January 2015 – Special Educator e-Journal

Table of Contents

• Update from the U.S. Department of Education

• Parental Advocacy Training — Feature Article by Monica Babich

• National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability

• Legislative Announcements, Calls to Participate and New Projects

• Resources – – Buzz from the Hub

• 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

Update from the U.S. Department of Education

Now is the Time for Safe and Equal Access to Education for All Children All Over the World

On October 9^th 2012, Malala Yousafzai was on a school bus returning to her home in Pakistan’s Swat Valley. A masked gunman boarded the bus and asked for her by name. When her classmates could not help but to glance at her, the gunman approached Malala and shot three times, hitting her in the head and neck. She was 15 years old and her only crime was advocating for equal access to education for all children.

On December 8^th of this year, UNICEF declared that 2014 was a devastating year for children. Two years after the brutal attack on Malala, as many as 10,000 children have been recruited to fight by armed groups in the Central African Republic. In Syria, there have been more than 35 attacks on schools and 1.7 million children are now refugees. And a mere eight days after the UNICEF report was released, Taliban gunman launched an unimaginable attack on a Pakistani school, killing 132 students.

These are just some of the challenges that world leaders and non-governmental organizations face in their efforts to establish a new set of sustainable development goals. Technical experts and advocates from Save the Children and other groups are engaging in a series of global consultations on post-2015 education indicators. What has emerged is this: the only way to offer children a future free of violence and extreme poverty is to provide every child safe and equitable access to quality education. Simply counting the number of children in schools is not enough.

Of course, violence against children is not limited to countries outside our borders. Speaking to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute in October, Secretary Arne Duncan referenced the impact violence has had on his own experience. He said, “I saw children who happened to come from a very violent community; who happened to all be African-American; who happened to be very poor. Despite many real challenges, many went on to do extraordinary things.”

Duncan also pointed out that students of color in the U.S. are more likely to be assigned inexperienced teachers; that they have less access to advanced classes; and that they are more likely to go to schools with lower-quality facilities, such as temporary structures. These are circumstances we can and must change.

In October, ED’s Office of Civil Rights issued guidance to states, school districts, and schools to help ensure students in the U.S. have equal access to educational resources. Initiatives such as My Brother’s Keeper and Excellent Educators for All are designed to help level the playing field for U.S. students who face an uphill battle in attaining an education. The goal is to ensure that our children – no matter their circumstances – have every opportunity to reach their full potential.

In the wake of the brutal attack in Peshawar and the seemingly never-ending violence against children in our own country, there is a tremendous amount of work left to be done. It’s in our nation’s best interest to prepare all of our children, not just a privileged few, for the challenges of the global economy. With the world’s focus turned to safe and equitable access to quality education, now is the time for us to make good on our promises.

Rebecca Miller is an International Affairs Specialist in the International Affairs Office at the U.S. Department of Education.

University of Cincinnati, U.S. Education Department Reach Agreement to Ensure Equal Access to UC’s Websites for Individuals with Disabilities

The U.S. Department of Education announced today that its Office for Civil Rights has entered into an agreement with the University of Cincinnati to ensure that the school’s websites comply with federal civil rights laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability.

The agreement ends an OCR investigation and commits the 42,600-student public institution to providing equal access to educational opportunities for students with disabilities and to ensuring that the school’s websites are accessible to persons with disabilities, including students, prospective students, employees and visitors.

“I thank the University of Cincinnati for agreeing to make its website fully accessible to its entire student population, as well as to parents and other members of the public, consistent with the law,” said Catherine E. Lhamon, assistant secretary for civil rights. “Educational institutions must ensure that students with disabilities can access the educational opportunities and benefits of the institutions with substantially equivalent ease of use as students without disabilities.”

As part of its proactive investigation, OCR reviewed how accessible the university’s websites were to persons with disabilities, particularly those with sensory impairments who might use assistive technology to access the sites.

The office determined that the university is not in compliance with two federal laws enforced by the Department of Education—Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act—because portions of the school’s websites were not readily accessible to persons with disabilities. OCR also found that the university is not in compliance with regulatory requirements concerning publication of a required nondiscrimination notice in relevant publications and the designation of, and contact information for, coordinator(s) designated to ensure compliance with these laws.

In response to these determinations, and prior to OCR’s review of other areas of the university’s websites, the school entered into a resolution agreement to ensure that content on its sites is accessible to individuals with disabilities and that it is providing an equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities to participate in and benefit from its online learning environment.

