November 2010 – Special Educator e-Journal

Table of Contents

• Update from the U.S. Department Education: “Call to Service” Lecture at Harvard University by Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan

• Legislative Announcements

• Germs at Your Fingertips!: Contaminated Keyboards in the Special Education Classroom.  By Kathy Espinoza

• Calls to Participate

• Update From The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

• Latest Employment Opportunities Posted on NASET

• Special Education Resources

• Upcoming Conferences, Workshops, and Events

•  Get Wired! 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 Education

U.S. “Call to Service” Lecture at Harvard University by Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan

Good evening and thank you so much for this honor. There is no greater honor than service. There is no greater reward than service. And today, as all of you know, there is no greater need.

We live in a time when so many Americans are hurting, when competition for jobs and economic security is increasing, and when the pressure simply to survive is growing. There’s a tangible sense of fear and anxiety among—not just the poor—but among working Americans and the middle class. People are asking whether the American dream is still within reach. I believe that it is—but we are going to have to work a lot harder to achieve it—and that work begins in the home and the classroom and it continues every day in our communities. And that’s why service is so important. Because society—whether it is government or business or the family—cannot meet every need today.

Despite the myriad of challenges we face, I am also deeply optimistic. In the past two years, I’ve travelled throughout the country and been inspired by what I’ve seen. I’ve been to more than 40 states—four this week alone—and I’ve seen first-hand that America is dedicated to service. From the Peace Corps to Americorps to countless wonderful student-led projects here at the Phillips Brooks House Association and hundreds of other campus-based service organizations across America, literally millions of young men and women are working in communities—giving their time, energy, expertise and love—to help others.

We’re facing the worst economy since the depression but Americans are responding with a shared commitment to sacrifice. Workers are taking furloughs or giving up pay hikes to keep their co-workers employed. After the oil started spilling into the Gulf, thousands of volunteers combed beaches to clean up the worst environmental disaster in our nation’s history. Americans always are generous and respond in time of need—whether it is 9-11, Hurricane Katrina or the Haiti earthquake.

This spirit of service is hard wired in Americans. On my way here today, I stopped to meet with City Year corps members—who are among thousands of young men and women helping revitalize urban communities across the country. When I was in Chicago, City Year helped me turn around some of the district’s most troubled schools. Those diverse teams of folks in red jackets, working together in some our toughest neighborhoods, helped to give our children a sense of possibilities beyond their block. In Washington, my family and I work with City Year corps members in service projects around the city. I love the commitment and enthusiasm of City Year members. It’s contagious, and it’s important to my wife and me that our young children be a part of the environment.

But service isn’t limited to what’s happening here at home. We must recognize the thousands who are in our voluntary armed services. These are dedicated young patriots who are willing to put their lives on the line for our country’s future.

Service is something we do every day in America. It’s in a vital part of our character. It helps to define who we are as a nation. Today, I want to challenge you to think about service as something more than an activity to supplement our daily work. It’s a life-time commitment to helping others—and being enriched by others. The gift of service is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves. Through service, we discover and live out our values.

Through service, we participate in our shared commitment to create a “more perfect union.” As Robert Kennedy said, “Each time a man stands up for an ideal or acts to improve the lot of others or strikes out against injustice he send forth a ripple of hope.” That is the power of service—a power that I think everyone in this room understands.

Past recipients of this award are all people I really admire—people who embody the power of service.

Marian Wright Edelman has spent a lifetime advocating for America’s children, and she is one of my person heroes. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting several the Freedom Schools she has started. The Freedom school in New Orleans opened shortly after Hurricane Katrina devastated that city. Through the volunteer leadership of college students, hundreds of young children whose education was interrupted by the storm received tutoring in after-school and summer programs. I met many college students who started at the Freedom School as volunteer tutors. They did it to help others, but they learned something profound too.

Through the experience, they learned about the power of teaching and the impact they could have in the classroom. Now they are pursuing careers in as educators, even though that was the furthest thing from their minds just a few years ago. Many of these young leaders are African-American males. We desperately need these men in our schools to help many for the young boys who don’t have positive male role models in their homes and communities. Marian Wright Edleman is giving these college students the opportunity to do service—and is introducing them to careers through which they can live a life of service. Freedom schools aren’t just changing children’s lives. They are creating a strong pipeline of remarkable talent into the education profession itself.

Al Gore has dedicated his career to public service. In Congress, as vice president, and as a private citizen, he has been a game-changing voice for environmental responsibility and stewardship. The environmental movement is one of the most successful public education campaigns of our era. It’s changing the way we live—and changing the respect we show for our planet and is creating new opportunities for service for millions.

Finally, it’s an honor to receive the same award as Geoffrey Canada. Anyone who has seen “Waiting for Superman” knows the important work that Geoffrey is doing in Harlem. He’s putting education at the center of his work to fight poverty. He and his team are putting the lie in any myth that poor children can’t learn or that poverty is destiny. Opportunity, not poverty, defines children’s life chances. He starts early with parenting education. He’s got high-quality early learning programs. He runs charter schools that are delivering results.
As President Obama says, education is one of the best antipoverty programs. Geoffrey knows this and is fighting every day to make sure students in the Harlem Children’s Zone have a chance for a world-class education.

And people are following his leadership. No one who has seen “Waiting for Superman” can sit on the sidelines anymore. I’ve called the film a Rosa Parks moment—the moment when the nation can no longer ignore the fact that tens of thousands of children are attending schools that won’t prepare them for the future. Geoffrey is one of the leaders who has made this moment happen, who is helping us unleash this quiet revolution of education reform and innovation.

President Obama has challenged us to expand upon the work of the Harlem Children’s Zone nationally through the Promise Neighborhoods initiative. When our Department of Education issued a request for proposals, more than 300 communities responded with applications to create Promise Neighborhoods. We funded 21 of them to create planning grants—and we look forward to funding many more in the future. These communities showed that they are ready to follow Geoffrey’s lead with an all-hands-on-deck approach to solving poverty by putting education at the center of their work to save children and revitalize distressed communities. It is humbling to be recognized alongside these extraordinary servant-leaders.

But it’s an even greater honor to receive this award because it’s named for Dr. Robert Coles. Dr. Coles’ commitment to others is legendary. For years, he taught “The Literature of Social Reflection.” I took his class when I was an undergraduate here in the 1980s. I think I was lucky enough to pass. I know how inspiring he was to me. Many classes I took here helped me develop my intellect. That class did something for my soul. Dr. Coles fundamentally understands that we live our values through service.

Throughout his career, he’s been a remarkable role model for students and other professionals. In medical school, he volunteered in a children’s psychiatric hospital. Early in his career, he worked in the civil rights movement. As a professor at Harvard, he volunteered at a school here in Cambridge. He knows that service is so much more than a chance to do good—it’s an opportunity to learn from others, a chance to enrich your own life while enriching the lives of others. He’s a model for all of us to follow.

Marian Wright Edleman, Al Gore, Geoffrey Canda, and Dr. Coles all represent what’s best about service.

As I travel the country, I am optimistic about the future because I see so many college students committed to service. Here at the Phillips Brooks House Association, you’re maintaining a commitment to service that goes back more than a century. You’re pioneers of what a campus-based service organization can be. One of my best memories of my time here was working in the mentoring program here through PBH. I remember being amazed by the students who led the work of this service-based nonprofit.

I’m heartened to know that so many of you are taking advantage of similar opportunities and that the tradition of service and leadership is stronger than ever. The students at the Phillips Brooks House Association are running the nation’s only student-led homeless shelter. You’re providing hundreds of low-income students with a summer camp program that enriches their lives and helps prevent the summer learning loss.

The commitment of PBH doesn’t stop when they graduate. The experience helps build habit that last a lifetime. My good friend John King was a volunteer in the Phillips Brooks House Association’s program in Mission Hill. Soon after graduation in 1995, he started the Roxbury Preparatory School in Mission Hill.

John helped demonstrate how high-quality charter schools can dramatically improve student achievement. Today, John is deputy commissioner at the New York State Department of Education. He led the state’s effort to create a comprehensive reform plan under the Race to the Top program and helped secure a $700 million grant from us that will impact every student in New York state.

Look at the progression: helping dozens of children here, hundreds through his schools, and today, John’s leading a statewide effort that will help millions of students across an entire state. I understand John will be given the outstanding alumnus award tomorrow night. It’s an award he richly deserves.

So many other outstanding alumni work in classrooms where they are transforming lives every day. Some are with us tonight. Jessica Tang completed her degree with the Harvard Teacher Education program in 2004 and she’s now teaching for the sixth year in Boston Public Schools. And recent 2010 graduate Jarrell Lee teaches in Brooklyn and 2010 graduate Rachel Singh has joined the prestigious Teacher Residency program in Boston—a program that is helping the country rethink teacher training. Jose Olivarez is teaching in the Match School in Boston. I know there are many more, and I want to applaud all of you who have made a commitment to service as undergraduates—and maintained that commitment as you start your careers.

