September 2014 – Special Educator e-Journal

Table of Contents

• Update from the U.S. Department of Education

• Legislative Announcements, Calls to Participate and New Projects

• Special Education Resources – – SUMMER REVIEW

• Navigating the Road to Work: SUMMER REVIEW of the National Collaborative Workforce and Disability

• 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

New Preschool Grant Program Will Expand Opportunity to More of America’s Early Learners

Across the country, there is a great need for early learning. But the need isn’t just for preschool seats — it’s for high-quality early learning programs that can put children on the path to thrive in kindergarten and beyond.

Research has shown the powerful benefits of high-quality early education. Children who receive rich early learning experiences are less likely to need special education services. They’re in better health, and they get better jobs. Yet, today, only 30 percent of 4-year-olds in the U.S. participate in state preschool, and 10 states don’t offer it at all. Among other industrialized nations, the U.S. ranks 25th in enrollment of 4-year-olds in early learning.

President Obama has issued a call to expand access to high-quality preschool to every child in America. Yesterday, an important down payment was made toward that goal when Secretary Arne Duncan and Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwellannounced the availability of funds through the Preschool Development Grants program.

This new $250 million federal program will support states to build, develop, and expand voluntary, high-quality preschool programs for children from low- and moderate-income families. It will be jointly administered by the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services. All states — including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico — are eligible to apply by Oct. 14, 2014.

Secretary Duncan noted, “Through the Preschool Development Grants, we continue our efforts to create educational opportunities that prepare our youngest Americans for success in kindergarten, through elementary school and beyond. This new grant competition will prepare states to participate in President Obama’s proposed Preschool for All program — a federal-state partnership that would promote access to full-day kindergarten and encourage the expansion of high-quality preschool programs for 4-year-olds from low- and middle-income families.”

He added, “We urge states and communities to seize this opportunity, form partnerships, and begin drafting their proposals for the Preschool Development Grants program, because providing high-quality early learning opportunities is the most important single step we can take to improve the future of our young people.”

Secretary Duncan highlighted the new grant program yesterday during a trip to Pittsburgh, where he joined Mayor William Peduto in a visit to the Hug Me Tight Childlife Center and a community conversation at Hill House’s Kaufmann Center.

While at Hug Me Tight, Secretary Duncan toured classrooms, met with early childhood education providers, parents, and community members, and engaged in arts activities with some of the city’s youngest learners. Following the visit to the center, Secretary Duncan and Mayor Peduto participated in a discussion on early learning hosted by the city of Pittsburgh and the National League of Cities.

For more information about the new Preschool Development Grants program and how your state may apply, visit here.

U.S. Education Department Awards Almost $4 Million in Grants to Help Prepare Graduate Students for Leadership in Special Education

The U.S. Department of Education announced the award of almost $4 million in grants to higher education institutions to prepare graduate students for leadership positions in special education, early intervention and related services.

With many college professors and administrators in special education facing retirement in the coming years, shortages are expected. Some of these grants will help train future leaders at the doctoral and postdoctoral levels to fill faculty positions in special education, early intervention and related services. Other grants will help prepare scholars to serve as supervisors of personnel providing direct services to infants and children with disabilities.

“Our children and youth with disabilities deserve nothing less than a first-rate education,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “These funds will help train good leaders in our colleges who, in turn, can help lead well-prepared teachers in our schools so our students with disabilities can reach their academic potential.”

The program is aimed at addressing state-identified needs for personnel preparation in special education, related services, early intervention and regular education to work with children with disabilities. Grant recipients will apply the money toward efforts to ensure that those personnel have the necessary skills and knowledge, derived from practices that have been determined through scientifically based research and experience, to be successful in serving those children.

The Office of Special Education Programs is the primary source of federal funding for doctoral training in special education and early intervention.

Following are the grant recipients for the program.

