March 2015 – Special Educator e-Journal

Table of Contents

• <link>Update from the U.S. Department of Education

• Literature Review — Disproportionate Representation of Minorities in Special Education Programs By Cindy Morris

• <link>National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability

• <link>Legislative Announcements, Calls to Participate and New Projects

• <link>Latest Employment Opportunities Posted on NASET

• <link>Upcoming Conferences and Events

• <link>Funding Forecast and Award Opportunities

• 
  

  Acknowledgements

• 
  

  Download a PDF or XPS Version of This Issue

Update from the U.S. Department of Education

U.S. High School Graduation Rate Hits New Record High

U.S. students are graduating from high school at a higher rate than ever before, according to new data from the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics. The nation’s high school graduation rate hit 81 percent in 2012-13, the highest level since states adopted a new uniform way of calculating graduation rates five years ago.

“America’s students have achieved another record-setting milestone,” U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said. “We can take pride as a nation in knowing that we’re seeing promising gains, including for students of color. This is a vital step toward readiness for success in college and careers for every student in this country, and these improvements are thanks to the hard work of teachers, principals, students and families.”

Since 2010, states, districts and schools have been using a new, common metric—the adjusted cohort graduation rate—to promote greater accountability and develop strategies that will help reduce dropout rates and increase graduation rates in schools nationwide. For three consecutive years, graduation rates have continued to climb, which reflects continued progress among America’s high school students.

“When schools are held accountable and students are given support to help them stay in school and on track, real progress is possible,” said John Gomperts, president and CEO of America’s Promise Alliance, leader of the GradNation campaign to reach a 90 percent on-time high school graduation rate by 2020. “Because of increases over the past decade or so, nearly two million additional young people have high school diplomas, giving them a chance at a more promising future. However, much work remains. Looking forward, we will focus on what more can be done so that all young people have the foundation they need to succeed in school and life.”

The campaign plans to release its 2015 “Building a GradNation” report in early May.

The Department hopes to release graduation rates for minority students, students with disabilities and English language learners in coming weeks.

Today’s economy calls for critical skills that go beyond the basics. To ensure the economic strength of our country, students must graduate high school ready for college, careers and life. The Department has invested more than $1 billion in early education; implemented strategies that improve achievement and close opportunity gaps, and awarded billions of dollars through such grant programs as Race to the Top, Investing in Innovation, and School Improvement Grants; and expanded college access and affordability for families.

To maintain and accelerate the progress students are making, the Obama Administration is calling for an overhaul of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) —also known as No Child Left Behind—with a law that not only ensures students are prepared for college, careers and life, but also delivers on the promise of equity and real opportunity for every child. Secretary Duncan has called on Congress to create a bipartisan law that gives teachers and principals the resources they need, expands high-quality preschool for families and supports schools and districts in creating innovative new solutions to problems that translate into better outcomes for students.

For more information, visit www.ed.gov.

Secretary Duncan’s Statement on Legislation Concerning No Child Left Behind Approved by U.S. House of Representatives Committee

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan issued the following statement on legislation approved today by House Education and the Workforce Committee:

“This Republican bill not only cements cuts in education funding for our children, but it also does nothing to guarantee that states continue to invest in education. Rather than helping improve the schools that it need it most, the Republican bill would actually cut investments in these schools while increasing funds for some of the wealthiest areas in the country. That approach is backward. We can’t just cut our way to opportunity. Our kids deserve better. Every child—no matter his or her zip code—deserves a quality education, including access to high-quality preschool and a fair shot at getting ahead. We need to invest in our educators so they have the resources they need to help children succeed. I respect Chairman Kline’s commitment to improving our schools, and I remain hopeful that we will find a path to bipartisan legislation in the House and in the Senate that helps every child be successful in college, careers and life and delivers on the promise of real opportunity for every child.”

