October 2009 – Special Educator e_Journal

Table of Contents

Update from the U.S. Department Education

Update From The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

NY BOCES Teacher Credits Bookshare Digital Library  as Invaluable Resource

Calls to Participate

Special Education Resources

Upcoming Conferences, Workshops, and Events

Funding Forecast and Award Opportunities

Acknowledgements

Download a PDF Version of This Issue

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Update from the U.S. Department of Education

White House Pledges $5 Billion to Encourage Innovations in Education

http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/news/story.jhtml?id=260300010
The Obama administration has committed $5 billion in federal funds for those state governments which support the administration’s ideas for reform within our nation’s schools. The money granted will be from the Race to the Top Fund included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed earlier this year. Grants from the from the fund will be used to encourage education reforms, with a focus on the development of tougher academic standards, more effective ways to recruit and keep teachers, tracking student performance, and developing plans of action for failing schools.

ED Seeks Reviewers for Race to the Top

ED is seeking recommendations for reviewers for Race to the Top, the $4.35 billion competition for states to lead the way in school reforms.“We hope to assemble panels of our nation’s most distinguished educators, policymakers, and scholars to participate in the review process for this ambitious reform initiative,” Secretary Arne Duncan said in a letter this week. “I am writing to ask for your help in identifying candidates for consideration.”“I encourage you to share this letter with anyone you feel is qualified,” he said. He asked for recommendations as soon as possible and no later than September 30, 2009.For more information about the review process or about applying to be on a panel, visit: http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/secletter/090902.html

ERIC Library to Expand, Improve Under New Contract

The U.S. Department of Education will spend $29 million over the next five years to enhance and operate the ERIC digital library of education literature, which offers free access to a broad array of scholarly materials. ERIC is the world’s largest and most frequently used digital library of education, containing more than 1.3 million bibliographic records indexed from 1966 to the present. Its website (http://eric.ed.gov) provides free access to the ERIC digital library, which received more than 40 million visits in 2008 from educators, researchers, and the general public.

New enhancements included in this five-year contract include:

• Collaboration with the agency’s library to digitize and process archival materials related to the history of the Department, such as early 20th century records from the Commissioner of Education
• Enhanced online submission format allowing Department of Education grantees and contractors to easily submit reports and related published research
• Establishment of a Library Committee, composed of school, academic, and special librarians who will recommend journals and sources, changes to the ERIC Thesaurus, and services and outreach
• Optical Character Recognition (OCR) of 486,000 digitized microfiche documents to ensure universal access

The ERIC website provides an alphabetical list of more than 984 journals currently indexed in the digital library. Other materials-including research syntheses, conference papers, technical reports, and policy papers -are also indexed from more than 760 sources. More than 20 percent of the collection is full-text materials. ERIC, one of the longest-running services offered by the department of education, is part of the National Library of Education in the Institute of Education Sciences.

Visit the ERIC website at: http://eric.ed.gov

Secretary Arne Duncan Designates 314 Schools as 2009 Blue Ribbon Schools

Yesterday Secretary Arne Duncan announced 314 schools as 2009 National Blue Ribbon Schools. He made the announcement at Highland Elementary School, a 2009 Blue Ribbon School in Silver Spring, Maryland. The schools—264 public and 50 private—will be honored at an awards ceremony on November 3 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC.“These Blue Ribbon Schools have shown that all children can learn with appropriate supports,” Duncan said. “They are producing outstanding results for their students. Some have shown dramatic improvements in places where students are overcoming the challenges of poverty, and others serve as examples of consistent excellence that can be a resource for other schools. They are places where improved teaching and learning benefits every student, and where students are challenged to meet high expectations with the active support of teachers, parents and the community.”More than 6,150 of America’s schools have received this coveted award over the past 27 years. View the 2009 winners at
http://www.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/2009/index.html

Back-to-School National Town Hall Meeting with Secretary Arne Duncan

Last night Secretary Arne Duncan hosted a virtual national “listening and learning” event before a live studio audience of 60 parents and educators at the WETA television studio in Arlington, VA. Watch the town hall meeting now at  http://www.connectlive.com/events/ednews/

In addition to hearing from the audience, Secretary Duncan responded to phone calls, emails, and video submissions from across the nation.  Dave from Iowa asked about standards.  A mother in California asked how to improve teaching for children with disabilities.  A caller from Nevada questioned whether teachers should be evaluated based on student test scores.  A parent from Tennessee asked how to gain buy-in from teachers for a longer school year. The town hall-style meeting was broadcast live on many of the approximately 800 public access, PBS, and Dish Network stations that are registered broadcast partners. Secretary Duncan and his leadership team will visit all 50 states this year to listen and learn from students, teachers, and communities in preparation for working with Congress on the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

Deputy Secretary Tony Miller Visits Los Angeles for President’s Speech to Students

On September 8, Deputy Secretary of Education Tony Miller visited Commonwealth Avenue Elementary School in Los Angeles to watch with a class of 5th-graders as President Obama spoke to America’s students. Miller also represented the Obama Administration at the “Get Schooled” conference and video screening of a documentary video, “Get Schooled: You Have the Right.” “As we start the new school year,” Miller said, “America needs all students performing up to the best of their abilities. We need every child to graduate from high school ready to succeed in college and to compete in the global economy. As President Obama has said, if you drop out of school, you’re not quitting on yourself, you’re quitting on your country,” Miller said. “The Administration’s participation in Get Schooled is an example of creative public-private partnerships that are critical to addressing the crisis in our schools and supporting young people in their education.”

