November 2013 – Special Educator e-Journal

Table of Contents

• Update from the U.S. Department of Education

• Calls to Participate

• Special Education Resources

• Update From The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

• Article: Successful Transition Models for Youth with Mental Health Needs: A Guide for Workforce Professionals

• Latest Employment Opportunities Posted on NASET

• Upcoming Conferences and Events

• Funding Forecast and Award Opportunities

• Acknowledgements

• Download a PDF or XPS Version of This Issue

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Update from the U.S. Department of Education

As of the time of this printing of NASET’s Special Educator e-Journal, the following message was posted by the United States Department of Education:

“Thank you for visiting ED.gov. Due to a lack of appropriations effective October 1, ED activities have been curtailed and most employees are on furlough. ED.gov will not be updated during the shutdown. Updates will resume and ED will return to normal operations as soon as funding is restored.”

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Calls to Participate

NCWD /Youth Seeks Applications for Professional Development Demonstrations
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/ksa/demo
The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability/Youth (NCWD/Youth) is offering a professional development opportunity for youth serving organizations (and their partners). The Youth Service Professionals’ Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Professional Development Demonstration and Evaluation (YSP/KSA Demo) will provide partnering organizations in three communities with four free full-day interactive training sessions covering the necessary competencies for professionals who work with youth, including pre- and post-training capacity building and support for all sites. Participation is free (lead organizations will receive a stipend to cover administration costs); each site’s lead organization must be committed to professional development and evaluation, provide 25-30 trainees, engage two partner organizations, and meet other eligibility requirements.

Youth Transitions Collaborative Seeks Resumes from Youth with Disabilities
The Youth Transitions Collaborative is seeking the resumes of young people and young veterans with disabilities who are looking for work (full-time or part-time) in the private sector. These resumes will be incorporated into a database that will help employers connect with qualified young candidates with disabilities. The National Youth Transitions Resume Database will be national in scope and will be open to young people and employers from across the country. For more information or to submit a resume, contact ytf@aapd.com.

Pipelines of Talent Initiative
http://www.aapd.com/resources/power-grid-blog/aapd-introduces-dmd-pipelines.html
The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), partnering with the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation (MEAF), created the Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) Pipelines of Talent initiative. Held each October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is a national campaign from the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy that raises awareness about disability employment issues and celebrates the contributions of America’s workers with disabilities. DMD, celebrated October 16 this year, is a highlight of NDEAM. Beginning in 1999, Disability Mentoring Day is the nation’s largest job shadowing program designed for Americans with disabilities. DMD connects mentors with students and job seekers with disabilities in order to expand employment opportunities and help close the disability unemployment gap. This multi-phase project aims to provide tools and resources developed by AAPD to assist with transitioning current DMD programs to year-round initiatives. AAPD recently selected Disability Mentoring Day Iowa as the first grant recipient of the initiative.

Who Cares About Kelsey? Documentary on Public Television
http://www.whocaresaboutkelsey.com/
The documentary “Who Cares About Kelsey?” airing on public television in October, tells the story of Kelsey Carroll, who lived with homelessness, self-mutilation, abuse and ADHD and was a likely high school dropout until she encountered an education revolution that’s about empowering, not overpowering, teens with emotional and behavioral disabilities, is available for purchase. It explores the innovative educational approaches, including implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), that ultimately helped Kelsey graduate, while improving the overall school culture and climate. The documentary is available on DVD, and schools and organizations can apply for a free “Who Cares About Kelsey?” Education DVD Kit.

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Special Education Resources

Connected by 25: A Plan for Investing in the Social, Emotional and Physical Well-Being of Older Youth in Foster Care (August 2013)
Report
http://www.fostercareworkgroup.org/
Youth Transition Funders Group’s Foster Care Work Group has published “Connected by 25: A Plan for Investing in the Social, Emotional and Physical Well-Being of Older Youth in Foster Care.” Social, emotional, and physical well-being is critical for young people to form and connect with networks of families, friends, and communities that support their transitions to adulthood. However, many older youth and young adults who experience the child welfare system face social and emotional challenges stemming from abuse, neglect, and trauma and separation from their family and culture. This report seeks to leverage and advance new and emerging interest within and outside the federal government and research and advocacy communities to better understand and support social, emotional, and physical well-being for older youth in foster care.

