September 2011 – Special Educator e-Journal

Table of Contents

• Update from the U.S. Department of Education

• Feature Article:  Common Planning Time and Co-Teaching: How Can They Fit into the Race?

• Calls to Participate

• Special Education Resources

• Update From The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

• Latest Employment Opportunities Posted on NASET

• Upcoming Conferences and Events

• Funding Forecast and Award Opportunities

• Acknowledgements

• Download a PDF Version of This Issue

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To learn more click on the image above or – Click here

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To learn more click on the image above or – Click here

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Update from the U.S. Department of Education

Obama Administration Proceeds with Reform of No Child Left Behind Following Congressional Inaction

With the new school year fast approaching and still no bill to reform the federal education law known as No Child Left Behind, the Obama administration will provide a process for states to seek relief from key provisions of the law, provided that they are willing to embrace education reform.

Melody Barnes, director of the Domestic Policy Council at the White House, and U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan will jointly announce the President’s directive in the White House briefing room on Monday, Aug. 8. Barnes will explain that the administration’s proposal to fix NCLB has been with Congress for 16 months, been the topic of numerous meetings and hearings, and been subjected to partisan politics in the House. Last March—a full year after submitting his proposal—the President called for a bill before the start of the school year.

“America’s future competitiveness is being decided today, in classrooms across the nation. With no clear path to a bipartisan bill in Congress, the President has directed us to move forward with an administrative process to provide flexibility within the law for states and districts that are willing to embrace reform,” Barnes said.

She will emphasize that such a process is “not a pass on accountability. There will be a high bar for states seeking flexibility within the law. We’ll encourage all states to apply and each one should have a chance to succeed. But those that don’t will have to comply with No Child Left Behind’s requirements, until Congress enacts a law that will deliver change to all 50 states.”

The administration’s proposal for fixing NCLB calls for college- and career-ready standards, more great teachers and principals, robust use of data, and a more flexible and targeted accountability system based on measuring annual student growth. Barnes and Duncan will note that the final details on the ESEA flexibility package will reflect similar goals. The specifics of the package will be made public in September.

Duncan will remark that NCLB is “forcing districts into one-size-fits-all solutions that just don’t work. The President understands this and he has directed us to move ahead in providing relief—but only for states and districts that are prepared to address our educational challenges.”

“There is no magic bullet for fixing education and the best ideas will always come from the local level—from the hardworking men and women in our schools doing the hard work every day to educate our children,” Duncan said. “We’re still hopeful that Congress can continue its work this fall. In the meantime, states and districts have an opportunity to move forward.”

 

Secretary Duncan, Attorney General Holder Announce Effort to Respond to School-to-Prison Pipeline by Supporting Good Discipline Practices

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Attorney General Eric Holder announced the launch of the Supportive School Discipline Initiative, a collaborative project between the Departments of Justice and Education that will address the “school-to-prison pipeline” and the disciplinary policies and practices that can push students out of school and into the justice system. The initiative aims to support good discipline practices to foster safe and productive learning environments in every classroom.

“Maintaining safe and supportive school climates is absolutely critical, and we are concerned about the rising rates and disparities in discipline in our nation’s schools,” said Secretary Duncan. “By teaming up with stakeholders on this issue and through the work of our offices throughout the Department, we hope to promote strategies that will engage students in learning and keep them safe.”

“Ensuring that our educational system is a doorway to opportunity – and not a point of entry to our criminal justice system – is a critical, and achievable, goal,” said Attorney General Holder. “By bringing together government, law enforcement, academic, and community leaders, I’m confident that we can make certain that school discipline policies are enforced fairly and do not become obstacles to future growth, progress, and achievement.”

The goals of the Supportive School Discipline Initiative are to: 1) build consensus for action among federal, state and local education and justice stakeholders; 2) collaborate on research and data collection that may be needed to inform this work, such as evaluations of alternative disciplinary policies and interventions; 3) develop guidance to ensure that school discipline policies and practices comply with the nation’s civil rights laws and to promote positive disciplinary options to both keep kids in school and improve the climate for learning; and 4) promote awareness and knowledge about evidence-based and promising policies and practices among state judicial and education leadership.

In order to implement the initiative, the two Departments will coordinate with other organizations in the nonprofit and philanthropic communities who are also working to help ensure students succeed by addressing inappropriate school discipline. These groups include the Council of State Governments and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. The Supportive School Discipline Initiative will build upon the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights’ work to increase and enhance the school discipline data available through the Civil Rights Data Collection as well as the Departments’ complaint investigations, reviews and other proactive efforts to ensure disciplinary policies support students and are administered in a non-discriminatory manner.

Attorney General Holder and Secretary Duncan announced this initiative during the quarterly meeting of the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, whose membership includes representatives from 12 federal agencies and nine practitioners. The Council coordinates federal juvenile justice and prevention programs to help better serve at-risk youth. A priority issue for the Council is education and at-risk youth. More information on the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice is available at: www.juvenilecouncil.gov/index.html.

 

Education Secretary Duncan Announces 16 Teachers Selected for Teaching Ambassador Fellowships

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced the names of 16 teachers selected to be Teaching Ambassador Fellows for the upcoming 2011-12 school year. Five teachers will become full-time employees at Department of Education headquarters in Washington, D.C. while 11 will remain in their classrooms and participate on a part-time basis.

“I am committed to listening to teachers’ voices as we work to develop policies that will support reform and strengthen the teaching profession,” said Duncan. “Since I’ve come to Washington, I’ve come to rely on the Teaching Ambassador Fellows for their invaluable feedback and their ability to facilitate dialogue with teachers across the country. I look forward to working closely with this year’s Teaching Ambassadors, particularly as we work to fix the No Child Left Behind Act.”

Now in its fourth year, the Teaching Ambassador Fellowships were created to give outstanding teachers an opportunity to learn about national policy issues in education, and to contribute their expertise to those discussions. Fellows, in turn, share what they’ve learned with other teachers in their professional networks, contributing to a larger understanding of federal initiatives and encouraging broader input into policy and programs designed to improve education at all levels of government. The 2011-2012 Fellows join a network and continue to work with the Department’s 54 previous Fellows from the past three classes.

The 16 new fellows are participating in a four-day summit beginning today at the Department’s headquarters to become more familiar with Federal education policy and learn and share effective techniques for enhancing communication between teachers and other stakeholders and education policy leaders. The summit will jumpstart their year-long dialogue with Secretary Duncan and other department officials about school and classroom practices that advance learning and student achievement.

Last year’s fellows led a number of initiatives to enhance the work of the Education Department, including: writing and releasing a video entitled “A Teacher’s Guide to Fixing No Child Left Behind,” creating an interactive “teacher landing” page on the Department’s web site (www.ed.gov) to connect teachers with a variety of resources useful in their work; developing, organizing, and writing case studies for the Department’s first Labor-Management Collaboration conference, and holding conversations and discussion groups around the country with youth and teachers on a range of subjects, including teacher evaluation, student engagement, and college planning.

This year’s 16 fellows were selected from a pool of almost 750 applications submitted through an open process in which teachers and instructional specialists working at preschool through high school levels submitted essays demonstrating their impact on student achievement, record of leadership, communication skills and insight into educational policy from school and classroom experience. These applicants ranged from traditional public and charter schools to alternative schools and for the first time included teachers from non-public schools. Applications were received from teachers in nearly every State, at every grade level and instructional area, who teach in a wide variety of urban, rural, and suburban settings.

The following five teachers have been selected as Washington Fellows who will be placed to work full-time at the Department of Education’s headquarters:

• Geneviève DeBose, 5th and 6th grade teacher from the Bronx Charter School for the Arts will work on middle-school reform in the Office of the Secretary.
• Claire Jellinek, an 11th and 12th grade social studies teacher from South Valley Academy charter high school in Albuquerque, NM, will work in the Office of Innovation and Improvement
• Gregory Mullenholz, a staff development teacher at Twinbrook Elementary in Rockville, MD, will work on teacher quality issues in the Office of the Secretary.
• Shakera Walker, a kindergarten teacher in the Young Achievers Science and Math School in Boston, MA will work for the Department’s Early Learning Initiatives.
• Maryann Woods-Murphy, a high school Spanish teacher at Northern Highlands Regional High school in Bergen County, NJ, will work on labor/management issues in the Office of the Secretary.

