implement a uniform and accurate measure of the high school graduation rate that is comparable across states. The non-regulatory guidance provides states, local education agencies, and schools with information about how to implement the uniform graduation rate regulations, including making data public so that educators and parents can compare how students of every race, background and income level are performing.
http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/guid/hsgrguidance.pdf

GAO report on young adults with serious mental iIllness and transition.
The transition to adulthood can be difficult for young adults who live with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Due to concerns about young adults with serious mental illness transitioning into adulthood, GAO was asked to provide information on (1) the number of these young adults and their demographic characteristics, (2) the challenges they face, (3) how selected states assist them, and (4) how the federal government supports states in serving these young adults and coordinates programs that can assist them.  Highlights from the report:
http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08678high.pdf
The full report:
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08678.pdf

The ADA Amendments Act of 2008.
The new ADAA became effective on January 1, 2009. While the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has not yet completed the regulations for the new legislation, the Job Accommodation Network has developed a publication and a resource page featuring information that is currently available about the Act. The new publication is called JAN’s
Accommodation and Compliance Series: The ADA Amendments Act of 2008. It will be periodically updated as additional information is made public and can be found at http://www.jan.wvu.edu/LINKS/adalinks.htm

Scaling up evidence-based practices in education.
The State Implementation of Scaling-up Evidence-based Practices (SISEP) Center and the National Implementation Research Network (NIRN) have recently released the following summary briefs on implementing and scaling up
evidence-based practices in education. Titles include:
• Scaling up evidence-based practices in education.
http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~nirn/resources/detail.cfm?resourceID=224
• Intensive technical assistance.
http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~nirn/resources/detail.cfm?resourceID=225
• Readiness for change.
http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~nirn/resources/detail.cfm?resourceID=226
• Implementation: The missing link between research and practice.
http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~nirn/resources/detail.cfm?resourceID=227

Dropout prevention: An IES practice guide.
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/pdf/practiceguides/dp_pg_090308.pdf

Special Focus: Transitions

There are many different points in time where transitions occur. Our children exit early intervention (Part C) and move on to preschool (Part B), and on down the line—kindergarten, elementary, middle school, high school, adulthood. Here’s a selection of resources along that very continuum.

School transition in your child’s future? Tips for a smooth transition.
The March 2009 newsletter from the Matrix Parent Network and Resource Center tackles the issue.
http://www.matrixparents.org/pub/newsletters.htm

Out of early intervention and into preschool.
Check out NICHCY’s resource page, if your youngster with disabilities is moving from Part C services to Part B and preschool.
http://www.nichcy.org/babies/TransitionToPreschool/Pages/Default.aspx

Transitioning from elementary school to middle school.
This 2-pager from Matrix will also give you food for thought.
http://www.matrixparents.org/pub/pdf/Transitioning_from_Elementary_to_Middle_School.pdf

Or from middle school to high school.
Another 2-pager from Matrix, to go with our theme of transitions.
http://www.matrixparents.org/pub/pdf/Transition_From_Middle_to_High_School1.pdf

And the BIG transition: From high school to adult life.
http://www.matrixparents.org/pub/pdf/TransitioningFromHighSchooltoAdultLife.pdf

For that adolescent of yours: A Life 4 Me.
This site is for middle school youth with disabilities. The site includes activities and resources directed at futures planning.
http://www.alifeforme.com

In Spanish: Getting ready for postsecondary education?
The U.S. Department of Education offers Preparacion Para La Educacion Postsecundaria Para Los Estudiantes Con Discapacidades: Conozca Sus Derechos Y Responsabilidades (Students With Disabilities Preparing For Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities).
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/transition-sp.html?exp=3

Transition videos for students.
The OSEP-funded NSTTAC focuses exclusively on transition to adulthood. They’ve just posted three new videos on their home page. The first gives a 16-minute overview of the NSTTAC website. The second and third videos are for students. The second video guides students through the writing of personal post-secondary goals, while the third video gets them acquainted with the Summary of Performance (SOP) now required by IDEA when students with disabilities exit secondary school.
http://www.nsttac.org 

Going to college?
Going to College is a new Web site with information about living college life with a disability. It is designed for teens with disabilities and  provides video clips, activities, information, and additional resources that can help students get a head start in planning for college.
http://www.going-to-college.org/