National Parent Technical Assistance Center Publishes New Guide on Youth with Disabilities and Extracurricular Activities (2013)
Resource Handout
http://www.parentcenternetwork.org/
PACER’s National Parent Technical Assistance Center has released a Resource Handout entitled “Your Child with a Disability Can Take Part in Extracurricular Activities.” This guide provides an overview of the importance of extracurricular activities and how to use legal requirements to ensure that youth with disabilities are included.

Promotion of Healthy Relationships and Sexuality for Individuals with Disabilities (2013)
Fact Sheet
http://lend.umn.edu/docs/LEND-FACT-sexuality.pdf
The “Promotion of Healthy Relationships and Sexuality for Individuals with Disabilities” fact sheet promotes healthy relationships and debunks myths about sexuality in relation to individuals with disabilities. It provides background information, facts, and resources, and discusses solutions and promising steps in promoting healthy sexuality for individuals with disabilities, and was published by the Minnesota Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities Program (MN LEND) at the Institute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota. Available in pdf (599 KB, 2 pp).

Toolkit for Aligning Instructional Materials with the CCSS (July 2013)
Toolkit
http://www.achieve.org/publications
As a joint effort, Achieve, The Council of Chief State School Officers, and Student Achievement Partners, have developed a downloadable “Toolkit for Evaluating the Alignment of Instructional and Assessment Materials to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).”

Transitions from High School to College (2013)
Report
http://tinyurl.com/ls8p9tx
“Transitions from High School to College” looks at the state of college readiness among high school students and the role of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Most high school students aspire to some kind of postsecondary education, yet many of them enter college without the basic content knowledge, skills, or habits of mind they need to succeed. This article looks at the state of college readiness among high school students, the effectiveness of programs designed to help student transitions to college, and efforts to improve those transitions. The CCSS offer the potential to improve college and career readiness among students. But that potential will be realized only if the standards are supplemented with the appropriate professional development for educators.

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Update from the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

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Successful Transition Models for Youth with Mental Health Needs: A Guide for Workforce Professionals

The transition from adolescence to adulthood is a challenging time. It is a time in which the young person is called upon to make complex decisions about schooling, work, finances, and personal relationships. For the more than three million young adults (ages 18-26) diagnosed with serious mental health conditions, this phase of life poses even greater challenges.

Youth with mental health needs often face unemployment, underemployment, and discrimination when they enter the workforce. Statistics show that youth with mental health needs, diagnosed or undiagnosed, are over-represented in foster care, the juvenile justice system, and among school disciplinary cases and high school dropouts.

The absence of a coordinated system of service delivery also presents significant challenges for youth and young adults with mental health needs as they age out of youth services. They may be either shunted down an inappropriate service tunnel that does not address their specific needs, or they may “fall off a cliff” as they age out of youth services and have to navigate the complexities associated with the adult service system.

Through partnerships with service agencies and organizations in their communities youth service professionals can assist youth in preparing for the adult world without getting lost in a tunnel or falling off a cliff. They will need to make a concerted effort to:

• Learn what other systems may provide
• Make contacts within those systems
• Coordinate services.

This InfoBrief presents model programs and successful strategies to help youth and young adults with mental health needs successfully transition to employment and to lead independent, productive lives.

Service Tunnels

The service systems that may serve youth and young adults with mental health needs may include community-based organizations, foster care, juvenile justice, mental health, Social Security, special education, vocational rehabilitation, youth services funded by the Workforce Investment Act, and others. Staff working within each system often consider only those service options available within their system despite the fact that another system may offer services that may better address the youth’s needs. Understanding other service tunnels and how to access their services is often overwhelming for practitioners, which means youth may not gain the help they need to successfully transition to adult life. Fortunately, professionals and researchers are increasingly recognizing the importance of partnering to connect these multiple systems so that youth and young adults with mental health needs have access to the full array of services needed to maximize their potential.

Transition Cliffs

In addition to service tunnels, youth encounter a transition cliff when they age-out of youth systems and attempt to access adult services. Many youth services end at age 18 and others at age 22, which means a youth could simultaneously be a youth in one system and an adult in another. In addition, many young people lose health insurance under their parents’ plan when they reach age 19 or graduate from high school or college

The adult systems of education, mental health, Social Security, vocational rehabilitation, and workforce development all have different terminology, eligibility requirements, and service options than those of corresponding youth systems. The lack of a seamless youth-to-adult system can cause young adults to lose services and fall behind in career planning.