The following 11 teachers have been selected as Classroom Fellows:

• Robert Baroz, a literacy facilitator at Curley Middle School in Boston, Mass.
• Kareen Borders, an aerospace, physical and Earth science teacher at Key Peninsula Middle School in Lakebay, Wash.
• Dexter Chaney II, a 3rd grade teacher at Ryerson Elementary School in Chicago, Ill.
• Juan Govea, a 9th-12th grade biology teacher at Salinas High School in Salinas, Calif.
• Leah Lechleiter-Luke, a high school English and Spanish teacher at Mauston High School in Mauston, Wisc.
• Angela McClary-Rush, an elementary through high school Language Arts specialist in Williamsburg County School District in Kingstree, S.C.
• Madonna Ramp, a teacher mentor at Austin Independent School District in Austin, Tex.
• Gamal Sherif, a 9th grade African-American History and Biochemistry teacher at Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia, Penn.
• Sharla Steever, a 4th grade teacher at Hill City Elementary School in Hill City, S.D.
• Bruce Taterka, an 11th and 12th grade teacher of AP and IB Science at West Morris Mendham High School in Mendham, N.J.
• Bruce Wellman, a Chemistry/Material Science and Engineering Design teacher at Olathe Northwest High School in Olathe, Kans.

 

Department Officials Visit Tennessee to Learn About Progress Made in Implementing Race to the Top Plan

Leaders from the U.S. Department of Education’s Implementation and Support Unit (ISU) traveled to Nashville last month for an on-site program review with representatives from Tennessee’s Race to the Top team. Over the course of the week, ISU representatives also met with district leaders, school leaders and teachers from the Metropolitan Nashville, Trousdale County, and Putnam County school districts.

The state team is executing Tennessee’s $500 million Race to the Top grant, announced by the Department in March 2010 to support the state’s comprehensive education reform plan to enhance and elevate student achievement. During the visit, ISU officials—Assistant Director of Programs Jim Butler, Director for Technical Assistance and Support Matt Gandal, and Race to the Top Program Officer Jessie Levin—assessed Tennessee’s progress toward implementing and achieving the goals described in their plan as well as identified areas where the Department can provide support and technical assistance.

The on-site program review is one of several steps in an ongoing review process coordinated by the Department and the state teams implementing Race to the Top plans. The process includes ongoing conversations between the Department and grantees, on-site program reviews, and grantee self-evaluations. In addition, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Department leaders and state leaders will also hold meetings to discuss progress and challenges.

Last year, the Department of Education awarded $4 billion in grants to support bold plans to reform education in 11 states and the District of Columbia. The Department created the ISU team to support Race to the Top states as they do the tough work of reforming their schools. This week’s visit to Tennessee focused on the state’s overall progress toward implementing reform around Race to the Top’s four assurances – adopting rigorous academic standards, building data systems to support student and teacher performance, supporting and improving teacher and principal quality, and turning around persistently low-performing schools – as well as improving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education.

“We are very excited about the challenging work that Tennessee and other Race to the Top grantees are doing,” said Assistant Director Butler. “We are working closely with each state to ensure that they’re receiving the support they need to implement their plans and to create long-lasting reform that benefits students and transforms education across their State.”

Over the last few months, teams from the ISU have conducted on-site program reviews with each of the 12 Race to the Top grantees: Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Tennessee. In the fall, the Department will use the information gathered during the program review process to create state-by-state reports and a national performance review that will be posted on the Department’s website.

 

States Begin Reporting Uniform Graduation Rate, Reveal More Accurate High-School Completion Outcomes

The U.S. Department of Education announced last month that states will begin reporting high school graduation rates for the 2010-2011 school year using a more rigorous, uniform four-year adjusted cohort, first developed by the nation’s Governors in 2005. Transition to the common rate reflects states’ efforts to generate greater uniformity and transparency in calculating high school graduation data, and meets requirements of a federal regulation established in October 2008.

Since data reporting requirements were implemented under No Child Left Behind, states have calculated graduation rates using varying methods, creating inconsistent data from one state to the next. The transition to a uniform high school graduation rate requires all states to report the number of students who graduate in four years with a regular high school diploma, divided by the number of students who entered high school four years earlier, and accounting for student transfers in and out of school. States may also opt to use an extended-year adjusted cohort, allowing states, districts and schools to account for students who complete high school in more than four years.

“A common rate will help target support so more students graduate on-time by using more accurate data,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “It will also encourage states to account for students who need more than four years to earn a diploma.”

In addition, schools must maintain documentation for students who have transferred. States will continue to report graduation rates at the high school, district and state levels including rates for subgroups of students. The new measurement holds schools accountable for students who drop out and others who don’t earn a regular high school diploma.

The Department anticipates that the more rigorous method will result in lower reported graduation rates, yet it will reflect a more accurate calculation of how many U.S. students complete high school. “Through this uniform method, states are raising the bar on data standards, and simply being more honest,” added Duncan.

Graduation rates for the 2010-2011 school year will be reported throughout the summer and fall on a state-by-state basis. States are publicly reporting graduation rates using the new four-year adjusted cohort rate now, however rates resulting from this new method will not be used for accountability purposes until the 2011-2012 school year.

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Feature Article:  Common Planning Time and Co-Teaching: How Can They Fit into the Race?

Jennifer Sinsebox

Shelley Chaffee

Education in the United States of America (USA) is in a state of change. The Federal Education Department created the Race to the Top initiative as a means to raise learning and teaching expectations in the USA in order to be competitive with other nations. As a method of ensuring great teachers and great principals, the evaluation process for these professionals have been enhanced. Teachers and administrators will be given a composite score based on how well the students within their classrooms and schools perform. Little has been articulated on how teachers in Integrated Co-Taught Classrooms evaluation score will be calculated. With fiscal challenges, limited staff and resources, districts across the nation will need to begin to investigate professional development methods in order to foster common planning and best instructional practices for Integrated Co-Taught Classrooms.

Common Planning Time and Co-Teaching Models:  How can they fit into the race?

Educational Institutions throughout New York State as well as across the nation have been confronted with fiscal challenges. Budget cuts have resulted in teacher lay-offs, programmatic changes and/or cuts, and realignment of business as usual in the classroom setting.  This “Doing More With Less” mentality impacts many aspects of instructional programming. When administrators and teaching groups thought they had all that they could juggle in their ability to make the best of it, New York State entered into The Race to the Top Initiative (RTTT) as set up by the Federal Government.  When one reads the RTTT initiative at face value, many would not disagree with most of the reforms outlined for all students, teachers and leaders across all of New York State:

• Common Core Learning Standards and Assessments
• Common Data Portal for data-driven instructional decision making
• Creation and Retention of Great Teachers and Great Leaders
• Improvement of low performing schools and creation of excellent schools throughout the state

All stakeholders set high expectations on the learning and teaching that transpires in their communities. Individuals look to assessment scores as a measure of success and a path for improvement towards excellence. They want the best teachers and principals interacting and influencing their children.  When a classroom, school or district is not making gains, the community expects that there is a strategic plan that will foster improvements. Again, this is when you look at the RTTT initiative at face value; Sounds good on paper:  Let’s do it.

As the pomp and circumstances of the 2010-2011 school year came to an end, students and teachers ended their school years with fond memories and accomplishments ready to begin a well-deserved summer vacation with friends and family. School administrators were left behind wrapping up loose ends with the anticipation and forethought of the upcoming school year. However, behind the scenes at the New York State Education Department, all of the RTTT initiative reforms are coming to life. Common Core Training Unit writing in the area of English Language Arts and Math will begin for local area teachers. NYSED will be hosting Network Team Training in Albany. Principals across the state will need to register for a ten-day training series on the New Annual Professional Performance Reviews (APPR) in order to evaluate teachers and to measure their own performance as leaders. This will require the principals to be away from their respective buildings during that time.