Under terms of the agreement, the university will:

• Designate one or more persons to coordinate its efforts to comply with Section 504 and Title II and identify that person(s) in its notice of nondiscrimination.
• Develop and publish an appropriate notice of nondiscrimination.
• Develop, adopt and provide notice of a web accessibility policy and an implementation and remediation plan to ensure adherence to the policy.
• Provide training to staff responsible for webpage and content development, including faculty, as appropriate.
• Review its website and e-learning platform(s) to identify and fix any accessibility problems, as well as to put in place mechanisms to ensure that the sites continue to be accessible.
• Provide certification from a third-party web accessibility consultant or an employee of the university with sufficient knowledge, skill, and experience that the school’s electronic and information technologies meet the technical standard(s) adopted by the institution. And,
• Provide OCR with reports describing its efforts for multiple subsequent school years to comply with its web accessibility policy and plan, including information documenting

• A copy of the resolution letter can be found here, and the agreement is posted here.

OCR’s mission is to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence throughout the nation through vigorous enforcement of civil rights. The office is responsible for enforcing federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination by educational institutions on the bases of disability, race, color, national origin, sex, and age, as well as the Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act of 2001.

For details on how the office handles civil rights cases, please visit http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/howto.html.

2015-2016 Teaching and Principal Ambassador Fellowship Program Applications Now Available!

“The Ambassador Fellows are a critical investment in ensuring that the decisions affecting students are informed and implemented by our nation’s best teachers and leaders. The answers to our most challenging educational problems lie in the voices of the courageous principals and passionate teachers our Fellows bring us every day.”
– Secretary Arne Duncan

Applications for the U.S. Department of Education’s 2015-2016 cohort of Teaching andPrincipal Ambassador Fellows opened on December 18, 2014 and are scheduled to close on January 20, 2015 at 11:59 pm EST. For more information about the application process, visit our Teaching and Principal Ambassador Fellows program pages or go directly to the applications for the Teaching and Principal Fellowships on USAJobs.gov.

Since 2008, the Department has employed 87 outstanding teachers on a full- or part-time basis through the Teaching Ambassador Fellowship program. Last year, ED piloted a Principal Ambassador Fellowship that brought three highly-talented principals to work for the Department on a full- and part-time basis.

Teaching and Principal Ambassador Fellows are outstanding educators, with a record of leadership in the school community, strong communication skills, and insights on education policy based in their school and classroom expertise. They come with networks of support from their professional communities and have participated in a variety of activities that have prepared them to write and speak frequently about instruction, school culture and climate, educational leadership and policy.

Both of the highly selective programs reflect the belief that teachers and principals should have meaningful opportunities to learn about and shape the policies that impact students and school communities nationwide. As teachers and principals are often the most trusted sources of information about education policy for parents, community members, colleagues, and students themselves, it is imperative to create more ways to link the Department’s programs, policies, and resources directly to the field.

The Ambassador Fellows have directly contributed to hundreds of activities at the Department and captured the voices of thousands of teachers and principals from every state. They were particularly instrumental in the RESPECT project and in inspiring and executing the Department’s current Teach to Lead initiative. They were also critical partners in offering flexibility around tying teacher evaluations to new assessments and addressing a culture of over-testing.

There are two different options for candidates. The Washington Fellowship is a full-time appointment, based at the Department’s Headquarters in Washington. The Classroom Fellowship, on the other hand, enables teachers and principals to participate on a part-time basis, while still allowing them to fulfill their regular school responsibilities.

All Teaching Ambassador Fellows spend one year learning about key federal programs and policies, sharing their expertise with federal staff members, and providing background on federal initiatives to other educators. This helps teachers better understand and implement these efforts at the federal, state and local levels. For the Fellows, the program provides greater knowledge of federal educational policy, strengthens their leadership skills, and gives them the firsthand opportunity to address some of the challenging issues facing education today.

“Being a Teaching Ambassador Fellow has been the best professional learning of my career,” says Tami Fitzgerald. “I have learned about educational policy, but more than that, I have discovered that my voice can be heard, and our collective voices can make a difference.”  Principal Ambassador Fellow, Rachel Skerritt adds, “The Principal Ambassador Fellowship is intended to be a beneficial resource to the Department, allowing ED to hear valuable input from school leaders. However, the experience has been just as beneficial to my own learning and leadership. I constantly bring back best practices to my own school, having had the privilege of meeting passionate principals nationwide.”

Great teachers and principals—please consider applying and sharing this information with your colleagues! Sign up for updates on the Teaching and Principal application processes, call 1-800-USA-Learn, or email us at TeacherFellowship@ed.gov orPrincipalFellowship@ed.gov with questions.