Special Education-Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities/Preparation of Leadership Personnel
Office of Special Education Programs
CFDA 325D

Education Secretary Duncan and Health and Human Services Secretary Burwell Announce New Grant Competition to Increase Access to High-Quality Preschool

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell announced that applications are now available for the $250 million Preschool Development Grantscompetition. The goal of Preschool Development Grants is to support states – including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico – in building, developing and expanding voluntary, high-quality preschool programs in high-need communities for children from low- and moderate-income families. The new grant program will be jointly administered by the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services.

“Through the Preschool Development Grants, we continue our efforts to create educational opportunities that prepare our youngest Americans for success in kindergarten, through elementary school and beyond,” Secretary Duncan said. “This new grant competition will prepare states to participate in President Obama’s proposed Preschool for All program— a federal-state partnership that would promote access to full-day kindergarten and encourage the expansion of high-quality preschool programs for 4-year-olds from low- and middle-income families. We urge states and communities to seize this opportunity, form partnerships, and begin drafting their proposals for the Preschool Development Grants program, because providing high-quality early learning opportunities is the most important single step we can take to improve the future of our young people.”

“When we invest in early education, the benefits can last a lifetime,” Secretary Burwell said. “Children who attend high-quality early learning and preschool programs are more likely to do well in school and secure good jobs down the road. We all gain when our country has a stronger, more productive workforce, lower crime rates, and less need for public assistance. These Preschool Development Grants will help put more children on the path to opportunity.”

Secretary Duncan will discuss the new Preschool Development Grant program at two events this afternoon. Duncan will join Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto to visit early learning classrooms and meet with early childhood education providers, parents and community members at the Hug Me Tight Childlife Center in Pittsburgh. Following the center visit, Duncan and Peduto will participate in a Community Conversation on early learning, hosted by the city of Pittsburgh and the National League of Cities at the Hill House’s Kaufmann Center in Pittsburgh.

Across the country, there is tremendous unmet need for high-quality early learning programs. Only 40 percent of eligible children have access to Head Start and less than one-third of all 4-year olds in the U.S. are enrolled in state preschool programs. Studies demonstrate that children who have rich early learning experiences are better prepared to thrive in kindergarten and beyond.

Under the Preschool Development Grant program, states with either small or no state-funded preschool programs will be eligible for Development Grants, while states with more robust state-funded preschool programs, or that have received Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge grants, will be eligible for Expansion Grants. The U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services intend for high-quality preschool programs to be located in regionally diverse communities, or consortia of communities, in cities, towns, counties, neighborhoods, districts or rural or tribal areas with a high level of need or distress as determined by the state. Preschool programs funded under either category of grants will need to meet the competition’s criteria for high-quality preschool programs. All states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico are eligible to apply. Applications are due by Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2014. Awards will be made in December 2014.

President Obama is committed to closing the opportunity gap and working with states and local communities to ensure high-quality early learning for every child, so that all children enter kindergarten ready to succeed in school and in life. The president’s 2015 budget request would create a federal-state partnership that would ensure universal access to high-quality preschool for all 4-year-olds from low- and moderate-income families, with incentives for states to provide high-quality preschool for all 4-year-olds. It also includes support for other early childhood investments as part of a cohesive system of early learning and development for children, beginning with prenatal care and continuing through third-grade.

Obama Administration Approves NCLB Flexibility Requests for Delaware, Georgia, Minnesota, New York and South Carolina

The Obama administration announced that five states—Delaware, Georgia, Minnesota, New York and South Carolina—have received a one-year extension for flexibility from certain provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), also known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB).

“America’s schools and classrooms are undergoing some of the largest changes in decades—changes that will help prepare our students with the critical thinking and problem-solving skills that tomorrow’s economy will require,” U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said. “These extensions will allow states to continue the critical work of implementing the bold reforms they developed to improve achievement for all students.”