A major detail of the Race to the Top that is still being worked out is the concept of Teacher of Record. According to the APPR Guidance document published by NYSED, a teacher of record is defined as an individual (or individuals, as in co- teaching classes) who has been assigned responsibility for a student’s learning in a subject/course with aligned performance measures. How teachers will be measured based on student assessment performance on local and state examinations is vague. Each teacher will now be given a composite score based on how well the students on their classroom roster perform on these exams. Throughout these discussions and decisions at the state education level, there still remains an elephant in the room that remains to be unresolved.

• What about the students that struggle to perform at the proficiency or master level on these required tests?
• How will these scores be weighed into a formula this is equitable for calculating?
• Will teachers want to have these student’s in their classrooms?
• How will class rosters be created?
• How will Integrated/Co-Taught teachers be measured?

The answers to some of these questions will be whatever works best for each district; however they will be guided by current Part 200 regulations. A student with a disability shall be provided appropriate education in the least restrictive environment based on individual needs. [200.6(a) 1-3] The Continuum of Services for special education students places Integrated Co-Teaching above special classes. All students must be exposed to the same curriculum in order to be prepared for NYS assessments. The best way to ensure they are receiving instruction at their grade level is through Integrated Co-Teaching classrooms. The definition according to the regulations states, “Providing academic instruction (with specially designed instruction) to a group of students who are non-disabled and disabled. [200.6(g)] There needs to be one general education teacher and one special education teacher instructing. The best-case scenario would be for these classes to have a lower number of students on the roster. In reality this may not be possible. What must occur though is the there must not be more than twelve identified students per class and there must be the same number of non-identified students or more on the roster.

This brings up another issue with Race to the Top.  If every teacher in New York State were asked what the number one issue would be with Integrated Teaching, Team Teaching or Co-Teaching, the answer would be unanimously the same:  Common Planning Time. A general education teacher and special education teacher are expected to do the waltz and co-instruct content to a classroom with students who are at all levels of instructional and social emotional needs. In many schools, the master schedule and students’ instructional programs have not been crafted yet. Teachers leave for the summer and do not know what their teaching assignments or class rosters will be for the fall. Again, due to the fiscal challenges, districts are asked to create a master schedule that has common planning for co-teaching teams. This is typically unheard of. Many of the special education teachers co-teach with three to five different general education teachers. There is no conceivable way that administrators can create a schedule to assist in the creation of co-planning on a daily or weekly basis.

Integrated Co-Teaching is not new to the Continuum of Services, but it has not been an option that many districts have been willing to try. There are many barriers that interfere with making that instructional shift. Lack of knowledge and skill is one major roadblock. Teachers do not want to take a chance and make changes if they do not have the appropriate information. Especially now with all of the new evaluation changes, teachers will be less willing to experiment in the classroom. Lack of administrative support can be an enormous problem. If teachers are told to make the change, but not given guidance along the way it will be difficult to succeed. Finding the right teachers to team up can also be a challenge. The general education teacher should have the expertise in the curriculum and the special education teacher should be responsible for differentiating instruction.  This is why common planning time is so important for all Integrated Co-Teaching teams. If both teachers are going to be responsible for test scores and student progress they must be given time to collaborate.

Now more than ever due to the creation of the Great Teacher and Great Leader component, Teacher of Record and the composite score, the notion of Common Planning time is critical for the integrity of Integrated/Co-Teaching.  Districts can no long turn a blind eye to this issue. Teachers cannot be forced to plan on borrowed time:  passing time, lunch hour, before or after schools. 40% of a teacher’s composite score will be based on student performance on local and state evaluations. In order to maximize the expertise of both the general and special education teacher in the delivery of best instructional practices, it is imminent that these teachers be given time for professional development on how to Co-Teach and time to co-plan effective lessons for all learners within their classrooms.

Teachers and administration need to accept the notion that common planning time cannot logistically exist in many of the master schedules. In order to make this a reality, districts need to engage in professional learning communities and collegial conversations that foster the professional development in Co-Teaching.

There are six models of Co-Teaching that can be used in any classroom. Each inclusive team should determine what model works best for them. One model is not necessarily better than another, and more than one model should be used depending on the situation.

One Teach, One Observe: This model provides for observation and data collection. It allows for each teacher to observe other teaching styles. Information can be gathered on student behaviors. Little planning time is required for this model. It is only recommended for periodic use. (5-10%)

One Teach, One Drift: This model has one teacher working as an assistant to the other teacher. There is 1:1 help provided to any students who are struggling. It can be very efficient in managing materials. This model is misused more than any other model. It is only recommended for seldom use. (<20%)

Station Teaching: This model has the classroom broken into groups, integrating students with disabilities into all groups. Both teachers move from group to group to instruct using their teaching style. Low student to teacher ratio allows for more individualized attention. Each teacher will have specific responsibilities for planning and instruction. There tends to be more noise with this model and timing needs to be coordinated by teachers. This model is not the best when teaching sequence of material. It is recommended for frequent use. (30-40%)

Parallel Teaching: This model has the class split in half with each teacher teaching the same thing. It is best used for review not initial instruction. Like station teaching, there is a lower student/teacher ratio that allows for differentiated instruction. Both teachers must know the content well. Timing and pacing of instruction is important to keep both groups at the same place. It is recommended for frequent use. (30-40%)

Alternate Teaching: One teacher works with a larger group while the other pulls a small group aside to target certain areas of skill or content. If non-identified and identified students are in the small group it will reduce the stigma. This model provides high intensity instruction to students in need. Coordination of groups is needed. It is recommended for occasional use. (20-30%)

Tag Team Teaching: This model has teachers taking turns instructing the whole group. It allows the strengths of both teachers to be used during the lesson. It can be very fun and engaging for students and teachers. This model may not be successful until a positive relationship is developed within the team. There needs to be increased planning time for lesson development and instruction time for each teacher. It is recommended for occasional use. (20-30%).

It is important for administrators to find a way for teams to have planning time during the work day/week. There are various ways this can happen. The following are a few suggestions that districts may want to discuss as a district and with their collective bargaining groups to negotiate a method for teachers with co-teaching responsibilities to acquire common planning time.

1. A Co-Teaching Professional Development Series – Throughout the school year, co-teaching teams should be assigned bi-monthly to attend an hour and a half session each month. During that time, the participants would be instructed on one of the models of co-teaching. They will have time to discuss the implications of the model and how it would work within their given classroom settings and content areas. The teachers would have time to identify how they would use this model within their current unit of study. Throughout the following two weeks, the teachers would be asked to use the model three to four times with their classrooms. During the next session, the teachers will share and discuss how they used the model while obtaining collaborative feedback from each other to support the sustainability of using the model for the remainder of the school year when appropriate. This series would repeat until all of the models have been introduced, practiced and discussed.
2. The use of compensation time – Teachers work days and student contact time is an area that is collectively bargained through negotiations in most districts. If co-teaching partners co-plan once a week by coming in early, or staying based their contractual time, the districts should investigate how to use compensation time. For example, if they document their work session by handing in minutes and lesson plans created during this planning time, the building administrator may grant these teachers to leave after the students exit the building on a Friday afternoon pending there is no other obligation for that day. Again, this suggestion needs to be monitored closely as well as negotiated with the district and the teacher’s union.
3. Team-Time/Common Planning Time – In the event that the master schedule is conducive to team time, the teachers who have co-teaching duties should be allowed to meet with their partner during that time instead of as a group. This will allow for the teachers to use their planning time for instructional planning instead of sitting in a meeting that has little impact on direction instruction.
4. Release Time – During the calendar year throughout the semester, co-teaching partnerships should be given a half day of release time during each marking period. This release day will allow for the team to co-plan in advance. The benefit of this suggestion is that it provides the team with uninterrupted time to concentrate on quality lessons that meet the needs of the students. The teachers will be able to thoroughly incorporate the models of co-teaching into their units of study without being pressed for time. This suggestion does have its downfall however. It will take the teachers our of the classroom for a half day with can lead to interruption of instruction due to altered student behavior due to a substitute teacher. It will also incur addition costs to the district because they will have to pay the substitute teacher. However, this release time will be invaluable for the creation of quality co-taught instructional units. It is a good faith effort by the district to recognize the benefits of Integrated Co-teaching.