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Update From The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

Here’s the latest changes on NICHCY:

• A fact sheet on Other Health Impairments
  http://www.nichcy.org/Disabilities/Specific/Pages/healthimpairment.aspx
• A PDF version you can print and share of Developmental Delay
  http://www.nichcy.org/InformationResources/Documents/NICHCY%20PUBS/fs9.pdf
• A PDF version you can print and share of Deaf-Blindness
  http://www.nichcy.org/InformationResources/Documents/NICHCY%20PUBS/fs16.pdf
• A revised PDF version of our fact sheet on Intellectual Disabilities
  (no longer called Mental Retardation, thank you to everyone who pointed this out)
  http://www.nichcy.org/InformationResources/Documents/NICHCY%20PUBS/fs8.pdf
• The full discussion of What It Means to Be Highly Qualified under IDEA that had somehow been cut off after one paragraph! (We sure are glad someone noticed and told us!)
  http://www.nichcy.org/SchoolsAndAdministrators/Pages/IDEA%27sDefinitionofHighlyQualified.aspx
• Tourette syndrome: Where is it?
  For those who wondered why we didn’t have a fact sheet on Tourette syndrome…the disability is now discussed as part of the new Other Health Impairment fact sheet. It even has its own separate resource page and description. While it’s not as full-blown as other fact sheets, it will certainly connect you with the top resources in the field and treasure troves of info on Tourette syndrome.
  http://www.nichcy.org/Disabilities/Specific/Pages/OHI-tourette.aspx
• What’s the Spanish saying?
  One visitor let us know that she wanted to share our Spanish language materials with families but didn’t read Spanish herself, so she couldn’t tell which publication was which. Could we please add the English after the Spanish title? she asked. Well, we have! When you visit Nuestros Productos/Publicaciones page, you’ll see. Hopefully, that will help clear up the mystery.
  http://www.nichcy.org/Pages/publicaciones.aspx

IT ALL STARTS IN FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES

Looking for newborn screening and genetics programs and policies?
Try the National Newborn Screening and Genetics Resource Center.
http://genes-r-us.uthscsa.edu/ 

More on genetics.
Part of the National Resource Center just mentioned is its Genetics and Educational Materials (GEM) Database. It’s searchable and can help you identify materials developed by regional genetic networks, HRSA projects, publications and other materials.
http://genes-r-us.uthscsa.edu/resources/genetics/GEMDatabase/index.asp

Recognizing reading (and other) problems early: Programs for parents.
Empowering Parents, a PBS special hosted by Al Roker, visits schools to help families identify early signs of reading problems and find ideas for getting their kids the help and support they need to succeed at reading.
http://www.readingrockets.org/shows/launching/empowering

Concerned about your child’s food allergies at school?
Managing food allergies at schools can be challenging. Education, communication, and cooperation are the keys to preventing allergic reactions.
http://www.foodallergy.org/school.html

Have you met Alex?
First, meet Alex’s mom. She wanted the IEP team at the new school to see her son as a person, not a label, so she made a wonderful 3-minute video to introduce him at the beginning of the IEP meeting. It worked even better than she expected. Check it out. http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/iep.video.moody.htm 

Parents get involved.
Project Appleseed is the #1 ranked resource in Google and Yahoo! for “parental involvement in public schools” (or so they claim). But a look at this organization’s bristling-with-purpose website is bound to make parents feel…well, like getting involved. Find out how at the link below. Pssst: National Parental Involvement Day is coming up soon (November 19th) but we thought we’d tell you early, so you can plan ahead.
http://www.projectappleseed.org 

Parenting, A-Z.
Visit the Center for the Improvement of Child Caring (CICC), sign up for its newsletter, and join the National Effective Parenting Initiative. The site includes info on special needs and preschoolers.
http://www.ciccparenting.org/cicc_home.asp 

Communicating with your child’s school. 
This resource from CADRE offers specific communication skills that may be helpful to parents as they develop and maintain partnerships with their child’s school. http://www.directionservice.org/cadre/success.cfm

Building a good relationship with your child’s teacher.
From the National Center for Learning Disabilities.
http://www.ncld.org/at-school/general-topics/parentschool-partnership/building-a-good-relationship-with-your-childs-teacher

Effective IEP meetings: Tested tips.
Here’s another from CADRE, offering suggestions for convening successful IEP meetings. It includes preparation tips for parents and educators.
http://www.directionservice.org/cadre/testedtips.cfm 