Health care for transitioning youth.
As a natural part of growing up, adolescents becoming adults must become responsible for their health care. Taking responsibility for one’s own health care, as developmentally able, is part of becoming independent from one’s family and finding a place in the adult community. If you’re looking for a wealth of resources on making that transition, you will be thrilled at the connections the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) has assembled. It’s waiting at your fingers, at: http://www.aucd.org/template/page.cfm?id=618 

Directory of projects and centers focusing on transition.
The Federal Interagency Partners in Transition Workgroup has developed “Strengthening Transition Partnerships: Building Federal TA Center  Capacity,” a directory of federally funded projects and centers focusing  on youth transition. The directory includes 15 descriptions detailing the name of the project or center, the funding agency, and the target audience,  as well as descriptions of each center’s purpose, services provided, and links to center websites and publications. The document is not exhaustive of all transition services extended through federal, state, or local entities. Available in pdf (16 pages).
http://tinyurl.com/d3t6ov 

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Calls to Participate

Beach Center Re-Launches Family Support Community
http://beachcop.beachcenter.org/CommunityBrowser.aspx?id=393&lang=en-US
This Community of Practice is re-launched with discussion boards addressing various disability topics.

What Kids Can Do: Speech Contest 2009
http://www.wkcd.org/featurestories/2009/03_WKCD%20speech%20contest/index.html
As Graduation Day approaches, What Kids Can Do invites students to raise their voice and let others know what matters most to them now and in the years ahead. This year’s theme: “Crisis and Hope in These Trying Times.” Maximum award: $100 gift certificate from amazon.com. Eligibility: anyone from age 12 to 19, writing in English. Deadline: May 18, 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

An Analysis of Accommodations Issues from the Standards and Assessments Peer Review  (December 2008) 
Report
http://cehd.umn.edu/nceo/OnlinePubs/Tech51/Technical51.pdf
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. Available in pdf (39 pages, 792 KB).

Thinking About the Students Who May Qualify to Participate in An Alternate Assessment Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards (AA-MAS): A Tool for Study Groups  (December 2008)
Report
http://cehd.umn.edu/nceo/OnlinePubs/AA-MAStool.htm
The Alternate Assessment based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards (AA-MAS) was introduced to states on April 9, 2007, through a regulation to both the No Child Left Behind Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This publication describes an activity used by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction to learn more about the characteristics of students who may qualify to participate in an alternate assessment based on modified academic achievement standards (AA-MAS). Wisconsin is a member of the Multi-state GSEG Consortium Toward a Defensible AA-MAS.

Trends in the Participation and Performance of Students with Disabilities  (November 2008)
NCSET Information Brief
http://cehd.umn.edu/nceo/OnlinePubs/TrendsBrief/trends_brief.htm
This NCEO brief describes the results of an analysis of trends in the public reporting of state assessment results for students with disabilities.

2009 OSEP National Parent Center Conference Materials Available Online  (2009)
Presentation Materials
http://www.taalliance.org/conferences/2009/agenda.asp
PowerPoint presentations and other materials from presentations made at “High Expectations, Endless Possibilities,” the January 2009 OSEP National Parent Center Conference, are available online at the Technical Assistance ALLIANCE for Parent Centers web site. A number of conference sessions focused on issues of importance to transition-age youth and their families.

2009 Red Book – A Guide to Work Incentives  (April 2009)
Guide
http://www.ssa.gov/redbook/
The Red Book serves as a general reference source about 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.

A Guide to Federal Sources for Asset-building Initiatives  (January 2009) 
Guide
http://www.financeproject.org/premium-publications/FindingFunding_AssetBuildingInititatives.pdf
This guide aims to help policymakers 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. In addition to profiling federal funding sources, the guide reviews the funding landscape for asset-building initiatives, describes the types of federal funding, and presents federal funding strategies including strategies to maximize federal funding and build partnerships. Available in pdf (123 pages, 1.42 MB).

AccessSTEM/AccessComputing/DO-IT Longitudinal Transition Study (ALTS)  (January 2009)
Report
http://www.washington.edu/doit/Stem/tracking2.html
The current results of DO-IT’s longitudinal tracking study are now available online. Project staff have so far tracked the progress of 212 students with disabilities through critical junctures to degrees and careers. All of the ALTS respondents have participated in at least one DO-IT program since 1993.

Determinations of LEA Compliance with IDEA: Strategies and Resources Used by States  (February 2009)
Policy Analysis
http://tinyurl.com/c5lysz
This brief policy analysis presents IDEA 2004 language requiring states to make annual determinations about each local education agency. Findings from a survey to which 45 state directors of special education responded are discussed, including processes states use in making determinations, resources used, enforcement actions taken, and benefits and challenges encountered in making determinations. Available in pdf (10 pages, 157 KB).