The adult mental health care system also presents challenges. Millions of young adults face being going without services or paying for expensive private mental health care for several reasons: public adult mental health systems vary widely; provide services only to adults with severe and persistent mental illness; and frequently have long waiting lists.

Avoiding Tunnels and Cliffs with Mental Health Recovery Models

The following mental health recovery service delivery models offer promising ways to overcome the challenges of tunnels and cliffs and to provide an effective, integrated, self-directed system of care for young adults with mental health needs:

Transition to Independence Process (TIP)

The TIP approach is an evidence-based program model that stresses the importance of providing access to appropriate services, engaging young adults in their own future planning process, and utilizing services that focus on each individual’s strengths. The TIP system operates through the following seven guidelines that provide a framework for the program and a community system that supports that framework:

• Engaging young people through relationship development, person-centered planning, and a focus on their futures; providing tailored supports that are accessible, coordinated, and developmentally appropriate;
• Ensuring a safety net of support by involving a young person’s parents, family members, and other informal and formal key players; focusing on acknowledging and developing personal choice and social responsibility with young people;
• Enhancing a person’s competencies;
• Maintaining an outcome focus; and,
• Involving young people, parents, and other community partners in the TIP system at the practice, program, and community levels.

Assertive Community Treatment (ACT)

This community-based, multi-disciplinary approach was developed in the 1980s to provide treatment, rehabilitation, and support services to persons with severe and persistent mental illness. Using the ACT approach, cases are managed by a multi-disciplinary team, providing services directly to an individual that are tailored to meet his or her specific needs. A team may include members from the field of psychiatry, nursing, psychology, social work, substance abuse, vocational rehabilitation, and community-based organizations. Team members collaborate to deliver integrated services to individuals in their “natural living” settings instead of hospitals and clinics.

Systems of Care (SOC)

The SOC approach is characterized by multi-agency sharing of resources and responsibilities and by the full participation of professionals, families, and youth as

active partners in planning, funding, implementing, and evaluating services and system outcomes. The SOC approach facilitates cross-agency coordination of services, regardless of where or how children and families enter the system. Families and youth work in partnership with public and private organizations to design mental health services and supports that are effective, that build on the strengths of individuals, and that address each person’s cultural and linguistic needs. SOC is characterized by multi-agency sharing of resources and responsibilities and by the full participation of professionals, families, and youth as active partners in planning, funding, implementing, and evaluating services.

Case Studies of Integrated Care Focused on Career Preparation

In 2007, the Office of Disability Employment Policy at the United States Department of Labor, through its technical assistance center, the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth), conducted a study to examine successful strategies to help youth with mental health needs successfully transition to employment and lead independent, productive lives. The study, which included a national review of programs with a dual focus on youth and young adults with mental health needs and on career preparation, work-based experiences, employment, and related services, identified the following five youth service delivery programs as exemplary:

• The Village Integrated Service Agency’s Transitional Age Youth Program in Long Beach, California
• Options in Vancouver, Washington (Clark County Department of Community Services)
• Our Town Integrated Service Agency in Indianapolis, Indiana (Marion County Mental Health Association, in partnership with the Community Health Network’s Gallahue Mental Health Services)
• The Transitional Community Treatment Team in Columbus, Ohio (North Central Mental Health Service)
• YouthSource, King County Work Training Program in Renton, Washington (Work Training Program/King County Department of Community and Human Services, contracted by the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County)

Design Features of Successful Programs

The 2007 study, conducted by Lindsey Woolsey and Judith Katz-Leavy, determined that the following six design features were critical to the success of these programs:

A Place to Call Their Own

A distinct program identity, including a separate physical location away from adult mental health services, helps to promote attachment and engagement of youth.

Staffing Choices that Maximize Engagement

Professional development of all staff is essential and should include gaining knowledge of community resources that youth need to become successful adults. Staffing choices should reflect:

• a blend of knowledge of mental health and work development strategies that are appropriate to different ages and developmental stages; and,
• a balance between the expertise and guidance that adults can provide with the peer support and sense of youth ownership that youth can provide.

Mental Health Intervention Without the Stigma

On-site mental health services which utilize non-traditional treatment approaches as well as outreach and follow-up to keep the youth engaged or to re-engage them are important to success. These approaches should incorporate the building of a trusting relationship between the professional and the client, and “anywhere, anytime” treatment that allows counseling to be integrated into daily activities, such as talking over coffee or lunch, at the grocery store, or while playing pool.