ESEA has been due for Congressional reauthorization since 2007. In the absence of reauthorization, President Obama announced in September 2011 that the administration would grant waivers from parts of the law to qualified states, in exchange for state-developed plans designed to improve educational outcomes for all students, close achievement gaps, increase equity, and improve the quality of instruction. The one-year extension of ESEA flexibility allows the states to continue moving forward on the ambitious work they began with their initial flexibility requests.

Since fall 2011, Delaware, Georgia, Minnesota, New York and South Carolina have implemented education reforms that go far beyond the Elementary and Secondary Education Act’s rigid, top-down requirements. Examples of that work include:

Delaware:

• Through ESEA flexibility, Delaware enhanced its process for monitoring the lowest performing schools, and worked closer with districts that missed performance targets, including graduation rates, to ensure that the needs of their students were met.
• Delaware is providing extensive in-person and online support for local staff to implement its new teacher and leader evaluation and support systems, including support through targeted and frequent trainings, both in-person and online, for evaluators, principals and teachers.

Georgia:

• Through ESEA flexibility, Georgia created a comprehensive platform for school improvement, accountability, teacher effectiveness and communication that creates a roadmap for schools to significantly improve student achievement.
• Georgia added student performance in social studies and science to its statewide accountability system to provide an enriched and more complete picture for each school’s accountability score.
• Georgia created a professional development program with a mix of online and in-person training to support teachers in implementing new college- and career-ready standards, and established online forums to help teachers across the state share resources, lesson plans and best practices.

Minnesota:

• Minnesota is monitoring and providing direct feedback to districts and schools to continue improvement under ESEA flexibility through new Regional Centers of Excellence. Educators meet weekly for training and to share progress reports with a state oversight committee.
• Minnesota has implemented a new system to provide data on non-academic risk factors to high schools to support improved graduation rates.

New York:

• New York built a nationally recognized online portal—Engage NY—that provides professional learning tools and resources to support educators in reaching the state’s vision for a college- and career-ready education for all students.
• Through ESEA flexibility, New York has better aligned the funds districts will use to support focus and priority schools with the results of its Diagnostic Tool for School and District Effectiveness and improvement plans.

South Carolina:

• To empower communities and educators to improve the quality of instruction, South Carolina has instituted an innovative set of data dashboards to track and use educational data.
• South Carolina created a new accountability system which provides school administrators, parents and communities user-friendly data on school performance. Each school receives a grade based on an A-to-F grading scale that reflects the performance of all students and subjects allowing the state to accurately target the schools most in need of improvement with truly meaningful interventions.

In order to receive an extension, states must demonstrate that they have resolved any state-specific issues and next steps as a result of the Department’s monitoring, as well as any other outstanding issues related to ESEA flexibility. States could also request additional amendments to support their continuous improvement efforts. The extension is through the 2014-2015 school year. The Department is reviewing requests from states for one-year extensions to ESEA flexibility on a rolling basis and anticipates approving additional extension requests over the next several weeks.

Forty-three states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico currently have ESEA flexibility, 35 of which expire this summer. Of those, 31 submitted an extension request. Eight other states: Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Maryland, Nevada, South Dakota and Virginia have been granted extensions since July 3.

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Legislative Announcements, Calls to Participate

and New Projects

Disability Visibility Project
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/06/16/storycorps-disability/19443/
“DisabilityScoop” reported June 16, 2014, in an article, “StoryCorps Looks To Record Disability Experience,” that a new project, the Disability Visibility Project, has been launched as a community partnership with StoryCorps, a national nonprofit that allows everyday people to record casual, one-on-one conversations in an effort to preserve history. As the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act approaches next year, this project will encourage people within the disability community to share their stories. StoryCorps’ recording booth in San Francisco is making sessions available between July 10 and Dec. 13 specifically for members of the disability community to record their stories. Additional times are expected to be added leading up to the ADA’s 25th anniversary in July 2015.