U.S. Education Department Announces Resolution of Civil Rights Investigation of Yakima School District (WA) Efforts to Address Harassment of Students

The U.S. Department of Education announced today that its Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has entered into a resolution agreement to resolve a compliance review of the Yakima School District, Washington. The review examined whether the District has taken appropriate action to address harassment of students on the bases of sex, race, color, national origin, and disability. Yakima School District is the 18th largest school district in Washington State with 23 schools and approximately 16,000 students. It is also the largest Latino majority district in Washington State.

After identifying relatively high rates of bullying in the district, OCR’s investigation found the district violated federal civil rights laws by failing to provide nondiscrimination notices or procedures for prompt and equitable resolution of student or employee complaints. In addition, OCR’s investigation revealed flawed district recordkeeping that prevented the district, or OCR, from determining whether a hostile environment exists for students and if so whether the district takes appropriate steps for solution.

“Bullying and harassment of students is a serious national issue with documented long-term effects on victims, bullies, and bystanders,” said Catherine E. Lhamon, Assistant Secretary for the Office for Civil Rights. “Our federal civil rights laws clearly prohibit bullying and harassment based on protected identity characteristics. I appreciate the Yakima School District’s commitment to work with OCR to satisfy civil rights obligations to take steps to reduce bullying and harassment in schools within the District.”

The sheer number of incidents of harassment, specifically sexual harassment, contained in the District’s incident reports raised concerns about whether steps taken by the District are reasonably calculated to prevent harassment from recurring.This concern is further underscored by the fact that in many instances, disciplinarians could not identify the victim of the harassment; accordingly, disciplinarians could not confirm whether or not the reported incidents of harassment recurred following the respective reports and apparent disciplinary actions. The inability to identify the harassed students, due to deficiencies in the District’s record keeping, also raises the important question of whether appropriate steps, besides discipline, were taken to remedy the effects of harassment on the harassed students.

Prior to completing the compliance review, the district expressed an interest in resolving the identified violations and the remaining issues with a resolution agreement.

The district committed to take the following actions:

• promptly investigate all incidents of harassment based on sex, race, color, national origin, and disability of which it has notice; and take appropriate action to end the harassment, prevent its recurrence, and remedy its effects if appropriate;
• Hire or assign an equity consultant to assist with the district’s implementation of the agreement;
• create a non-discrimination and anti-harassment statement that complies with Title IX, Section 504 and Title II; and provide effective notice of the statement to students, parents, employees and third parties;
• establish grievance procedures compliant with Title IX, Section 504 and Title II; and provide effective notice of the procedures to students, parents, employees and third parties;
• designate compliance coordinators and provide effective notice of the coordinators to students, parents, employees and third parties;
• conduct annual school climate checks related to harassment incidents;
• create a task force to suggest strategies for dealing with harassment in schools;
• train staff and coordinators on obligations related to identifying, reporting, investigating, and taking appropriate action in response to harassment incidents;
• train students on recognizing and reporting harassment;
• create a system for investigating, record-keeping and tracking complaints and incidents of harassment; and,
• create a system for monitoring the effectiveness of its response to harassment and conducting a self-assessment.

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.

Secretary Duncan’s statement on new legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives concerning No Child Left Behind

“After an economic crisis that forced schools to cut their budgets and hit teachers hard, the last thing we should do right now is cut funding for education. Unfortunately, Chairman Kline’s proposed legislation would allow cuts to school funding. It also fails to give teachers and the schools who need it most the resources they need. And it sends the message that ensuring a quality education for every child isn’t a national responsibility.

“Every child in America, not just some, deserves a fair shot. We have seen tremendous progress in schools across the country thanks to the hard work of educators and education leaders. But I am concerned that this proposal would turn back the clock on that growth because it doesn’t invest in preschool, or support schools and districts in creating innovative new solutions to problems that translate into better outcomes for students.

“There is agreement that it is time to replace the broken No Child Left Behind law, and I look forward to working with Republicans and Democrats in both the Senate and the House to create a bipartisan law. I very much respect Chairman Kline and his concern for education. There is much we can debate in reauthorizing this law—and many opportunities for productive compromise. However, Congress must not abdicate its responsibility to help all children succeed.”