Assessment and Service Planning Processes that Build on Individual Strengths

Utilization of a specific assessment and service planning process assists clients in addressing their current status and may be used to develop individualized person-centered service plans that are rooted in the individual’s strengths and interests.

Employment: Preparing for it, Finding it, Keeping it

Individualized exposure to work and employment pathways is critical for all youth, regardless of the severity of their condition. A “place and train” as opposed to “train and place” philosophy is imperative. All individuals must set career goals, design a plan to get there, and have opportunities for work-based learning. Meeting youth “where they are at” increases the likelihood of success. Supporting employers by providing a “win-win” situation for their participation by offering incentives such as subsidized wages during the youth’s training important is also important.

Housing is a Critical Part of the Service Mix for Older Youth

Housing is an important part of the service mix for older youth. Given the shortage of suitable and affordable transitional housing for this population, three of the programs preferred to operate their own transitional housing units. Other options include establishing partnerships in the community for the use of transitional housing units and to use Federal or other grants to subsidize the expense.

Systems Factors that Affect a Program’s Success

A program’s – and its client’s – success are affected by several system-wide factors. All five programs emphasized cross-systems collaboration and used multiple mechanisms to achieve it, including advisory boards, memoranda of understanding, and use of unique funding sources. Three dimensions of cross-system collaboration are highlighted below:

Local Collaboration and Service Alignment Creates Networks of Care

The five programs used several approaches to create networks of care through cross-systems alignment including advisory boards, formal agreements, and resource-mapping of programs, state policies, and regulations.

Identifying, Accessing, and Leveraging Funding Streams

Programs do best if they strategically leverage multiple funding streams at the same time. Four of the five programs rely heavily on Medicaid, and all rely on in-kind services through community partnerships. Some use the Chafee Independence Program, HUD’s Shelter-Plus-Care grants, or maximize Medicaid options by using waivers, which are a powerful tool for overcoming “eligibility cliffs.”

State Capacity for Systems Change

States have the authority to improve services to transition-age youth with mental health needs through a variety of mechanisms including: state legislation; Medicaid waivers; amendments to state Medicaid plans; and State Incentive Grants (SIGS).

Summary

Youth and young adults with mental health needs face major barriers as they attempt to make their way in the adult world. Those barriers include a confusing maze of services that often fail to meet their needs, inappropriate service tunnels, transition cliffs, and ineffective, uncoordinated service delivery. Through thoughtful systems change at the local and state levels, and the adoption of promising new program models promoting collaborative networks of care more youth and young adults with mental health needs can become self-sufficient adults who experience personal and employment success.

References

Hewitt B. ‘Rusty’ Clark & Nicole Deschenes; TIP Model Overview, TIP WEBSITE http://tip.fmhi.usf.edu/tip.cfm?page_ID=18

National Association of Social Workers; NASW Practice Snapshot: The Mental Health Recovery Model (Feb. 2006)

Podmostko, M. (2007) Tunnels & Cliffs, A Guide to Workforce Development Practitioners and Policymakers Serving Youth with Mental Health Needs. Washington, D.C.: National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth, Institute for Educational Leadership.

United States Government Accountability Office, Report 08-678 (2008) Young Adults with Serious Mental Illness: Some States and Federal Agencies are Taking Steps to Address Their Transition Challenges. Washington, D.C.

Woolsey, L., & Katz-Leavy, J., (2008) Transitioning Youth With Mental Health Needs to Meaningful Employment & Independent Living, Washington, D.C.: National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth, Institute for Educational Leadership.

Latest Employment Opportunities Posted on NASET

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Funding Forecast and Award Opportunities

Forecast of Funding Opportunities under the Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs for Fiscal Year 2013
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 2014 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 2013 Discretionary Grant Application Packages
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html
This site, from the Department of Education, provides information on grant competitions that are currently open.

American Association of School Librarians Invites Applications for Innovative Reading Projects
http://www.ala.org/aasl/awards/innovative
The American Association of School Librarians (AASL), a division of the American Library Association, is accepting applications from school librarians for the AASL Innovative Reading Grant program. A $2,500 grant will be awarded to support the planning and implementation of a unique and innovative program for children that motivates and encourages reading, especially among struggling readers. Projects should promote the importance of reading and facilitate literacy development by supporting current reading research, practice, and policy, and must: be specifically designed for children (grades K-9) in the school library setting, encourage innovative ways to motivate and involve children in reading, and demonstrate potential to impact student learning. Grant recipients may be invited to write an article that delineates their reading incentive project and demonstrate their successes, trials, and recommendations for improving so others may replicate the project. Deadline for submissions: February 1, 2014.