Edutopia Tips on Getting Free Donations of Classroom Supplies  (March 2009)
Article
http://www.edutopia.org/free-school-supplies-fundraising-donation
Rather than reach deeper into their own pockets, some educators are waging grassroots fundraising efforts. In this Edutopia article, educators share tips for stocking up – without reaching into their own wallets. Some strategies are controversial, but all are worth considering.

Every Student Counts: The Role of Federal Policy in Improving Graduation Rate Accountability  (March 2009) 
Brief
http://www.all4ed.org/files/ESC_FedPolicyGRA.pdf
This Alliance for Excellent Education brief describes how federal policy has progressed from early attempts to simply calculate an agreed-upon high school graduation rate to present-day efforts aimed at using commonly defined rates as part of a refined accountability system to drive school improvement. The brief, Every Student Counts: The Role of Federal Policy in Improving Graduation Rate Accountability, includes a national and state-by-state analysis of the impact of the graduation rate regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Education in October 2008. Available in pdf (14 pages, 537 KB).

Finding Help for Children with Mental Health Needs  (2009)
Guide
http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/premium-publications/allpubs/Ca-0029/default.asp
This guide to systems of care for families, from the National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health, provides information on how to seek care for children with mental health needs. The content and format were determined by families across the country.

Getting the Most Out of Your Dropout Summit – Guide  (May 2008) 
Guide
http://www.forumforyouthinvestment.org/files/Dropout_Prevention_Summit_Guide.pdf
The America’s Promise Alliance is supporting 50 state and at least 50 city Dropout Prevention Summits to be held by 2010. The primary purpose of these summits is to increase public awareness of the dropout and college-readiness crisis. This guide, written by the Forum for Youth Investment and the Ready by 21 National Partners, provides cities and states that will be hosting summits over the next two years with steps to getting started. Available in pdf (16 pages, 525 KB).

National Center for Education Statistics within the Institute of Education Sciences Report: Digest of Education Statistics 2008  (March 2009)
Report
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2009020
The 44th in a series of publications initiated in 1962, the Digest’s purpose is to provide a compilation of statistical information covering the broad field of American education from prekindergarten through graduate school. The Digest contains data on a variety of topics, including the number of schools and colleges, teachers, enrollments, and graduates, in addition to educational attainment, finances, and federal funds for education, libraries, and international comparisons. The Web site has links to pdf files of the full report (732 pp., 9.88 MB) or of its individual chapters.

NICHCY’s All About the IEP Pages  (2009)
Guide
http://www.nichcy.org/EducateChildren/IEP/Pages/default.aspx
This guide provides links to information about IEPs with suggestions for developing them, the ins-and-outs of IEP meetings, and other resources on the “crown jewel” of special education.

Out-of-School Time Bibliography Update  (April 2009)
Bibliography
http://www.hfrp.org/out-of-school-time/ost-database-bibliography/bibliography
The Out-of-School Time Bibliography from the Harvard Family Research Project has added 45 entries and updated 40 others in its bibliography of out-of-school time program evaluations and research studies. These studies focus not only on traditional after-school programs, but also on programs that include summer, before-school, Saturday, and school-day components, both academic and outside-school (e.g., youth leadership efforts) programs serving youth in locations across the country.

Poverty and Potential: Out-of-School Factors and School Success  (March 2009)
Policy Brief
http://greatlakescenter.org/policy_briefs.php
This report and policy brief examines the physical, sociological and psychological impact of poverty on students (and related issues of schools that continue to be segregated by income, race and ethnicity) and makes the case that schools alone cannot overcome poverty-induced barriers – more comprehensive social policies and extended learning are needed.

The Federal Role in Out-of-School Learning: After-School, Summer Learning, and Family Involvement as Critical Learning Supports  (February 2009)
http://tinyurl.com/c89cd4
Four decades of research demonstrate that it is necessary to redefine learning – both where and when it takes place – if the country is to achieve the goal of educating all of its children. This report from Harvard Family Research Project, commissioned by the Center for Education Policy and presented at a hearing on Capitol Hill in November 2008, makes a research-based case for federal provision of out-of-school complementary learning supports, so that all students gain the skills necessary for success in the 21st century.

Transition Resources  (April 2009)
Resources List
http://www.aucd.org/template/page.cfm?id=618
This page of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities Web site maintains resources for transition issues for children and teens with disabilities, their families, providers, and communities.

