September 2008 – Special Educator e-Journal

Table of Contents

Message from the Executive Directors

News You Can Use

This Just in…. Common Treatment to Delay Labor Decreases Preterm Infants’ Risk for Cerebral Palsy

Calls to Participate

Special Education Resources

Questions and Answers on Highly Qualified Teachers Serving Children with Disabilities

Upcoming Conferences, Workshops, and Events 

Funding Forecast and Award Opportunities

Acknowledgements

Download a PDF Version of This Issue

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Message from the Executive Directors

Dr. Roger Pierangelo & Dr. George Giuliani

Welcome to the September, 2008 edition of the NASETSpecial Educator e-Journal. To those of you who are new members, this is NASET’s publication that keeps its members up to date with all of the latest news in special education that we feel is important for special education teachers, professors, and those seeking a career as a  special education teacher.

It’s time now for all of us to get back to school and do what we do best.  For some of you, you’ve already started teaching while for others it’s literally right around the corner.  We truly wish you all the best as you prepare for your school year.

We’ve gotten great feedback from many of you on NASET’s strong professional development resources, as well as what you would like us to add to NASET.  We cannot thank you enough for all of the insightful ideas and suggestions that you have given us.

Membership in NASET continues to grow at a phenomenal rate, both with renewals and new members. We thank all of you for referring your colleagues to us. NASET is dedicated to meeting all of the needs of special educators throughout the world.

Remember that NASET is your organization, and anything we can do to enhance your professional development, we will take very seriously.  NASET is working very hard to meet the variety of demands placed on special educators, and we hope to continue to furnish you with all of the professional and practical resources that you need.

We hope that this edition meets your needs and keeps you current with everything happening in the field of special education.  If you have any questions, comments or feedback that we can address, always be sure to write us at news@naset.org.

We wish you a great start to the new school year and all the best in your teaching of exceptional students in 2008-2009. 

Sincerely,

Dr. Roger Pierangelo and Dr. George Giuliani
Executive Directors

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News You Can Use

The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) has revised its website and provided numerous resources to help in your research of children with disabilities.  Below are some of the latest “News You Can Use” topics that NICHCY has provided this past summer.  To read any or all of them, visit http://www.nichcy.org/News/Pages/Default.aspx

Parent and Family Involvement in Education
The National Center for Education Statistics within the Institute of Education Sciences has released the report “Parent and Family Involvement in Education, 2006-07 School Year, from the National Household Education Surveys Program of 2007.” Selected findings include: approximately 54 percent of students in grades K through 12 had parents who reported receiving notes or e-mail from the school specifically about their child; some 83 percent of students had parents who received information about how to help with homework; 89 percent of students in grades K through 12 had parents who reported an adult member of the household had attended a general school meeting or a meeting of a parent-teacher organization or association (PTO/PTA) since the beginning of the school year; and 59 percent of students in grades K through 12 had parents who were “very satisfied” with their child’s school, and 64 percent of students had parents who were “very satisfied” with their child’s teachers that year. – Institute of Education Sciences (IES)

New from the What Works Clearinghouse
Added August 07, 2008
The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) has released two new quick reviews and a new intervention report.  One of the latest quick reviews rates a study that examined whether having a Teach For America teacher affects the academic performance of high school students. Also rated is a study that investigated whether it is more effective to teach mathematical concepts with abstract symbols or concrete examples. The WWC intervention report examines accelerated middle schools which provide self-contained academic programs designed to help middle school students who are one to two years behind grade level to catch up to their peers. – What Works Clearinghouse (WWC)

Effects of Preschool Curriculum on School Readiness
Added August 06, 2008
In 2002, the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) began the Preschool Curriculum Evaluation Research (PCER) initiative to conduct rigorous efficacy evaluations of available preschool curricula. Under a competitive process, 12 research teams were awarded grants to implement and conduct research on one or two preschool curricula of their choosing with a predominantly low-income population under an experimental design. This final report presents findings for the impact of each curriculum on student-level and classroom-level outcomes. – Institute of Education Sciences (IES)

Building Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)
Added August 05, 2008
In this article, a state teacher of the year in North Carolina describes her experience when Professional Learning Communities were integrated into her school culture. – Teacher Magazine

FCTD Newsletter
Added August 05, 2008
In the wake of a series of large-scale emergencies that captured national attention, advocates for individuals with disabilities, manufacturers of assistive technology and proponents of universal design have made huge strides in developing emergency preparedness strategies for an increasingly inclusive society. Such strategies include the creative use of both assistive and mainstream consumer technologies. This issue examines the role of technology and universal design in emergency preparedness. – The Family Center on Technology and Disability

NCLB Policy Documents
Added August 04, 2008
The Department of Education has updated its list of significant guidance documents that includes every guidance document related to NCLB that currently in effect. – U.S. Department of Education

Ensuring Quality Care for Low-Income Babies
Added August 03, 2008
Babies and toddlers need access to warm, responsive, child care providers, and safe and stimulating child care environments that meet the full range of their developmental needs. Yet, the supply of high-quality infant and toddler care is limited—especially for low-income children. State policies, in particular child care subsidy policies, can help to build the supply and improve the quality of available care for this vulnerable population. One way states are doing this activity is by contracting directly with child care providers for high quality infant and toddler care. – Center for Law and Social Policy

Autism Speaks 100 Day Kit
Added August 01, 2008
The Autism Speaks 100 Day Kit is created specifically for newly diagnosed families, to make the best possible use of the 100 days following the diagnosis of autism. The kit contains information and advice collected from experts on autism as well as from parents of children with autism. There is a week by week plan for the next 100 days, as well as organizational suggestions and forms that parents/caregivers can use to help with the paperwork and phone calls, as they begin to find services for their child. – Autism Speaks July 2008 Research News