American Electric Power Applications for 2014-2015 PreK-12 Classroom Projects
http://www.aep.com/community/TeachersAndStudents/TeacherVisionGrants.aspx
American Electric Power (AEP) is accepting applications from preK-12 teachers for minigrants to support funding for classroom projects during the 2014-15 school year. Through the Teacher Vision grant program, AEP supports projects with an academic focus and a goal of improving student achievement. Priority will be given to projects that promote science, mathematics, technology, electrical safety, the balanced study of energy and the environment, and energy efficiency. Special consideration will be given to projects that incorporate matching funds, community resources, and interdisciplinary or team-teaching projects. Funds may not be used for stipends or meals. Grant awards range from $100-$500. Applicants must be pre-K-12 teachers in communities in the AEP service area or in communities with major AEP facilities. Deadline for submissions: February 28, 2014.

Arthur Vining Davis Foundations Seeks Proposals to Strengthen Secondary Education
http://www.avdf.org/FoundationsPrograms/SecondaryEducation.aspx
The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations offers $100,000-$200,000 grants to support a wide range of innovative professional development programs that strengthen teachers in grades 9-12 and their teaching. For example, projects might be designed to improve professional development for in-service and pre-service teachers, strengthen teaching skills, support practical research in teacher and high school education, or encourage innovative use of technology and new techniques for presentation of classroom materials in high schools. Projects should aim to develop solutions with potential for wide application or replication by others. Requests to support well-established programs should be for initiatives with the potential to improve the program significantly. Special consideration will be given to projects in their early stages that address the concerns and problems of secondary education on a national level. In considering proposals to support high school teaching, sustained partnerships between the faculties of colleges (e.g., arts and sciences and education) and school districts, or collaborative efforts involving reform organizations, colleges/universities, and high schools are encouraged. Eligible institutions include but are not limited to public and private colleges and universities, graduate schools of education, and freestanding educational institutes. Ongoing deadlines.

Foundation for Education and Development Technology Grants for Rural Schools Program
http://www.fred.org/tech.html
The Foundation for Education and Development’s Technology Grants for Rural Schools program was created to help meet the growing need for innovative technology in the classroom. The grants strive to help public schools in rural areas bring modern computers to every classroom, connect schools to the internet, and make sure that effective and engaging software and online resources are an integral part of the school curriculum. Eligibility for FRED programs is determined by the foundation’s Donor Circle. Applicants must have a letter of nomination from a Donor Circle company and meet the basic requirements outlined in the program brochure. Tech Grants of up to $5,000 are available to public schools that are working in cooperation with their telecommunications company to enhance learning by increasing the use of technology in the classroom. Projects that are unique and focus on new programs and curriculum for technology education are encouraged. Examples of possible grant requests include but are not limited to computer-assisted learning programs; computer equipment and programs; electronic access to information; and subject-specific tools for art, reading, math, science, etc. Deadline for submissions: November 15, 2013.

Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Invites Entries from Creative Teens
http://www.artandwriting.org/the-awards/
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is open for entries for 2014. The Awards are sponsored by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, a nonprofit organization dedicated to recognizing the most talented teen artists and writers in the United States and Canada. Teens in grades 7-12 are invited to submit work in one of 28 categories, including film and animation, video game design, sculpture, photography, fashion design, poetry, journalism, humor, dramatic script, and science fiction. Submissions are judged regionally by the Alliance’s affiliates, and the top winning works are presented to national panels of creative leaders to determine which will receive the highest honors. Fifteen graduating high school seniors will be awarded with Portfolio Gold Medals, which include a $10,000 scholarship. Additional scholarships are made available to Portfolio Silver Medalists and through sponsored awards and stipends to summer arts programs. Students must be in grades 7-12 in a public, private, parochial, home-school, or out-of-school program in the U.S. or Canada, or in an American school abroad. Deadlines for submitting work vary by region, ranging from December 15, 2013-January 15, 2014.