Web Accessibility for Users with Intellectual Disabilities  (2006)
Article
http://www.ncdae.org/tools/cognitive/
“Cognitive Disabilities and the Web: Where Accessibility and Usability Meet” is now available on the Web site of the National Center on Disability and Access to Education (NCDAE). The article notes that the diversity of ability and experience of users with cognitive disabilities complicates attempts to develop web accessibility guidelines for this population. To design Web sites that are easier for users with cognitive disabilities to use, the author offers suggestions based on usability principles; Many of these recommendations make the web easier for everyone to use.

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Intersection: Navigating the Road to Work

Disability Unemployment and Employment Participation Statistics Released
Office of Disability Employment Policy
http://www.dol.gov/odep/
According to Bureau of Labor Statistics’ data for March 2009, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities is 13.1 percent compared to 8.9 percent for the general population. The percent of people with disabilities in the labor force is 22.8 percent compared to 70.9 percent for the general population.

NCWD/Youth and Workforce Strategy Center release Career-Focused Services for Students with Disabilities at Community Colleges
Career-Focused Services for Students with Disabilities at Community Colleges
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/resources_&_Publications/background.php
Our nation’s changing economy requires workers to attain increasingly higher job skills. Leaders in education, workforce development, and economic development recognize the need to help workers meet this challenge and to help employers find qualified employees. This case study report examines the efforts of community colleges to function as intermediaries in meeting the local workforce development needs of employers. Moreover, 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.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Funds
One of the requirements of the ARRA is that every department must create a webpage describing how their department’s dollars will be spent and that provides guidance to grantees/contractors. Below you will find the links to the Department of Labor and Education’s pages.
Department of Labor Information Related to the ARRA
http://www.dol.gov/Recovery/
This page includes information on the initial plans for the implementation o the Workforce Investment Act and state-by-state breakouts.
Department of Education Information Related to the ARRA
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/index.html
This page includes information on the Title I, Part A Recovery Funds for Grants to Local Educational Agencies, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Vocational Rehabilitation State Grants, and Independent Living Services.

National Consortium on Leadership and Disability for Youth Releases Disability History Guide
Disability History Timeline: Resource and Discussion Guide
http://www.ncld-youth.info/publications.htm#disability_history_timeline
This guide is designed to assist those with and without disabilities to learn about the rich history of people with disabilities. Although designed primarily for youth and emerging leaders with disabilities, the guide can be used in multiple ways to educate a broader audience as well. Starting shortly after the United States was founded, the guide features examples of the remarkable diversity, creativity, and leadership that has shaped the disability community and American culture.

National Consortium on Leadership and Disability for Youth Releases Spanish Language Versions of Documents
Spanish language versions of the following documents are now available:
Nothing About Youth with Disabilities Without Youth with Disabilities: A Guide to Legislative Advocacy
http://ncld-youth.info/publications.htm#legislative_advocacy

Learning to Lead?: A Self-Assessment for Youth
http://ncld-youth.info/publications.htm#learning_to_lead_youth

Are They Learning to Lead?: A Self-Assessment for Staff
http://ncld-youth.info/publications.htm#learning_to_lead_staff

Office of Disability Employment Policy Releases Disability History Fact Sheet
Disability History: An Important Part of America’s Heritage 
http://www.dol.gov/odep/documents/Disability%20History_508%20compliant_links.pdf
Teaching children about the contributions of particular populations to our nation’s history, such as women and people of various ethnic backgrounds, has been recognized as important through the declaration of dedicated months as well as other educational programs. Disability history, however, has been largely ignored in school curricula. This fact sheet details what young people with disabilities across our country are doing to promote the inclusion of disability history in mainstream public education. In addition, it provides resources for educators and others to use to enhance awareness and understanding of disability history and the contributions of people with disabilities.

National Council on Disability Makes Recommendations to Create More Federal Job Opportunities for People with Disabilities
Federal Employment of People with Disabilities 
http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/premium-publications/2009/pdf/Federal_Employment_of_People_with_Disabilities.pdf
The report examines the employment status of people with disabilities in the Federal government, and makes recommendations for improving Federal hiring and advancement of employees with disabilities. The paper summarizes relevant legal authorities and policy guidance, describes the responsibilities of various Federal agencies charged with ensuring equal opportunity in Federal employment, identifies barriers to hiring and advancement, and highlights provisions for reasonable accommodations and agency initiatives.