New Series Highlights Center for Studying Disability Policy Research
Added July 31, 2008
The Center for Studying Disability Policy at Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., announced a new bimonthly lunchtime seminar series aimed at providing policymakers and others with an opportunity to hear about the latest disability policy research findings. Disability experts from the center will present recently released findings and lead discussions about their policy implications. – Mathematica Policy Research

Community Services Locator
Added July 30, 2008
Most communities have education, health, mental health, family support, parenting, child care, and other services that can help support children and families. However, locating those services or even knowing which services to look for is often difficult. The Community Services Locator is designed to help service providers and families find available national, state, and local resources that can address child and family needs. – MCH Library

America’s Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2008
Added July 14, 2008
This year’s America’s Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being report continues the tradition of cooperation and commitment by agencies across the Federal Government to advance our understanding of children today and indicate what may be needed to bring them a better tomorrow. – childstats.gov

States Struggle to Meet Achievement Standards for ELLs
Added July 14, 2008
Nearly all states continue to struggle in meeting the No Child Left Behind Act’s academic targets for English-language learners in mathematics and reading, according to the latest analysis released by the U.S. Department of Education. – Edweek.org

Save D.C.’s Vouchers
Added July 14, 2008
Signed into law by President Bush four years ago, the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program is the first to provide federally funded education vouchers to students. It awards up to $7,500 per child for tuition, transportation and fees; in 2007-08 it enabled 1,900 students from the underperforming Washington, D.C. public school system to attend the private or religious schools of their choice. – Washington Post

State’s schools lack cohesive plan for autism
Added July 14, 2008
Jonah is one of more than 46,000 California schoolchildren diagnosed with the enigmatic condition known as autism. That’s more than triple the 14,000 enrolled at the beginning of the decade, making autism the fastest-rising disability in the state – and the most expensive and challenging for schools to address. – San Francisco Chronicle

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This Just in……  

Common Treatment to Delay Labor Decreases Preterm Infants’ Risk for Cerebral Palsy

Preterm infants born to mothers receiving intravenous magnesium sulfate — a common treatment to delay labor — are less likely to develop cerebral palsy than are preterm infants whose mothers do not receive it, report researchers in a large National Institutes of Health research network.

The study results appear in the August 28, 2008 New England Journal of Medicine.

“A third of all cases of cerebral palsy are associated with preterm birth,” said NIH Director Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D. “This study shows a significant reduction in cerebral palsy among preterm infants whose mothers were given magnesium sulfate.”

The researchers theorized that magnesium sulfate protects against cerebral palsy because it can stabilize blood vessels, protect against damage from oxygen depletion, and protects against injury from swelling and inflammation.
Cerebral palsy refers to a group of neurological disorders affecting control of movement and posture and which limit activity. The brain may be injured or develop abnormally during pregnancy, birth or in early childhood. The causes of cerebral palsy are not well understood.

The research was conducted by investigators in 20 participating research centers of the Maternal Fetal Medicine Units Network of NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). The study’s first author was Dwight J. Rouse, M.D., of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Major funding was provided by NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). 1995 study by NINDS researcher Karin Nelson, M.D., and a researcher at the California Department of Health Services found that mothers of preterm infants who did not have cerebral palsy were more likely to have received magnesium sulfate than were mothers of infants who had cerebral palsy. Two larger randomized studies that subsequently were undertaken suggested that magnesium sulfate given to pregnant women delivering prematurely might protect their infants against cerebral palsy, but their results were inconclusive.

“Our study is the largest, most comprehensive effort to date that looked at using this inexpensive and commonly used treatment to reduce the occurrence of cerebral palsy after preterm birth,” said Deborah Hirtz, M.D., a pediatric neurologist at NINDS, and an author of the study. “Cerebral palsy can’t always be prevented, but the data from our study and its predecessors will help obstetricians make informed treatment decisions for the women under their care.”

Women at the 20 participating NICHD Maternal Fetal Medicine Unit Network sites were eligible to participate. The women were from 24 to 31 weeks pregnant and at risk for preterm delivery. When the women went into labor, they were assigned at random to receive intravenously a solution of either magnesium sulfate or a placebo. The women in the treatment group were given 6 grams of magnesium sulfate intravenously over 20 to 30 minutes, followed by 2 grams of magnesium sulfate every hour after that until either 12 hours had passed, labor had subsided, or they had given birth. If the women in either group did not deliver within 12 hours, they were treated again if they went into labor by the 34th week of pregnancy.

For purposes of their statistical analysis, the researchers calculated the rates of moderate cerebral palsy, severe cerebral palsy, and death among the infants in the study. The study authors did not include mild cerebral palsy in this calculation, as mild cerebral palsy will often disappear with time.

When the researchers considered only moderate and severe cerebral palsy together, cerebral palsy occurred less frequently in the magnesium sulfate group (1.9 percent) as compared to the placebo group (3.5 percent).

For their primary calculation, the researchers grouped the proportions of infants with moderate and severe cerebral palsy together with the proportion of infants who died. The researchers included the death rate in this primary calculation, because mortality among preterm infants is very high. The researchers found that a total of 11.3 percent of infants in the magnesium sulfate group had either moderate or severe cerebral palsy, or had died at birth or were stillborn. In contrast, a total of 11.7 percent of the infants in the placebo group had moderate to severe cerebral palsy or had died.

The proportion of deaths occurring in the magnesium sulfate group (9.5 percent) did not differ significantly from those in the placebo group (8.5 percent).

There was no difference in the average gestational age between the two groups of infants.