Gillian Cohen-Boyer is Director of the Principal and Teaching Ambassador Fellowships Programs at the U.S. Department of Education.

Improving Education One Classroom at a Time

Elise Patterson faces challenges in her classroom every day, but there’s nothing else she’d rather be doing than teaching. Patterson is an English teacher who, like so many educators across the country, is tackling challenges and making a difference in her classroom and in her students’ lives.

Now is a time of profound change in education, perhaps the greatest change in decades. Teachers are leading the change, taking on the hard work of implementing higher standards in their own classrooms, and, like Patterson, discovering that they can do what they love with even greater results for their students.

See what it’s like to teach today through Patterson’s eyes in the first installment of a new video series that takes viewers behind the scenes with teachers and other educators who are doing the hard work to lead change, innovation, and improvement in classrooms throughout the country.

Improving Education: The View from Ms. Patterson’s Classroom, shows how a teacher at Eastern Senior High School in Washington, D.C., is helping her students to excel.

“I’m passionate about teaching because I get to interact with so many people in such a meaningful way,” she says. “The reason I decided to make this my career is because I think there’s such a need for good teaching … [and] because I see how much of a change you can make on a day-to-day basis with individual students.”

Her tips include more collaboration with other teachers and between departments, and really challenging students to improve upon their leadership and critical-thinking skills. Her passion has helped her successfully implement higher standards in her classroom.

As we continue to highlight extraordinary educators doing remarkable things in classrooms nationwide we want to hear from teachers. Get in touch with us, and help us share your inspiring stories.

To top

By Monica Babich

Abstract

Research has repeatedly demonstrated the link between parental involvement and safe, effective learning environments.  In her 2010 article, Audrey Trainor names the following categories of parents: “intuitive advocates, disability experts, strategists, and agents for systemic change.”  In this paper, these categories are used as progressive steps in a holistic parental advocate training program rather than as separate groups. A collaborative parent advocate program promotes a more successful partnership, guaranteeing a fair process with the interest of the students in mind (Mandic et al, 2014).   Children with parental advocates are more likely to have the legal requirements of IDEA met in the school, leading to better placement, services and resources, which ultimately lead to better achievement (Burke, 2013).

Introduction

An educational diagnosis can be a daunting experience for parents and guardians of children with disabilities. Navigating the school system is a process that requires not only patience and dedication, but also an understanding of the student’s disability, the resources available and the legal rights of all of those involved. Federal mandates such as No Child Left Behind Education (NCLB) and the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) include language that not only highlight the importance of active parental participation, but also assigning educators the responsibility of actively making efforts to include parents in the educational, such as meeting notifications and consent for evaluations (Burke, 2013, p. 225). Parental involvement has been shown to lead to higher achievement for studies with disabilities as well as better implementation of IDEA requirements (Burke, 2013, p. 226).   Parental advocacy means empowering the parent to be a knowledgeable partner in the educational process, contributing in meaningful ways that allow them to be a voice for their child, thereby ensuring that their student is receiving the appropriate setting, resources and services in accordance to their legal rights (Wolf and Stephens, 1990, p. 244.) Though much of the legislation mentions parental involvement, little mention is given to parents as advocates, allow much as the expected participation falls under the definition of what advocacy is (Trainor, 2008, p.35).

Parental involvement has been shown to promote higher grades, less truancy and fewer behavior issues, all which are positive indicators of student success (Chen and Gregory, 2011). Parental advocacy, as a more involved form of parental participation, has the possibility to minimize conflict between school and home and further drive student performance. If trained correctly as an advocate, the student will have yet another powerful and knowledgeable member of their individualized educational plan (IEP) team. Although programs such as Special Education Advocacy Training (SEAT) and Volunteer Advocacy Project (VAP) exist, neither is geared specifically for parents in an individualized school setting (Burke, 2013). The question of who should train parental advocates has not been addressed in legislation, but involving the school in the training process is an important step towards improving parent perceptions. One of the most frequent sources of conflict between parents and schools is in relation to the identifications, placement and services rendered (Lake and Billingsley, 2000, p. 241). Many parents believe that “teachers do not effectively respond to parents’ advocacy efforts” and overcoming these objections can be done with appropriate preparation and support (Trainor, 2008, p. 35). It is important to train parents in properly understanding the whole process from identification and eligibility to implementation as well as their rights in an effort to improve relationships between home and school and reduce strain and stress for both parties (Lake and Billingsley, 2000, p. 241).   Most importantly, this training will allow students to be placed in the best possible setting with the best possible results.