The Family Support Center on Disability
Don’t be out there alone. Speak up by joining a BRAND NEW online discussion forum sponsored by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. for people with disabilities and their families. This forum provides a cross country and cross generational opportunity to bring everyone together.to talk about their aspirations, dreams, ambitions, difficulties, needs and concerns. Sign up and join the family.
http://www.familysupportclearinghouse.org/network/Pages/default.aspx

Partner’s Highlight: The Center on Education and Work
Afternoon Tea Series
http://www.uwex.edu/ics/stream/event.cfm?eid=18849

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Get Wired!—The Latest on Websites and Listservs

Association of Travel Instruction Web site
http://www.travelinstruction.org/
ATI’s Web site promotes transportation independence.

Bookshare.org
http://www.bookshare.org
Book scans can now be shared through a special exemption in the U.S. copyright law that permits the reproduction of publications into specialized formats for persons with print disabilities. The Web site Bookshare.org has information about this new resource, providing access to books that are stored online as well as books added to the collection. Free memberships for qualified students with disabilities are currently being funded by the U.S. Dept. of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. Bookshare also offers more than 45,000 digital books, textbooks, teacher-recommended reading, periodicals and assistive technology tools.

HEATH Resource Center
http://www.heath.gwu.edu
The George Washington University HEATH Resource Center has updated its Web site. New modules on the reconfigured site include 14 training modules for high school students with disabilities preparing for transition from high school to college, a module for parents, and a module for college/university professionals.

Racial Equity Tools
http://www.racialequitytools.org/
Racial Equity Tools is a Web site designed to support people and groups who are working for inclusion, racial equity and social justice. The site includes ideas, strategies and tips, as well as a clearinghouse of resources and links from many sources.

State Education Reforms (SER) Web Site Reorganization
http://nces.ed.gov/programs/statereform/
The National Center for Education Statistics within the Institute of Education Sciences has reorganized the State Education Reforms (SER) Web site. Modifications to the Web site include a revised classification of state- reform efforts and improved table accessibility. The SER Web site now categorizes reform activities into five areas: (1) accountability, (2) assessment and standards, (3) staff qualifications and development, (4) state support for school choice and other options, and (5) student readiness and progress through school.

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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 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 2007-2008 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.

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.

Dollar General Accepting Applications for Youth Literacy and Back-to-School Grants
http://www.dollargeneral.com/servingothers/Pages/GrantPrograms.aspx
The Dollar General Youth Literacy Grants provide funding to schools, public libraries, and nonprofit organizations to help with the implementation or expansion of literacy programs for students who are below grade level or experiencing difficulty reading, with grants of up to $3,000 each. The Dollar General Back-to-School Grants provide funding to assist schools in meeting some of the financial challenges they face in implementing new programs or purchasing new equipment, materials, or software for their school library or media center, with grants of up to $5,000 each. Applicants must be located in Dollar General’s 35-state operating territory and must be within twenty miles of the nearest Dollar General Store. (A store locator is available at the Dollar General Web site.) Deadline: May 22, 2009.

Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation National Grant Program to Support Young People With Disabilities
http://www.meaf.org/grants.php
Grants will be awarded to U.S. nonprofits working to provide access for young people with disabilities to educational, vocational, and recreational opportunities in the company of non-disabled peers. MEAF’s National Grant program provides funding to nonprofit organizations working toward the full inclusion of young people (newborn to early 20s) with disabilities in society. Proposed projects should be national in scope and have the potential to be replicated at multiple sites. Priority will be given to communities where Mitsubishi Electric U.S. companies are located; preference is given to organizations and projects that reflect collaboration among groups, and those that actively involve people with disabilities in program planning and implementation. Grant amounts vary based on nature of project/organization and duration of proposed activities. Funding is available for both project costs and operating support, and is open to both disability-specific organizations and those that serve the general population. Concept papers should be submitted by June 1 to be considered for funding in the following year. If the concept paper is approved, the organization will be invited to submit a full proposal. Deadline: June 1, 2009.

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s FY 2009 Tribal Youth Program
http://www.ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/funding/FundingDetail.asp?fi=125
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention seeks applicants for its FY 2009 Tribal Youth Program. The program supports and enhances tribal efforts to prevent and control delinquency and improve the juvenile justice system for American Indian/Alaska Native youth. Eligible applicants are limited to federally recognized tribes. Applicants must register with the Office of Justice Programs’ Grant Management System prior to applying. Deadline: May 28, 2009.

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.