Growing up, I saw how the passion and commitment to service of just one adult could transform the lives of hundreds of students. That lesson was taught to me daily by my mother. In 1961, several years before I was born, a neighborhood pastor asked her to teach summer Bible study to a group of 9-year old girls on the South side of Chicago. At the time, it was one of the toughest neighborhoods in the city. The group only had one Bible, and my mother figured each girl could read a few sentences and then pass the Bible to the next student. But she was horrified to discover that not one of her 9-year-old students could read and decided she had to do something.

So that summer she opened up a free, after-school tutoring program there in the church basement called the Children’s Center. From the time we were born, she raised my sister, my brother, and me as a part of her program, and that experience shaped all of us. We have all tried to follow in her footsteps in various ways. Her philosophy was that everyone should both be taught and teach at the same time. The teenagers taught the 10-year-olds, and the 10-year-olds taught the 5-year-olds. Everyone knew her program was a safe haven where children were nurtured, respected, and taught right from wrong.

From one corner at 46th and Greenwood, some remarkable success stories emerged. The teenager who had the difficult challenge of tutoring my group when we were growing up, Kerrie Holley, today is an IBM engineer who was named one of the 50 most important black research scientists in the nation.

Corkey Lyons became a brain surgeon. Michael Clarke Duncan pursued his dreams in Hollywood, where he starred in “The Green Mile.” Ron Raglin eventually helped me manage the Chicago Public Schools. Forty-nine years later, I’m proud to say my mother and her work in the community are still going strong.

Through that experience, I internalized the belief that quality education can literally transform children’s lives and that with real opportunities, supports, and long-term guidance, all children can learn and succeed. And that formative experience drives me to improve the quality of America’s schools, so that all children have the chance to learn in such exciting and supportive environments. I am motivated both by the hope and the tragedy of what I saw growing up.
While I was in college, one of the neighborhood high school stars asked me to tutor him.

He needed to pass the ACT so he could get into college and play ball. He was hoping to play for a Division I school, and he had the talent to do it. He was a B student on the honor roll, and had avoided the gangs and violence that plagued the community. He was doing everything that his teachers asked of him. But as soon as we started working together, I realized he was functionally illiterate. He’d been lied to all of his life. He had been socially promoted and had no idea how far behind he truly was. It was a heartbreaking lesson on the devastating impact of low expectations.

I saw how hard it was for so many of the guys I played ball with in the streets. Some of them died. The guys who were killed were ones who didn’t finish high school. None of my friends who went to college died young. No one can question the extraordinary power of education after seeing how it can be literally the dividing line between life and death.

That’s why, like so many others, I’ve dedicated my life to education. Across America, hundreds of thousands of idealistic young people are entering the field of education—many of them from Ivy League schools like this one. In fact, thanks to programs like Teach for America and a tough economy, education is now cooler than Wall Street. More than half a million young people apply for TFA every year for just 8,200 slots. These young people are not motivated by money or prestige. They just want to make a difference in the lives of young people. They want to see their work have an impact on the minds of children. They want to light the flame of learning.

Education is a value as deeply ingrained in the American spirit as service itself. As Horace Mann said almost two centuries ago, education is the great equalizer in America. It is the one true path out of poverty. It is at the heart of the American promise, but today all too often, we are not delivering on that promise. We must deal with the truth openly and honestly.

We are facing a crisis in education. A quarter of our high school freshmen drop out or fail to graduate on time. Every year, we lose about one million students from our schools to the streets. This is economically unsustainable and morally unacceptable. In today’s economy, there are no good jobs for high school dropouts. They are basically condemned to poverty and social failure. Many of those who do graduate from high school are not ready for success in college. Too many use their precious financial resources to pay for remedial courses. We need to dedicate ourselves to education reform and challenge the status quo. The future of our country depends on it.

As President Obama says, the country that out-educates us today is going to out-compete us tomorrow. Education is the key to our long-term economic prosperity. But education is more than an economic issue. It’s the civil rights issue of our generation. If you can ride at the front of a bus, but you cannot read, you are not truly free. President Obama and I are dedicated to providing every child a world-class education, regardless of his or her skin color, nationality, ethnicity, or ability. The truth is, however, that virtually everyone professes to believe that all children deserve a world-class education.

Yet today, a significant gap persists between our aspirations and reality. The Education Department’s office for civil rights is finding that too many black students and English language learners don’t have the access to a challenging curriculum that prepares them for success in life. And we’re seeing the cost of that lack of opportunity. Almost half of black and Hispanic students drop out before they graduate. Black students earn college degrees at about half the rate of white students. Hispanic number are even less. To close the achievement gap, we must get serious about closing the opportunity gap.

President Obama and I are 100 percent committed to this effort. I want to explain to you all that we’re doing to support education reform and expand access to college education.

We’re making an unprecedented federal commitment to education. But this is more than a federal effort—it’s a national effort—a movement that is happening state-by-state, district-by-district and community-by-community. The success of this work will rely on the courage and commitment of thousands of people—and I want to encourage you to join this important work in your own community.

When President Obama took office, his top priority was to improve our economy. Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Congress appropriated $100 billion to save education jobs and promote reform. The Recovery Act included a relatively small—by Washington’s standards—program allowing our Department of Education to design and administer competitive programs aimed at improving education in four core areas of reform: Raising standards, improving teachers, building data systems, and turning around our lowest-performing schools. With $5 billion—less than 1 percent of what our nation’s spends on K-12 schools every year—the Race to the Top program has unleashed an avalanche of pent-up education reform activity at the state and local level.

Forty-eight states collaborated to raise the bare and create common college and career-ready standards. In a just a few months since they were completed, 36 states have adopted those standards. No more dummying down standards due to political pressure and lying to children and their parents, telling them they are doing well when they aren’t. Through Race to the Top, we’re funding 44 states working in two consortia to create the next generation of assessments to better measure whether students are on track for success for college and careers. District leaders and unions are collaborating together to create reform-minded contracts that focus on turnarounds, track the academic growth of students, and build meaningful evaluation systems for teachers.

Educators know they have nothing to fear from common-sense reforms. We all face only one threat, one common enemy, and that is academic failure.
Through $650 million in the Investing in Innovation program, or i3, we’re also supporting districts and higher education institutions as they take to scale reforms proven to accelerate student achievement. The private sector has matched our grants with an additional $130 million, a wonderfully creative public/private partnership that leverages all of our resources. As I mentioned before, we’re funding 21 communities through the Promise Neighborhoods program to create comprehensive services putting education at the center of their efforts—just as Geoffrey Canada has done in Harlem.

For college students, we’ve passed the biggest increase in federal student aid since the G.I. Bill. An additional 2.4 million low-income students are receiving these grants to help them pay for college. The average grant has increased by $1,000. We will be continuing to invest heavily in Pell Grants over the next decade. The higher education bill Congress passed in March includes more than $40 billion for Pell Grants to ensure that all eligible students receive an award.

We did this without going back to taxpayers for a dime, simply by cutting out our subsidies to banks and making direct loans to students ourselves.
We’re also making federal student loans more affordable to repay. Today, borrowers can cap their student loan payments at 15 percent of their discretionary income. After 25 years of payments, the rest of the loan is forgiven. Very significantly, the new repayment plan is even more generous if you’re a teacher, police officer or some another public servant. After just 10 years of public service, all your debt is erased. You balance is zero. This program has the potential to free millions of students from being saddled with crushing student loan debt. It will enable so many talented young people to pursue their passion and do the most important job of all: teaching.

We’re expecting a wave of teacher retirements in the next four years from our baby boomers. To replace them, we’ll need to hire as many as 200,000 new teachers a year. Our schools have shortages in specific subjects like math, science and special education. Our cities and rural areas are desperate for good teachers.

We’ve launched a campaign to increase the number, quality, and diversity of people entering teaching—particularly in our high need subjects and high-need communities. We want to link students with pathways to teaching—getting them prepared and certified and them helping them find jobs. Please visit our new website at teach.gov. From improving access to high quality early learning programs, to K-12 reform, to making higher education more affordable and attracting great talent to the profession, our agenda is admittedly ambitious. But we have no choice—the needs are so great.

The President has set a goal that America once again will lead the world in college graduates by the end of the decade. Just one generation ago, we did lead the world in college graduates. Now we’ve fallen to 9th. That is unacceptable, but it is reversible. We need the support of everyone. Education is everyone’s responsibility. Some will choose it as a vocation—dedicating their careers to serving America’s children. Teaching is a profession where vocation and service merge. Great teachers are our country’s unsung heroes. They’re using their knowledge and expertise to transform the lives of children every day. Others choose to support education through service—as a volunteer, a tutor, a coach, a school board member, or a venture philanthropist supporting innovative ideas. Either way you will be living out your values—the American value—that education must be the great equalizer.

Every day, I feel this tremendous sense of urgency. We have to act now. We can’t wait for reform to happen because our children’s and our nation’s future is at stake. My hero is Martin Luther King, Jr. He lived his life in service of others and he challenged our country to change our values. He was a living example of those values. Dr. King had many virtues, but thankfully patience wasn’t one of them.