Overview of Parental Advocacy Training

Parent advocacy training should be done using a holistic approach that covers an explanation of the student’s disability, a detailed analysis of IDEA and it’s components as well as an explanation of the rights and responsibilities of all parties involved. In her 2008 article, Trainor categorizes parents into “intuitive advocates, disability experts, strategists, and agents for systemic change.” Using these categories, it is possible to create a framework that addresses the categories as part of a comprehensive training program.

Intuitive advocacy refers to the “intuitive knowledge [that] encompasses perceptive insights parents develop through relationships with their children” (Trainor, 2008, p. 40.) Discussing the instinctive is an important way to open a healthy dialogue between all parties involved by acknowledging perceptive knowledge and building communication and trust, which have been identified as factors that could deescalate possible conflict (Lake and Billingsley, 2000).  The focus at this stage of the training should be on gathering and sharing of information with an emphasis on the parent being in the best position to “understand or accurately assess their children’s needs” (Trainor, 2008).

Using this as a basis, the next part of the process is clear explanations about the student’s disability as well as the educational program as a whole. The purpose of this is twofold. On one hand, an educational diagnosis of a disability often follows a previous medical diagnosis so it is important for the school to discuss the aspects of the disability and how they affect the student in an educational setting with the parents. While many parents already consider themselves to be disability experts by “way of doctors, disability-specific organizations, and commercially available texts and websites” other parents of lower socio-economic or cultural backgrounds may need additional guidance in order to develop a deeper understanding of their child’s disability and how special education programs work (Wolfe and Stephens, 1990; Trainor, 2008). Another important result of reviewing information is an increase in parent confidence and trust in the teacher and administration (Starr and Foy, 2010). Starr and Foy’s 2010 article on parental perception cited that demonstration of specialized training and knowledge of the disability was what parents felt was needed most in order for the teacher to provide and appropriate education.  It is important to ensure the parent also become proficient on special education in general. Procedural safeguards were designed to “guarantee parents’ rights to share in decision making with the school regarding identification and diagnosis, evaluation, placement, services, individualized educational planning, and transition to adulthood” (Wolf and Stephens, 1990; Mandic, Rudd, Hehir, & Acevedo-Garcia, 2014). Unfortunately, the poor readability of these documents and the focus on confusing jargon tend to inhibit parent participation (Burke, 2013). Clear explanations regarding the terminology, procedures and process would allow the parents to feel less inhibited in participating and able to make more informed decisions with judgmental knowledge (Lake and Billingsley, 2000; Mandic et al, 2014).

Trainor’s next category of parent is “the strategist” in reference to parents who “combined their understanding and sense of disability and their children’s unique strengths and needs with their knowledge about special education” (p. 42). Following the use of her categories as guidelines for a training program, the school’s main interest at this stage is the application of what they have learned before and the encouragement of parents to became more engaged in the process (Lake and Billingsley, 2000). The training should continue highlighting the rights of the parents to act as the voice for the student, explanation of implicit norms and roles for communication, clear descriptions of responsibilities and guidance as to what process should be taken when conflict occurs (Trainor, 2008.)   While conflict is inevitable, it is critical that the way conflict is handled is fair and diligent on behalf of both parties (Lake and Billingsley, 2000).  For example, a parent should be instructed on how to call for a due process hearing if needed and how to prevent it from feeling adversarial, and becoming a stressful, time consuming and economically expensive process (Lake and Billingsley, 2000). Ultimately, the hope is to create parental advocates that will volunteer to become agents for systemic change and use their knowledge to propel small and large changes in legislation and culture that will benefit students with disabilities (Trainor, 2008). The scaffolding of training would result in better communication, more trust and stronger teamwork as parents become more involved in the process.