President Obama’s 2016 Budget Seeks to Expand Educational Opportunity for All Students

The Obama Administration released a fiscal year 2016 budget today that includes key investments to expand high-quality early learning programs; increase equity and opportunity for all students; support teachers and school leaders; and improve access, affordability and student outcomes in college.

“The President’s budget reflects this Administration’s belief that every single child in this country deserves the opportunity to receive a strong education,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “As demonstrated by the record high school graduation rate and by huge gains in college-going, especially for minority students, states, districts, educators, and students across the country are making real progress. The President’s budget would continue and accelerate that progress.”

The budget request is $70.7 billion in discretionary appropriations for the Education Department, a 5.4 percent increase over the previous year’s funding. The budget also improves new mandatory funding for early childhood education, teacher support and college opportunity.

Key education investments in the President’s budget:

Increasing equity and opportunity

• An increase of $2.7 billion for Elementary and Secondary Education Act programs, including $1 billion for Title I, to ensure that all students – which includes poor and minority students, students with disabilities, and English learners – graduate from high school prepared for college and careers
• An increase of $175 million for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Part B grants to support the work that states are doing to improve results for children with disabilities and another $115 million for programs for younger children with disabilities

Expanding high-quality early learning programs

• $75 billion over 10 years for the Preschool for All proposal to provide universal high-quality preschool programs for all 4-year-olds from low- and moderate-income families
• $750 million for Preschool Development Grants, an increase of $500 million, to help states lay the foundation for universal public preschool

Supporting teachers and leaders

• $5 billion over five years for a new, mandatory Teaching for Tomorrow program to support fundamental changes in how states and school districts recruit and prepare new teachers and strengthen professional support for teachers throughout their careers
• $350 million for Excellent Educators Grants to provide funds for states and school districts committed to implementing new systems that develop, support, reward and advance teachers and principals

Improving higher education

• America’s College Promise would provide two years of free community college for responsible students through a $60.3 billion investment in a new federal-state partnership over the next 10 years
• A $29.7 billion investment in Pell Grants would maintain the purchasing power of this critical, need-based postsecondary grant assistance after 2017
• $200 million for an American Technical Training Fund joint effort with the U.S. Department of Labor to expand job opportunities

Another key theme in the President’s budget is investing what works in all levels of education – preschool, K-12 and colleges – to maximize results for taxpayers and students. By investing in what works, learning more about what works, and sharing what we learn, we can help more students succeed. For instance, the budget includes:

• $300 million, an increase of $180 million, for the Investing in Innovation program, to develop, validate and scale-up effective practices and strategies for improving student achievement in K-12 education
• $200 million, a $140 million increase, for the competitive First in the World grants that take the same approach to improving outcomes in higher education

In his State of the Union address, the President emphasized that education is a vital investment in America’s economic competitiveness, in its communities, and in its people. The President’s 2016 budget is designed to bring middle class economics into the 21st Century and shows what we can do if we invest in our nation’s future and commit to an economy that rewards hard work, generates rising incomes, and allows everyone to share in the prosperity of a growing America.

These proposals will help working families feel more secure with paychecks that go further, help American workers upgrade their skills so they can compete for higher-paying jobs, and help create the conditions for our businesses to keep generating good new jobs for our workers to fill, while also fulfilling our most basic responsibility to keep Americans safe. We will make these investments, and end the harmful spending cuts known as sequestration, by cutting inefficient spending and reforming our broken tax code to make sure everyone pays their fair share. We can do all this while also putting our nation on a more sustainable fiscal path.

Secretary Duncan issues statement on the Council of the Great City Schools report on progress under School Improvement Grants

“Turning around chronically low-performing schools is some of the hardest and most important work in education, with direct and enormous impact on the life outcomes of young people. I want to praise the Council of the Great City Schools for their thoughtfulness in this report, which offers vitally important insights on what works. There’s much to learn from here.”