Watch a video on IEP teams.
Want to see an IEP team at work? Watch this clip from Empowering Parents, part of the PBS series, Launching Young Readers. (When you click the link below, you’ll come to the Reading Rockets “For Principals” page. In the right column, you’ll see “The IEP Team” and a link to “Watch video clip.” That’s the one you want.)
http://www.readingrockets.org/audience/professionals/principals

Online educational games.
We know, we know, we’re all trying to get our kids OFF of the computer. But this site will hook you up to online educational games. Phonetics, math, science, art….you name it, you can play it to learn.
http://www.empowertech.org/Resources_Games.html

Find respite.
Respite care is a service that offers temporary care for a child or adult with disabilities or chronic or terminal illnesses. The National Respite Locator Service helps parents, caregivers, and professionals find respite services in their state and local area to match their specific needs.
http://chtop.org/ARCH/National-Respite-Locator.html

Interested in autism?
CDC (the Centers for Disease Control) has a new autism website. Very snazzy.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/index.html

A parent’s guide to developmental delays: A podcast.
LD Podcasts are a weekly event at LDonline about all aspects of learning disabilities and kids who struggle in school, and this one focuses on DD. Listen at:
http://ldpodcast.com/2006/11/20/show-31-a-parents-guide-to-developmental-delays/

Is challenging behavior a problem at home?
Then you may be interested in what the Center for Evidence-Based Practice: Young Children with Challenging Behavior (CEBP) has to say. This document gives parents eight practical tips they can use when their young children exhibit challenging behavior. Each tip includes a brief explanation and an example to show parents how they might use the specific approach with their own family in everyday life.
http://www.tats.ucf.edu/wg_inclusion/PositiveSolutionsforFamilies_CEBP.pdf

Q&A: Taking service dogs into places of business.
If you need to know what the law says, read this brief from the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division.
http://www.ada.gov/qasrvc.htm

Planning your transition from high school: A tool kit.
A very good tool kit from PACER for youth with disabilities and their parents.
http://www.pacer.org/tatra/2009Award.pdf

Also for youth: Talking with your doctor.
Talking with Your Doctor and Other Medical Professionals is a Web site with videos designed to help you communicate more effectively with your health care providers. Talk about how you’re feeling, listen and ask questions about medical conditions, and get involved in decisions about your health!
http://hctransitions.ichp.ufl.edu/gladd/ 

THE LITTLE ONES: EARLY INTERVENTION/EARLY CHILDHOOD

Quick! If you want to comment…
The U.S. Department of Education has published a 30-day comment request for the IDEA Part C State Performance Plan (SPP) and Annual Performance Report (APR), which has recently been revised. Comments are due by September 11, 2009. So best be quick, if you have something to say.
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-19364.htm 

Plan ahead to OSEP’s 2009 Early Childhood Conference.
December 7-9, 2009, in Arlington, VA. Registration’s open!
http://www.nectac.org/~meetings/national2009/splash.html

Do you have questions about infant mental health?
Find answers in this research synthesis of frequently asked questions that early childhood providers have about Infant Mental Health (IMH), early social and emotional development, and the IMH system. From the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning.
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/csefel/pdf/rs_infant_mental_health.pdf

Recognizing child development problems early: A video.
This 4-minute video is in the public domain, courtesy of the CDC.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrUNBfyjlBk

Weaving cultural competence into program standards and monitoring.
Here’s a new tool to help spark discussion and to serve as a guide to help early childhood programs respond to the needs of diverse children and families in a positive way. It was developed by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) as part of its Quality Benchmark for Cultural Competence Project (QBCCP) that’s determining key elements of cultural competence for early childhood programs and ways to meaningfully integrate these elements within quality rating and improvement systems.
http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/policy/state/QBCC_Tool.pdf 

Home visits.
Home visitation programs offer family-centered services to pregnant mothers and families with infants and young children. If you’re looking for resources about home visitation programs, you’ll find them in a new brief from the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Library.
http://mchlibrary.info/guides/homevisiting.html

Managing food allergies in child care and preschools.
The Child Care and Preschool Guide to Managing Food Allergies is designed to educate caregivers of children under age 5. Endorsed by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology and the American Academy of Pediatrics, the guide includes two educational videos (one for adults, one for children), a binder of information, and much more. Cost? $75. Available from the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN). Read how to order at:
http://www.foodallergy.org/school/childcare.html

Disability awareness and inclusion in early childhood programs.
Need materials you can use in your program? Try Including Us All, a nonsexist, multicultural guide for incorporating the topic of disability into the early childhood curriculum: same/different (hearing impairment), body parts (visual impairment), and transportation (mobility impairment). Cost? $15. Read all about it (and order, if you like) at the Educational Equity Center at AED:
http://www.edequity.org/programs/disability-awareness-and-inclusion

Raid the treasure chest at the TATS program.
TATS is a statewide project in Florida that supports programs serving preK children with disabilities by providing technical assistance and training. Check out its Documents page! From there, branch into the area of your interest, including finding a scad of documents on:

•  curriculum and instruction
• evaluation and assessment
• family involvement
• inclusion
• transition
• program effectiveness and quality

Have fun. You may need a truck to bring all the loot home.
http://www.tats.ucf.edu/documents.php

Another treasure trove.
Are you interested in quality materials on topics related to early childhood and early intervention? The Natural Resources listserv is one way to stay up-to-date with the latest free or low-cost booklets, CD-Roms, videos, Power Point presentations and other items. Go to the link below to learn more and find out how to sign up for the listserv.
http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~scpp/nat_allies/na_resources.cfm

SCHOOLS, K-12

A vision of K-12 students today.
Start your school year off by watching this 4-minute video. Not a word is spoken, all is visual.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A-ZVCjfWf8

And while we’re watching videos, how about TeacherTube?
Launched in 2007, TeacherTube provides teachers with an online community for sharing instructional videos. The service is free for everyone.
http://www.teachertube.com/

H1N1 preparedness guidelines for schools.
The feds have issued guidelines designed to help educators and administrators share health information, plan for staff and student absences, and maintain a learning environment in the event of a flu outbreak.
http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/08/20090807a.html

We’ll mention it again cos it’s that important: Accessible books.
Bookshare is free for all U.S. students with qualifying disabilities. Funded by an award from OSEP, Bookshare’s library includes more than 50,000 digital books, textbooks, teacher-recommended reading, periodicals, and assistive technology tools. Talk about a back-to-school resource!
http://www.bookshare.org/

Stretched thin?
Are you a teacher dealing with fewer resources in your classroom this fall because of budget cuts? What suggestions do you have for educators who are faced with crowded classrooms, a shortage of supplies, or the need for an extra pair of hands? What suggestions do they have for you? Join the featured discussion this month at: http://www.teachermagazine.org 

The difference a dedicated principal can make.
Check out The Principal Story on PBS and take an inside look at the challenges facing America’s public schools—and the great difference a dedicated principal can make. You’ll go on an emotional ride that reveals what effective educational leadership looks like in the 21st century. You can also borrow the film and download the discussion guide, for FREE if you’re a nonprofit, educational institution, library, or local PBS station.

• To sign up, visit:
  http://www.amdoc.org/outreach/events/
• To find out when your local PBS station is showing The Principal Story:
  http://www.pbs.org/pov/tvschedule/

Adapting language arts, social studies, and science materials for the inclusive classroom.
http://www.cec.sped.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=CEC_Today1&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=4218

What about those 9 multiple intelligences?
The link below will take you to the PBS educational resource page that includes an overview of Howard Gardener’s 9 multiple intelligences as well as tips to include a multiple intelligences approach in teaching. You’ll also find multiple intelligence resources.
www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/education/ed_mi_overview.html

Food allergies: A back-to-school toolkit.
For the 2.2 million school-age children with food allergies and their parents, staying safe at school requires the help of teachers and friends. The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network has put together a tool kit for all grade levels so the entire class can help by learning how to Be a PAL: Protect A Life(tm) From Food Allergies.  http://www.foodallergy.org/school/toolkit.html

A toolkit for Title I parental involvement.
Hot off the press from SEDL.
http://www.sedl.org/pubs/catalog/items/family120.html

Sourcebook for effective family-school-community partnerships.
Educating Our Children Together 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 cluster strategies. From CADRE.
http://www.directionservice.org/cadre/EducatingOurChildren_01.cfm 

How are schools using the stimulus money?
Find out from the American Association of School Administrators, at the link below.
http://www.aasa.org/uploadedFiles/Policy_and_Advocacy/files/AASAStimulusSurveyAug09.pdf

Two new videos on recruiting and retaining high-quality special educators.
From the Personnel Improvement Center. http://video.personnelcenter.org/

Change the world every day in 5 minutes.
Can a bunch of school kids really change the world in five minutes a day? This class of primary school kids demonstrates over the course of a week that it only takes five minutes a day to make a positive impact—from recycling to planting fruit and vegetables to telling jokes. Watch the video at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oROsbaxWH0M

Nominate a fellow special educator for a CEC Professional Award.
Recognize outstanding special educators with CEC’s Professional Awards: Wallin Lifetime Achievement, Clarissa Hug National Teacher of the Year, Special Education Research, and Outstanding Leadership awards. Nominations are due by October 9. http://www.cec.sped.org/Content/NavigationMenu/AboutCEC/Awards/Professional/default.htm

Nominate a student for a Yes I Can! award.
CEC’s Yes I Can! Awards honor students with disabilities who excel in nine categories. Students may be nominated by a parent, teacher, principal, or other adult. Nominations are due by October 9.
http://www.cec.sped.org/Content/NavigationMenu/AboutCEC/YesICanFoundation/default.htm

STATE & SYSTEM TOOLS

50-state report on PK-12 policies.
From CCSSO (Council of Chief State School Officers). The report informs policymakers and educators about the current status and trends in policies across the 50 states that define teaching and learning in elementary and secondary schools.
http://www.ccsso.org/premium-publications/details.cfm?PublicationID=379