Comprehensive Recommendations for Effective Parental Advocacy Training

The benefits of parental involvement are immense. As advocates for their children, parents can indirectly influence educational factors such as attendance, at-risk behaviors, and dropout rates (Burke, 2013) and research has repeatedly demonstrated the link between involvement and safe, effective learning environments. Children of parents who are actively involved in the educational process do better overall than those children whose parents are uninvolved (Wolf and Stephens, 1990). A comprehensive training program provided by special education personnel at the school has the potential to create transparency in the special education process, increase trust and establish a clear foundation of communication and teamwork (Lake and Billingsley, 2000; Trainor, 2008; Starr and Foy, 2010; Burke, 2013). By helping “build up” the parent as an advocate, schools can help create a strong and effective system in which all players have “specialized cultural capital…and social capital in the form of relationships between key players” (Trainor, 2008).  Parents look at schools as experts and building a mutual relationship through a training program helps to create “satisfying and productive relationships [where] parents feel valued and respected, and conflicts are more easily addressed” (Lake and Billingsley, 2000). That relationship can also be used to maintain “conciliatory attitudes” that can “build confidence that problems can be solved” when, and if, they arise” (Lake and Billingsley, 2000). In her research, Trainor names the following categories of parents: “intuitive advocates, disability experts, strategists, and agents for systemic change.” If used as progressive steps rather than separate groups, schools can create a holistic, collaborative parent advocate program that creates a more successful partnership that guarantees a fair process with the interest of the students in mind (Mandic et al, 2014).   When parents advocate for their student, “the legal requirements of IDEA are more likely to be met,” which means better placement, services and resources, which ultimately lead to better achievement (Burke, 2013).

Being a parent of a child with a disability is not always an easy job to take on. It is beneficial for all stakeholders to be trained, prepared and involved and to build a solid foundation for a positive, collaborative relationship that is student focused.

References

Burke, M. M., (2013). Improving parental involvement: training special education advocates. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 23, 225–234.

Chen, W.,  & Gregory, A. (2010). Parental involvement in the prereferral process: implications for schools. Remedial and Special Education, 32, 447– 457.

Lake, J. F., & Billingsley, B. S. (2000). An analysis of factors that contribute to parent–school conflict in special education. Remedial and Special Education, 21, 240–252.

Mandic, C. G., Rudd, R., Hehir, T., & Acevedo-Garcia, D. (2010). Readability of special education procedural safeguards. Journal of Special Education, 30, 1–9.

Starr, E. M., & Foy, J. B. (2010). In parents’ voices: the education of children with autism spectrum disorders. Remedial and Special Education, 33, 207–216.

Trainor, A. A. (2010). Diverse approaches to parent advocacy during special education home–school interactions: Identification and use of cultural and social capital. Remedial and Special Education, 31, 34–47.

Wolf, J. S., & Stephens, T. M. (1990). Friends of special education:  a parent training model. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 1, 343-356

To access everything below in this section from NCWD, visit:

http://www.ncwd-youth.info/

NCWD/Youth Publishes New Report on Use of Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs) as a Promising Practice

In response to a 2007 Education Commission of the States (ECS) report documenting a growing state interest in using Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs), the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) commissioned a five-year research study to determine whether ILPs should be considered a promising college and career readiness practice and whether and how youth with disabilities are participating in these efforts. The research began in 2008 with a cooperative agreement awarded to NCWD/Youth.

The report, Use of Individualized Learning Plans: A Promising Practice for Driving College and Career Readiness Efforts: Findings and Recommendations from a Multi-Method, Multi-Study Effort, summarizes the findings of ILP research and technical assistance activities that were completed between 2007 and 2013, makes recommendations regarding future research, and identifies promising state, district, and school ILP implementation strategies. Two overarching patterns emerged during the course of the multi-study effort:

ILPs share a common set of characteristics, and

ILPs are increasingly understood to be the lynchpin tool for linking the twin goals of college readiness and career readiness.

NCWD/Youth Gives Keynote Address on Individualized Learning Plans

On December 3, Dr. V. Scott Solberg, Boston University, gave a keynote address, Individualized Career and Academic Plans: Inspiring All Youth to Reach Higher in Pursuit of Their Career and Life Goals, at the Individualized Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) Summit in Colorado. The Summit was hosted by the Colorado Department of Education in partnership with the Colorado Department of Higher Education, Colorado Community College System, the High School Graduation Initiative, and Colorado Council on High School and College Relations. Dr. Solberg is the Principal Investigator for NCWD/Youth’s initiative on Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs). NCWD/Youth offers technical assistance to states seeking to develop or strengthen policies and practices involving ILPs.

NCWD/Youth and IEL Host Community Learning Exchange: Lead On! Igniting Youth Voice, Promoting Youth Choice

In December, NCWD/Youth and our host organization, the Institute for Educational Leadership, hosted a Community Learning Exchange (CLE), bringing together community leaders, youth-serving organizations, and youth with and without disabilities. The CLE, which took place at Gallaudet University, engaged teams in reflection around the role of youth voice in their organizations and communities, while empowering young people to drive their own decision-making processes. Organizers documented the CLE experience in a video.