Federal Agencies Collaborate to Improve After-School Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Education

The U.S. Department of Education’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program is leading new interagency partnerships to bring hands-on STEM learning opportunities to high-need students during after-school and out-of-school time. Through this collaboration, the Department will expand an existing pilot program with NASA and build new partnerships with the National Park Service (NPS) and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

These partnerships will create opportunities for students to engage in solving real-world STEM challenges with scientists and experts in their field. Overall, the number of participating 21st CCLC sites will increase from approximately 20 last year to over 100. Participating states include: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

Engaging students during out-of-school time is an important tool for supporting all students learning in STEM subjects. Through these efforts:

• The National Park Service (NPS) will introduce environmental monitoring and citizen science programs at 11 schools overseen by the Bureau of Indian Education. The schools will work with park rangers as well as Hands on the Land, a national network of classrooms and resources that connect students to public lands, to bring their expertise to student learning.
• IMLS will support STEM-focused making and tinkering activities, building on enthusiasm for the “maker movement,” at 25 schools and organizations across California, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas.
• NASA will support students as they work through one of six design and engineering challenges that scientists may face in navigating the solar system. Building on last year’s efforts, students and support staff will interact directly with NASA engineers and scientists at up to 80 schools and organizations across 10 states.

The 21st CCLC program was created as part of the 1994 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). ESEA was signed into law in 1965 by President Lyndon Baines Johnson, who believed that “full educational opportunity” should be “our first national goal.”

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has hearkened back to that goal by calling to replace the outmoded No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and to create a new ESEA that moves America closer to the promise of equity and real opportunity for every child.

For more information on how the 21st CCLC program and the interagency collaboration contribute to this vision, visit http://www2.ed.gov/programs/21stcclc/index.html.

U.S. Department of Education Releases New Guide on Identifying and Preventing Child Trafficking in Schools

The U.S. Department of Education has released a new guide for educators on ways to identify and help prevent child trafficking in schools. Human Trafficking in America’s Schools is a free guide for school staff that includes information about risk factors, recruitment, and how to identify trafficking; what to do if you suspect trafficking, including sample school protocols and policies; and other resources and potential partnership opportunities. The Department also has partnered with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and President Lincoln’s Cottage, a site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, to sponsor a youth campaign focused on raising awareness about and preventing human trafficking..

“It’s hard to imagine that such heinous crimes continue to exist today, right here in America,” Deborah S. Delisle, assistant secretary for the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, said. “Human trafficking robs young people of a life that is filled with hope. The Department stands with its other federal and non-profit partners, such as President Lincoln’s Cottage, in helping these young people return to safe, supportive homes and schools.”

“It’s critical for us to raise awareness of trafficking among adolescents because we know traffickers intentionally target youth,” said ACF Acting Assistant Secretary for Children and Families Mark Greenberg. “We’re pleased to work with the Department of Education and President Lincoln’s Cottage on this campaign to empower and engage youth to be part of the solution.”

An estimated 1.2 million children are trafficked each year worldwide, according to the International Labour Organization, and the problem is dire in America. Child trafficking is modern day slavery and involves exploiting a child for the purpose of forced labor, commercial sex, or both.

School personnel are uniquely positioned to identify and report suspected abuse and connect students to services—actions that can prevent trafficking and even save lives. Everyone who is part of the school community—administrators, teachers, bus drivers, maintenance personnel, food service staff, resource officers, and other school community members—has the potential to be an advocate for child victims of human trafficking. The Department’s new guide will help the school community take action by providing information about the indicators of the crime, the warning signs and how to respond when students are apparent victims.

The #WhatIWouldMiss social media campaign encourages high school students to think about aspects of their daily lives that they would miss if they were a victim of human trafficking and participate by sharing a post on social media using the contest hashtag (#WhatIWouldMiss). All posts will be judged by a jury of representatives from anti-trafficking organizations. One teenager will win a spot at President Lincoln’s Cottage’s third annual Students Opposing Slavery (SOS) International Summit in Washington, D.C., and five additional teenagers will receive awards of recognition. For additional information, visit www.StudentsOpposingSlavery.org/WhatIWouldMiss.