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/07/10/congress-sheltered-eligibility/19500/
“DisabilityScoop” reported July 10, 2014, in an article, “Congress Passes Bill Limiting Sheltered Workshop Eligibility,” that a bill that would significantly limit young people with disabilities from entering sheltered workshop programs is headed to President Barack Obama’s desk. The U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve the “Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.” Included in the bill are changes to the path from school to work for those with disabilities. The measure would prohibit individuals age 24 and younger from working jobs that pay less than the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour unless they first try vocational rehabilitation services, among other requirements. It would also require state vocational rehabilitation agencies to work with schools to provide “pre-employment transition services” to all students with disabilities and require such agencies to allocate a minimum of 15% of their federal funding to help individuals with disabilities in transition under the measure.

U.S. Department of Education’s Guidance Letter on Charter Schools’ Legal Obligations to Individuals With Disabilities
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/05/15/feds-warn-charters-special/19368/
The U.S. Department of Education issued a guidance letter in May 2014 outlining charter schools’ legal obligations to individuals with disabilities, regardless of whether the schools receive federal funding. Included in the letter are reminders that students with disabilities cannot be discriminated against in admissions and disciplinary actions; and that parents with disabilities must be accommodated, e.g., with sign-language interpreters or Braille materials, when communicating with the school.

Disability.gov PSAs Challenge Assumptions about People with Disabilities
https://www.disability.gov/newsroom/psa-download-center/
Disability.gov recently released public service announcements (PSAs) in support of the message that people are not defined by their disabilities. Each of the eight PSAs features one of Disability.gov’s “No Boundaries” participants. Each PSAs participant chose several words to describe him or herself to paint a broader picture of who they are. The PSAs are downloadable from the Disability.gov site.

PACER Legislative Alert – Supporting Youth With Disabilities
http://house.gov/representatives/find/
Congress is considering changes to the Workforce Investment Act and the federal Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Program that assists youth and adults with disabilities to get the education and training they need to obtain and retain a job. While Congress is trying to strengthen the VR services that students with disabilities would receive as they transition out of high school, some possible changes would hurt families of youth with disabilities. PACER is asking families and others to call their representatives to make the following points critical to families and youth: (1) Oppose moving the Vocational Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology programs out of the Department of Education (the Senate version of this legislation seeks to move Vocational Rehabilitation to the Department of Labor and the Assistive Technology program to the Department of Health and Human Services, but separating these programs and moving them out of the Department of Education would disconnect them from a culture valuing parental involvement and the other programs that support students with disabilities, and such a move would damage the strong family connections and important services provided to youth and adults with disabilities by providing such services together in Department of Education); (2) Strengthen competitive employment awareness provisions (ensuring that young adults with disabilities transitioning from high school to employment are aware that jobs which pay the minimum wage and higher are available is an important aspect of providing individuals the opportunity to reach their potential, and the bill could be strengthened by ensuring that there are no exceptions to making sure young adults are made aware of the possibility of working in a competitive workplace, in addition to the non-competitive, often less than minimum wage, work possibilities). The phone numbers of Congressional Representatives can be found at the website.

Special Education Resources – – SUMMER REVIEW

America’s Young Adults: Special Issue
Report
http://childstats.gov/
The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics (the Forum) published “America’s Young Adults: Special Issue, 2014,” a one-time report on young adults in the United States, ages 18-24. Findings highlight data trends and snapshots of the education, health and well-being of this population as they transition to adulthood. A working group of 22 Federal agencies, with partners in private research organizations, the Forum fosters coordination, collaboration, and integration of Federal efforts to collect, analyze and report data on conditions and trends related to child and family well-being.

Annual UN Review Focuses on Youth with Disabilities, Advancing Inclusive Development
Article
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=48004#.U8QPkFdhtpS
The United Nations News Centre’s article, “Annual UN Review Focuses on Youth with Disabilities, Advancing Inclusive Development,” reports on the June 2014 meeting at the United Nations Headquarters of activists and Government delegates. This annual meeting is to identify practical ways to take the rights, needs and concerns of persons with disabilities, particularly youth, into consideration as they strive to advance inclusive, sustainable development, and to report on progress made.