Institute for Educational Leadership to Hold 2015 National Family and Community Engagement Conference

The Institute for Educational Leadership will be holding the 2015 National Family and Community Engagement Conference at The Palmer House in Chicago, Illinois on June 22- 24. This year’s conference theme is Shaping Our Future by Leading Together: Families, Schools, and Communities. Super Early Registration ends December 31, 2014 and Early Registration ends March 15, 2015.Sessions will highlight high quality family and community engagement on the following topics: Early Learning & Literacy, Student Achievement and Schooling, Community Partnerships, Teacher Leadership & Professional Development, Systemic Practice and Policy, Inclusive Education, Parent Leadership & Advocacy, and High School, College & Career Transition.

U.S. DOL Announces $100 Million in Apprenticeship Grants

On December 11, 2014, the U.S. Department of Labor announced the availability of $100 million in grant funding for the expansion of registered apprenticeship programs into high-skilled, high-growth industries like healthcare, biotechnology, and information technology. Approximately 25 grants from $2.5 to $5 million will be awarded to entities that propose programs aligned with post-secondary education and career pathways to long-term employment. Applications are due April 30, 2015.

U.S. DOJ and HHS Issue Letter to States on Olmstead Obligations under DOL’s Home Care Rule

On December 15, 2014, the U.S. Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services issued a Dear Colleague letter urging states to remain complaint with Olmstead obligations as they implement the Department of Labor’s Home Care Rule limiting the use of the companionship exemption under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The two agencies warn capping hours for direct service professionals could violate Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) under Olmstead if it results in increased segregation or institutionalization of people with disabilities who cannot remain in community-based settings with appropriate access to care. Therefore, states need to consider reasonable modifications to policies capping overtime and travel time for home care workers, including exceptions to these caps when individuals with disabilities otherwise would be placed at serious risk of institutionalization. Whether a reasonable modification is needed and what the modification should be depends on the specific factual circumstances. States should also consider implementing processes that reliably and expeditiously enable individuals with disabilities to obtain cap exceptions when they are warranted. Finally, where implementation of the Home Care Rule disrupts services, states should collect and monitor data to ensure that the service disruption does not place individuals with disabilities at serious risk of institutionalization.

U.S. DOE and DOJ Release New Guidance on Educational Needs of Youth in Correctional Facilities

On December 8, 2014, the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice released new guidance and technical assistance materials to inform the efforts of states, school districts, and juvenile justice facilities serving youth, including youth with disabilities. The package includes recommendations and federal requirements for ensuring that youth in confinement receive an education comparable to those provided in traditional public school settings.

The package includes the following components:

Guiding Principles for Providing High-Quality Education in Juvenile Justice Secure Care Settings.

Dear Colleague Letter on Individuals with Disabilities Education Act for Students with Disabilities in Correctional Facilities, which clarifies state and public agency obligations to provide a free, appropriate public education to eligible students with disabilities who reside in correctional facilities.

Dear Colleague Letter on Civil Rights of Students in Juvenile Justice Residential Facilities, which stipulates that juvenile justice residential facilities receiving DOJ or ED funding must comply with the federal civil rights laws that these agencies enforce.

Dear Colleague Letter on Access to Federal Pell Grants for Students in Juvenile Justice Residential Facilities, which provides campus financial aid professionals the eligibility requirements for youth residing in juvenile justice facilities to apply for Pell Grants.

U.S. Congress Passes ABLE Act to Permit Qualified Individuals with Disabilities to Save

On December 16, 2014, the U.S. Congress passed the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act. President Obama signed the bill into law on December 22, 2014. Currently, individuals with disabilities who depend on federal health or income benefits, such as Medicaid or SSI, are not allowed to save more than $2,000 in assets. The ABLE Act would allow individuals who acquire a significant disability before age 26 to save money for many disability-related expenses such as education, transportation, or employment without jeopardizing important health or income supports. Individuals who meet this criteria and already receive benefits under SSI and/or SSDI will be automatically eligible to establish an ABLE account. Individuals who are not currently receiving SSI or SSDI, but meet the age of disability onset requirement, could still be eligible to open an ABLE account.

Bipartisan JJDPA Reauthorization Introduced in Senate

On December 11, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) introduced the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization Act of 2014 (S.2999) to reauthorize and improve the Juvenile Justice Delinquency and Prevention Act of 1974 (JJDPA). The law, which was most recently reauthorized in 2002, is the only federal statute that sets out national standards for the custody and care of youth in the juvenile justice system and provides direction and support for state juvenile justice system improvements. The JJDPA also supports programs and practices that have significantly contributed to the reduction of delinquency. The JJDPA also established the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), which supports our host organization’s Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program (RAMP). RAMP is based on NCWD/Youth foundational materials including the Guideposts for Success, 
Paving the Way to Work: A Guide to Career-Focused Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities,High School/High Tech Program Guide: A Comprehensive Transition Program Promoting Careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math for Youth with Disabilities, and Making the Right Turn: A Guide About Improving Transition Outcomes for Youth Involved in the Juvenile Justice System.