To download a copy of the guide, visithttp://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/human-trafficking-americas-schools.

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Abstract

Changes to IDEA (Individuals with Disability Act), reauthorized in 1997 of Public Law 105-17, states that the identification of children with disabilities be conducted in a nondiscriminatory manner without regards to race, ethnicity, culture, or socioeconomic status (SES), but research still strongly supports the disproportionate representation of minorities within special education classes (Oswald, Coutinho, Best, and Singh, 1999).  It is important to understand the foundation from which the overrepresentation of minorities began, and the factors that contribute to a reduction of this inappropriate placement.  Several key issues have been identified that could greatly reduce the disproportionality of minority students: (a) early intervention preschool, (b) early childhood special education programs, (c) parental involvement, and (d) the professional’s use of culturally applicable pedagogy.  This study investigated the effects of various scholarly researches and their potential to reduce the disproportionate problem of minority representation within special education programs.

Literature Review

Changes to IDEA (Individuals with Disability Act), reauthorized in 1997 of Public Law 105-17, states that the identification of children with disabilities be conducted in a nondiscriminatory manner without regards to race, ethnicity, culture, or socioeconomic status (SES), but research still strongly supports the disproportionate representation of minorities within special education classes (Oswald, Coutinho, Best, and Singh, 1999).  It is important to understand the foundation from which the overrepresentation of minorities began, and the factors that contribute to a reduction of this inappropriate placement.  Several key issues have been identified that could greatly reduce the disproportionality of minority students: (a) early intervention preschool, (b) early childhood special education programs, (c) parental involvement, and (d) the professional’s use of culturally applicable pedagogy.  This study investigated the effects of various scholarly researches and their potential to reduce the disproportionate problem of minority representation within special education programs.

Disproportionate Representation

Disproportionate representations in the academic settings are those children who are insufficiently or exceedingly represented in special education programs due to demographic attributes of themselves and/or their family members.  These characteristics may include an individual’s: ethnicity, culture, linguistic, gender, birth weight of child, and low socioeconomic status (SES) (Morgan, Farkas,  Hillemeier, and Maczuga, 2012).  African American students represent twenty-one percent of total special education students within American schools which is a disproportionate size compared to whites, and are almost three times more likely to be referred for Intellectual Disabilities than their white school-aged peers (Coutinho & Oswald , 2006).  Likewise, Hispanics which represent twenty percent of the student population now represent almost twenty-four percent of special education (Rubora, 2011); whereas, only ten percent of white students are enrolled in the same program.

Early Intervention

A credible alternative that would help reduce the number of minority students in special education programs is the use of early intervention preschool and early childhood special education programs (Morgan et al., 2012).  Under IDEA individual states receive funds to provide students who are “at risk” of becoming learning disabled due to cognitive, physical or behavior disabilities, with scientifically-based early intervention/specialized education programs.  These programs celebrated success in that they have increased student’s reasoning & problem solving capabilities by as much as eighty-two percent, and cognitive skills as much as fifty-four percent.  Sadly, many children from minority families do not get to participate in these programs, because of cultural beliefs & attitudes, ethnic & cultural values, and unenthusiastic pediatricians who fear labeling a child from a minority group as being racially prejudice.  Pre-school white children on average get diagnosed with a disability one to two years prior then their black counter-parts; thus, being exposed to intervention programs at a younger age.  In addition, there is a fear that with the identification of special education services more people will begin to request testing which will put a larger burden on an already finically drain academic system (Nietsch, Siegel, Keefe, & Horn, 2008).