Financial accounting for local and state school systems: 2009 Edition.
From the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). This NCES handbook has been designed as the national standard for state and local education agencies to use in tracking and reporting financial data and for school districts to use in preparing their comprehensive annual financial reports (CAFRs).
http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2009/2009325.pdf

Guide to analyzing data from the Family Outcomes Survey.
This new document from the Early Childhood Outcomes Center (ECO) will give you suggestions on how to analyze data from the Family Outcomes Survey and how to use the analyses to plan for program improvement.
http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~eco/assets/pdfs/FOS_Guidance_Report_08-09.pdf

RTI CTRL.
Have you seen the Response to Intervention Classification Tool and Resource Locator (RTI CTRL)? This resource contains both a web-based self-assessment and a resource filtering tool that SEAs can use to find resources that are relevant to their needs. The self-assessment allows users to identify their current implementation activities within several elements of RTI, and the results of the assessment yield a unique set of useful resources that are relevant to their current implementation level and may provide guidance as RTI is further implemented. http://www.rtictrl.org/

The power of school-wide positive behavior support.
Take 30 minutes and watch this video of George Sugai, which is an excellent primer on SWPBS. Share it, too, with your school systems. And click on the link under the video that says “Go back to the Video Page” and see what other great video primers are available on PBIS. From the OSEP Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), of course.
http://www.pbis.org/swpbs_videos/pbs_video-swpbs_reaching_all.aspx

SPECIAL FOCUS: AFTERSCHOOL

Last month our special focus was Back to School. Now that we’re “back,” how about what we’re doing after school? Millions of children are involved in afterschool programs or activities, including children with disabilities. To help all those involved in afterschool care and programming, here’s a list of resources that will give you food for thought, concrete strategies, and a world of connections to make afterschool a welcoming, active, and fruitful way to spend out-of-school time.

Afterschool.gov.
Where else to start? Afterschool.gov is a one-stop website connecting the public, and particularly afterschool providers, to federal resources that support children and youth during out-of-school time. The link below is to the Children With Disabilities page. http://www.afterschool.gov/xhtml/subject/24.html

2009 fact sheet on out-of-school time.http://www.niost.org/pdf/factsheet2009.pdf

Afterschool programs are for students with exceptionalities, too!
http://www.cec.sped.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&CONTENTID=1327&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm

The National Center for Quality Afterschool.
SEDL’s National Center helps state education agencies and local practitioners develop high-quality, balanced programs that provide a safe and fun environment for academic enrichment as well as youth development activities. While you’re there, sign up for the Center’s monthly newsletter, AfterWords.
http://www.sedl.org/afterschool/resources/index.html 

Visit the California After-School Resource Center (CASRC).
Browse and download free curriculum and curriculum evaluation materials. Participate in a free curriculum lending library.
http://www.californiaaferschool.org

Discovering Community: Activities for afterschool programs.
The National Institute on Out of School Time, in association with the After-School Corporation, designed this curriculum to foster positive attitudes and stronger affiliations between students, teachers, and the surrounding school communities.
http://www.niost.org/pdf/Discovering%20Community%20Activity%20Guide%20PDF.pdf

Working together for children and families: A Community’s Guide to Making the MOST of Out-of-School Time.
This substantial, informative guide describes the theoretical basis, experiences, and learnings of the first and second phases of the MOST Initiative. It also explains how to build an out-of-school time system using the MOST approach.
http://www.niost.org/pdf/MOSTguide.pdf 

Focus on Families! How to build and support family-centered practices in after school.
From the Harvard Research Project.
www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/projects/afterschool/resources/families/

Resource guide for planning and operating afterschool programs.
Now in its third edition, this resource guide describes readily available and inexpensive resources that support afterschool programs. Topics include management, communication, programming, community building and collaboration, and developing connections between K-12 educational and afterschool programs. http://www.sedl.org/pubs/fam95/afterschool.pdf

Try the AIM guidelines.
The AIM Guidelines describe the need for and characteristics of successful afterschool inclusive math programs.
http://www.edequity.org/files/eec-power-user/AIM%20Guidelines%20for%20Website.pdf

After-School Math PLUS and After-School Science Plus.
These two inquiry-based programs are designed for use in after-school centers serving students aged 6-14. They’ve have been field tested with students with disabilities and include modifications to ensure they are fully accessible to students with a broad range of physical, cognitive, and social/emotional disabilities.
http://www.edequity.org/?q=programs/disability-awareness-and-inclusion

Boosting inclusion with AT and supplemental services.
From the National Center for Technology Innovation and Center for Implementing Technology in Education. http://www.ldonline.org/article/9924

Find a tutor.
tutorfind.com is a free online search service that can help you locate a tutor. You can also call 1-800-64-TUTOR to talk to an experienced education counselor. All TutorFind tutors are certified by The American Tutoring Association. http://www.tutorfind.com

10 tips for affirming diversity and supporting equity in new afterschool programs.
http://www.californiatomorrow.org/media/astips.pdf

80 ways to say “Very Good!”
Not just for afterschool programs, either! This is useful everywhere.
http://syacgs.org/Info/SNLStuff/CoachClinic/80ways.html 

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Calls to Participate

K-16 Teachers Invited to Apply for Fulbright Program
http://www.fulbrightteacherexchange.org/cte.cfm
The Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, provides opportunities for full-time K-16 teachers with at least three years’ experience to participate in direct exchanges of positions with colleagues from other countries for a semester or academic year. U.S. teachers are eligible to apply for a direct exchange of teaching positions with a counterpart in another country teaching the same subject(s) at the same level. Apply by October 19, 2009.