Forum for Youth Investment to Host Webinar on P3 Program

On January 9, 2015, the Forum for Youth Investment will host an introductory webinar designed to help individuals learn more about the Performance Partnership Pilot program (P3). P3 offers an opportunity for state, county, city, and tribal governments to propose new ways to use their existing discretionary federal funding to better serve disconnected youth. Instead of having to comply with current federal requirements about the use of each related funding stream, entities have the opportunity to propose their own locally developed, evidence-informed plans for blending and/or braiding these streams. The federal government will then allow the awarded sites increased flexibility from many of the federal rules and regulations necessary for the site to implement their plan.

Call for Applications: 2015 Paul G. Hearne AAPD Leadership Awards

AAPD will once again recognize outstanding individuals personifying leadership, advocacy, and dedication to and for the disability community at large. Two individuals emerging as leaders in the cross-disability civil rights movement will each receive a cash award in order to help them continue their progress as leaders and further connect their work with the national grassroots of AAPD. The recipients of the 2015 Hearne Leadership Awards will also have an opportunity to meet and network with national disability leaders at the AAPD Leadership Gala in Washington, DC in March 2015. U.S. residents with any type of disability are eligible to apply. Self-nominations are preferred. Submissions are due January 2, 2015.

Call for Applications: USICD Youth in International Development and Foreign Affairs Internship Program

The U.S. International Council on Disabilities (USICD) is seeking applicants for the Youth in International Development and Foreign Affairs internship program. The program will bring together rising juniors and seniors, recent graduates, and graduate students to Washington, DC for a one-week orientation training followed by an eight-week internship at an international organization. USICD will cover the cost of fully-accessible housing during the program, reimburse travel expenses to and from DC, and provide a limited stipend. The deadline to apply is January 28, 2015.

NCWD/Youth Blog Posts

NCWD/Youth’s blog features current and relevant information related to the Guideposts for Success, Youth Development and Leadership, Innovative Strategies, Professional Development,and more!

Mentoring Stories: Damon & Shamond

Legislative Announcements, Calls to Participate

and New Projects

Feedback to OSEP on Proposed Approach for Including Results Data in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C Determinations Process
http://tinyurl.com/m9e8hwx
The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) sought feedback on a proposed approach for including results data in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C determinations process. At the request of OSEP, the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA) developed a proposal for using results-driven data for an accountability framework to review states’ performance results for children who receive early intervention services. The feedback received has been posted on OSERS’ blog.

U.S. Education Department Reaches Agreement with Youngstown State University to Ensure Equal Access to its Websites for Individuals with Disabilities
http://tinyurl.com/meg6omu
The U.S. Department of Education announced in December that its Office for Civil Rights has entered into an agreement with Youngstown State University in Ohio to ensure that the school’s websites comply with federal civil rights laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Youngstown State’s websites were not readily accessible to persons with disabilities, and the university was not fully in compliance with the regulatory requirements regarding the publication of a notice of nondiscrimination in relevant documents. The agreement ends an OCR investigation and commits the 13,000-student public institution in northeast Ohio to providing equal access to educational opportunities for students with disabilities and to ensuring that the school’s websites are accessible to persons with disabilities, including students, prospective students, employees and visitors.

U.S. Department of Education Announces 2014 National Blue Ribbon Schools 337 Schools Honored–287 public and 50 private
http://tinyurl.com/mcawtsl
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has announced the recognition of 337 schools – 287 public and 50 private– as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2014 for their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. These schools demonstrate that all students can achieve to high levels. The Department of Education will honor the schools at a recognition ceremony on November 10-11, 2014, in Washington, D.C. The award affirms the hard work of students, educators, families and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging content. The Department invites National Blue Ribbon School nominations from the top education official in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Department of Defense Education Activity and the Bureau of Indian Education. The Council for American Private Education (CAPE) nominates private schools.

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.

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Welcome to December’s Buzz from the Hub, the newsletter of the Center for Parent Information and Resources—the CPIR. We are proud to serve as the central source of information and connection for the Parent Center network.  To read all of the articles below, visit:

www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/buzz-dec2014/New Resources in the Hub

What’s new in the resource library? Here are 3 newbies.

New Resources in the Hub

What’s new in the resource library? Here are several newbies on the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCSR) and the new assessment systems to be used to measure student readiness.