Back in 1963, he sat in a jail cell in Birmingham, Alabama. He was illegally confined for three days after being arrested for leading non-violent protests in the city. Dr. King had nothing to pass the time except for local newspapers—one of which ran an open letter from several White clergymen urging patience and faith and encouraging Blacks to take their fight for integration out of the streets and into the courts. He wrote a response to those white clergymen in the margins of that newspaper. It is known as the Letter from Birmingham Jail. It’s one of the most powerful and moving pieces of writing I have ever read. It ran almost 7000 words and eloquently made the case for non-violent civil disobedience—precisely because state and local governments continued to drag their feet in integrating schools and communities and the judicial path would take too long. This was nine years after the Supreme Court ruled that segregated schools violated the constitution, but most minorities were still isolated in their own classrooms. Many still are today and we must work together to change that.

The Birmingham letter explained why Blacks could not wait for judges across America to hear their cases and issues their rulings. Blacks had been waiting for centuries and—with Dr. King’s leadership—they would wait no longer. Even many of King’s allies in the civil rights movement—like Roy Wilkins of the NAACP and Thurgood Marshall who would later serve on the Supreme Court—were urging the legal route—in part to avoid confrontations for fear that they would lead to violence—as they eventually did in Birmingham. King had to convince them as well, that they could not wait. As he told them, justice too long delayed is justice denied.

I would add that opportunity too long delayed is opportunity denied. Quality education too long delayed is education denied. Our children have one chance to get a quality education. They cannot wait. We’ve had reform after reform—and countless studies of those reforms. We’ve had repeated affirmations and commitments from the body politic to finally make education a national priority. And yet we are still waiting for the day when every child in America has a high quality education that prepares him or her for the future. For too many of our children, that promise of an excellent education has never materialized.
We remain too complacent about education reform—distracted by tired arguments and divided by the politics of the moment. We can’t let that happen. In this new century and in this global economy, it is not only unacceptable to delay and defer needed reforms—it’s self-destructive.

We can’t allow so much as one more day to go by without advancing our education agenda.

We need to bring a greater sense of urgency to this task—built around our collective understanding that there is no more important work in society than educating children and nothing should stand in our way—not adult dysfunction, not politics, and not fear of change. We must have the courage to do the right thing.

We need to make education our national mission. I invite you to a life of service that embraces that mission. Be a teacher. Tutor a student. Volunteer at a school. Transform the life chances of children. Education reform is a daily fight for social justice.

The battle for a quality education is about so much more than education. It is a daily fight for social justice. Please join us in that fight.

Thank you.

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Legislative Announcements

Awards to Help Students Living with Intellectual Disabilities Transition to Post-Secondary Education
http://tinyurl.com/3adjdov
Education Secretary Duncan announced the award of $10.9 million for 28 grants under two new federal programs that create opportunities for students with intellectual disabilities to attend college. The new federal programs include the Transition Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID) and a new coordinating center to support these TPSID grantees. Grantees will create or build on programs that focus on academics and instruction, employment and independent living, as well as provide individualized supports and opportunities for students to be involved in college experiences with their peers without disabilities.

Rosa’s Law
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/pcpid/
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that President Barack Obama has signed into law Rosa’s Law, which will change references in federal law from “mental retardation” to “intellectual disability,” and references to a “mentally retarded individual” to an “individual with an intellectual disability.”

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Say the word “keyboard” and you have most ergonomists thinking about repetitive motion injury prevention but add the words “H1N1 and Keyboards” in the same sentence and you have the attention of the workforce.  Quick poll question: How often do you disinfect/clean your keyboard?  Once a day?  Once a week?  Once a month?  Was I supposed to?

Here’s another poll question: Which has more germs per square inch? …A toilet bowl, cell phone, Blackberry device, TV remote control, or your computer keyboard?  Am I making my point?  If not, try this one…Do you eat while typing on the computer?  Do you put your fingers in your mouth while thinking?  If your eyes feel tired, do you rub your eyes with your hand?  Cold symptoms today?  Do you blow your nose with a tissue and go right back to working on the keyboard?  Do I have your attention now?

While repetitive motion injury prevention from computer keyboard and mouse usage is important to ergonomists, preventing the spread of flu, via the keyboard, should be important to everyone.  In light of the present pandemic flu season, with a Spring surge expected, one must consider how easily colds, flu and other infectious diseases are transferred from contact with all office equipment.  This includes phones, desks, keyboards and mouse.  Realizing just how often fingers touch computer keyboards, it’s not surprising that research studies are finding that keyboards are a galaxy of germs just waiting for transport from the keys to your body, via your nose, mouth and eyes.  Workers coming to work with symptoms (presenteeism) can infect others in the Special Education classroom and leave a trail of viruses on every surface they touch, some which can survive up to three days.

Germ studies conducted by Dr. Charles Gerba, University of Arizona, found that phones, desktop surfaces, keyboards, mice, fax machines, copy machines, and toilet seats all contain germs that can make us sick.  In Gerba’s 2006 study, samples were collected from private offices and cubicles in office buildings located in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oregon and New York City.  A total of 113 surfaces were tested and analyzed at the University of Arizona laboratories.  Here is the germ count found:

1. Phone:  25,127 germs per square inch
2. Desktop surface: 20,961 germs per square inch
3. Keyboard:  3,295 germs per square inch
4. Mouse: 1,676 germs per square inch
5. Toilet seat: 49 germs per square inch

From a health and safety standpoint, it makes sense because custodial/EVS crews clean toilet seats frequently, using strong disinfectants that kill germs. Keyboards and other computer equipment rarely get cleaned for fear of disturbing someone’s work.  Keyboard and mice cleaning/sanitizing is usually left up to the employee, often as they feel necessary.  Keyboards are receptacles of coughs and sneezes, as well as germs from unwashed fingers and hands from poor hygiene.  This human factor/machine germ exchange not only occurs at work and at home but specifically in the Special Education classrooms as well.  Most schools and family households have more than one shared computer.

Exposure:  In February 2007, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) documented an outbreak of gastrointestinal disease attributable in part to a norovirus found on a shared elementary school computer keyboard and mouse (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, CDC, Jan. 2008).  The disease was contracted by 27 students and two faculty members at a Washington, D.C. elementary school.  Samples were taken from surfaces including toilets, faucets, water fountains, doorknobs, mice, keyboards, school utensils and toys.  The CDC found that all the infected persons had been in one first grade classroom, where teachers and students shared computers. One computer mouse and keyboard in the first grade classroom had a norovirus identical to the virus contracted by the students and teachers.  This 2007 outbreak was the first report of norovirus, commonly referred to as the stomach flu, detected on a computer mouse and keyboard.

Lunchtime Picnic with the Germ Family.  Poll question:  Do you eat lunch at your desk?  A 2006 American Dietician Association survey found that 57 percent of workers eat/snack at their desks at least once a day.  As our current economy pressures the workforce into working longer hours, coming to work when sick and packing a lunch to eat at the desk, our classrooms can become known as the “Bacteria Cafeteria,” where germs are happy to partake in your delectable breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu.

Here is another poll question:  Do you clean your desk before you eat/snack at the desk?  The ADA survey also found that more than 75 percent of workers “only occasionally” clean their desks before eating and 20 percent never do.  One cause of a bug-infested keyboard is eating lunch at your desk where food deposits encourage the growth of millions of bacteria. Poor personal hygiene such as not washing your hands after going to the restroom can also contribute.

Sexist Germs.  Being a mother of three boys, this portion of Gerba’s study caught my eye.  It looked at who was germier at work, men or women, and I naturally assumed that males would win. So, if men are from Mars and women are from Venus, which planet has a germier office environment?

Calls to Participate

OSERS Accepting Submissions for 35th Anniversary of IDEA Celebration
https://www.osep-meeting.org/idea35th/
In honor of the 35th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) this November, the U.S. Department of Education and its Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) will host a celebration in Washington, DC. Individuals with disabilities, students, teachers, parents and others can submit stories, poetry, photography, artwork and video clips for possible inclusion during the celebration. OSERS will accept submissions through November 8.

Pacific Rim International Conference on Disabilities Open for Proposal Presentations
http://www.pacrim.hawaii.edu/
The Pacific Rim International Conference on Disabilities (Pac Rim), to be held in Honolulu April 18 & 19, 2011, is now open for proposal presentations at its 2011 conference. Relevant topics include the areas in which the Center on Disability Studies traditionally has engaged (projects or activities under interdisciplinary training, research, advocacy or service), as well as salient issues important to our diverse communities not presently addressed through research or advocacy initiatives; and creative ideas for positive social changes and sustainable solutions which can be adopted in a society or community. Submissions will be considered for poster presentations, interactive roundtables, 30-minute topical presentations, 60-minute breakout presentations, 90-minute seminar/colloquium, and 120-minute interactive workshops. Deadline for submissions: December 22, 2010.