Given the latest changes in the Educational Reform set forth by Race to the Top, district leaders and teachers need to work together to ensure quality instruction for all students. Districts can no longer function as “business as usual”. They need to pay attention to the need of Common Planning time for teachers who are assigned a co-teaching assignment. Not only will the common planning time assist the students in learning, it will give the teacher partnerships an opportunity to fine-tune their instructional practices to compliment the components of RTTT. They will become great teachers who are committed to achieving high results from all of their students in their classrooms. The teachers will be able to concentrate on improving instruction for all learners as their Teacher of Record statistics are formulated annually as a measure of their professional performance. Without taking a proactive approach to addressing some of the issues and looming questions, it is setting our students and teachers up for failure as well as taking steps backwards with the inclusions and integration of students with various learning needs as districts and teachers race to the top of educational excellence.

References

 

Cook L., & Friend, M. (1995).  Co-teaching:  Guidelines for creating effective practices.  Focus on Exceptional Children.   28(3), 1-16.

New York State Education Department-NYSED.gov

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Calls to Participate

IES Grant Competitions

http://ies.ed.gov/ncer/projects/11awards2.asp
Through the National Center for Education Research, the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) recently awarded 40 grants under the Education Research Grants Program, one grant under the Education Research and Development Center Program, and one grant under the Evaluation of State and Local Education Programs and Policies Program. These applications were considered under the September 2010 deadline, and total spending for these new grants is $80.7 million. Descriptions and structured abstracts for these new grants are available on their Web site.

IES Grant Competitions

http://ies.ed.gov/ncser/projects/11awards2.asp
Through the National Center for Special Education Research, the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) recently awarded 16 grants under the Special Education Research Grants Program, and one grant under the Special Education Research and Development Center Program. These applications were considered under the September 2010 deadline, and total spending for these new grants is $45.5 million. Descriptions and structured abstracts for these new grants are available on their Web site

U.S. Department of Education Invites Comments on School Bullying Law and Policy Plan

http://tinyurl.com/3zctbau
The U.S. Department of Education has published a plan to conduct case studies at 24 school sites across the nation to analyze bullying laws and policies. The study will identify promising strategies and practices schools use to combat bullying and will examine how state legislative requirements influence policies, including ways that state and district policies facilitate or create challenges for effective implementation. Comments are due by August 1, 2011, and may be submitted electronically to ICDocketMgr@ed.gov or mailed to the U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, LBJ, Washington, DC 20202-4537. The plan can be downloaded at the Web site.

 

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Special Education Resources

 

A One-Stop Shop for Conducting Your Own School Turnaround Workshop

Toolkit
http://relwest.wested.org/toolkit
This Regional Educational Laboratory West toolkit contains information on conducting an introductory workshop or series of workshops on research-based approaches to turning around low-performing schools.

 

A Parent’s Guide to Teaching Life Skills

Parent Guide
http://www.caseylifeskills.org/pages/res/rsf%5CRSF.pdf
“Ready, Set, Fly” is a companion tool for the Casey Foundation’s Life Skills Guide. It covers topics such as money management, social skills, nutrition, self-care, work skills, housing and transportation, community resources, and learning about candidates in elections. This guide helps families help their young adults gain the skills they need to live as independently and as well as possible. Available in pdf (57 pages, 170 KB).

 

Addressing Bullying and Harassment Matters

Report

http://tinyurl.com/43tmss3
Equity Alliance at Arizona state University has published “Addressing Bullying and Harassment Matters,” a report addressing the problems of school bullying and providing culturally responsive ways to reshape schools so that all students feel a sense of safety, belonging, and empowerment.

 

Autism Fact Sheet “Learn the Signs. Act Early” in English and Spanish

Fact Sheet
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/downloads.html
The University of Southern California University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities has the “Learn the Signs. Act Early” Autism Spectrum Disorders Fact Sheet, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in English and Spanish on its Web site.

 

Autism Fact Sheet “Learn the Signs. Act Early” in Multiple Languages

Fact Sheet
http://uscucedd.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=455&Itemid=426
The University of Southern California University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities has translated the “Learn the Signs. Act Early” Autism Spectrum Disorders Fact Sheet from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) into multiple languages (Arabic, Armenian, Farsi, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, Thai, and Vietnamese) to reach underserved populations. Information for requesting copies is on their Web site.

Disability History Timeline

Timeline
http://www.ncld-youth.info/index.php?id=61
The National Consortium on Leadership and Disability for Youth (NCLD/Y), a national youth-led information, training, and resource center, produced this Timeline to help youth with and without disabilities learn about the history of people with disabilities. Starting shortly before the United States was founded, the guide features examples of the diversity, creativity, and leadership that have shaped the disability community and American culture.

 

Great Expectations for Effective Meetings

Worksheet
http://tinyurl.com/3t9ztq3
The National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) has created a “Great Expectations” worksheet to help facilitate communication and clarify the opinions of each person participating in a discussion or meeting. Designed primarily for parents, it can be used by anyone (e.g., educators, psychologists, speech-language pathologists, school administrators). To be most effective, it should be filled in completely by each person from his/her perspective. The student should be included in this discovery process; the student’s assumptions and expectations could be among the most critical and fruitful pieces of information brought to the discussion.

 

How to Increase Student Learning Time

Multimedia Overview
http://dww.ed.gov/Increased-Learning-Time/topic/?T_ID=29
The Doing What Works initiative offers a suite of resources on its Web site, featuring elementary schools, increased learning time programs, partnerships, and schools with extended learning day initiatives that successfully implement research-based practices connected to increasing learning time. Practitioners can learn about the research base for schools and programs seeking to increase student learning time, see how these practices are implemented in schools, and access professional development tools and planning templates.

 

Leaders with Developmental Disabilities in the Self-Advocacy Movement

Oral History Transcripts
http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/ROHO/collections/subjectarea/ics_movements/self_advocacy.html
This project explores the life stories of 13 leaders in the self-advocacy movement and their perspectives on key issues and leadership challenges, exploring the history, culture, and significance of the self-advocacy movement.

 

NCES Releases Mapping State Proficiency Standards Onto NAEP Scales: Variation and Change in State Standards for Reading and Mathematics, 2005-2009

Report
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pubs/studies/2011458.asp
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has released the report “Mapping State Proficiency Standards Onto NAEP Scales: Variation and Change in State Standards for Reading and Mathematics, 2005-2009.” This report contains the findings of a study that compared the relative rigor of state proficiency standards in mathematics and reading using the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scale as a common yardstick.

 

NICHCY’s Transition to Adulthood Webpages

Web page
http://nichcy.org/schoolage/transitionadult/
Youth with disabilities, and their families and educators, need to plan ahead for their transition from high school to adult living. The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) offers “how-to” information on getting ready for the change ahead in a Transition Suite of nine individual web pages.

 

Parent Advocacy Brief on the ADAAA

Parent Advocacy Brief
http://tinyurl.com/ya3deta
The National Center for Learning Disabilities has released a Parent Advocacy Brief to help parents understand the changes brought about by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) and how these changes may affect children with disabilities, including learning disabilities.

 

Parents, Teens, and Money: A Clear and Simple Guide to Discussing Financial Responsibility

Parent Guide
http://www.chaseclearandsimple.com/Students_Guide/
Chase Card Services, in collaboration with College Parents of America, published this online guide to help parents discuss important financial topics with their teens.