States’ approaches to College and Career Readiness Standards.
The CCRS Center has developed an interactive state map to present the broad landscape of college and career readiness throughout the nation. The map provides a simple-to-navigate snapshot of key college and career readiness initiatives taking place throughout the states. What’s your state up to?

Multiple language translations about the CCRS.
Courtesy of the California Department of Education’s Clearinghouse for Multilingual Documents, there are multiple other-language fact sheets about the CCSS: Arabic, Armenian, Chinese, Farsi (Persian), Hindi, Hmong, Japanese, Khmer (Cambodian), Korean , Lao, Pilipino (Tagalog), Punjabi, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.

The Smarter Balanced Assessment System.
(in English and Spanish)  | Smarter Balanced is a consortium of states funded to develop student evaluations aligned with college- and career-readiness standards. Twenty-three states and territories are members of the consortium. Is yours? (Find out at the link above.)

Smarter Balanced resources in English | Support for underrepresented students

Smarter Balanced resources in Spanish | Cómo ayudar a todos los estudiantes a que tengan éxito

What about the PARCC assessments?
The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) is a group of states working together to develop a set of assessments that measure whether students are on track to be successful in college and their careers. Find out more with the two resources listed below.

List of states participating in PARCC and the designated state lead

PARCC Accessibility Features and Accommodations Manual

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Spotlight on … Disability Information

Parent Centers are always looking for new information on disabilities to share with families. Here are several resources you might find useful in the coming year.

What is a non-verbal learning disorder?
This article describes how a non-verbal learning disorder affects students and how it differs from learning disabilities in general.

Parent training modules in autism.
(in English and Spanish) | Here are two 10-lesson interactive, self-paced, online learning modules providing parents with tools and training to more effectively teach their child with autism and other related neurodevelopmental disorders functional skills using applied behavior analysis (ABA) techniques. Module 1 focuses on strategies for teaching functional skills. Module 2 focuses on positive behavior strategies for children with autism. Both are available in English and in Spanish.

Overview of oppositional defiant disorder.
How can you tell the difference between a particularly obstinate child and one suffering from ODD? This article, which is accompanied by a video, describes the symptoms of ODD, identifies co-existing disorders, and discusses treatments.
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Resources You Can Share with Families

This section of the newsletter identifies useful resources that you might share with families or mention in your own news bulletins.

10 ways to have a happy holiday!
Have you seen disability.gov’s December newsletter? It’s packed with ideas for making this holiday season a winner for all. See #4 especially, if you’re looking for this year’s gift-giving guides for children with special needs.

A blog in Spanish, from CPIR’s own Myriam Alizo.
Parenting a child with learning and attention issues can bring unexpected challenges, as Myriam Alizo describes. Myriam is CPIR’s project assistant and recently published this blog in Spanish (No éramos, ni somos los únicos) for understood.org. It’s since been translated into English(We weren’t the only ones)!

The science of early childhood development.
(in English and Spanish) | From the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, this 4-minute video shares basic concepts of early childhood development, established over decades of neuroscience and behavioral research. The video is also available in Spanish.

Self-advocacy: A valuable skill for your teenager with LD.
(in English and Spanish)  | If your teen has a learning disability, self-awareness and self-advocacy are keys to his or her future success. Also available in Spanish.

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Resources Just for Parent Centers

This section of the CPIR’s newsletter focuses on the many priority areas that Parent Centers have, with a special emphasis on the 14 topics that OSEP has identified as important for Parent Centers and the CPIR to address.

This month, we’re focusing on effective educational practices for improving student outcomes. These resources may also be relevant in your state’s work on the SSIP in 2015, so keep them in mind for the future.

Effective reading interventions for students with LD.
In recent years, several excellent, well-publicized research studies have helped parents and educators understand the most effective guidelines for teaching all children to read. This article describes the findings of a research study that will help parents become a wise consumer of reading programs for students with reading disabilities.

Dropout prevention: An IES practice guide.
Geared toward educators, administrators, and policymakers, this guide provides recommendations for reducing high school dropout rates. Strategies presented include identifying and advocating for at-risk students, implementing programs to improve behavior and social skills, and keeping students engaged in the school environment.

What is an evidence-based behavior intervention? Choosing and implementing behavior interventions that work.
This webinar (from the National Center for Intensive Interventions) discusses considerations for selecting and using evidence-based interventions to address challenging behaviors. The webinar introduces NCII’s Behavior Interventions Tools Chart and describes how educators can best utilize this resource and other available resources to select interventions.

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 2014
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 2014 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.

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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