Leadership for Excellence and Equity Forum
http://tinyurl.com/mwdjg9
The 2010 Equity Alliance forum “Reinvesting Equity: Building Bridges and Tearing Down Walls,” will take place February 16-17 in Phoenix, Arizona. This forum will provide the opportunity for several potential areas of focus, including civil and educational rights, disproportionality in special education, school-family partnerships, organizing schools for inclusive education, and more. Session proposals that cover the range of expertise from presentations of research to presentations of promising practices are welcome. Proposals can be for presentation/discussions, workshops, panels, and roundtables. Deadline for proposals: November 15, 5:00 pm.

Tenth Annual Multiple Perspectives on Access, Inclusion, & Disability: Future History
http://tinyurl.com/kkp8dl
The Tenth Annual Multiple Perspectives conference will be held April 27-28, 2010, at Ohio State’s Columbus Campus, and this year’s theme, “Future History,” encourages reflection by celebrating themes from past conferences. Proposals for the conference should incorporate one of the themes from past years. The deadline for proposals is November 7, 2009.

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Special Education Resources

PACER Center Launches National Teen Bullying Prevention Web Site
http://www.pacerteensagainstbullying.org/
TeensAgainstBullying.org was launched by the PACER Center’s National Center for Bullying Prevention to serve as a bullying prevention resource where teens can become a powerful part of the movement to end bullying. Through the use of videos, blogs, and social networking, the site’s resounding message is “the end of bullying begins with you.”

CADRE’s Effective IEP Meetings: Tested Tips 
Fact Sheet
http://www.directionservice.org/cadre/pdf/EFFECTIVE%20IEP%20MEETINGS%20May%202009.pdf
This document from CADRE offers suggestions for convening successful IEP meetings. It includes preparation tips for parents and educators and addresses such topics as: What IEP/IFSP Conveners Can Do (Pre-Meeting), What IEP/IFSP Conveners Can Do (During Meeting), and What IEP/IFSP Conveners Can Do (Post-Meeting). Available in pdf (47 KB, 2 pp).

Equity in Action: Professional Learning for Culturally Responsive Teaching 
Report
http://www.equityallianceatasu.org/
Professional Learning for Culturally Responsive Teaching, The Equity Alliance at ASU’s newest publication, includes key principles to guide development and implementation of professional learning. This publication also presents several research-based examples of practice that demonstrate educators’ engagement in professional learning that results in the improvement of students’ academic and social outcomes.

Graduating America: Meeting the Challenge of Low Graduation-Rate High Schools
Report
http://www.jff.org/premium-publications/education/graduating-america-meeting-challenge-low/863
This report from Jobs for the Future provides tools to examine the characteristics of schools, districts, and states, which will assist in making certain approaches more likely to succeed in certain places. Through this sort of analysis, states and nations will be able to identify reform opportunities, and they can target human, financial, and knowledge resources to where they are most needed and will do the most good.

Implementing High-Quality Youth Programs 
Research Briefs
http://www.childtrends.org/youthdevelopment
Three new research briefs from Child Trends focus on research findings on the implementation of high quality out-of-school time programs. How Program Administrators Can Support Out-Of-School Time Staff centers on effective stratifies for facilitative administration in out-of-school time programs. Building Systems-Level Partnerships links research findings to effective strategies for building systems-level partnerships in out-of-school time programs. Data-Driven Decision Making in Out-Of-School Time Programs offers recommendations and action steps to support the use of high-quality data to inform the implementation of evidence-based practices.

Leveraging the Indicators of College and Career Readiness  
Policy Brief
http://www.all4ed.org/files/SPIMovingBeyondAYP.pdf
This Alliance for Excellent Education Policy Brief examines the research on a number of high school performance indicators which have emerged as being predictive of high school graduation and college career readiness. The intention of the brief is to recommend that federal policymakers establish graduation and college and career readiness as the goal for all students and high schools through various courses of action.

NCWD/Youth Releases Spanish Version of Disability Inquiries in the Workforce Development System  
Report
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/sites/default/files/infobrief_issue9_in_spanish.pdf
The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability/Youth (NCWD/Youth) has published Spanish versions of four publications, including “Disability Inquiries in the Workforce Development System.” Available in pdf (53 KB, 4 pp).