Part B and Part C SPP/APR 2010 Dispute Resolution Indicator Analyses
http://www.directionservice.org/cadre/SPPAPR2010DRindicatoranalyses.cfm
CADRE (National Center on Dispute Resolution in Special Education) has composed the Dispute Resolution Chapters from OSEP/TA&D projects’ Annual Performance Reports Analyses, summarizing the dispute resolution portions of the State Part B and Part C Annual Performance Reports submitted February 1, 2010. Each summary covers current and past Indicator performance, five year trends in the use of dispute resolution options, and suggestions for improving state dispute resolution systems. CADRE would appreciate feedback on the chapters. They are posted on the CADRE web site, along with a link to a short SurveyMonkey evaluation.

The Administration on Developmental Disabilities Projects of National Significance
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/add/survey/survey_landed.html
The Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD) seeks input from individuals with developmental disabilities and their families across the country in considering future plans and how ADD can best meet the diverse needs of these groups. ADD seeks to use its resources to focus on the most pressing and relevant concerns of the developmental disabilities community, and is looking for their thoughts regarding the focus of future Projects of National Significance (PNS). The purpose of PNS is to: create opportunities for people with developmental disabilities to contribute to, and participate in, all facets of community life; and support the development of national and state policies to reinforce and promote the self-determination, independence, productivity, inclusion, and integration of individuals with developmental disabilities into all facets of community life.

The Arc FINDS Survey
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TheArcFinds2010
The Arc FINDS (Family and Individual Needs for Disability Supports) survey is now online and available to families, individuals, and self-advocates. They invite individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities, families, and caregivers across the nation to share their opinions on a variety of issues relating to disability. There is no cost to taking the survey. (Additional information on Arc is on their general website, http://www.thearc.org.)

New Videos Encourages Special Ed Students to Participate in State Outcome Survey
http://www.psocenter.org/data_collection.html
To help educators improve services for students with disabilities who are still in school, every state is conducting a survey to find out what students who received special education services are doing one year after leaving high school. To help increase response rates, the National Post-School Outcomes Center has announced the launch of “Be a Superstar – Take the Survey.” These YouTube videos were designed to encourage students and families to complete post-school outcomes surveys. Prepared in collaboration with PACER Center, versions are available for youth and parents in both English and Spanish. (The survey can also be accessed from http://www.youtube.com/pacercenter.)

PACER Survey Parent Survey
http://www.fastfamilysupport.org
Parents or primary caregivers of young people with disabilities 12-22 years old are invited to take part in a national research study by completing the National Family Support Survey, conducted by the FAST Project. Answers to the questions on the National Family Support Survey are confidential and will help the Administration on Developmental Disabilities, parent centers, and researchers understand the information and supports families need to prepare for moving into adulthood. This information may help to inform program development for youth with disabilities in the future. The survey is available in Spanish also.

America’s Promise Alliance/AT&T: My Idea Grant Program
http://tinyurl.com/2vwcjlj
America’s Promise Alliance and AT&T are looking for energy, enthusiasm, creativity, and commitment to help make this country a Grad Nation through the My Idea Grants program. My Idea will empower young people to examine the high school dropout crisis and help their peers graduate on time, as well as improve outcomes for themselves and their community. National grants of $10,000-$20,000 will be awarded to 20-25 youth for the best ideas submitted to help increase a community’s graduation rate anywhere in the United States. Additional opportunities are available for young people living in Chicago, Houston, Indianapolis, Jackson, Louisville, Nashville, New York, New Orleans, Oakland, and Washington, D.C.

Peer Reviewers Needed at the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
http://opeweb.ed.gov/frs
The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), is seeking peer reviewers (field readers) for its discretionary grant program application reviews. The application review process involves a reader orientation, reading and evaluation of applications, and discussions with other panelists. Apply on-line to become a reader for the OPE grant program.

The Gateway Project
http://www.thegatewayproject.org
The Gateway Project, a collaboration between the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Academic Autistic Spectrum Partnership in Research and Education (AASPIRE), which is itself a collaboration between Oregon Health & Science University, Portland State University, and the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, aims to serve as a gateway to research committed to the values of inclusion, respect, accessibility and relevance. The Gateway Project is recruiting participants on the autistic spectrum, and participants with and without disabilities for a series of continuing Internet-based research studies on topics such as health care, well-being, and problem solving.

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Update From The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

IT ALL STARTS IN FAMILIES ANDCOMMUNITIES

Understanding your child’s behavior: Reading his or her cues, birth to 2.
Children’s behavior has meaning-it’s just that adults don’t always understand what the meaning is. This resource will help you better understand your child’s behavior cues and help you respond in ways that support his or her healthy social and communication development.
http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/documents/reading_cues.pdf  

Assistive technology for communication: TapToTalk.
If you’re looking for an inexpensive, customizable, socially acceptable way for your child to “talk,” TapToTalk may very well be it. So says Disaboom, at:
http://www.disaboom.com/children-with-disabilities/best-assistive-technology-for-communication-taptotalk

Should I…or shouldn’t I….give my child a cell phone?
That’s the question this article explores, looking at the pros and cons of cell phones for kids with special needs.
http://www.disaboom.com/children-with-disabilities/should-i-give-my-child-with-a-disability-a-cell-phone

And speaking of cell phones…here’s an amazing story.
The iPhone, VoiceOver, and the possibilities for those with visual impairments. According to this blind blogger, “I have seen a lot of technology for the blind, and I can safely say that the iPhone represents the most revolutionary thing to happen to the blind for at least the last ten years.”
http://behindthecurtain.us/2010/06/12/my-first-week-with-the-iphone/

Parents of children on the autism spectrum: Research opportunity calling.
Do you have a child with ASD from age 3-21? Boston University is looking for 600 parents (legal guardians) to complete an online survey that asks questions about their child’s ability to perform everyday life tasks, as well as about his/her behaviors. The survey takes about 90 minutes. Parents will then receive a $25 Amazon gift certificate and have an opportunity to win an ipod and Flip Video. Want to know more? Visit here:
http://www.bu.edu/kidsincontext/pedi-asd-cat/participating-in-this-study/

The IEP “test”: The unspoken rules of an IEP meeting.
From a parent’s perspective, including the wry and common-sense responses.
http://www.childrensdisabilities.info/advocacy/advocacy-test.html

Disability books to share with your kids.
These 2008 books cover a wide range of physical and cognitive disabilities in engaging ways. Great reading material for young children.
http://www.disaboom.com/children-with-disabilities/disability-awareness-disability-books-to-share-with-your-kids

What about disability books for teens?
http://www.disaboom.com/disability-books/reads-for-teens-fantasy-sci-fi-poetry

Art therapy for your child with disabilities.
Another from Disaboom, with this description: “Every time your special-needs child draws a picture at home, art therapy is taking place. Learn how you can help your child and build his or her self esteem by providing appropriate materials and commenting on their creations in the right way.”
http://www.disaboom.com/children-with-disabilities/using-art-therapy-with-your-special-needs-child

Let’s hear it for Halloween!
Here are 3 resources on this fun, candy-rich, and creative “holiday.”:

• Fun costumes and simple safety rules.
  http://www.suite101.com/content/halloween-children-with-disabilities-a156575
• Safety and children with LD.
  http://learningdisabilities.about.com/od/socialskills/qt/halloweensafety.htm
• Making Halloween fun for your special needs child.
  http://www.oneplaceforspecialneeds.com/main/library_halloween_special_needs.html

THE LITTLE ONES: EARLY INTERVENTION/EARLY CHILDHOOD

Video | What’s it like to be an early intervention specialist?
Watch what other EI specialists have to say about “a day in the life.”
http://www.personnelcenter.org/videos/EIS_Small.wmv

Video | Capitalizing on children’s interests.
Here’s a new CELL video entitled Child Interests – Interests Lead to Learning. It’s designed to help parents or practitioners identify a child’s personal and situational interests, and describes how those interests can be used for early literacy learning. 
http://www.earlyliteracylearning.org/interests_lead_to_learn.php

Practice guides with adaptations.
CELL has new practice guides that make it easier for young children with disabilities to participate in early literacy learning activities.
http://www.earlyliteracylearning.org/pg_tier2.php
Online module: Communication for collaboration.
From Project CONNECT, here’s Module 3, which focuses on communication practices that can be used to promote collaboration with professionals and families in early care and education, and intervention settings.
http://community.fpg.unc.edu/connect-modules/learners/module-3

Family-focused interventions.The 5th in TACSEI’s Roadmap to Effective Intervention Practices series, this 18-page synthesis talks about using family-focused interventions to promote the social-emotional well-being of infants and toddlers with disabilities. From the Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Young Children.
http://www.challengingbehavior.org/do/resources/roadmap.html

Pediatric developmental screening: Understanding and selecting screening instruments.
A manual from the Commonwealth Fund, which conducted a detailed review of the scientific research on available developmental screening instruments and developed this manual to inform practitioners’ selection and application of screening instruments in a range of practice settings.
http://tinyurl.com/245ch63

SCHOOLS, K-12

Creating an inclusive school environment: A model for school leaders.
Another great module from the IRIS Center.
http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/inc/chalcycle.htm

Working with your school nurse on behalf of students with health needs.
This IRIS module is designed for school personnel, especially general educators, who may be collaborating with the school nurse during IEP meetings or during other occasions involving the health problems of students with disabilities. 
http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/nur02_schoolnurse/chalcycle.htm