Cerebral palsy was diagnosed in 41 children from 942 magnesium sulfate-treated pregnancies, as compared to 74 children from 1,002 placebo-treated pregnancies. Of the children in the magnesium sulfate group, 2.2 percent had cerebral palsy classified as mild, 1.5 percent as moderate, and 0.5 percent as severe. A higher proportion of children in the placebo group than in the magnesium sulfate group had cerebral palsy. Of the children in the placebo group, 3.7 percent had mild cases of cerebral palsy, 2.0 percent had moderate cases, and 1.6 percent had severe cases.

“This is a major advance,” said Catherine Y. Spong, M.D., Chief of NICHD’s Pregnancy and Perinatology Branch and an author of the study. “Our results show that obstetricians can use magnesium sulfate, which they have experience prescribing, to reduce the risk of a devastating condition, cerebral palsy, in preterm infants.”

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Calls to Participate

Disability Mentoring Day
http://www.dmd-aapd.org/docs/factsheet.php
Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) is a national program that promotes career development for students and job-seekers with disabilities through job shadowing and hands-on career exploration. DMD is looking for participants from all regions for Disability Mentoring Day, October 15, 2008, as either mentees or employer mentors.

Help Create America’s After-School Storybook
http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/storybook/
To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the federal 21st Century Community Learning Centers, the Afterschool Alliance is creating a storybook featuring people whose lives have been improved through out-of-school time programs. Stories can be shared, programs nominated, and sample stories read online.

Schools to Pilot Test School Review Process Guide Sought
The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement seeks schools not meeting adequate yearly progress requirements to pilot test their School Review Process Guide. Schools will be engaged in a school review process during fall 2008 and receive technical assistance from The Center at no charge. The Center’s School Review Process Guide provides detailed guidance for forming and working with a school leadership team; gathering, organizing, analyzing, and interpreting data; and developing an implementation plan. The research-based guide includes surveys for gathering data from teachers, students, staff, administrators, and parents. More information is available by phone (202-223-6725) or e-mail from Stephanie Wood-Garnett. stephanie.wood-garnett@learningpt.org

ServiceNation Campaign and Poll
http://www.bethechangeinc.org/servicenation/take_action/poll/nylc
With approximately 4.7 million K-12 students engaged in service-learning, experience and research have shown that service-learning can have a profound effect on student academic and civic engagement and community development. Service Nation is a 12-month non-partisan grassroots and grass top political campaign intent on pushing the issue of National Service to the forefront of American life and convincing the next President and Congress to put into law a Voluntary National Service Act in 2009. The Campaign kicks off with a national summit September 11-12, 2008, in New York City, followed by a nationwide Day of Action on September 27, with hundreds of events across the United States celebrating the power and potential of voluntary citizen service. Take the poll and submit a question to be asked at the September 11 presidential candidate’s forum. ServiceNation will select up to five of the best questions and offer the authors a ticket to the event.

AJMR Special Issue on Cognitive Neuroscience Studies of Persons with Disabilities
http://www.aaidd.org/Reading_Room/pdf/AJMRcognitivespecialissue.pdf
The American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities is calling for papers for a special issue of the American Journal on Mental Retardation (AJMR) on cognitive neuroscience studies of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Deadline for submissions is December 15, 2008. Available in pdf (1 page, 28 KB).

New E-Mentoring Program for Students with Intellectual Disabilities in Transition
http://nisonger.osu.edu/Transition/EMentoring.htm
An e-mentoring program developed by the Nisonger Center in Ohio connects students with disabilities transitioning from high school to college with mentors who share their transition experiences. Students complete an online course that helps them prepare for the transition to employment or college while communicating weekly with their mentor.

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Special Education Resources

Breath & Shadow: A Journal of Disability Culture and Literature – Potpourri Issue 
Monthly Journal
http://www.abilitymaine.org/breath/index.html
A project of AbilityMaine, “Breath & Shadow” is the only online literary journal with a focus on disability and the only cross-disability literature and culture magazine written and edited entirely by people with disabilities. It offers poetry, fiction, essays, interviews, drama, and other writings that examine the human experience of living with disability.

Career and Technical Education in the United States: 1990-2005 
Report
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2008035
The National Center for Education Statistics within the Institute of Education Sciences has released this report, the fourth volume in their series on trends in career and technical education (CTE, formerly known as vocational education). The compendium looks at CTE offerings, who participates in CTE, what types of CTE students take, who teaches CTE, and the labor market and further education outcomes attained by CTE participants.

Culturally Responsive Literacy 
Module
http://nccrest.org/professional/culturally_responsive_literacy.html
The National Center for Culturally Responsive Educational Systems (NCCRESt) modules on Culturally Responsive Literacy discuss the changing definition of literacy and its role in each of the core content areas for diverse populations of students.

HSC Foundation’s Partnership Network 
Booklet
www.hscfoundation.org/aboutus/premium-publications/2008partnerlist.pdf.
The HSC Foundation released “Partnership Network” at its annual Youth Transitions Initiative Briefing. The booklet provides information on the Foundation’s youth transitions partners, describing each of the partners, the role of each in the partnership, and contact information, to encourage further collaboration among the organizations committed to serving at-risk young people and youth with disabilities. Available in pdf (11 pages, 655 KB).

Improving Long-Term Labor Market Prospects for Youth: Evidence from Career Academies  
Report
http://www.mdrc.org/premium-publications/482/full.pdf
“Career Academies” is a popular and lasting school-to-work transition and high school reform strategy. This report from MDRC describes how Career Academies influenced students’ labor market prospects and postsecondary educational attainment in the eight years following their expected graduation. The results are based on the experiences of more than 1,400 young people, approximately 85 percent of whom are Hispanic or African-American. Available in pdf (63 pages, 1.32 MB).