Bridging the Gap: A Comparative Reassessment of Vocational Rehabilitation Agency Practices with Transition-Age Youth
Working Paper
http://tinyurl.com/ka63x3w
“Bridging the Gap: A Comparative Reassessment of Vocational Rehabilitation Agency Practices with Transition-Age” is a Disability Research Consortium (DRC) Working Paper from the Mathematica Center for Studying Disability Policy. For youth and young adults with disabilities making the transition from school to work, may meet educational and vocational barriers not experienced by youth without disabilities. State vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies are well positioned to help youth with disabilities bridge the gaps in their transition to adulthood. This study identified 15 practices that differentiated agencies with high and low transition outcomes. Such practices as having state leadership with exclusive transition responsibilities and developing outreach to parents, developing intensive school-based programs, enrolling more youth at earlier ages, and implementing programs to connect youth to postsecondary schools) were identified as promising. An overarching concern is whether policymakers should ask or require all agencies to implement some or all of the practices as part of their efforts to promote more successful transitions. Policymakers should consider the goals they are trying to achieve, both with their transition-age and general populations and with the environment and resources, before implementing new policies. Available in pdf (591 KB, 28 pp).

Rethinking College: The Film
Film
http://www.thinkcollege.net/training/rethinking-college-the-film
“Rethinking College” is a 25 minute ?lm produced by Think College, at the Institute for Community Inclusion at UMASS Boston. It explores the growing movement to include students with intellectual disabilities in higher education. Through the perspectives of students, and parents, educators, advocates, and policy leaders, the ?lm shows how colleges and universities can be an option for students with disabilities, providing a setting for all students to grow, learn and build toward better futures.

Universal Design in the News at the Center for Universal Design in Education Update
Resource List
http://www.washington.edu/doit/CUDE/udhe_articles.html
The Center for Universal Design in Education (CUDE) at the University of Washington has updated “Universal Design in the News,” its list of pushed articles about universal design in higher education in The Center on Universal Design in Education (CUDE) website, which shares recent articles and posts relevant to the application of universal design in education: to instruction, to student services, to physical spaces, and to information technology.

A Comprehensive Approach to Transition
Report
www.aucd.org/template/news.cfm
The Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) has issued “A Comprehensive Approach to Transition,” a companion document to “A Collaborative Interagency, Interdisciplinary Approach to Transition for Adolescence to Adulthood.” The paper focuses on four ideas: Self-determination, or a student having a say in the important decisions of his/her own life, is at the heart of transition planning; everyone should understand the culture of the youth and his/her family when making and carrying out a transition plan; Everyone involved with the youth needs to work together; and Transition Planning should include all the perspectives and organizations that will affect the transitioning student.

Bridging the Gap: A Comparative Assessment of Vocational Rehabilitation Agency Practices with Transition-Age Youth
Working Paper
www.mathematica-mpr.com/premium-publications/PDFs/disability/DRC_Bridginggap_wp.pdf
Mathematica Policy Research’s Working Paper, “Bridging the Gap: A Comparative Assessment of Vocational Rehabilitation Agency Practices with Transition-Age Youth ,” analyzes the agency-level characteristics that promote positive employment outcomes for transition-age beneficiaries and finds that, compared to youth without disabilities, youth with disabilities face additional educational and vocational barriers when transitioning from school to work. State vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies are joint federal-state programs that are intended to help youth (ages 16 to 24) with disabilities overcome these barriers, and assist individuals eligible for rehabilitation services in attaining employment. Available in pdf (591 KB, 28 pp).

Explaining Differentials in Employment and Wages between Young Adults with and Without Disabilities
Working Paper
www.mathematica-mpr.com/premium-publications/PDFs/disability/explaining_differentials_wp.pdf
“Explaining Differentials in Employment and Wages between Young Adults with and Without Disabilities” estimates employment and offered wages of young adults with and without disabilities and finds new evidence that employment and wage offer gaps between adults with and without disabilities emerge early and are especially large for those with severe or mental limitations. The analysis used data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997. Available in pdf (487 KB, 40 pp).