 

Parents’ Guide to Common Core State Standards

Parent Guide
http://www.pta.org/4446.htm
The Parents’ Guide to Student Success (available in English and Spanish) was developed in response to the Common Core State Standards in English language arts and mathematics that more than 40 states have adopted. Created by teachers, parents, education experts, and others from across the country, the standards provide clear, consistent expectations for what students should be learning at each grade in order to be prepared for college and career.

 

Professional Development for Teachers: What Two Rigorous Studies Tell Us

Overview
http://www.mdrc.org/premium-publications/603/overview.html
MDRC’s “Professional Development for Teachers: What Two Rigorous Studies Tell Us” synthesizes research from two recent studies on teacher professional development, one in reading and one in math, each showing the interventions were less effective than had been hoped. The studies, carried out by the American Institutes for Research and MDRC for the U.S. Department of Education, examined intensive professional development (PD) efforts (including intensive summer institutes, follow-up group sessions, and coaching of individual teachers).

 

Project CHILD: Children and the International Landscape of Disabilities: Voices from Around the World

Archived Video
http://ppri.tamu.edu/project-child-video-cc/
Disability experts from around the world commented on the status of children with disabilities in their countries in a discussion recorded on video by Project CHILD: Voices from Around the World.

 

Project Forum’s Systems for Reviewing Educational Data (including Special Education Information: Four State Approaches) and State Performance Plan Process and Indicators Policy Forum

Reports
http://www.projectforum.org/
Project Forum’s “Systems for Reviewing Educational Data, including Special Education Information: Four State Approaches, is a brief policy analysis of how four states, Kentucky, Missouri, New York, and Virginia, ensure a quality review process within their educational data system. Each state case study describes their data system, how the data are used, how the state ensures quality data, and the benefits and challenges to development of the data system. Three state case studies also include information on their school interoperability framework. “State Performance Plan Process and Indicators: A Policy Forum” documents the proceedings of a forum discussion of the SPP/APR system, synopsizing the participants’ input on the positives and concerns about the SPP/APR system and their suggestions for changes.

 

Roundtable on Transition to Adulthood: Practice and Policy

Archived Video
http://www.aypf.org/forumbriefs/2011/fb062111.htm
The research findings of the MacArthur Network on Transitions to Adulthood captured in the Future of Children’s volume, “Transition to Adulthood,” were discussed in a day of roundtable panels on June 21, 2011. Panelists discussed how the path to self-sufficient adulthood is lengthening and becoming more varied under new social, cultural, and economic influences; and the importance of postsecondary education and the multiple pathways students can take to achieve credentials and attain a self-sustaining job. Each session included an overview of research findings, presentations from leading practitioners, and discussion of the implications for federal policy.

Students Living with a Genetic Condition: A Guide for Parents

Parent Guide
http://nichcy.org/students-living-with-a-genetic-condition-a-guide-for-parents
Developed by the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY), this guide provides information that may be helpful when writing a letter to or preparing to meet with a student’s teacher, school nurse, and physical education teacher or coach. This may also be a useful resource for bus drivers, babysitters, church leaders, or any other potential caregiver.

 

Taking Assessments Deeper

Policy Brief
http://www.all4ed.org/publication_material/issue_policy_briefs
“Assessing Deeper Learning,” a policy brief from the Alliance for Excellent Education, calls for assessments that measure a broader range of knowledge and skills than current assessments typically measure. Deeper assessments would indicate whether students understand challenging content and are able to think critically, solve problems, communicate understanding, and work with peers.

 

The Road to Autonomy: Can Schools, Districts, and Central Offices Find their Way?

Report
http://tinyurl.com/3robj7q
Education Sector’s “The Road to Autonomy: Can Schools, Districts, and Central Offices Find their Way?” asks whether a culture of autonomy in education brings innovative rewards. The report finds that some charter schooling and autonomous school reform yield innovation, but not all. It examines in particular the District of Columbia (DCPS), where two approaches were tried. The report also looks at “portfolio management” projects underway in Chicago, New York City, New Orleans, and other cities.

 

Vehicle Purchase/Modification Funding Resources

Resources List
http://projectaction.easterseals.com/site/DocServer/vehicle_funding.pdf
This resources list has information on public and private funding sources to help pay for modifications to a car or van or to buy a new one. Available in pdf (1 page, 100 KB).

 

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Update from the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

FROM OUR FRIENDS AT THE IDEA PARTNERSHIP

More and more districts are developing Response to Intervention (RTI) practices in order to meet the learning needs of students with and without disabilities. RTI isn’t a single, prescribed procedure, but rather the “practice of providing high quality instruction and interventions matched to studet need, monitoring progress frequently to make changes in instruction or goals and applying child response data to important educational decisions.” This looks different in each school and district.

To help educators, administrators, and families to better understand and implement RTI practices, the IDEA Partnership has developed a robust collection of resources on the topic, including:

Grounding Assumptions for the resources

Glossary of key terms around the topic of RTI

How to Use this Collection for different stakeholder groups

Beginning Collection for those just beginning RTI implementation, including power point presentations, a facilitator’s guide and dialogue guides

Intermediate Collection for those familiar with RTI and undertaking implementation, including power point presentations, a facilitator’s guide and dialogue guides

Advanced Collection for those already using tiered interventions for both learning and behavior, including power point presentations, a facilitator’s guide and dialogue guides

And more!

Check out the IDEA Partnership’s RTI Collection at

http://www.ideapartnership.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=15&Itemid=56

 

IT ALL STARTS IN FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES It’s almost time for school to start up a new academic year. Get ready for the change with some of these resources: 25 ways to make this the best school year ever. http://specialchildren.about.com/od/schoolissues/a/bestyearever.htm The back-to-school assignment for parents of special needs kids. http://www.tacanow.org/family-resources/the-back-to-school-assignment-for-parents-of-special-needs-kids/ Back to school for the child with LD. http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=xam94jcab&et=1106689692179&s=57&e=001Uu7VxRRCqB3jzb1WnXqN5PIbX7dcdgxrA-w3vcjWe2b6nci-kVh_WsIZmJZhjfvfpL4IoEgGYH70b_oKGd52sk2u3I8MSMPLslH6zXnIQmasCSmL2Ux3DiEn9iT3lBTYXn2EkVYh2BfuOVIzERQW2CEBlWER3iGDfwnLiQPJizjFBN7OsxVcC7S8xoadaCfQ http://www.education.com/magazine/article/school-child-learning-disabilities/ Working together: A parent’s guide to parent and professional partnership and communication within special education. http://www.taalliance.org/premium-publications/pdfs/communicationbook.pdf Wait! Summer’s not over. True. Looking for opportunities and suggestions for how to make the most of August to play, learn, or poke into subjects you just never have time for otherwise? Here’s a little something for families. The summer offers more time for parents and kids to read books as a team. Check out these resources that can help build family literacy. From Reading Rockets. http://www.ldonline.org/article/42330 Organize your child’s medical records. Oh yes, that sounds like summer fun! http://www.pacer.org/health/pdfs/HIAC-h17.pdf   Preparing the school for your child with special needs. Here’s your head start for information to send to teachers about your child’s special needs. http://specialchildren.about.com/od/specialeducation/a/schoolprintouts.htm   Physical education — and adapted physical education. IDEA 2004 requires that students with disabilities be provided with physical education. If your child has a disability and an IEP, the school must provide physical education as part of your child’s special education program. Many children benefit from physical education. Read all about PE and adapted PE, at: http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/pe.index.htm Financial resource guide for parents of children with disabilities. PACER Center, in conjunction with National Endowment for Financial Education, has recently published the online guide , a “simple, straightforward resource” to help families manage money and plan for their financial future. http://www.pacer.org/premium-publications/possibilities/ Family-to-Family Health Information Center. Another great resource from PACER. The Family-to-Family Health Information Center (F2F HIC) serves as a central source for families of children and young adults with special health care needs and disabilities to obtain support, advocacy, and information about the health care system. http://www.pacer.org/health/

 

 