Behavior a problem?
Try FACTS, the Functional Assessment Checklist for Teachers and Staff. This is a two-page interview completed by people (teachers, family, clinicians) who know the child best. It’s used to either build behavior support plans or guide more complete functional assessment efforts.
http://www.pbis.org/pbis_resource_detail_page.aspx?Type=4&PBIS_ResourceID=246

Improving reading comprehension in K-3.
This IES guide, developed by a panel of experts, presents evidence-based practices that educators can use to successfully teach reading comprehension to young readers.
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/premium-publications/practiceguides/

What about science instruction?
This 2nd edition of Effective Science Instruction: What Does Research Tell Us?  from the Center on Instruction distills the research on science learning to inform a common vision of science instruction.
http://tinyurl.com/3ah9q88

Using technology in science instruction to help struggling students.
Use the TechMatrix to explore how technology can support struggling students to participate fully and excel in science.
http://techmatrix.org/Infopage?page=Science_for_Struggling_Students

Now for math: Effective fractions instruction for K-8.
This new IES practice guide presents five recommendations intended to help educators improve students’ understanding of fractions. 
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/premium-publications/practiceguides/

Instructional coaching to improve instruction.
This resource developed by the Annenberg Institute for School Reform describes professional development instructional coaching strategies. Its research-based guidance is intended for teachers and teacher leaders, as well as school and district administrators.
http://www.annenberginstitute.org/pdf/InstructionalCoaching.pdf

More on coaching to improve instruction.
This 24-page guide comes from the Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession.
http://www.plcwashington.org/coaching/resources/CSTP-coaching-brochure.pdf

What is RTI and what are the essential components that must be present for it to be implemented with fidelity?
Find out in this 5+ minute video from the National Center on RTI.
http://www.rti4success.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1590

Inducting, supporting, and retaining your special educators.
A wealth of info is waiting for district and building administrators at NCIPP, the National Center to Inform Policy and Practice in Special Education Professional Development. Visit NCIPP and find a collection of 12 Induction Insights briefs designed to help administrators use research-based practices to induct, mentor, and keep special educators, especially those just starting out.
http://education.ufl.edu/grants/ncipp/resourcesfordistbldgadmins.php

Especially for teacher educators.
A wealth of info is waiting for you, too, at NCIPP. Four reports and eight Induction Briefs, to be precise, all of them geared toward special education teacher induction and retention.
http://education.ufl.edu/grants/ncipp/resourcesfortchreducators.php

STATE & SYSTEM TOOLS

For providers of professional development in early childhood.
Are you a state agency administrator who needs information about what’s happening in early childhood professional development (PD) activities across various sectors? This survey is designed to help you gather information that will produce a descriptive landscape of professional development in early childhood in your state across multiple sectors.
http://community.fpg.unc.edu/resources/planning-and-facilitation-tools/NPDCI-The-Landscape-Survey-for-PD-Providers-4-29-10.pdf

For state policy makers: Building strong induction policies.
NCIPP, the National Center to Inform Policy and Practice in Special Education Professional Development, has Induction Briefs just for state policy makers involved in building a strong teacher force through research-based practices of induction, support, mentoring, and more.
http://education.ufl.edu/grants/ncipp/resourcesforstpolicymkrs.php 

Impartial hearings under IDEA. 
Noted IDEA legal scholar Perry Zirkel has teamed with NASDSE to publish Impartial Hearings under the IDEA: Legal Issues and Answers. The article includes an updated review of IDEA law, regulations, and OSEP policy letters. http://tinyurl.com/3a7penv

Handbook on effective implementation of SIGs.
Aimed at the rapid improvement of persistently low-achieving schools through the intervention models and strategies outlined in the 2009 federal School Improvement Grant (SIG), the Handbook on Effective Implementation of School Improvement Grants [K-12] explains the required and recommended models and strategies, references to the research, and connections to useful resources. The handbook was developed by the five USED national content-oriented comprehensive centers.
http://www.centerii.org/handbook/Resources/Introduction_and_Part_1.pdf

Post-high-school outcomes of youth with disabilities.
This new IES report shows that youth with disabilities were more likely to be attending college in 2005 compared to 1990. The report is entitled Comparisons Across Time of the Outcomes of Youth With Disabilities up to 4 Years After High School.
http://ies.ed.gov/ncser/pubs/20103008/

SPECIAL FOCUS: Accessible Instructional Materials

At the beginning of the academic year, the teacher usually hands out the textbook to every child in the class. But what if you can’t read or process printed material? When a child is blind, schools know it’s foolishness to hand the child a book unless it’s in Braille or in digital format. Much less obvious is that literally tens of thousands of children have disabilities that severely impair their ability to read printed text.

Quite fortunately, the 2004 amendments to IDEA have emphasized making instructional materials accessible to students with print disabilities, and a serious amount of effort has gone into setting up systems to make that happen. Take advantage of those systems, because students with disabilities will benefit enormously! To connect you with those systems, we’ve listed seminal resources below.

What IDEA requires.
Heard of NIMAS? If not, read NICHCY’s training module on the subject. It’ll tell you what IDEA requires and why it’s such a fabulous step forward.
http://www.nichcy.org/Laws/IDEA/Pages/module8.aspx

The National Center for Accessible Instructional Materials.
Find just about everything AIM at http://aim.cast.org/ —including:

• Clear explanations of accessible media
  http://aim.cast.org/learn
• Who’s eligible for AIM
  http://aim.cast.org/learn/accessiblemedia/allaboutaim
• Primary contacts in your state
  http://aim.cast.org/learn/policy/state/nimas_nimac_contacts
• Educator’s guide to accessible textbooks in the K-12 classroom
  http://aim.cast.org/learn/aim4families/school/accessible_textbooks
• Online decision making tools to help IEP teams match AIM with student needs
  http://aim.cast.org/experience/training/navigator

Bookshare.
Bookshare is free for all U.S. students with qualifying disabilities, thanks to an award from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP).
http://www.bookshare.org/

Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic.
RFB&D is a national nonprofit with more than 62,000 accessible audiobook titles.
http://www.rfbd.org/

Louis.
The American Printing House for the Blind (APH) currently houses a database called the Louis Database of Accessible Materials for People who are Blind or Visually Impaired. Louis contains information about tens of thousands of titles of accessible materials, including braille, large print, sound recordings, and computer files from over 170 agencies throughout the United States.
http://www.aph.org

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Latest Employment Opportunities Posted on NASET

$125,000 Salary for Master Middle School Teachers
New York

Description

Earn a $125,000 salary and join a team of master teachers at The Equity Project (TEP) Charter School, recently featured on the front page of the New York Times: (http://www.tepcharter.org/nytimes.php).

TEP is a new 480-student 5th through 8th grade middle school in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City.  Applications are currently being accepted for teaching positions in Math, Science, English, Social Studies, Music, Latin, PE/Health Education, Speech-Language Pathologist, and Special Education.

Learn more and apply today at http://www.tepcharter.org/apply.php

About TEP Charter School

TEP aims to put into practice the central conclusion of a large body of research related to student achievement: teacher quality is the most important school-based factor in the academic success of students, particularly those from low-income families. In singling out teacher quality as the essential lever in educational reform, TEP is uniquely focused on attracting and retaining master teachers. To do so, TEP uses a three-pronged strategy that it terms the 3 R’s: Rigorous Qualifications, Redefined Expectations, & Revolutionary Compensation. For more information, visit us online at http://www.tepcharter.org

Compensation

$125,000 salary + potential annual bonus, full benefits package

Requirements

Learn more and apply today at http://www.tepcharter.org/apply.php

Contact
jobs@tepcharter.org

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Head of Schools
Long Island, NY

Description

The Child Development Center of the Hamptons (CDCH), an affiliate of Family Residences and Essential Enterprises (FREE), and the provider of an innovative educational environment and   public school alternative for children from pre-school through 5th grade seeks a Head of Schools.  The Head of Schools will provide the leadership, direction and “hands-on” involvement to ensure CDCH fulfills its mission and delivers an exceptional educational experience to its students and their families.  CDCH offers a true “inclusion” charter school model of education and prides itself in its co-teaching model that allows both normally progressing and special needs students to achieve their full potential.

The Head of Schools will have direct responsibility for CDCH’s operating budget of $2 million and will play a key role in designing and implementing initiatives to ensure the quality, ongoing growth, and ultimately the success of the Center. S/he will be responsible for ensuring that strategic planning and center growth are integrated with operational and programmatic imperatives, and that teachers and educational support staff have the necessary knowledge, competencies, skills, supplies and support to ensure a dynamic educational experience that is reflected in students’ achievement and performance. S/he will also oversee the day-to-day operations of the School which includes designing curriculum and the delivery of appropriate related services; fostering a culture of high expectations and fact/performance-based decision making; leading professional development initiatives; and working with the Board and CDCH Foundation to establish clear and measurable goals and to expand student population.