NCWD/Youth Releases Spanish Version of Guideposts for Employer Success  
Report
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/sites/default/files/guideposts_for_employers_in_spanish.pdf
The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability/Youth (NCWD/Youth) has published Spanish versions of four publications, including :Guideposts for Employer Success.” Available in pdf (46 KB, 4 pp).

NCWD/Youth Releases Spanish Version of Guideposts for Success  
Report
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/sites/default/files/guideposts_for_youth_in_spanish.pdf
The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability/Youth (NCWD/Youth) has published Spanish versions of four publications, including “Guideposts for Success.” Available in pdf (71 KB, 8 pp).

NCWD/Youth Releases Spanish Version of The Workforce Development System & the Professional Development of Youth Service Practitioners: WhyProfessional Development Report  
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/sites/default/files/infobrief_issue19_in_spanish.pdf
The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability/Youth (NCWD/Youth) has published Spanish versions of four publications, including “The Workforce Development System & the Professional Development of Youth Service Practitioners: Why Professional Development?” Available in pdf (116 KB, 12 pp).

NCWD/Youth Research Brief on Individualized Learning Plans  
Research Brief
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/sites/default/files/220_strategic_use_of_individualized_learning_plans.pdf
The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability/Youth has published the research brief, Strategic Use of Individualized Learning Plans: Preparing Students with Workforce Readiness Skills for 21st Century Jobs. The brief seeks to expand the definition and scope of Individualized Learning Plans (ILP), describe the range of workforce readiness skills that can be communicated through ILPs, and demonstrate how ILPs can design quality learning experiences that result in tangible workforce skill indicators. Available in pdf (546 KB, 9 pp).

Professional Learning for Equity Module 
PowerPoint presentations, handouts, facilitator material
http://equityallianceatasu.org/pl/inclusive-education-for-equity
This new publication from the Equity Alliance at ASU seeks to address the meaning behind inclusive education. The Equity Alliance guides participants through an exploration of inclusive education systems, schools, and classrooms which will eventually allow them to construct their own model. Downloadable materials include PowerPoint presentations, participant handouts, and facilitator manuals.

Raising Rigor, Getting Results: Lessons Learned from AP Expansion  
Report
http://www.nga.org/Files/pdf/0908APREPORT.PDF
The National Governor’s Association (NGA) has released a new report which details the results from the Advanced Placement Expansion Project. This project was a large-scale initiative launched in 2005 to “redesign the American high school” in 51 pilot high schools in rural and urban school districts serving minority and low-income students. The report indicates that the number of minority and low-income students taking AP courses more than doubled, and scores of 3 or more (out of 5) accelerated from year to year at a rate higher than the national average. Available in pdf (1.6 MB, 24 pp).

Student-Led Solutions to the Nation’s Dropout Crisis  
Report
http://www.communitiesforpubliceducationreform.org/sites/cper/files/imce/VOYCE_Report.pdf
“Student-Led Solutions to the Nation’s Dropout Crisis,” a report by Voices of Youth in Chicago Education (VOYCE), used participatory action research and student site visits to successful schools to engage youth in examining the dropout issue and recommending changes in policy and practice that improve the quality of education for all students. Available in pdf (12.6 MB, 31 pp).

Helping Educators Improve Learning in Diverse Classrooms
http://www.tolerance.org/tdsi/
As part of an effort to improve the teaching of students of color, the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Teaching Tolerance program has launched a new online initiative. The Teaching Diverse Students Initiative (TDSi) offers interactive multimedia tools to help educators improve learning opportunities and outcomes for racially and ethnically diverse students. TDSi’s resources include learning activities, case studies, video of effective practice, reports and articles, and video commentary by leading researchers. School districts interested in working with TDSi should contact Michelle Garcia at TDSI@tolerance.org. The research-based tools of TDSi are available free of charge.

Humboldt County Office of Education/Regional Occupation Program’s WebResource for Students in Transition
www.hrop.org/wizard
The Humboldt County Office of Education/Regional Occupation Program has produced an interactive web-based resource for students transitioning through high school to adult life. The Personal Data Wizard is an individual career portfolio and transition-planning program. A student can login to a secure personal site for the following activities and resources.

National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth Updates Website
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/
The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) has updated its web site, http://www.ncwd-youth.info/. The updated web site offers new content areas focusing on what all youth need with specific emphasis on you with disabilities and other vulnerable populations.

Updated State Education Reforms (SER) Website
http://nces.ed.gov/programs/statereform/
The National Center for Education Statistics within the Institute of Education Sciences has updated the SER website focusing on five general areas: 1) Accountability, 2) Assessments and Standards, 3) Staff Qualifications and Development, 4) State Support for School Choice and Other Options, 5) Student Readiness and Progress Through School.

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Funding Forecast and Award Opportunities

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

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

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

American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD) Announces the Creation of the 2009 AAHD Scholarship Program
http://aahd.us/page.php?pname=Scholarship%20Program
The AAHD Scholarship will provide support for students with disabilities who are pursuing higher education. Those who are pursuing undergraduate/graduate studies in the field of public health, health promotion, or disability studies, to include disability policy and disability research will be given preference. Please, visit the above website to download the application.