THE LITTLE ONES: EARLY INTERVENTION/EARLY CHILDHOOD The change from early intervention to preschool. Early intervention is designed for children from birth up to age three. At that point, services under EI end. If the child will need continued support once he or she moves on to preschool, it’s very important to plan ahead so that the transition is smooth. The resources listed on this NICHCY webpage can help you do just that. http://nichcy.org/babies/transition Social-emotional issues in early childhood settings. The spring 2011 issue of Early Childhood Research and Practice includes a special section focused on this topic. Free! http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v13n1/index.html Need info about autism in multiple languages to share with families? If you do, you’ll be pleased to know that the USC University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities has translated the “Learn the Signs. Act Early” autism fact sheet from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) into multiple languages to reach underserved populations. Find the fact sheet in: Arabic, Armenian, Farsi, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, Thai, and Vietnamese. http://uscucedd.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=455&Itemid=426 Find the fact sheet in English and Spanish. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/downloads.html Training module on assistive technology interventions. This new module from CONNECT includes an example of how a child care provider, speech therapist, and parent work together to help a two-year-old communicate and participate in everyday activities using assistive technology. http://community.fpg.unc.edu/connect-modules/learners/module-5 Early Head Start’s home-based model. Thanks to NECTAC for sharing the news that the Office of Head Start recently launched a webpage with information on the Early Head Start (EHS) Home-Based Model, which is one of eight evidence-based home visiting models selected for the Affordable Care Act Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program. The webpage includes an overview of the EHS home-based model, a video entitled and resources for implementing the model. http://tinyurl.com/3h2neff Preschool special education: Co-teaching and collaboration. Collaboration increases instructional options and grouping flexibility, reduces stigma for students, boosts professional support, and meets the mandates of IDEA’s least restrictive environment. http://preschool.mdecgateway.org/olms/output/page_site.php?pageID=9354&siteID=1095

 

SCHOOLS, K-12 Last minute reading on important topics. Since summer isn’t quite over yet, teachers may find these resources worth squeezing in before it’s time to go back to school. Resource for lesson plans. Teachers can browse an array of lesson plans and related resources from high performing teachers. You also can share your resources with this site. http://betterlesson.org/ Grading and students with disabilities. Grading is a complex topic that involves philosophical, pedagogical, and pragmatic issues for all students, and especially for those with disabilities. This introduction to grading will give teachers the research base, teacher tools, and case studies. http://www.specialconnections.ku.edu/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/specconn/main.php?cat=assessment§ion=grading/main Neuroscience and special education. A new policy analysis from Project Forum at the National Association of State Directors of Special Education discusses how findings from neuroscience are being applied to special education, describes outcomes from the research bridging the two fields, and discusses how institutions of higher education are creating interdisciplinary links between the two. The analysis also profiles three programs currently serving children with disabilities that base their curriculum in part on findings from the field of neuroscience. http://www.projectforum.org/user.cfm?publicationid=455&from=index Free technology for teachers. Who can resist? http://www.freetech4teachers.com NEA’s back to school guide. NEA editors have compiled a list of NEA’s best articles and resources to help new and veteran teachers get ready for the fall semester. http://www.nea.org/firstdays Changing the way it’s done: When general and special educators collaborate. Research shows that collaboration between general and special educators benefits the quality of instruction and supports for students with disabilities. Here are several resources that give the “why” and “how-to” of collaboration. Just in time, too, for the new school year! Co-teaching. Co-teaching is a method for delivering instruction that draws on the strengths and expertise of multiple educators. This module introduces the many faces of co-teaching relationships, exemplars and non-exemplars of successful co-teaching strategies, approaches for developing co-teaching skills, and opportunities to co-plan lessons. “Academy 1” focuses on general and special educators working together. From the Equity Alliance at ASU. http://www.equityallianceatasu.org/ea/pl Supporting the collective practice of teachers. It’s not just the individual skill of a teacher that raises student outcomes; rather, teachers become better at their craft when they have the space to collaborate with and learn from one another. http://www.annenberginstitute.org/Commentary/ Introduction to cooperative teaching. This intro describes the basics of cooperative teaching, where and when it’s used, the research base as to its effectiveness and benefits, and case studies. It will also connect teachers with easy-to-use tools to promote their own collaborations with colleagues. http://www.specialconnections.ku.edu/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/specconn/main.php?cat=collaboration§ion=coteaching/main Collaboration between general and special education: Making it work. http://www.ncset.org/premium-publications/viewdesc.asp?id=1097 NEA’s diversity toolkit. This online toolkit provides an introduction to the multiple facets of diversity. Chapters include: class and income, cultural competence for educators, English language learners, gender, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender identity, and social justice. http://www.nea.org/tools/diversity-toolkit.html How to increase student learning time. Here’s an interesting suite of resources from the Doing What Works initiative. It features elementary schools, increased learning time programs, partnerships, and schools with extended learning day initiatives that successfully implement research-based practices connected to increasing learning time. At the link below, practitioners can learn about the research base for schools and programs seeking to increase student learning time, see how these practices are implemented in schools, and access professional development tools and planning templates to Do What Works. http://dww.ed.gov/Increased-Learning-Time/topic/?T_ID=29 Youth, families, and educators: Get ready for the change ahead — Adulthood! Youth with disabilities need to plan ahead for their transition from high school. The law mandates it, in fact! Connect with a wealth of “how-to” information in NICHCY’s Transition Suite of nine individual webpages. http://nichcy.org/schoolage/transitionadult/ Plan ahead to get assistive technology in college. Is your youth with learning disabilities planning to go to college? Does he or she use assistive technology (AT)? If so, get a jump start on college success by scoping out universities’ AT policies and offerings and understanding their rights and responsibilities. http://www.ncld.org/college-aamp-work/post-high-school-options/transitioning-to-college

 

STATE Strategies for building an aligned system for early learning. The National Association of Elementary School Principals’ (NAESP) Foundation Task Force on Early Learning recently published a report that recommends 10 action steps to guide the work involved in aligning early childhood and elementary education. Find at: http://www.naesp.org/transforming-early-childhood-education-pre-k-grade-3 Superintendent leadership: Promoting general and special education collaboration. From Project Forum, this document examines the role of the superintendent in promoting, developing and sustaining a culture of collaboration between general and special educators throughout the LEA. http://projectforum.org/docs/SuperintendentLeadership-PromotingGeneralandSpEdCollaboration.pdf Influence of school-level SES and racial diversity on implementing schoolwide positive behavior supports. This evaluation brief examines the capacity of schools of varying levels of socioeconomic and racial diversity to implement Tier I (universal) of schoolwide positive behavior support (SWPBS) with integrity. http://www.pbis.org/common/pbisresources/premium-publications/PBIS_Newsletter_V5I4.pdf What every leader for school improvement needs to know about student and learning supports. This brief report provides a synthesis of (1) some key challenges for school improvement related toaddressing barriers to learning and teaching, and (2) implications for improving how schools deal with such challenges. http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/whateveryleader.pdf

 

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To learn more click on the image above or – Click here

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Latest Employment Opportunities Posted on NASET

Special Education Cross Cat Teacher

Tolleson, Arizona

Description:

SPECIAL EDUCATION CROSS CATEGORIZATION TEACHER WITH AN ENDORSEMENT IN SEVERE MENTAL RETARDATION (BEHAVIOR, EMOTIONAL, AND LEARNING DISABILITIES)

The Tolleson campus of Southwest Academy (SWA) is a special education school for fifth through twelfth grade students in the Maricopa County area who are challenged by social-emotional, learning, developmental, and behavioral difficulties. The curriculum is taught with an engaged learning methodology that nurtures academic, behavioral, and social-emotional growth. Our educational model encourages the development of academic and social-emotional skills in a positive and well-structured learning environment, with a focus on preparation for post-secondary education, employment, and citizenship. We have a no refusal, no suspension, no expulsion policy, offering a continuum of services to meet the educational needs of this challenging student population.