Early Childhood Special Education

Another problem with delayed placement can be in the “timing” of services provided for English Language Learners (ELL) students who receive special education (Hibel, J., & Jasper, A. D. (2012).  Students who enter school that are learning English as a second language go through a series of stages before they actively participate and understand valuable academic concepts.  Hibel and Jasper (2012) identified kindergarten and third grade as critical periods of time for students receiving behavioral, social and academic supports.  These preventative strategies that are provided at optimal times lesson the likelihood of poor behaviors taking root and thriving through later academic years. Children who are English Language Learners entering kindergarten are delayed for referrals to special education programs, because they are thought to be receiving support within the English Speakers of Second Language (ESOL) program.  These supports have not been proven to be successful, and in actuality are hindering the very services ELL students need.  States can determine when ELL students are eligible to exit the ESOL program which oftentimes leaves the student academically deficient due to negligence of special education referrals at a younger age.  As these students exit the program they are required to engage in harder academic concepts, but struggle due to the rigor of the curriculum and are at an increased rate for failure.  Early identification and interventions for these students are just as necessary, if not more, during these critical times of learning.

Parental Involvement

On the opposite side of this controversy lies the issue of overrepresentation of student in special education programs.  Parental involvement has been identified as a key factor in lowering inappropriate referrals and increasing overall student’s academic successes.  Chen & Gregory (2011) describes this home-school environment where parents and teachers work together as a team to determine if a child needs special education services.  With the new changes to IDEA requiring more parental involvement and the mandates for Response to Intervention (RtI) as a tool for pre-referral interventions schools educators are taking a proactive approach to problem solving.  Utilizing pre-referral intervention teams (PIT) and collaborating with parents as part of this team better addresses the student’s areas of concern; thus, reducing the number of referrals for special education services.

Another pre-referral service which partners with both parents and schools that can help reduce the risk of overrepresentation of minorities in special education programs, is known as the school-based health centers (SBHC) (Brown & Bolen (2007).   This program provides mental health and physical wellness to both adolescence and children, and takes proactive steps through various trainings to educate students and parents alike.  SBHC values families and their work schedules and does not require parents to take off from work, instead referrals and consultations are made right at the student’s school.  Some of the programs offered to both parents and students include trainings in: nutrition, alcohol, drugs, violence, conflict resolution, teen pregnancy prevention, children and adolescence health care, mental health services for high-risk adolescence, peer support groups, classroom behavior modifications, crisis interventions, and grief counseling.  These services have provided students with successful tools and have documented hearty results in gains of: better academic achievement for students, lower number of student absences, reduced rate of substance abuse, lower number of referrals for aggressive behaviors, reduction in drop-out rate, and helps schools reach curriculum goals; thus, reducing the number of special education referrals.

Multi-Cultural Pedagogy

Multi-cultural practices share commonalities with special education programs.  There is an emphasis on high expectations for all students, social justice, and equality within the academic settings (Irvine, 2012).  Misunderstandings have lead many teachers to refer minorities to special education programs due to an educator’s lack of awareness of cultural variables such as: behavior, racial stereotypes, marital status, social class, and beliefs of family’s lacks of education.  Teachers need more professional development to understand how dialects, modes of communications, and the effects of linguistics dialogue between students, families, and their academic settings.  To compound this issue of inappropriate referrals, many schools are dealing with high rates of inexperienced teachers due to absences and professional turnovers.  These new professionals lack valuable broader perspectives of minority children, and are thirty to fifty times more likely to leave their jobs within the first five years (Gilbert, Desai, & Kerka). For that reason, pre-service teachers need more exposure during their pre-service careers to develop cultural knowledge.  Cultural responsive pedagogy practices have demonstrated positive results for educators to use when providing instruction to minority students.  Irvin (2012) identifies four areas of interconnected pedagogical influences for pre-service teacher trainings: (a) learn from active involvement with the student’s family and community, (b) use appropriate resources that build cultural experiences within the curriculum, (c) influence student’s motivation with high-level cognitive activities, and (d) have high expectations for all students and develop interpersonal caring relationships.  Building teacher’s knowledge of cultural responsive pedagogy practices helps them learn how their teaching interacts with the learning abilities of minority students within their class.  By increasing cultural awareness of minorities we decrease the rate of inappropriate referrals for special education programs.