Public High School Four-Year On-Time Graduation Rates and Event Dropout Rates: School Years 2010-11 and 2011-12
Report
nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) at the Institute for Education Sciences, part of the U.S. Department of Education, has released “Public High School Four-Year On-Time Graduation Rates and Event Dropout Rates: School Years 2010-11 and 2011-12.” More students with disabilities graduated during the 2011-12 school year, according to recent data from the U.S. Department of Education. Still, data show about a 20% gap between those graduation rates and the rates of students without disabilities. The report showed 61% of students with disabilities graduated, compared with 80% of general-education peers.

The Condition of Education 2014
Report
nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) at the Institute for Education Sciences, part of the U.S. Department of Education, has released “The Condition of Education 2014,” using the latest available data to summarize important developments and trends in education. The indicators on the status and condition of education represent a consensus of professional judgment on the most significant national measures of the condition and progress of education for which accurate data are available.

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Latest Employment Opportunities Posted on NASET

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More information on the topics below can be found at http://www.ncwd-youth.info/whats-new#20140626a

LEAD Center and ODEP to Present Olmstead Anniversary Webinar

This month marks the 15th anniversary of one of the most historic legal decisions affecting the civil rights of people with disabilities. On June 22, 1999, the U.S. Supreme Court rendered its ruling in the Olmstead v. L.C. case, requiring states to eliminate the segregation of people with disabilities and ensure they receive services in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs. On July 16, 3:00-4:30 PM EDT, the LEAD Center, in coordination with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), will host an Olmstead Anniversary webinar to discuss the history and impact of this landmark decision. Additionally, ODEP Assistant Secretary Kathy Martinez authored a blog celebrating the landmark Olmstead v. L.C. decision entitled Employment First: A Key Component in Community Inclusion.

Vermont RAMP Site Shares Career-Focused Mentoring Video

Youth Services, Inc., of Vermont, one of the Institute for Educational Leadership’s 11 Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program (RAMP) sites across the country recently shared a video focused on the program. Based on NCWD/Youth’s Paving the Way to Workcareer-focused mentoring guide and Guideposts for Success framework, RAMP provides high tech, career-focused group, peer, and one-on-one mentoring for youth with disabilities involved with or at risk of becoming involved with the juvenile justice system. The Institute for Educational Leadership serves as NCWD/Youth’s host organization.

ICI Publishes New Brief on English Language Learners with Disabilities

The Institute on Community Integration (ICI) at the University of Minnesota, a partner in the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth, has released a new brief entitled State Assessment Decision-Making Processes for ELLs with Disabilities. The brief presents information on what is known about assessment decision-making processes for English language learners (ELLs) with disabilities. It highlights information that has been collected by ICI’s National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) as well as information from other sources. Topics addressed in the brief include: (a) required assessment decision-making processes, (b) experts’ recommendations about assessment decision making for ELLs with disabilities, (c) resources available to guide assessment decision-making, (d) standards-based IEPs, and (e) recommended participants on the decision-making team.

Transitions RTC Publishes New Tip Sheet on Vocational Peer Mentoring

The Transitions RTC and Thresholds Young Adult Program released a new tip sheet,Making it Work: Vocational Peer Mentors for Emerging Adults with Serious Mental Health Conditions. The tip sheet is based on a collaborative model between Transitions RTC and Thresholds Young Adult Program which adapted the evidence-based Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model of supported employment for 16-21 year olds with serious mental health conditions. The tip sheet includes preliminary guidelines for youth service professionals thinking about implementing peer mentors into their vocational services for emerging adults with serious mental health conditions.

Pathways RTC Releases New Career Guidance Publication

What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?, a new publication from Pathways RTC’s Career Visions project, offers young adults guidance on career research, including career exploration, getting and conducting informational interviews, and using internet resources for further inquiry.