Programming at SWA is designed for students with significant cognitive and/or developmental disabilities. The curriculum is individualized to meet each student’s special needs with an emphasis on four major community living domains: self-management/home living, vocational, recreation/leisure, and general community functioning. The curriculum is taught both in school and out in the community. It includes functional academics and embedded training in social-emotional skills, communication, and motor skills.

We believe that every child can and will learn. Our students are preparing to be College Ready, Career Ready, and Community Ready (3 C’s). Our goal is to ensure that all students master the academic and social skills necessary for an independent and productive life. We create an Optimal Learning Environment that is well structured, engaging, safe, instructional, and responsive to students needs.

We are looking for a state certified teacher with experience in working with Severe Mentally Retarded students either full time or part time. This position offers an access to medical, dental, vision plans, 403(b), sick pay, holiday pay, and personal/vacation days. The salary range is comparable for the position and area, depending upon certification and qualifications.

Requirements:

• Emphasis on work skills as a basis for a career path curriculum
• Ability to communicate well orally and in writing
• Flexible in which subject areas that they can work
• Student focused approach while presenting general areas of required subject material.
• Willingness to be trained in working with Behavioral/Emotional Disordered students
• Demonstrated ability to work well in a fast paced environment

Qualifications:

• Arizona State Teaching Certification in Special Education/Cross Categorization with an endorsement in Severe Mental Retardation (Behavior, Emotional, and Learning Disabilities) in the elementary, middle school & high school levels is required.
• Ability to teach in a self-contained classroom for a full teaching day with youth having problems with ED, OHI and MIMR disabilities.
• Employment contingent upon a background check, approved driving record, and an employment physical.
• Must have a valid driver’s license and fingerprint clearance card
• Must be at least 23 years of age.
• Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply.

Apply online at:

www.thementagroup.org/careers/apply

or email: Dawn.massani@menta.com
3834 South 91st Avenue
Tolleson, AZ 85353
Phone: (623) 478-5000
Fax: (623) 478-5026
eoe

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Special Ed Teacher for H.S. Classroom

Chicago, Illinois 60612

Description

SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER FOR HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM CHICAGO, IL

Hillside Academy East Campus, a member of The Menta Group, is an alternative safe school for middle and high school students who are at-risk of suspension or expulsion or with other special education service needs. The school’s curriculum and credit earning system is aligned with its partnering district/Chicago Public Schools thus allowing for seamless transitions from and to the students’ home schools. HAEC was established to positively impact the academic and social-emotional competencies of students referred to the program, and offer a variety of school-to-work options for special education students. The school’s modern facilities, talented administration/staff encourage young people to learn in an ideal academic setting for adolescents who are preparing to become both literate and self-sufficient. High School Teacher needed for 7-12 grade program having no more than ten students per classroom with teacher assistant.

 

Background: Hillside Academy East Campus is the adjunct campus of the organization’s first school, Hillside Academy. Hillside Academy East Campus is approved as a nonpublic special education program (under Section 14-7.02 of the Illinois School Code) for students in Kindergarten through 12th grade.

Benefits:

This position offers an access to medical, dental, vision plans, 403(b), sick pay, holiday pay, and personal/vacation days. The salary range is comparable for the position and area, depending upon certification and qualifications.

Qualifications:

• Type LBS1/Special Education State of Illinois certified at the middle/high school level
• Comprehensive training, experience, and mentoring in curriculum area
• Ability to teach a self-contained classroom within all basic instructional areas
• Ability to work a regular school day and the ability to work with youth with emotional/behavioral/academic difficulties
• Employment is contingent upon a background check, employment physical and drug screen
• Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply.

Contact:

Apply at this web site:www.thementagroup.org/careers/apply

Email:lisa.feldman@menta.com

Fax: (773) 638-6235

eoe

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Special Education Teacher

Country Club Hills, Illinois

 

Description:

High School Teacher for Special Education Academic and Career-Path Classes

Country Club Hills Tech & Trade Center (CCH), an affiliate of The Menta Group, offers a K-high school program that provides a variety of school-to-work options for special education students. In combination with a talented administration, and teaching and support staff, CCH is an ideal academic setting for adolescents who are preparing to become both literate and self-sufficient.

We are currently seeking qualified applicants for the position of Special Education Teacher for our schools located in mid-state Illinois and the Chicago Metro Area; and Maricopa County, Arizona. Successful candidates will be creative, energetic and eager to develop and implement innovative solutions to critical problems in education. The ideal candidate will be prepared for teaching mainstream academics within a self-contained classroom, to teach special needs students with an emphasis on work skills as a basis for a career-path curriculum, and be willing to be trained to work in a clinical-educational setting with severely Behavior/Emotional Disordered students.

This person is comfortable with a variety of delivery techniques for special needs instruction: including direct instruction, simulation, cooperative learning within community based opportunities, and integration of technology within multi-disciplinary classroom projects; including integration of literacy skills and hands-on projects as part of the educational model. The classroom staff members function as collaborative building wide teams to better problem solve and find viable solutions to meet student’s academic needs.

Requirements

• State Teaching Certification in Special Education; Preferably high school certified.
• Ability to teach in a self-contained classroom for a full teaching day with youth having behavioral, emotional, and high risk behaviors is important.
• Flexible in which subject areas that they can work.
• Student focused approach while presenting general areas of required subject material.
• Willingness to be trained in working with Behavioral/Emotional Disordered students.
• Demonstrated ability to work well in a fast paced environment.
• Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply.
• You must be 23 years of age with a valid driver license.
• Employment is contingent upon a background check, approved driving record, employment physical and drug screen.
• Must have a valid driver’s license.
• Emphasis on work skills as a basis for a career path curriculum.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Benefits

This position offers an access to medical, dental, vision plans, 403(b), sick pay, holiday pay, and personal/vacation days. The salary range is comparable for the position and area, depending upon certification and qualifications.

Apply on-line at:
www.thementagroup.org/careers/apply
Country Club Hills, Illinois
E-mail: john.ritchey@menta.com
Fax: 708-798-9756
Questions can be directed to John Ritchey at 708-798-9542 eoe

Contact

John Ritchey
Phone: 708-798-9542
Fax: 708-798-9756

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Special Education Teacher

Tolleson, Arizona

Description

Southwest Academy (SWA) is a special education school for kindergarten through 12th grade students in the Tolleson, Arizona area who are challenged by social-emotional, learning, behavioral and developmental disabilities. The curriculum is taught with an engaged learning methodology that nurtures academic, behavioral, and social-emotional growth. Our educational model encourages the development of academic and social-emotional skills in a positive and well-structured learning environment, with a focus on preparation for post-secondary education, employment, and citizenship.

Programming is designed for students with significant cognitive, behavior, and learning difficulties… The curriculum is individualized to meet each student’s special needs with an emphasis on four major community living domains: self-management/home living, vocational, recreation/leisure, and general community functioning. The curriculum is taught both in school and out in the community. It includes functional academics and embedded training in social-emotional skills, communication, and motor skills.

Qualifications

• Arizona State Teaching Certification in Special Education/Cross Categorization with an    endorsement in Life Skills, Behavior Disorders &amp; Autism in the elementary and middle school levels is required.
• Ability to teach in a self-contained classroom for a full teaching day with youth having behavioral, developmental disabilities, and autism is important.
• You must be 23 years of age with a valid driver license.
• Employment is contingent upon a background check, approved driving record, employment physical and drug screen.
• Must have a valid driver’s license.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Emphasis on work skills as a basis for a career path curriculum
• Flexible in which subject areas that they can work
• Student focused approach while presenting general areas of required subject material.
• Willingness to be trained in working with Behavioral/Emotional Disordered students
• Demonstrates ability to work well in a fast paced environment
• Bi-lingual applicants are encouraged to apply.