The Head of Schools will report to Christopher Long, Ed.D., Chief Operating Officer of FREE and to the CDCH Board of Directors. S/he will provide leadership and direction to a team of approximately sixty (60) certified teachers, teaching assistants, clinicians and support staff to ensure that students are immersed in a learning environment that will help them develop socially, intellectually, physically and emotionally in a manner appropriate to their age and stage of development. The Head of Schools will help steer the Center through growth initiatives with strategic and creative problem solving, a commitment to student growth, and a deep resolve for ensuring that programs for the individuals served by the Center are provided in the most effective manner.

The mission of CDCH is to provide a dynamic and richly individualized educational experience for all children. CDCH seeks through a model of true inclusion and a personal learning plan to foster the greatest possible development of each child with equal dedication to those with disabilities; to teach responsibility and compassion; and to promote within each student a lifelong love for learning and for the continued betterment of self and the world.

Requirements

The successful candidate will bring to CDCH a strong background in and knowledge of pre-school and elementary school education with knowledge of charter school curriculum design and inclusion models for classroom development.  The successful candidate will be someone who is viewed as a “natural leader,” and whose interpersonal skills and style facilitate collaboration, improvement, and implementation of “best practices” for inclusion school education. Demonstrated success in both leading professional development for all levels of teaching staff, and setting and achieving high standards for both teacher and student performance are required.  Additionally, a proven track record of engaging parents in school initiatives and their children’s success in all areas of development is highly desirable. Demonstrated success in utilizing technology to support both students in the classroom and the professional development of teaching staff is also attractive. A Master’s degree and SAS/SDA or SBL/SDL certification is required.

Contact

CHDC has retained the New York-based search firm Amrop Battalia Winston to assist with this important recruitment.  All applications and inquiries should be addressed to: Lyn Brennan, Partner, lbrennan@amropbw.com or Sheri Madison, Associate, sheri@amropbw.com. Electronic submission of credentials is strongly encouraged.

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Assistant Director – Special Education
Dover, NH

Position Summary

The Assistant Director will assist the assistant vice president and director in providing leadership and managing the work of the department from developing proposals and budgets to assigning, supervising, motivating, and evaluating staff/resources to fulfill contract requirements. A primary responsibility includes assisting in overseeing program management staff and working across divisions to ensure quality deliverables. The assistant director will provide leadership support to program managers and special education specialists in handling clients’ representatives. Additional responsibilities include the following:

• Assist in selecting, hiring, training, and mentoring staff.
• Supervise program management staff as assigned.
• Assist in managing quality, timelines, and work assignments for staff.
• Monitor contract budgets and assist program management staff in fiscal management.
• Represent the company with client representatives in support of program managers and specialists.
• Attend and present as needed at statewide technical advisory committee, advisory and leadership meetings.
• Advise client representatives on technical aspects and compliance with federal laws that relate to statewide alternate assessment programs.
• Understand and balance psychometric, political, policy, and content consideration issues associated with individual contract development activities.
• Establish and maintain internal and external relationships conducive to achieving the company’s objectives.
• Coordinate and play an active role in developing proposals and their associated budgets.
• Assist in all aspects of test design, including creating test blueprints and field test designs.
• Assist the assistant vice president and the management team in developing new business ideas and strategies.
• Travel to client sites and state departments of education, up to 40% travel required.

Requirements

Master’s degree in education or a directly applicable discipline with a minimum of seven (7) years of combined special education experience (preferably with students with significant cognitive disabilities) and/or state level alternate assessment experience, and/or alternate assessment experience with an educational testing company, with at least four (4) years direct special education experience and two (2) years of experience supervising and directing professional staff. District-and/or state-level experience preferred.

Benefits

Individually and collectively, the people at Measured Progress make a difference. Our K-12 assessment and professional development programs help improve the achievement of students nationwide. As a not-for-profit organization, we are able to truly embrace our mission “to improve teaching and learning.”

Located in the beautiful Seacoast area of NH, Measured Progress provides a generous benefits package, and work/life balance.

If you would like to become part of a national, values-driven organization, we encourage you to look to Measured Progress as your destination employer.

To apply, please visit our login to  self-service Website at www.measuredprogress.org.

Contact

Pamela Ford
Human Resource Representative
Measured Progress
100 Education Way
Dover, NH 03820
Tel:  603-749-9102 x2285
Fax:  603-516-1136
Email: ford.pam@measuredprogress.org
Website: www.measuredprogress.org

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Assessment Specialist, Special Education
Princeton, NJ & San Antonio, TX

Description

ETS (Educational Testing Service), with headquarters in Princeton, NJ, is a global $1.3B not for profit organization.  Our mission is to advance quality and equity in education by providing fair and valid assessments, performing educational research and influencing policies that promote learning, performance, education and professional development. As a nonprofit corporation and an innovator in developing tests for clients in education, government and business, we are dedicated to advancing educational excellence for the communities we serve.

We presently have opportunities that can be based in either our Princeton, NJ or San Antonio, TX locations for Special Education Assessment Specialists. In this key role, you will develop tests and related products in the field of education, including special education and pedagogy. Duties will include writing, reviewing and revising test questions as well as assisting in design/development of new assessments and innovative products and services.  This position further offers the opportunity review and revise program publications and interpretive test preparation materials and participate in teacher training activities.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in education
• At least three years of increasingly responsible professional experience, including experience in educational measurement, applied statistics, teaching, or editing
• Teaching experience and certification in elementary education is required, along with knowledge of strong pedagogical practices across K-12 levels
• Knowledge of special education in the area of high incidence disabilities is highly desired
• Comprehensive knowledge of the field of education in order to develop tests and to serve as resource person for peers, committees, and clients

Benefits

We offer a competitive salary and excellent compensation package including medical, dental, vision, 403(b) retirement plan, life and disability insurance, paid time off and an employee assistance program. Please apply online at:

http://ets.pereless.com/careers/index.cfm?fuseaction=83080.viewjobdetail&CID=83080&JID=83799&type=&cfcend

Equal Opportunity Employer

Apply Here
http://ets.pereless.com/careers/index.cfm?fuseaction=83080.viewjobdetail&CID=83080&JID=83799&type=&cfcend

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Achievement Center Director
Greenville, SC

Description

Southern Teachers Agency is assisting Christ Church Episcopal School (CCES) in a search for their first Achievement Center Director.  Founded in 1959, CCES enrolls approximately 1,000 students in primer (kindergarten) through grade twelve.  CCES is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, and is one of the few independent schools in North America offering the full continuum of IB programs K-12.  As an Episcopal school, CCES is committed to developing the full range of students’ abilities and interests, not only their intellectual, athletic, and artistic potential.

Located in the Piedmont region of South Carolina in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Greenville is the North American headquarters for Michelin and BMW.  Greenville offers a high quality life within an internationally diverse community.

The Achievement Center Director is a new 12-month position for CCES.  The director will have the benefit of spending the 2011-12 school year working at the school to learn its culture and assess its learning support needs.  The Achievement Center will officially open in the 2012-13 school year.  The Director will report directly to the Headmaster and will be charged with stating the vision for the Center, fostering a culture of inclusivity, creating a communications plan, designing professional development programs, managing the budget, and designing and implementing the Achievement Center’s academic program.

This is an exciting and rare opportunity to design and initiate a program within the framework of a well established and supportive school.  Because of the nature of this project and the time allotted to its design and implementation, candidates should view this opportunity as a multi-year commitment.

Requirements

The most successful candidates will be familiar with approaches to learning differences and will have demonstrated leadership experience, excellent communication skills, and a personal style that engenders trust.

Interested applicants should submit (preferably by e-mail) an STA application, current resume, list of references, and educational philosophy to Mr. Jamie Estes at Estes@SouthernTeachers.com.

For more information, including a full position profile and an application, please visit www.SouthernTeachers.com.

Contact

Mr. Jamie Estes
Estes@SouthernTeachers.com
Southern Teachers Agency
7 Elliewood Ave., Suite 2A
Charlottesville, VA 22903

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Assistant Professor of Education and Child Study
Northampton, MA 01063

Description/Requirements

The Smith College Department of Education and Child Study invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor of Education and Child Study to begin Fall 2011.  We seek a candidate with:

• strong background and research interests in teaching and learning
  expertise in teaching courses in individual differences among learners
  language diversity
• special education and learning differences in the K-12 classroomcurriculum and instruction in these areas
• commitment to designing and implementing high quality teacher education in a liberal arts setting that emphasizes the relationship of theory and practice
• Also required is previous experience as a K-12 teacher and/or a record of working with teachers in a professional development context. Ph.D. or Ed.D. required by September 2011.

About the Department

The Department of Education and Child Study at Smith College is deeply rooted in a liberal arts model of teacher education, offering a rigorous, interdisciplinary major and minor and stressing the critical importance of subject-area preparation. The Department’s nationally-renowned, K-6 laboratory school stands as a model for teacher preparation; the facility is a rich resource for experimentation and innovation, and for linking research to practice. Community engagement, urban education, and an overall commitment to public education PreK-12 are also critical aspects of the Department’s program for teacher preparation.