Incorporating Positive Youth Development in Juvenile Justice Programs 
Report
http://www.chapinhall.org/article_abstract.aspx?ar=1471
“Building on Strength: Positive Youth Development in Juvenile Justice Programs,” by William H. Barton and Jeffrey A. Butts, explores six juvenile justice programs that use positive youth-development principles to improve their intervention approaches. This new report describes the factors that facilitate the adoption of such principles as well as implementation challenges.

Money Smart for Young Adults 
Curriculum Modules
http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/moneysmart/young.html
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Money Smart for Young Adults curriculum helps youth ages 12-20 learn the basics of handling their money and finances, including how to create positive relationships with financial institutions. Each of the eight instructor-led modules includes a fully scripted instructor guide, participant guide, and overhead slides. The materials also include an optional computer-based scenario that allows students to complete realistic exercises based on each module.

National High School Center Briefs for Practitioners
NCSET Information Brief
http://www.mdrc.org/sps/go.cgi?c=I8uNSqDpEUSvgArk4T0k
The National High School Center has released a set of briefs by MDRC consultants Michael Bangser and Thomas J. Smith that examine what is known about educational interventions that help students prepare for postsecondary education and employment.

Next Generation Youth Work Coalition: Youth Work Counts Toolkit 
Toolkit
http://www.nextgencoalition.org/?q=node/25
This Next Gen toolkit is designed to help organizations collect and use local survey and focus group data about frontline youth workers to make the case for investing in workforce development. The tools include a guide, survey and focus group instruments, data entry and analysis worksheet and a sample presentation.

Out of Many, One: Toward Rigorous Common Core Standards
Report
www.achieve.org/commoncore
Achieve’s new report, “Out of Many, One: Toward Rigorous Common Core Standards from the Ground Up,” shows that individual state efforts to set college- and career-ready standards for high school graduates have led to a common core of consistency in English and mathematics requirements. The report tracks the voluntary standard-setting efforts in 16 early-adopter states, all members of Achieve’s American Diploma Project Network, which helps state policymakers collaborate with K-12 public education, postsecondary education, the business community, and other state partners to identify the skills and knowledge required for their graduates to succeed after high school.

State Eligibility Requirements for Specific Learning Disabilities 
Policy Analysis
http://projectforum.org/docs/StateEligibilityRequirementsforSpecificLearningDisabilities.pdf
This provides a background of the changes in federal requirements on specific learning disabilities from 1975 to today and findings from a survey to which 49 state directors of special education responded. Observations and conclusions are included, as well as helpful references, an extract from IDEA regulations of August 2006, and a copy of the survey used. Available in PDF(15 pages, 161 KB).

Supporting Success: Improving Higher Education Outcomes for Students from Foster Care
Framework
http://tinyurl.com/5dtnxg
Casey Family Programs’ new framework, “Supporting Success,” provides program development information and tools for college student support services, administrators, advisors, financial aid counselors and advocates. Background information, recommendations, strategies and model program examples are provided to assist colleges in improving support for students coming from foster care. Supporting Success: Improving Higher Education Outcomes for Students from Foster Care is available in bound format on request from Casey Family Programs or pdf (88 pages, 1.1 MB).

Understanding the Resources that Students Bring to School: Reframing Our Own Deficit Perspectives
Blog
http://www.niusileadscape.org/bl
This week’s LeadScape blog challenges educational professionals to reframe thinking about students who experience poverty. Dr. Randy Bomer, Associate Professor at the University of Texas at Austin, explores how the deficit perspective inherent in some professional development offerings is unsupported by research and may perpetuate class biases. He suggests asset-based approaches to help teachers tap into the resources that students bring into their classrooms, including his personal perspective on justice and equity. The blog welcomes conversation on this timely and complex topic.

Young Adults with Serious Mental Illness: Some States and Federal Agencies Are Taking Steps to Address Their Transition Challenges 
Report
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08678.pdf
This Government Accountability Office (GAO) report provides information on demographic data, challenges, how some states offer assistance, and how the federal government supports states and coordinates programs that can assist with this population. States use various strategies to deliver these services, coordinating across multiple state agencies, leveraging federal and state funding sources, and involving young adults and their families in developing policies and aligning supports. Federal agencies provide some support to states through demonstrations, technical assistance, and research to coordinate programs to serve those with mental health needs, youth with disabilities, and youth in transition, which may help improve service delivery for young adults with serious mental illness, as well. Available in PDF(88 pages, 1.3 MB).

National Disability Employment Awareness Month 2008 Theme Announced
http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/odep/odep20080993.htm
“America’s People, America’s Talent… America’s Strength!” is the official 2008 theme for National Disability Employment Awareness Month, U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao announced. Celebrated each October by congressional designation, The Labor Department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy leads activities and produces materials to increase the public’s awareness of the contributions and skills of American workers with disabilities.

Education World
http://www.educationworld.com
The Education World Web site includes topics relevant to disabilities, such as “School Issues/No Educator Left Behind” and “Professional Development / Strategies That Work.”

Smart Education Systems
http://www.annenberginstitute.org/Idea/whatis.php
The Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University is leading school reform, especially in urban communities, through smart education systems for developing, sharing and acting on knowledge that leads to school improvement and improved student outcomes. Smart systems are “nimble, adaptive and efficient,” building and maintaining partnerships with the surrounding community, businesses, community organizations, and cultural institutions.

Smithsonian Education
http://www.smithsonianeducation.org
The Smithsonian Education Web site includes topics relevant to disabilities, such as its online exhibition, “The Disability Rights Movement,” and information for visits by individuals with disabilities (“Planning Your Smithsonian Visit” and “A Guide for Groups: Planning a Smithsonian Visit”).