Youth Service America Dollars for Change Grant Program
http://tinyurl.com/dh4uf7
The Dollars for Change initiative offers five grants of up to $2,000 to be awarded to individual youth or teams of youth (ages 12-25) planning to lead semester-long service-learning projects with a service-learning coordinator or educator. Selected projects will be youth-led, engage at least one hundred youth volunteers (ages 5-25), and demonstrate youth voice and leadership in all aspects of the decision-making process. Upon successful completion of projects and evaluations, grantees will become eligible to compete for the Harris Wofford Youth Award in 2010 and be recognized as a YSA Service Star. Deadline: April 30, 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.

Rosetta Stone: Communicate and Connect
http://www.rosettastone.com/scholarship
The Rosetta Stone Communicate and Connect Scholarship invites high school seniors who have learned English as a Second Language to write about discovering the world of possibilities that learning the English language opened up to them. Sample essay topics include how learning English enabled excellence in other courses, such as mathematics or science; a personal memoir about how getting cast in a play because of English-speaking abilities awakened a desire to perform and to create; and an examination of how learning English transformed your perspective of life in the United States. Maximum award: $3,000 scholarship for continuing education purposes. Eligibility: high school seniors graduating in spring of 2009 who learned English as a second language. Deadline: May 15, 2009.

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.

Earth Island Institute Invites Applications from Young People for Brower Youth Awards
http://fconline.foundationcenter.org/pnd/15017070/browerawards
The Earth Island Institute sponsors the annual Brower Youth Awards, honoring young people, ages 13-22 and living in North America, for outstanding activism and achievements in the fields of environmental and social justice advocacy. Award winners demonstrate “outstanding leadership” by leadership in creating, organizing, and implementing a project, in one or more of the categories of conservation (work to eliminate or decrease the use of natural resources and the negative impacts on ecosystems and communities), preservation (protecting eco-systems, species, indigenous cultures, and other irreplaceable elements of the world’s natural heritage), and restoration (re-establishing the healthy functioning of ecosystems, parts of ecosystems, and human communities that manage ecosystems). Six winners will each receive a $3,000 cash prize, a trip to California for the award ceremony and a wilderness camping trip, and ongoing access to resources and opportunities to further their work at the Earth Island Institute. Deadline: May 15, 2009.

NEA Foundation Grants to Improve Academic Achievement
http://www.neafoundation.org/programs/StudentAchievement_Guidelines.htm
The NEA Foundation provides grants of up to $5,000 to improve academic achievement of students in U.S. public schools and public higher education institutions in any subject area(s). The proposed work should engage students in critical thinking and problem solving that deepen their knowledge of standards-based subject matter and should improve habits of inquiry, self-directed learning, and critical reflection. Proposals for work resulting in low-income and minority student success with honors, advanced placement, or other challenging curricula are particularly encouraged. Deadline: ongoing; deadline for September 15 notification period: June 1, 2009.

NEA Foundation Accepting Applications for Student Achievement and Learning & Leadership Grants Programs
http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/rfp/rfp_item.jhtml?id=237100008
Grants will be awarded to K-12 public school teachers, education support professionals, and higher education faculty working to improve their own professional development and the academic achievement of students. The Student Achievement Grants ($5,000 each) should improve students’ critical thinking and problem solving and habits of inquiry, self-directed learning, and critical reflection. Proposals for work resulting in low-income and minority student success with challenging curricula are particularly encouraged. The Learning & Leadership Grants are to individuals ($2,000 each) fund participation in professional development experiences such as summer institutes and action research or to groups ($5,000 each) to fund collegial study, including study groups, action research, lesson study, and mentoring experiences for faculty or staff new to an assignment. Deadline: February 1, 2009; June 1, 2009; and October 15, 2009.

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.

National Education Association Foundation Accepting Grant Applications
http://fconline.foundationcenter.org/pnd/15014895/neafdn
Learning & Leadership grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded to teachers, education support professionals, and higher education faculty and staff working to improve student learning in public schools, colleges, and universities. The grant amount is $2,000 for individuals and $5,000 for groups engaged in collegial study. Student Achievement Grants provide grants of $5,000 to improve the academic achievement of students by engaging in critical thinking and problem solving that deepen knowledge of standards-based subject matter. The work should also improve students’ habits of inquiry, self-directed learning, and critical reflection. (These grants replace the foundation’s Innovation Grants program, which has been discontinued.) Application deadlines are October 15, 2008, February 1, 2009, June 1, 2009.

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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