Smith College is a member of the Five College Consortium with Amherst, Hampshire, and Mount Holyoke Colleges and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Smith College is an equal opportunity employer encouraging excellence through diversity.

Contact

Submit application at http://jobs.smith.edu with cover letter, curriculum vitae, statements of teaching philosophy and research plans, and graduate transcript.  Three confidential letters of recommendation should be mailed directly to Christine Barbuto, Department of Education and Child Study, Smith College, Morgan Hall, 37 Prospect Street, Northampton, MA 01063. Review of applications will begin November 15, 2010.

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Special Education Resources

TheNCEO Synthesis Report 77: Science Assessments for Students with Disabilities in School Year 2006-2007: What We Know About Participation, Performance, and Accommodations  
Synthesis Report
http://www.cehd.umn.edu/NCEO/OnlinePubs/Synthesis77/Synthesis77.pdf
This synthesis report on science assessments for students with disabilities was published by the Institute on Community Integration’s National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It documents the inclusion of students with disabilities in state science assessments in 2006-2007, the period just before the required implementation of statewide science assessments. The success of all students, including students with disabilities, on statewide assessments in mathematics and reading/English language arts has been examined closely, partly due to the role of these content areas in school accountability for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) known as “No Child Left Behind” (NCLB). States were expected to establish science content standards by 2005-2006, and to develop assessments in science by 2007-2008. Available in pdf (774 KB, 61 pp).

Sexuality and People with Disabilities 
Impact: Feature Issue
http://ici.umn.edu/products/impact/232/
“Impact: Feature Issue on Sexuality and People with Intellectual, Developmental and Other Disabilities” (Spring/Summer 2010, Vol. 23, No. 2) focuses on what it means to affirm and support sexuality as a part of the lives of individuals with disabilities. The article topics range from sexuality education in the home and school, to personal stories of dating and marriage, to legal and ethical issues for staff and agencies providing services for people with disabilities. Published by the Institute on Community Integration.

CADRE’s Educating Our Children Together: A Sourcebook for Effective Family-School-Community Partnerships 
Report
http://www.directionservice.org/cadre/EducatingOurChildren_01.cfm
“Educating Our Children Together” offers a variety of ideas that families and schools can use to enhance and support family, school and community partnerships. The sourcebook includes guiding principles for family-school-community involvement, tips for getting started, a self-assessment tool to determine current practices, and program descriptions that have been organized around eight interrelated strategies.

CADRE’s Effective IEP Meetings: Tested Tips 
Tips List
http://www.directionservice.org/cadre/testedtips.cfm
This list of tips offers suggestions for convening successful IEP meetings. It includes preparation tips for parents and educators.

CADRE’s Parents’ Experiences with the IEP Process: Considerations for Improving Practice  
Report
http://www.directionservice.org/cadre/pdf/Parent-IEP%20Process.pdf
This publication reviews literature exploring findings from 10 studies published after 2004 that focus on the experiences and perceptions of parents or other caregivers related to the IEP process. The review highlights recommendations from this body of literature for improving the experiences of parents and encouraging their participation in IEP meetings. Available in pdf (392 KB, 9 pp).

Diplomas Count 2010: Graduation by the Numbers  
Report
http://www.edweek.org/media/ew/dc/2010/DC10_PressKit_FINAL.pdf
Every day, more than 7,000 high school students drop out, according to a report from “Education Week” and the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center – 1.3 million dropouts per year, or three in ten public school students. While graduation rates have improved over the past decade, with the highest gains seen among blacks and non-Hispanic whites, racial gaps are still large. More striking still are the gaps between the lowest and highest performing states – as much as 40 percentage points. As highlighted in several recent reports, 25 school districts (of some 11,000 nationwide) account for one out of every five dropouts. Available in pdf (942 KB, 8 pp).

IES Report: Comparisons Across Time of the Outcomes of Youth with Disabilities up to Four Years After High School 
Report
http://ies.ed.gov/ncser/pubs/20103008/
“Comparisons Across Time of the Outcomes of Youth with Disabilities up to Four Years After High School” has been released by the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) within the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). It uses data from two National Longitudinal Transition Study datasets to compare a wide range of post-high school outcomes across time (between 1990 and 2005) of youth with disabilities who had been out of high school up to four years.

Inclusive Schools Week Celebrational Kit 
kit
http://www.inclusiveschools.org/
The theme for the December 6-10, 2010, Inclusive Schools Week Celebration is “Awareness to Action: Celebrating 10 Years of Inclusive Schools.” The Inclusive Schools Network offers a celebrational kit and promotional materials for schools to use to enhance their celebration of inclusive education.

National High School Center’s Enhanced Early Warning System Tool Helps Keep Students On-Track to Graduate High School 
Tool
http://www.betterhighschools.org/ews.asp
The National High School Center has released an enhanced version of its Early Warning System (EWS) that identifies students at risk of dropping out of high school. The EWS Tool v2.0, a free Microsoft Excel-based program, relies on readily available student-level data (attendance, course failures, grade point average, and credit accumulation) that are entered or imported by schools, districts, or states at regular intervals. Accompanying the tool are two supporting documents: the “Early Warning System Implementation Guide,” and the “National High School Center Early Warning System Tool v2.0 Technical Manual.” The Implementation Guide is a support for schools and districts implementing the EWS Tool v2.0; it outlines a process to identify students at risk for dropping, match them to interventions, and monitor their progress. The Technical Manual is a “how-to” guide for using the EWS Tool v2.0.

NCWD/Youth InfoBrief on Individual Learning Plans 
InfoBrief
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/ilp-infobrief
The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability-Youth (NCWD/Youth) has released “Understanding the Role of Individual Learning Plans in Transition Planning for Youth.” This InfoBrief explains how schools and families can supplement the required individualized education program by using an optional Individual Learning Plan as a tool to help youth successfully transition from high school to employment and postsecondary education.

New Forum Brief – Disconnected Youth: Defining the Population and Exploring Solutions
Forum Brief & Video
http://www.aypf.org/forumbriefs/2010/fb080510.htm
Much attention has been given to the number of students who drop out of high school, yet significant numbers of these students eventually do earn a credential (NCES cites 63% of dropouts obtain a diploma or GED within eight years of their scheduled graduation date). This brief from the American Youth Policy Forum describes the heterogeneity of the disconnected youth population, provides an overview of research-supported best practices, and explores policy challenges and solutions. Our “second-chance” system plays a critical role in ensuring these students successfully engage in education and employment opportunities, but these programs often face significant policy challenges.

New Forum Brief & Forum Video – Preparing Students for the Rapidly Changing World: Implications for Instruction and Assessment 
Forum Brief & Video
http://www.aypf.org/forumbriefs/2010/fb071210.htm
“Preparing Students for the Rapidly Changing World” is the third in a series of three American Youth Policy Forum Capitol Hill forums addressing the need for a new approach to education that ensures that students graduate with the range of skills and abilities necessary for success in the knowledge economy. It focused on assessment and highlighted some of the tools used to measure student acquisition of the competencies needed for future success.

Turning Around 1,000 Schools: The Story of Success for All 
Webcast
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/10158359
A video of the October 12, 2010, Kristin Anderson Moore lecture on “Turning Around 1,000 Schools: The Story of Success for All” is now available. Materials include Robert Slavin’s presentation and Kristin Anderson Moore’s remarks.

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Get Wired! Websites and Listservs

Web Sites

CADRE Web site: New and Improved
http://www.directionservice.org/cadre/
CADRE (National Center on Dispute Resolution in Special Education) has revised its Web site. Some of the changes are aesthetic while others are related to new or revised content in resources for dispute resolution in special education and early intervention.

CONNECT Module 3: Communication for Collaboration
http://community.fpg.unc.edu/connect-modules/learners/module-3
This Module from The Center to Mobilize Early Childhood Knowledge, FPG Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina has information about effective communication practices that can be used to promote collaboration with professionals and families in early care and education, and intervention settings. (The Module can also be accessed through the CADRE website.)

ED Data Express
http://www.eddataexpress.ed.gov
The U.S. Department of Education has launched a new Web site to bring together in one place data from a number of Department resources. Formerly, users had to visit multiple sites to obtain various data, and formats were sometimes not conducive to sorting and comparing. ED Data Express centralizes data from various program offices, the National Center for Education Statistics, and the College Board. It also includes interactive features that encourage users to explore the data, create customized reports, and view state profiles.

NCWD/Youth Posts New Innovative Strategies Profile: North Central Mental Health Services – Transitional Community Treatment Team
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/ncmh-tctt
The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability-Youth (NCWD/Youth), as part of its work of identifying and sharing successful program strategies that benefit all youth, including youth with disabilities, has posted a new organizational profile to the Innovative Strategies section of its Web site. This profile highlights practices and strategies from the Columbus, Ohio-based North Central Mental Health Services – Transitional Community Treatment Team.