Coalition for Juvenile Justice Seeking Youth Video Submissions

Youth ages 13-21 are encouraged to enter the Coalition for Juvenile Justice’s Youth Video Competition. The competition is being held as part of the 40th anniversary celebration of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. The winning videos will be shown at the Coalition for Juvenile Justice (CJJ) Youth Summit and included in 40 for the 40th, a joint venture between CJJ and Act 4 JJ. All entries must be received by July 1, 2014 at which time they will be posted on CJJ’s YouTube channel.  Viewers will then have a chance to vote for the best video between July 2 and July 22. The winner will be announced at the Youth Summit and their video will be shown at that time.

Youth Leaders Speak at White House Forum on LGBT and Disability Issues

On June 19, 2014, NCWD/Youth facilitated the involvement of several young leaders to speak on a panel entitled Youth & Resilience at the first ever White House Forum on LGBT and Disability Issues. The goal of the forum was to foster communication among the LGBT and disability communities in recognition of shared goals and challenges. The youth panel, comprised of several individuals who identify as a part of both the LGBT and disability communities, discussed their diverse experiences in education, employment, and community living. Dylan Orr, Chief of Staff to Assistant Secretary Kathy Martinez at the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, provided closing remarks, many of which are reflected in his blog “Same Struggle, Different Difference” – Opportunities for Togetherness. A social media summary of the event is also available online. 

NCWD/Youth Attends White House Briefing on My Brother’s Keeper

On June 16, 2014, NCWD/Youth attended a White House Briefing on President Obama’s My Brother’s KeeperInitiative which is designed to determine what works to help young people stay on track to reach their full potential. Attendees received a copy of the White House’s 90-day report:Opportunity for All: My Brother’s Keeper Blueprint for Action which identified six key milestones in the path to adulthood that are especially predictive of later success and the interventions that can have the greatest impact:

• Getting a healthy start and entering school ready to learn;
• Reading at grade level by third grade;
• Graduating from high school ready for college and/or a career;
• Completing post-secondary education or training;
• Successfully entering the workforce;
• Keeping kids on track and giving them second chances.

Minnesota WorkForce Center Signs Agreement with US Labor Department to Serve Individuals with Disabilities in Integrated Settings

On June 9, 2014, the U.S. Department of Labor announced that it had entered into a conciliation agreement to resolve allegations of disability discrimination by an American Job Center in Burnsville, Minnesota. The U.S. Labor Department’s Civil Rights Center investigated a complaint claiming that the Dakota County Burnsville WorkForce Center required a customer who was perceived to have a disability to attend an orientation for a vocational rehabilitation program before it would permit her to receive services that were not limited to individuals with disabilities.

While not acknowledging that it violated the law, the WorkForce Center has agreed that:

• It will not require customers who have disabilities, or whom it believes to have disabilities, to be assessed for or participate in disability-specific services before, or as a condition of, receiving any services that are not disability-specific;
• It will not automatically refer all customers with disabilities, or any specific types of disabilities, to disability-specific services. Rather, it will conduct individualized assessments to determine whether a particular customer may be qualified for referral to such services;
• Before asking customers to provide medical or disability-related information, it will inform those customers about their rights with regard to that information; and
• It will develop new procedures that incorporate and train its staff and file reports with CRC regarding the Center’s obligations under the law and the agreement.

DOL Announces Funding for Community Colleges to Improve Employment Outcomes for Youth with Disabilities

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) is seeking applicants for two cooperative agreements with institutions of higher education to better meet the inclusive educational and career development needs of young people with disabilities through the Pathways to Careers: Community Colleges for Youth and Young Adults with Disabilities Demonstration Project. Grant recipients will work across various youth-serving systems and use the Guideposts for Success developed by NCWD/Youth and ODEP as a framework in developing their projects. Each cooperative agreement awardee may receive up to $1,041,650. Applications will be accepted until August 11, 2014 and grants will be awarded by September 30, 2014. The full grant announcement (SCA-14-03), including eligibility requirements, is available at grants.gov.