The Iris Center, an online resource for teachers, parents, and other stakeholders, describes the use of differentiated instruction to increase struggling learner’s access to the academic content in a flexible way (The Iris Center, 2014).   This model takes into consideration four types of behaviors to provide flexible instruction, (a) present content in a variety of ways to teach new information, (b) help student’s make sense of the content by offering a range of choices, (c) give student’s multiple opportunities to practice what they have learned, and (d) allow students to demonstrate their learning using various formats.

These flexible on-going assessments that take into consideration each child’s unique: abilities, interest, student readiness, intelligence, preferences, and allows child to learn/work in pairs or independently (Anderson, 2007).  In these flexible learning environments students take responsibility for their own leaning which allows teachers to be responsive to their unique learners, and not reactive.  This excellent pedagogical teaching practice empowers teachers to take into consideration the totality of each learner as an individual, and offers a more flexible way of assessing student’s knowledge of content.  For the struggling learner or minority student it serves as an intervention tool and allows teachers to be more attentive to the learners needs within their class.  Differentiated instruction reaches, teaches, and touches, more children on an individual basis which in turn helps to reduce the number of special education referrals.

Summary

Disproportionate representation of minorities in special education has been an ongoing issue for the last forty years (Morgan, et al., 2012).  Research shows that African American students represent twenty-one percent of total special education student’s within American schools (Coutinho & Oswald , 2006); Hispanics represent twenty percent, whereas, only ten percent of white students are enrolled in special education (Rubora, 2011).

An alternative that would help reduce the number of minority students in special education programs is the use of early intervention programs.  Under IDEA, individual states receive funds to provide at-risks student’s scientifically-based early intervention/specialized education programs.  Parental Involvement has been identified as a key factor in lowering inappropriate referrals and increasing overall student’s academic success (Rubora, 2011). New changes to IDEA require more parental involvement and mandates for Response to Intervention to be used as a tool for pre-referral interventions. Another pre-referral service which partners with both parents and schools is the school-based health centers (Brown & Bolen (2007).  This program provides mental health and physical wellness to both adolescence and children.

Multicultural practices share commonalities with special education programs (Irvine, 2012).  There is an emphasis on high expectations for all students, social justice, and equality within the academic settings. Misunderstandings have lead many teachers to refer minorities to special education programs due to an educator’s lack of awareness of cultural variables such as: behavioral, racial stereotypes, marital status, social class, and beliefs of family’s lack of education.

To conclude, it is important to understand the foundation from which the overrepresentation of minorities began, and the factors, stated above, that contribute to a reduction of this inappropriate placement.  Herein, lie several possibilities to help overcome the overrepresentation of minority students within the special education programs, and are possible solutions for a very complex issue.

References

Anderson, K. M. (2007). Differentiating instruction to include all students. Preventing School Failure, 51(3), 49-54. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.fiu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/228568951?accountid=10901

Brown, M. B., & Bolen, L. M. (2007).  The school-based health center as a resource for prevention and health.  Psychology in the Schools, 45(1), 28-38. Retrieved from     http://ezproxy.fiu.edu/login?url=http://search.progquest.com/docview/62063403? accountid=10901

Chen, W., & Gregory, A. (2011). Parental involvement in the prereferral process: Implications for schools.  Remedial and special Education, 32(6), 447-457. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.fiu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/964178622?accounti d=10901

Coutinho, M. & Oswald, D. (2006).  Disproportionate Representation of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students in Special Education: Measuring the Problem.  Retrieved from: www.nccrest.org/Briefs/students_in_SPED_Brief.pdf

Gimbert, B., Desai, S., & Kerka, S. (2010). The big picture: Focusing urban teacher education on the community. Phi Delta Kappan, 92(2), 36-39. Retrieved from ezproxy.fiu.edu/login=http://search.proquest.com/docview/762456750?accountid=10901