Listservs

CADRE: Helping Parents and Educators Create Solutions That Improve Results for Students with Disabilities
http://www.directionservice.org/cadre/
The CADRE Caucus e-newsletter provides information on improving results for students with disabilities. It is not a discussion group, and does not trade or sell subscribers’ email addresses. It is offered by CADRE (National Center on Dispute Resolution in Special Education), a project of Direction Service, pursuant to a Cooperative Agreement with the Office of Special Education Programs, United States Department of Education. The opinions expressed in it do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the United States Department of Education, and any mentions of trade names, commercial products, or organizations do not imply endorsement by the United States Government. A link to subscriptions is on the CADRE website.

Employer TA Center on Disability EarnWorks September Newsletter Now Online
http://tinyurl.com/2aalsmk
EarnWorks, the national disability-focused technical assistance, policy, and research center, is now available online. EarnWorks is funded by the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). This issue includes articles on a supplier diversity webinar, disability employment resource webpage, ODEP’s listening sessions’ summary, workplace managers’ control over absences, U.S. Department of Justice’s updated Americans with Disabilities Act regulations, accommodations and workforce participation, and more.

PACER Center’s Reference Points
http://www.pacer.org/tatra/list/index.asp
“Reference Points: Transition Updates from the Technical Assistance on Transition and the Rehabilitation Act (TATRA)” features resources and updates to help parent organizations, advocates and professionals better serve adolescents and young adults with disabilities and their families. Subscribers receive several short e-mail messages each week featuring resources on issues affecting young adults with disabilities and their families.

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Funding Forecast and Award Opportunities

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

FY 2010-2011 Discretionary Grant Application Packages
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html
This site, from the Department of Education, provides information on grant competitions that are currently open.

FY 2010-2011 Discretionary Grant Application Packages
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html
This site, from the Department of Education, provides information on grant competitions that are currently open.

American Library Association Offers Book Club Grant Program to Help Underserved Teens
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/ppo/programming/greatstories/club.cfm
Grants of up to $200 plus online toolkits will be awarded by the Great Stories CLUB (Connecting Libraries, Underserved teens, and Books) to up to twenty-five public, school, academic, and special libraries for book club programs that work to reach underserved, troubled teen populations through reading and literature. All types of libraries (public, school, academic, and special) located within or working in partnership with facilities serving troubled teens in the United States and its territories are eligible to apply for a CLUB grant. Potential organizations for Great Stories CLUB partnership include juvenile justice facilities, drug rehabilitation centers, nonprofits serving teen parents, alternative high schools, agencies serving teenaged foster children, shelters serving homeless and runaway youth, etc. Following the application process, 150 libraries will be selected to develop a book discussion program for troubled teens based on the three theme-related titles, and will be given copies of the books to share with participants and access to an online toolkit to support the program. Deadline: November 19, 2010.

Got breakfast? Foundation Accepting Applications for School Breakfast Grant Program
http://www.gotbreakfast.org/grants.php
The got breakfast? Silent Hero Grant program was launched to encourage schools and non-profit organizations to expand child nutrition programs. The program rewards those who help children start their day off right by serving breakfast. The program will award grants of up to $5,000 each (up to $50,000 in total grants) to public schools, nonprofit private schools, and nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations participating in the National School Breakfast Program. Priority selection will be given to programs creating a breakfast program where one did not exist before. Deadline for applications: November 15, 2010.

Kennedy Center Launches Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Awards Program
http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/awards/sondheim/
The Kennedy Center gives Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Awards of $10,000 to K-12 teachers and college instructors in the United States who have made a significant impact on the lives of students; nominations must be made by students. On March 22 (composer Stephen Sondheim’s birthday) a select number of these teachers each receive these awards in appreciation for their contributions to the field of teaching. Awardees will also be showcased, along with the people they inspired, on the Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Awards web site. The awards were initiated and funded through the support of Freddie and Myrna Gershon. Nominators must be at least 18 years of age, and must have been the nominee’s student. Nominees must be legal residents of the United States and must teach or have taught in a K-12 school, college, or university in the United States. Deadline for nominations: December 15, 2010.

Lexus/Scholastic: Eco Challenge
http://www.scholastic.com/lexus/
The Lexus Eco Challenge program is designed to inspire and empower middle and high school students to learn about the environment and take action to improve it. Maximum award: $30,000 in scholarships and grants. Eligibility: middle and high school teams comprised of five to 10 students and one teacher advisor. Deadline: Challenge One (Land/Water): November 3, 2010; Challenge Two (Air/Climate): January 19, 2011.

Project Ignition Teen Driver Safety Service-Learning Grants
http://www.sfprojectignition.com/
Grants of $2,000 will be awarded to public high schools in the United States and in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Ontario, or New Brunswick working to address teen driver safety through service-learning initiatives by Project Ignition, sponsored by State Farm and the National Youth Leadership Council. Public schools that educate students in grades 9 through 12, ages 13 and older, are eligible to participate and receive project awards. All applications require a teacher and principal signature. Participation is not limited to service-learning schools, but schools already implementing service-learning in their curricula are encouraged to participate. Twenty-five high schools will be selected to receive grants of $2,000 each to support implementation of their programs between January and April 2011. Deadline: November 15, 2010

Best Buy: Teach@15 Award
http://www.bestbuy-communityrelations.com/teach_awards.htm
Best Buy’s Teach@15 Award program improves classroom learning by helping schools (grades 7-12) meet technology needs. A teen member (age 13-18) who is a registered member on www.at15.com can nominate his/her school to win a Teach@15 Award. Eligible are accredited, nonprofit junior or senior public, private, parochial, magnet, and charter high schools in the U.S. serving any grades 7-12.

Character Education Partnership: National Schools of Character Awards
http://www.character.org/
The National Schools of Character Awards program twofold purpose is: to identify exemplary schools and districts to serve as models for others; and to help schools and districts improve their efforts in effective character education. Eligible are schools that have been engaged in character education for a minimum of three years, starting no later than December 2007; and districts that have been engaged in character education for a minimum of four years, starting no later than December 2006. Deadline: December 1, 2010.

NSTA: Distinguished Fellow Award
http://www.nsta.org/about/awards.aspx#fellow
The National Science Teachers Association Distinguished Fellow Award recognizes NSTA members who have made extraordinary contributions to science education through personal commitment to education, specifically science teaching or science; educational endeavors and original work that position recipients as exemplary leaders in their field; or significant contributions to the profession that reflect dedication to the NSTA as well as the entire educational community. Winners are recognized at the NSTA Awards Banquet in conjunction with the NSTA National Conference. Deadline: November 30, 2010.

Campbell’s: Labels for Education
http://www.labelsforeducation.com/about-the-program.aspx
The Campbell’s, Inc., Labels for Education Program gives schools free educational equipment in exchange for labels from Campbell products. For more than 30 years, Labels for Education has been awarding free educational equipment to schools in exchange for proofs of purchase from the Campbell family of brands.

Federal Student Aid – Grant Program (English)
http://tinyurl.com/yfbe5tb
From Disability.gov, the English-language version of this fact sheet provides an overview of the major federal student aid grant programs. The federal government provides grant funds for students attending colleges, including career colleges and universities. Grants, unlike loans, do not have to be repaid. Available in pdf (42.4 KB, 1 p).

Federal Student Aid – Grant Program (Spanish)
http://tinyurl.com/282krpk
From Disability.gov, the Spanish-language version of this fact sheet provides an overview of the major federal student aid grant programs. The federal government provides grant funds for students attending colleges, including career colleges and universities. Grants, unlike loans, do not have to be repaid. Available in pdf (145 KB, 1 p).

Funding Education Beyond High School – Federal Student Aid at a Glance
http://tinyurl.com/2bzq9sa
A quick reference guide and Federal Student Aid Summary Chart that describes various federal student aid programs, who may be eligible, and how to apply.

On Line Compilations of Scholarships for Students with Disabilities from Michigan State University
http://staff.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/3disable.htm
A comprehensive list of scholarships offered to students with disabilities located on the Michigan State University Libraries website.

Do Something Invites Applications for Six Flags Friends Scholarships
http://www.dosomething.org/grants/sixflags/scholarships
Do Something has teamed up with Six Flags Friends to award college scholarships to young leaders who are taking action to make their community (locally or globally) a better place. Scholarships will be awarded based on past, current, and planned action in the community as well as the applicant’s passion, commitment, and proven leadership skills. Six scholarships of $1,500 each will be awarded.

NEA Learning and Leadership Grant
http://tinyurl.com/yacbb5b
NEA’s Learning & Leadership grants support public school teachers, public education support professionals, or faculty and staff in public institutions of higher education for two purposes: grants to individuals to fund participation in high-quality professional development experiences, such as summer institutes or action research; and grants to groups to fund college study, including study groups, action research, lesson study, or mentoring experiences for faculty or staff new to an assignment.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Federal Student Aid Grant Program Fact Sheet
http://tinyurl.com/yfbe5tb
Disability.Gov has created a fact sheet that provides an overview of the major federal student aid grant programs. The federal government provides grant funds for students attending colleges, including career colleges and universities. Grants, unlike loans, do not have to be repaid. (A Spanish version is at: http://tinyurl.com/yz2zheg.) Available in pdf (1 page, 164 KB).

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

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

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

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Acknowledgements

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

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

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

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