State Education Reforms Web site
http://nces.ed.gov/programs/statereform/
The National Center for Education Statistics within the Institute of Education Sciences of the U.S. Department of Education has expanded the State Education Reforms (SER) Web site. The Web site is based on the report “Overview and Inventory of State Education Reforms: 1990 to 2000,” and is updated periodically to incorporate new data on state education reform activities. Tables have recently been updated or added to the Standards, Assessment, and Accountability, School Finance Reforms, Resources for Learning, and State Support For School Choice areas, and are marked by “New!” and “Updated!” tags on the table titles.

Achieve, Inc.
http://www.achieve.org/node/865
Achieve, Inc., is a bipartisan, non-profit organization that helps states raise academic standards, improve assessments and strengthen accountability to prepare all young people for postsecondary education, work, and citizenship.

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Q and A

Questions and Answers On Highly Qualified Teachers Serving Children with Disabilities

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004) requires that all public elementary and secondary special education teachers be “highly qualified” as special education teachers. The definition of “highly qualified special education teachers” in the IDEA [20 U.S.C. 1401(10)] is aligned with No Child Left Behind’s highly qualified requirements under that statute at section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) [20 U.S.C. 7801(23)] and the implementing regulations at 34 CFR §200.56. Section 300.18(g)(1) of the IDEA regulations states that a teacher who is highly qualified under section 602(10) [20 U.S.C. 1401(10)] of IDEA shall be considered highly qualified for purposes of the ESEA. Section 300.18 of the IDEA regulations establishes requirements for special education teachers in general, as well as those teaching core academic and multiple subjects and those not teaching core academic subjects. In addition, it establishes requirements for special education teachers teaching to alternate achievement standards and describes alternative routes to certification. The regulations also clarify what it means to be a “new” special education teacher and that the highly qualified teacher requirements do not apply to teachers hired by private elementary schools and secondary schools. Section 300.156 of the IDEA regulations requires that each SEA establish and maintain personnel qualifications.

A.”New Teacher” Designation

Authority: The requirements for “new” special education teachers are found in the regulations at 34 CFR §300.18(a) through (d) and (g)(2).

Question A-1: What are the qualifications for a teacher to become highly qualified if the teacher is a “new teacher” of special education teaching children who will be learning to alternate achievement standards and taking alternate assessments?

Answer: When used with respect to a special education teacher who teaches core academic subjects exclusively to children who are assessed against alternate achievement standards established under 34 CFR §200.1(d), highly qualified means the teacher, whether new or not new to the profession, may either:

• Meet the applicable requirements of section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and 34 CFR §200.56 for any elementary, middle, or secondary school teacher who is new or not new to the profession
• Meet the requirements of paragraph (B) or (C) of section 9101(23) of the ESEA as applied to an elementary school teacher, or, in the case of instruction above the elementary level, meet the requirements of subparagraph (B) or (C) of section 9101(23) of the ESEA as applied to an elementary school teacher and have subject matter knowledge appropriate to the level of instruction being provided and needed to effectively teach to those standards, as determined by the State.

The regulations promulgated under section 1111(b)(1) of the ESEA permit States to use alternate achievement standards to evaluate the performance of a small group of children with the most significant cognitive disabilities who are not expected to meet grade-level standards even with the best instruction. An alternate achievement standard sets an expectation of performance that differs in complexity from a grade-level achievement standard. Section 602(10)(C)(ii) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (the Act or IDEA), therefore, allows special education teachers teaching exclusively children who are assessed against alternate achievement standards to meet the highly qualified teacher standards that apply to elementary school teachers.

Section 300.18(c)(2) of the regulations requires that if a teacher (who is teaching exclusively to alternate achievement standards) is teaching students who need instruction above the elementary school level, the teacher must have subject matter knowledge appropriate to the level of instruction needed to effectively teach to those standards. The purpose of this requirement is to ensure that teachers exclusively teaching children who are assessed based on alternate academic achievement standards above the elementary level have sufficient subject matter knowledge to effectively instruct in each of the core academic subjects being taught, at the level of difficulty being taught. For example, if a high school student (determined by the IEP Team to be assessed against alternate achievement standards) has knowledge and skills in math at the 7th grade level, but in all other areas functions at the elementary level, the teacher would need to have knowledge in 7th grade math in order to effectively teach the student to meet the 7th grade math standards.

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Question A-2: Is a veteran regular education teacher who continues to be employed by a district and is re-assigned as a special education teacher after obtaining special education certification considered to be “hired” as a special education teacher upon reassignment, and therefore eligible to demonstrate competence in the core academic subjects he or she is teaching as a “new” special education teacher?

Answer: Yes. A fully certified regular education teacher, who subsequently becomes fully certified or licensed as a special education teacher, would be considered a new special education teacher when first hired as a special education teacher. If the teacher is teaching multiple subjects as a special education teacher and is highly qualified to teach mathematics, language arts or science, he or she will have two years from the date of hiring as a special education teacher to demonstrate competence in the other core academic subjects he or she is teaching.

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Question A-3: If a teacher has taught special education in one State and begins teaching in a different State, would the teacher be considered a “new” special education teacher under IDEA?

Answer: A special education teacher who has been teaching in one State and begins teaching in a different State is not considered “new to the profession.” States may choose to honor another State’s licensure or certification and determination of competence in core academic subjects based on the other State’s High Objective Uniform State Standards of Evaluation (HOUSSE) procedures. On the other hand, a State may choose to require teachers from other States to satisfy its own certification or licensure requirements, and to demonstrate competency in the core academic subjects that they teach under the new State’s standards and procedures.