American School Board Journal: Magna Awards
http://www.asbj.com/MainMenuCategory/Supplements/MagnaAwards/WhatisMagna.aspx
The American School Board Journal’s 16th annual Magna Awards honor outstanding programs, which have been developed or supported by school boards that showcase school district leadership, creativity, and commitment to student achievement. Maximum award: $4,000. All nominations are judged on three enrollment categories (under 5,000 enrollment; 5,000-20,000 enrollment; and over 20,000 enrollment) with a grand prizewinner in each category. Eligibility: local school boards. Deadline: October 31, 2009.

Applications Invited for State Farm’s Youth Advisory Board Service-Learning Grants Program
http://www.statefarmyab.com/apply.php
Grants of up to $100,000 will be awarded to nonprofits, educational institutions, and government agencies in the U.S. and Canada, which sponsor student-led service learning projects on environmental, societal, or financial issues within higher education. Grants will be awarded to those projects that address the issues of environmental responsibility, natural and societal disaster preparedness, driver safety, financial education, and accessing higher education. Deadline: October 2, 2009.

CVS Caremark Community Grants Program Accepting Grant Applications for Programs Serving Children With Disabilities and the Uninsured
http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/rfp/rfp_item.jhtml?id=257400013
The CVS Caremark Community Grants Program seeks to provide support to community organizations and public schools in states where CVS stores are located. The program will award funds to nonprofit organizations working to provide disabled children and youth (under age 21) with health and rehabilitation services and/or programs, which enable and encourage physical movement and play. The program will also award grants to public schools that promote a greater level of inclusion in student activities and extracurricular programs for children with disabilities. Deadline: October 31, 2009

High School Students Invited to Submit Entries for Green Your School Contest
http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/rfp/rfp_item.jhtml?id=252800004
Awards of up to $5,000 will be given to high schools whose students have designed projects to improve, restore, beautify, or conserve their school environment. The Green Your School Contest is a national competition that aims to stimulate and identify conservation service projects designed by high school students that improve, restore, beautify, or conserve their high school environment. To be eligible projects must have been begun after August 1, 2008. Deadline: October 9, 2009

Lowe’s Toolbox for Education Accepting Applications for K-12 Public School Projects
http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/rfp/rfp_item.jhtml?id=259500002
Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded to nonprofits and schools working to provide disabled children and youth under age 21 with health and rehabilitation programs and active play opportunities alongside their non-disabled peers. Lowe’s will donate $5 million to U.S. public schools and public school teacher groups at more then one thousand public schools. Projects that encourage parent involvement and build stronger community spirit will be favored. Deadline: October 16, 2009

National Endowment for the Humanities Announces Picturing America School Collaboration Projects Grant Opportunity
http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/rfp/rfp_item.jhtml?id=253700047
Grants of up to $75,000 will be awarded to collaborative projects between humanities scholars and educators to develop K-12 coursework related to American art. The Picturing America school Collaboration Projects grant is designed to help teachers and librarians form connections between Picturing America images and coursework within the schools core curriculum. Picturing America is part of the “We the People Program”. Deadline: October 7, 2009.

Project Learning Tree: GreenWorks! Grants
http://www.plt.org/cms/pages/21_22_21.html
Project Learning Tree (PLT) GreenWorks! grants engage PLT educators and their students along with their community through “learn-by-doing” projects that involve student leadership, service learning and community participation. Projects must be youth planned and executed as well as involve at least one community partner such as a local organization or business and must obtain 50% matching funds. Maximum award: $5,000. Deadline: October 31, 2009

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

Home Depot Accepting Applications for Building Healthy Communities Grant Program
http://tinyurl.com/mug82r
Grants of up to $2,500 will be awarded to nonprofits, public schools, and tax-exempt public service agencies in the U.S. working to improve their communities by using volunteers to build and refurbish affordable housing or transitional housing, increasing energy efficiency or sustainability, landscaping, planting of native trees, community facility improvements, and the development and/or improvement of green spaces. Grants are made in the form of the Home Depot gift cards for the purchase or tools or materials. Only registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, tax-exempt public schools, and tax-exempt public agencies in the U.S. are eligible to apply. The two remaining grant cycles for 2009 run July 15-September 15, 2009, and October 15-December 15, 2009. All applicants are required to pass an eligibility quiz before being considered for a grant. Program information and eligibility quiz are included on the Home Depot Web site. Deadlines: December 15, 2009.

Do Something Disaster Grants for Young People
http://www.dosomething.org/grants/disaster
Do Something and the Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation have teamed up to offer $500 Disaster Grants to young people across the US and Canada. They want to hear from people building houses in New Orleans, planning an emergency coat drive for families in crisis this winter, or collecting toys for kids who’ve been through a natural disaster, etc. Each week in 2009 they are giving out $500 to a person with a project idea around the themes of disaster preparedness and emergency response.

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

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

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

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

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.

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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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