William T. Grant Foundation Invites Applications for Youth Social Setting Research Projects
http://www.wtgrantfoundation.org/funding_opportunities/how_to_apply/social-settings
The William T. Grant Foundation invites applications for Youth Social Setting Research Projects. Grants ranging from $100,000 to $600,000 will be awarded to support research designed to understand and improve the everyday settings of youth between the ages of 8 and 25 in the United States. Social settings are defined as the social environments in which youth experience daily life. These include environments with clear boundaries such as classrooms, schools, and youth-serving organizations, and those with less prescribed boundaries such as neighborhoods or other settings in which youth interact with peers, family members, and other adults. Deadline for Letters of Inquiry: January 8, 2014.

Discover: Pathway to Financial Success Grant
http://www.pathwaytofinancialsuccess.org/get-a-grant
Discover is investing up to $10 million in financial education, and any high school can apply for a grant toward a financial education curriculum. Applying schools must have implemented or be looking to implement a financial education curriculum; have a measurement tool planned or in place to assess participation in and comprehension of the financial education curriculum; and agree to share overall results of the measurement tool’s pre- and post-curriculum testing with Discover upon the program’s completion to assess what worked and what didn’t. Maximum award: varies. Eligibility: high schools in the United States. Deadline: none.

Dollar General: Beyond Words Library Disaster Relief
http://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/awards/166/apply
Dollar General, in collaboration with the American Library Association (ALA), the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) and the National Education Association (NEA), is sponsoring a school library disaster relief fund for public school libraries in the states served by Dollar General. The fund will provide grants to public schools whose school library program has been affected by a disaster. Grants are to replace or supplement books, media and/or library equipment in the school library setting. Maximum award: up to $15,000 to replace or supplement books, media and/or library equipment.

Eligibility: public school libraries Pre K-12 located within 20 miles of a Dollar General store, distribution center or corporate office that have lost their building or incurred substantial damage or hardship due to a natural disaster (tornado, earthquake, hurricane, flood, avalanche, mudslide), fire or an act recognized by the federal government as terrorism; or have absorbed a significant number (more than 10% enrollment) of displaced/evacuee students. Deadline: none.

Fender Music Foundation: Grants
http://www.fendermusicfoundation.org/grants/?sec=info
Fender Music Foundation grants of instruments and equipment are awarded to music academies, schools, local music programs and national music programs across America, particularly in-school music classes, in which the students make music; after-school music programs that are not run by the school; and music therapy programs, in which the participants make the music. Maximum award: up to 8 instruments. Eligibility: established, ongoing and sustainable music programs in the United States, which provide music instruction for people of any age who would not otherwise have the opportunity to make music. Deadline: rolling.

AASA: National Superintendent of the Year
http://www.aasa.org/content.aspx?id=3404
The American Association of School Administrators (AASA) National Superintendent of the Year Program pays tribute to the talent and vision of the men and women who lead the nation’s public schools. Maximum award: recognition; a $10,000 scholarship to a student in the high school from which the National Superintendent of the Year graduated. Eligibility: Any superintendent, chancellor, or top leader of a school system in the United States, Canada, or international school who plans to continue in the profession. Deadline: varies by state.

Foundation for Technology and Engineering Educators Invites Applications
http://www.iteea.org/Awards/granthearlihy.htm
The Foundation for Technology and Engineering Educators, in partnership with Pitsco/Hearlihy & Company, is accepting applications for technology and engineering education programs at any grade level. Through its Excellence in Teaching Technology and Engineering grant program, the foundation will award grants of $2,000 each to K-12 technology and engineering teachers to encourage the integration of a quality technology and engineering education program within their school’s curriculum. Applicants must be teachers (elementary or secondary) who are successfully integrating technology and engineering education within their school’s curriculum. In addition, teachers must be ITEEA members and be registered for the ITEEA annual conference. Membership materials may be enclosed with the scholarship application. Deadline for applications: December 1, 2013.

Lexus and Scholastic Launch Seventh Annual Environmental Contest for Middle and High School Students
http://lexus.scholastic.com/
The Lexus Eco Challenge will award a total of $500,000 in grants and scholarships to inspire and empower middle and high school students in the United States to learn about the environment and take action to improve it. The program is designed to inspire and empower middle and high school students to learn about the environment and take action to improve it. Eligibility: middle and high school teams comprised of 5-10 students and one teacher advisor. Deadline: Challenge One (Land/Water) – October 7, 2013; Challenge Two (Air/Climate) – November 11, 2013. The 32 finalist teams will be eligible to submit entries for Challenge Three (Final Challenge), with a deadline of January 17, 2014.

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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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