Contact

How to apply:www.thementagroup.org/careers/apply
Send resume to:dawn.massani@menta.com
Fax: (623) 478-5026
Website:www.thementagroup.org

 

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Education Director

Watertown, MA

Job Category: Education

Description

Perkins School for the Blind was the first school for the blind chartered in the United States in 1829. For over 181 years the staff at Perkins have been providing quality services to students and clients who are blind, visually impaired, deafblind and with or without additional disabilities. Located near Boston and Cambridge, our programs provide educational and training opportunities for students from birth to 22 years of age in day and residential programs. All of our programs and services strive to enable each student and client to develop his or her greatest potential and maximum independence.

The Secondary Program provides educational and residential services to students ages 14 through 22, who are blind or visually impaired and with or without additional disabilities. The program offers a variety of enrollment and curriculum options designed to meet each student’s individual needs, including high school courses for grades 9-12 leading to a diploma.

Under the general direction of the Superintendent of Educational Programs, the Education Director oversees the design and implementation of educational services for students, as a member of a collaborative administrative team. Provides supervision to assigned teachers, related service providers, and other staff. Manages and facilitates staff development and communication with parents, employees, LEAs, and other community members.

Please visit www.koyapartners.com for the full description

Requirements

• Masters degree from a recognized college or university in Education with concentration in visual impairment or related field.
• Massachusetts DOE Licenser as Program Director, Principal or Special Education Director or willingness to obtain certification within two years required. First Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Crisis Prevention and Physical.
• Five (5) years teaching experience with children who are visual impaired including a wide a range of functioning levels and ages.
• Two (2) years experience in a Supervisory or Leadership role.
• Knowledge of Braille, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Ability to plan and conduct a program including continuous evaluation of each student’s Individual Education Plan, MCAS Portfolios, the Core and Expanded Core Curricula, and MA Standards.

Contact

Please send resume and cover letter to executivesearch@koyapartners.com

****************************

Special Education Teacher

New York, New York

Job Category: Master Teacher

Description

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

TEP is a 480-student 5th through 8th grade middle school in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City. Applications are currently being accepted for teaching positions in SPECIAL EDUCATION, LATIN and SOCIAL STUDIES.

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

Contact

jobs@tepcharter.org

 

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To learn more click on the image above or – Click here

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To learn more click on the image above or – Click here

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Funding Forecast and Award Opportunities

Forecast of Funding Opportunities under the Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs for Fiscal Year 2011
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 2011 and provides actual or estimated deadlines for the transmittal of applications under these programs. The lists are in the form of charts organized according to the Department’s principal program offices and include programs and competitions previously announced as well as those to be announced at a later date.

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

Best Buy: Teach @15 Award
http://www.bestbuy-communityrelations.com/teach_awards.htm
The Teach@15 Award program improves classroom learning by helping schools (grades 7-12) meet their technology needs. A teen member (age 13-18) who is a registered member on www.at15.com can nominate his/her school to win a Teach@15 Award. Maximum award: $1,500 in the form of Best Buy Gift Cards. Eligibility: accredited, nonprofit junior or senior public, private, parochial, magnet, and charter high schools in the U.S. serving any grades 7-12. Deadline: ongoing.

Kids In Need Foundation Offers Teacher Grants for Creative Classroom Projects
http://www.kinf.org/grants/index.php
An annual initiative of the Kids In Need Foundation, the Kids In Need Teacher Grants program provides grants, ranging from $100 to $500, to U.S. K-12 educators providing innovative learning opportunities for their students. Teacher grant applications are judged on innovativeness and merit, clarity of objectives, replication feasibility, suitability of evaluation methods, and cost effectiveness. Projects may qualify for funding if they make creative use of common teaching aids, approach the curriculum from an imaginative angle, or tie non-traditional concepts together for the purpose of illustrating commonalities. Deadline: September 30, 2011.

Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation: Melody Program
http://www.mhopus.org/teachers.asp
Mr. Holland’s Opus Melody Program provides musical instruments and instrument repairs to existing K-12 school music programs that have no other source of financing to purchase additional musical instruments and materials. Eligibility: music programs that take place during the regular school day. Schools must have an established instrumental music program (i.e., concert band, marching band, jazz band and/or orchestra) that is at least three years old. Maximum award: $8,000. Deadline for Pre-Qualification: September 29, 2011.

National Science Teachers Association/DCAT: Making a Difference Award
http://www.nsta.org/pdfs/awards/DCAT.pdf
The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) DCAT Making a Difference Award recognizes and honors excellence in a science program developed and implemented by middle- or high school-level science teachers, grades 6-12. Entries must show innovative and effective teaching strategies combined with a science program that has influenced students to explore and investigate science and its application to global problems. Maximum award: $2,500 to be used to enhance or expand the winning science program; the winning school’s lead science teacher and principal will be awarded coach airfare and two nights’ hotel accommodation to attend NSTA’s National Conference. Eligibility: innovative middle- or high school-level science programs. Deadline: November 30, 2011. Available in pdf (4 pages, 582 KB).

National Youth Leadership Council Invites Nominations for Alec Dickson Servant Leader Award
http://www.nylc.org/events/alec-dickson-servant-leader-award-nomination-0
Presented annually by the National Youth Leadership Council, the Alec Dickson Servant Leader Award recognizes an individual whose life has had a distinctive impact on service-learning. The award honors recipients who personify leadership, courage, creativity, and compassion. The award will be presented at the National Service-Learning Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, April 11-14, 2012. The winner will receive reimbursement for conference travel and accommodation. Deadline for nominations: September 23, 2011.

Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy Announces 2012 National Grant Competition
http://www.barbarabushfoundation.com/site/c.jhLSK2PALmF/b.4344531/k.BD31/Home.htm
The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy has announced its 2012 National Grant competition, supporting nonprofits working to develop or expand projects promoting the literacy skills of adult primary caregivers and their children. To be eligible, applicant organizations must have current nonprofit or public status, have been in existence two or more years as of the date of the application, and have maintained fiscal accountability. Applicants must operate an instructional literacy program that has been in existence for at least two years and must include one or more of the following components: literacy for adults, parent education, pre-literacy or literacy instruction for children pre-K to grade 3, and/or intergenerational literacy activities. A total of approximately $650,000 will be awarded; no grant request should exceed $65,000. Deadline: September 9, 2011.

Gateway to College National Network Offers Start Up Funding for College/K-12 Partnerships to Serve Out-Of-School Youth
http://www.gatewaytocollege.org/start.asp
The Gateway to College National Network (GtCNN), a nonprofit organization supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other major grantmakers, has funds available for partnerships between colleges and K-12 school districts to implement the Gateway to College dropout recovery program. The GtCNN works to build the capacity of colleges, school districts, and states to help high school dropouts and underprepared college students succeed in college, by offering on-campus classes in developmental skills courses from which students transition to regular college classes, where they work simultaneously toward a high school diploma and an associate’s degree. The initial start-up funding from GtCNN pays for planning and early implementation costs. Programs are then funded through partnerships between colleges and school districts. For the current round of funding, GtCNN will select up to nine college/K-12 partnerships to enter into multiyear contracts of between $300,000 and $450,000 each in 18 target states: Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington. Deadline for application: September 9, 2011.

NEA Foundation and Consortium for School Networking Invite Ideas for Mobile Phone Education Innovations
http://tinyurl.com/28vmvu5
The NEA Foundation’s newest C2i challenge, conducted in partnership with the Consortium for School Networking, is inviting ideas for mobile phone technology that can transform teaching and learning. The foundation will award grants of $1,000 to as many as five individuals who post the best ideas on the C2i page at the U.S. Department of Education’s Open Innovation Portal. The solutions selected will be shared by the NEA Foundation and CoSN via multiple outlets. The C2i challenge is open to public school educators, students, and others with an interest in improving public education. Proposed solutions must effectively incorporate smart phones or cell phones. Portal registrants can also review, comment, and vote on the posted solutions.

AIAA Foundation: Grants for Excellence in Math, Science, Technology and Engineering
http://www.aiaa.org/content.cfm?pageid=244
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Foundation Classroom Grants encourage excellence in educating students about math, science, technology, and engineering. Eligibility: current AIAA Educator Associate or AIAA Professional members actively engaged as K-12 classroom educators. Maximum award: $200. 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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