B. Enforcement and Sanctions

Authority: The requirements for ensuring that special education teachers are highly qualified are found in the regulations at 34 CFR §300.156.

Question B-1: What are the consequences for an SEA or an LEA for not meeting HQT under IDEA and how will the HQT requirements be enforced under IDEA?

Answer: The SEA must make sure that all special education teachers are highly qualified and that the LEA is taking measurable steps to recruit, train, hire and retain highly qualified special education teachers. If an LEA is failing to pursue these actions, the SEA must take measures, appropriate to the situation, to bring the LEA into compliance with the Act.

The Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) currently monitors the implementation of the highly qualified teacher standards for teachers of core academic subjects under the ESEA. This includes special education teachers who teach core academic subjects.

The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) collects data about special education personnel qualifications and requires that SEAs establish and maintain qualifications to ensure that personnel who are essential to carry out Part B of the Act are appropriately and adequately prepared and trained. Those personnel must also have the content knowledge and skills to serve children with disabilities, consistent with 34 CFR §300.156.

C. Due Process

Authority: The provisions regarding limiting access to due process for failure to comply with the HQT requirements are found in the regulations at 34 CFR §§300.18(f) and 300.156(e).

Question C-1: May a parent file a due process request with violations other than the school’s failure to provide a HQT and then include the violation of failure to provide a HQT as a part of the due process? Or is the failure to provide a HQT never allowed to be included in a due process hearing?

Answer: Questions about whether a teacher is highly qualified are not ones on which parents or students can get any relief through a due process hearing. See 34 CFR §§300.18(f) and 300.156(e). The language in the regulation that ‘nothing in this part shall be construed to create a right of action’ means that a claim that a teacher is not highly qualified may not serve as a basis for relief for an individual student or class of students under IDEA.

If concerns arise about whether a special education teacher is highly qualified, the Department encourages parents to try to resolve issues at the school level. It would make sense for them to talk to their child’s principal first, before doing anything else, to find out what the school is doing to ensure that the teacher gets the training that he or she needs to meet the highly qualified standards. If they are not satisfied with the steps the LEA is taking, they could file a complaint with the State educational agency (SEA). An organization or an individual other than a parent of a child served under IDEA may also file a complaint about staff qualifications with the SEA, consistent with the State complaint procedures in 34 CFR §§300.151 through 300.153.

D. Charter Schools

Authority: The requirements regarding highly qualified special education teachers in charter schools are found in the regulations at 34 CFR §300.18(a) through (h).

Question D-1: What are the highly qualified teacher requirements for a teacher in a charter school?

Answer: To be highly qualified, a teacher in a charter school must meet the certification and licensing requirements, if any, set forth in the State’s public charter school law, hold at least a bachelor’s degree and, if the teacher is teaching core academic subjects, demonstrate competency in the core academic areas he or she teaches. The certification requirements for charter school teachers are established in a State’s public charter school law, and may differ from the requirements for full State certification for teachers in other public schools.

E. Preschool

Authority: The definition of “highly qualified special education teachers” is at 34 CFR §300.18.

Question E-1: What are the HQT requirements for preschool teachers?

Answer: The highly qualified special education teacher requirements apply to all public elementary and secondary school special education teachers, including early childhood or preschool teachers if a State includes the early childhood or preschool programs as part of its elementary and secondary school system. If the early childhood or preschool program is not a part of a State’s public elementary and secondary school system, the highly qualified special education teacher requirements do not apply.

F. High Objective Uniform State Standards of Evaluation (HOUSSE)

Authority: HOUSSE is specifically discussed in the regulations at 34 CFR §§300.18(d)(2) and (3) and 300.18(e).

Question F-1: Recently, the Department released guidance asking States to phase out the HOUSSE procedures. What is the Department’s current guidance on HOUSSE, especially as it relates to special education teachers?

Answer: On September 5, 2006, the Secretary sent a letter to Chief State School Officers noting that a number of States had proposed actions to limit the use of HOUSSE, and further expressing the Department’s intent to pursue a phase-out of HOUSSE procedures through the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The Secretary also strongly encouraged States to eliminate the use of HOUSSE procedures, to the extent practicable. In particular, she expressed concern about the practice of allowing teachers assigned to new subjects to use non-rigorous HOUSSE procedures to quickly demonstrate subject-matter competency. However, the September 5 letter recognized continued use of HOUSSE procedures in certain circumstances, including for special education teachers teaching multiple subjects who were highly qualified in language arts, mathematics, or science at the time of hire.

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Question F-2: How does HOUSSE work for multi-subject teachers of special education students?

Answer: Currently, special education teachers who are not new to the profession and teach two or more core academic subjects exclusively to children with disabilities are permitted to demonstrate competence in all the core academic subjects that the teacher teaches in the same manner as other elementary, middle, and secondary school teachers who are not new to the profession, including through HOUSSE covering multiple subjects. A new special education teacher who is highly qualified to teach math, language arts, or science has up to two years from the date of employment to demonstrate competence in the other core academic subjects he or she teaches, including through the use of a HOUSSE. The State may develop a separate HOUSSE for special education teachers, which may include a single HOUSSE evaluation for multiple subjects, provided that it would not establish a lower standard for content knowledge requirements for special education teachers.

G. State Examinations/Qualifications/Certifications

Authority: The provisions concerning State examinations, qualifications, and certifications are found in the regulations at 34 CFR §300.18.

Question G-1: Does a resource special education teacher need to pass core academic subject tests to consult with regular education teachers?

Answer: A special education resource teacher who only consults with regular education teachers does not need to demonstrate competence in core academic subjects. He or she must, however, hold special education certification. If the special education resource teacher is also teaching core academic subjects, he or she will need to demonstrate competence in those subjects.