DC Advocacy Partners Graduate Appointed to President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities

Ricardo Thornton, Sr., a member of IEL’s inaugural class of DC Advocacy Partners was appointed to the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities. Of Ricardo and his fellow appointees, President Obama said, “I am confident that these outstanding men and women will serve the American people well in their new roles and I look forward to working with them in the months and years to come.” In addition to being a graduate of DC Advocacy Partners, Ricardo is a member of Project ACTION!, a coalition of adults with disabilities, a member of the D.C. Developmental Disabilities Council, and he serves as international ambassador with the Special Olympics.

Call for Applications: DC Youth Workforce Leaders Academy

NCWD/Youth’s host organization, the Institute for Educational Leadership, and the DC Alliance of Youth Advocates, are accepting applications for the Youth Workforce Leaders Academy. This learning community will support the growth and success of selected staff from Washington, DC-based organizations that provide workforce development services to youth 16-24. The applications contains an assessment developed by NCWD/Youth to allow youth service professionals to assess their own knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) and set professional development goals. The KSAs are organized into ten Competency Areas which were compiled from a review of over 70 initiatives offering training and/or identifying competencies for the fields of youth development, workforce development, education, and disabilities.

Up to 15 professionals will be competitively-selected to participate in the free 10 month Academy. Applicants should be DC residents and mid-level professionals who play a decision-making role at Washington, DC-based youth workforce development organizations. Professionals who work for nonprofit organizations, schools, public agencies, or related entities that provide youth workforce development services are eligible to apply. The Youth Workforce Leaders Academy is generously supported through funding from the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region.

DOL to Host Webinar on Mentoring Youth and Young Parents

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration is hosting a webinar on June 9 at 2:00 ET on the mentoring strategies and services showcased in the recently released, Mentoring Youth and Young Parents: A Guidebook for Programs Helping Youth and Young Parents Navigate a Pathway to Self-Sufficiency. This webinar will offer nationally-recognized strategies for developing and implementing a mentoring program. Participants will also learn more through mentor program experiences shared by two Young Parents Demonstration Programs; and receive tips about quality standards and available resources from MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership.

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

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

Funding Forecast and Award Opportunities

Forecast of Funding Opportunities under the Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs for Fiscal Year 2014
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 2014 Discretionary Grant Application Packages
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.

Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy Announces Funding for Community Colleges to Improve Employment Outcomes for Youth with Disabilities
www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) is seeking applicants for two cooperative agreements with institutions of higher education to better meet the inclusive educational and career development needs of young people with disabilities through the Pathways to Careers: Community Colleges for Youth and Young Adults with Disabilities Demonstration Project. Grant recipients will work across various youth-serving systems and use the “Guideposts for Success” developed by NCWD/Youth and ODEP as a framework in developing their projects. Each cooperative agreement will fund a pilot project that will build the capacity of community colleges to meet the educational and career development needs of youth with disabilities, including those with significant disabilities. The pilots will provide for researching, developing, testing and evaluating innovative models to deliver inclusive integrated education and career development services. Each cooperative agreement awardee may receive up to $1,041,650. All grants will be awarded by Sept. 30. Deadline for applications: August 11, 2014.

Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation Invites Applications for Music Donation Program
www.mhopus.org/Apply
Through its Keeping Music Alive program, the foundation will donate musical instruments to music programs that serve low-income communities and have little or no budget for musical instruments. Priority is given to programs serving the most students within a school population. Public, private, and charter schools are invited to apply; however, schools must be eligible for funds under Title 1 and/or serve a population where at least 50% of the students qualify for the National Lunch Program. Schools also must have an established instrumental music program (concert band, marching band, jazz band, and/or orchestra) that takes place during the regular school day and is at least three years old. Schools that offer Orff/classroom music only are not eligible to apply. Deadline for Pre-Qualification: August 1, 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.

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.

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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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