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Question G-2: My State does not have a special education teacher exam. How will I become highly qualified in special education?

Answer: To be considered highly qualified, all special education teachers must hold full certification or licensure in special education in the State where they are teaching and have at least a bachelor’s degree. States determine what is required for certification and licensure, which may or may not involve an exam. In addition, if special education teachers are teaching core academic subjects, they must demonstrate competency in the core academic subjects they teach.

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Question G-3: If a qualified special education teacher provides direct student “supplemental” instruction in one or more core academic subjects in support of the general education teacher’s instruction in the core academic subject(s), does the special education teacher need to be highly qualified in the core subjects?

Answer: All special educators need to be highly qualified as defined in IDEA, but special educators are not required to demonstrate subject matter competence in any core academic subject, if they are only (1) providing consultation services to other teachers, such as adapting curricula, using behavioral supports and interventions, or selecting appropriate accommodations for children with study skills or organizational skills or (2) reinforcing instruction that the child has already received from a highly qualified teacher in that core academic subject.

H. Highly Qualified Special Education Teachers and Private Schools

Authority: The provisions regarding highly qualified special education teachers and private schools are found in the regulations at 34 CFR §§300.18(h), 300.138, and 300.146(b).

Question H-1: Do private school special education teachers who are providing special education to children with disabilities have to have a bachelor’s degree and be fully certified?

Answer: The HQT requirements do not apply to special education teachers hired by private elementary and secondary schools, including private school teachers hired or contracted by LEAs to provide equitable services to parentally-placed private school children with disabilities under 34 CFR §300.138.

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Question H-2: If a local educational agency sends a special education teacher (employed by the LEA) to a private school to fulfill a student’s IEP, does that teacher have to be highly qualified?

Answer: Yes, any public elementary or secondary school teacher must meet the highly qualified requirements under both NCLB and IDEA.

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Question H-3: If an SEA or an LEA places a child with a disability in a private school, does the private school teacher have to be highly qualified? Are there any certification or licensure requirements for private school teachers when the SEA or LEA is placing students with disabilities in private schools?

Answer: Each SEA must ensure that a child with a disability who is placed in, or referred to, a private school or facility by a public agency is provided an education that meets the standards that apply to education provided by the SEA and LEA. However, the HQT requirements do not apply to teachers hired by private elementary and secondary schools. This includes teachers hired by private elementary schools and secondary schools who teach children with disabilities placed in those schools by public agencies.

I. General

Authority: The requirements for paraprofessional qualifications are found in the regulations at 34 CFR §300.156(b).

Question I-1: What are the requirements regarding paraprofessional qualifications needed to provide services to children with disabilities?

Answer: Qualifications for paraprofessionals must be consistent with any State-approved or State-recognized certification, licensing, registration, or other comparable requirements that apply to the professional discipline in which those personnel are providing special education or related services. Paraprofessionals and assistants may be used to assist in the provision of special education and related services to children with disabilities if they are appropriately trained and supervised, in accordance with State law, regulation, or written policy.

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Authority: The requirements for core academic subjects are found in the regulations at 34 CFR §300.10.

Question I-2: What are the core academic subjects?

Answer: “Core academic subjects” means English, reading or language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, arts, history and geography.

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Funding Forecast, Grants, and Award Opportunities

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

FY 2007-2008 Discretionary Grant Application Packages
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html
This site, from the Department of Education, provides information on grant competitions that are currently open.

Best Buy Invites Applications for K-12 Technology Education Program
http://www.bestbuyinc.com/community_relations/teach_awards.htm
Awards of up to $10,000 will be given to K-12 schools in the United States and Puerto Rico working to incorporate interactive technology in the classroom. Awards ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 will be granted to programs that engage students at any grade level, or up to $10,000 for 9th grade programs, by creatively integrating interactive technology into the curriculum. All awards are in the form of Best Buy Gift Cards. Deadline: October 12, 2008

ING Foundation Educational Grants
http://www.ing-usa.com/us/aboutING/CorporateCitizenship/index.htm
The ING Foundation, as part of its commitment to educators, honors excellence in education through a series of programs and sponsorships in the areas of the arts, community involvement/volunteerism, general education, health/PE, math, reading, science/environmental, social studies, and vocational. Eligibility: public school, private/charter school, higher education. Total Amount: $3.3 million; average amount: $200.00-$450,000.00. Deadline: September 14, 2008

Kids In Need Foundation Accepting Applications for Teacher Grants
http://www.kidsinneed.net/
Grants of up to $500 will be awarded to K-12 teachers in the U.S. working to provide innovative learning opportunities to their students. Teacher Grant awards are used to finance creative classroom projects; 200-300 hundred grants are typically awarded each year. Applications are judged on the basis of innovativeness and merit, clarity of objectives, replication feasibility, suitability of evaluation methods, and cost effectiveness. Deadline: September 30, 2008

Native Plant Landscaping
http://www.for-wild.org/sfecvr.html
The Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education Grant Program gives small monetary grants to schools, nature centers, or other non-profit educational organizations to establish outdoor learning centers. Funds will be provided only for the purchase of native plants and seed. Eligibility: schools, nature centers and other non-profit and not-for-profit places of learning including houses of worship with a site available. Deadline: November 15, 2008.

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.

School Improvement Grants for Parent Involvement
http://www.toolboxforeducation.com/
Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grant program finances school-improvement projects initiated by parents. Maximum Award: $5,000. Eligibility: K-12 schools (including charter, private, and parochial schools) and parent groups associated with a nonprofit, K-12 schools. Deadline: October 17, 2008.

Siemens High School Competition in Math, Science, & Technology
http://www.siemens-foundation.org/en/competition.htm
The Siemens Competition in Math, Science, & Technology recognizes remarkable talent early on, fostering individual growth for high school students who are willing to challenge themselves through science research. Through this competition, students have an opportunity to achieve national recognition for science research projects they complete in high school. Maximum Award: $100,000. Eligibility: U.S. high school students. Deadline: October 1, 2008.

Staples Foundation for Learning Supports Job Skills and Education Programs
http://www.staplesfoundation.org/foundapplication.html
Grants will be awarded to nonprofits working to provide job skills and/or education for all people, with an emphasis on disadvantaged youth; public schools without 501(c)(3) status and organizations located in Alaska or Hawaii do not qualify. For the Foundation’s January meeting, grant proposals must be submitted between October 10-24, 2008. Deadline: October 24, 2008

2009 Nestlé Very Best In Youth Program
http://www.nestle-verybestinyouth.com/
The Nestlé USA Very Best in Youth Program honors young people ages 13 to 18 who have excelled in school and who are making their community and the world a better place. Maximum Award: $1000. Eligibility: youth ages 13 and 18 years of age who demonstrate good citizenship, a strong academic record, and can show how they have made a special contribution to their school, church or the community. Entrants must have permission from a parent or legal guardian to submit the nomination. Deadline: November 20, 2008.

American School Board Journal Magna Awards
http://www.asbj.com/magna
The American School Board Journal is accepting nominations for its 2009 Magna Awards, which recognize programs that have been important in promoting the district’s mission and advancing student learning; capable of being replicated by other school boards with similar conditions and resources; and the result of collaboration between the school board and others. Maximum Award: $3,500. Eligibility: programs developed or actively supported by school boards. Deadline: October 15, 2008.

Healthy Sprouts Awards
http://www.kidsgardening.com/healthysprouts.asp
The National Gardening Association recognizes outstanding youth programs via the Healthy Sprouts Awards. The awards support school and youth garden programs that teach about nutrition and the issue of hunger in the United States. Maximum Award: $500 gift certificate to Gardener’s Supply. Eligibility: schools or organizations that plan to garden with children between the ages of 3 and 18. Deadline: October 15, 2008.

National Gardening Association and Home Depot Announce 2009 Youth Garden Grants Program
http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/rfp/rfp_item.jhtml?id=214800008
Gifts of teaching materials and merchandise credits of up to $1,000 will be given to schools and community organizations providing gardening programs for at least fifteen children between the ages of 3 and 18. Previous Youth Garden Grant winners who wish to reapply may do so but must wait a year (e.g., if an organization won in 2008, it can apply again in 2010) and have significantly expanded their garden programs. Priority will be given to applications that emphasize one or more of the following: educational focus or curricular/program integration; nutrition or plant-to-food connections; environmental awareness/education; entrepreneurship; and social aspects of gardening such as leadership development, team building, community support, or service-learning. Deadline: November 1, 2008

Tommy Hilfiger Education Grants
http://www.tommy.com/opencms/opencms/corporate/foundation/aboutthefoundation.html/
Tommy Hilfiger Corporate Foundation Education Grants support programs/partnerships that promote educational opportunities for diverse populations in the United States. Maximum Award: $25,000. Eligibility: 501(c)(3) organizations. Deadline: October 1, 2008.

AILF Offers K-12 Education Grants
http://fconline.foundationcenter.org/pnd/15012347/ailfgrants
The American Immigration Law Foundation (AILF) will award grants to teachers for the 2008-09 school year of $100 to $500 each to fund a limited number of K-12 grade-level projects that provide education about immigrants and immigration. The foundation seeks to fund classroom-based activities that are innovative and supportive of AILF’s mission of promoting the benefits of immigrants to the United States. Applications are limited to educators teaching in public or private primary, intermediate, and secondary-level schools. The 2008 program focuses on proposals that relate to: innovative use of technology; underrepresented minorities; community outreach and partnerships with community based organizations; and math and science. Deadlines: June 1, 2008 and November 28, 2008

CVS Community Grants
http://www.cvs.com/corpInfo/community/community_grants.html
CVS Pharmacy Community Grants will accept proposals for programs targeting children under age 18 with disabilities that address: health and rehabilitation services; a greater level of inclusion in student activities and extracurricular programs; opportunities or facilities that give greater access to physical movement; and play. Maximum Award: varies. Eligibility: Public schools with programs for children under age 18 with disabilities. Deadline: applications accepted through October 31, 2008.

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.

Reader’s Digest Foundation: Make It Matter
http://www.rd.com/makeitmatter.do
This program honors individuals who are taking action and giving back to their communities in a significant way. Each month, Reader’s Digest magazine will profile an individual who has made a significant contribution to his or her community. Deadline: n/a.

Free Parents’ Guide from the U.S. Department of Education
http://www.ed.gov/parents/academic/involve/schoolbox/index.html
The U. S. Department of Education has developed a free publication, “Empowering Parents School Box: A Tool To Equip Parents For the School Year.” The school box contains three booklets: “What Parents Need to Know,” “Taking a Closer Look,” and “Learning Checklists”; a brochure, “Examples of Resources”; a poster, “Empowered Parents Stay Involved With School”; a bookmark; and a door hanger. The school box provides tips on working with children from birth to high school; guidelines for taking advantage of free tutoring opportunities; steps for selecting a high-quality school; ways to get involved in children’s schools; information about financial aid and scholarships; and resources for improving learning. It also includes success stories of schools where parent involvement made a difference.

June Funding Tip: Funds for Youth Workforce Development
http://www.financeproject.org/special/irc/monthlyFundingTips.cfm

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Acknowledgements

Portions of this month’s NASETSpecial 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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