Hibel, J., & Jasper, A. D. (2012). Delayed special education placement for learning disabilities among children of immigrants. Social Forces, 91(2), 503-530. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.fiu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1312417933?accountid=10901

Irvine, J. J. (2012). Complex relationships between multicultural education and special education: An african american perspective. Journal of Teacher Education, 63(4), 268-274. Retrieved from ezproxy.fiu.edu/login=http://search.proquest.com/docview /1140128332?accountid=10901

Morgan, P. L., Farkas, G., Hillemeier, M. M., & Maczuga, S. (2012). Are minority children disproportionately represented in early intervention and early childhood special education? Educational Researcher, 41(9), 339-351. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.fiu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1312418062?accountid=10901

Nietsch, P., Siegel, C., Keefe, C., & Horn, K. (2008). Partnering with parents of special needs students: Barriers to collaboration. Bethesda: Retrieved from http://ezproxy.fiu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/274515275?accountid=10901

Oswald, D. P., Coutinho, M. J., Best, A. M., & Singh, N. N. (1999). Ethnic representation in special education: The influence of school-related economic and demographic variables. Journal of Special Education, 32(4), 194-206. Retrieved from ezproxy.fiu.edu/login=http://search.proquest.com/docview/62481737?accountid=10901

Rabora, A., (2011).  Keeping Special Ed in Proportion, Retrieved from www.edweek.org/tsb/articles/2011/10/13/01disproportion.h05.html

The IRIS Center Peabody College Vanderbilt University Nashville.  (2014).  Teaching English Language Learners: Effective Instructional Practices. Retrieved from iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/ell/challenge/

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

http://www.ncwd-youth.info/intersection/current-issue.html

USDOL’s Office of Disability Employment Policy Seeks Family Input on Postsecondary Success for Young Adults with Disabilities

From January 26 to February 6, 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) is hosting an online dialogue to hear the perspectives of family members of young adults with disabilities enrolled in postsecondary education, including certificate programs, apprenticeships, community colleges, and universities. Through this virtual town hall meeting, participants can share their ideas and insights on ways that postsecondary institutions and other organizations can better assist families of young adults with disabilities in supporting their educational and employment success. ODEP’s Assistant Secretary Kathy Martinez highlights the role that families play in this process in her related blog The Family Connection: Supporting Postsecondary Success of Young Adults with Disabilities.

ODEP is conducting the online dialogue via its web-based platform, ePolicyWorks, as part of an ongoing information-gathering series and approach to policymaking that engages citizens and stakeholders in new and innovative ways. The initiative leverages the latest technology to address barriers to employment for people with disabilities and fosters real-time collaboration and communication around key issues.

U.S. Department of Labor Convenes First Meeting of New Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities

The inaugural meeting of the Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities took place on January 22-23, 2015 at the U.S. Access Board. Mandated by the recent Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), the committee’s purpose is to prepare findings and recommendations for the Secretary of Labor on ways to increase competitive integrated employment for individuals with significant disabilities, including intellectual and developmental disabilities, and the use and oversight of certificates for the employment of individuals with significant disabilities at subminimum wages, as authorized by Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The committee consists of federal representatives from the Departments of Labor, Education, Health and Human Services, and the Social Security Administration as well as 17 public members, including self-advocates, employment service providers, national disability advocacy organization members, academic experts, employers, and other members.

NCWD/Youth to Present at 2015 National Mentoring Summit

The 2015 National Mentoring Summit by MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnershipwill feature a workshop by NCWD/Youth staff entitled RAMP’n Up for STEM: Career-Focused Mentoring for All Youth. The Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program (RAMP) is a high-tech, career-focused mentoring program for youth involved with or at risk of becoming involved with the juvenile justice system. RAMP is based on a variety of materials developed by NCWD/Youth, including the Guideposts for Success and Paving the Way to Work: A Guide to Career-Focused Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities. The session, which takes places January 30, 2015 at 9:45 a.m. EST, will be an interactive dialogue about what works: connecting mentors, STEM employers, and at-risk youth.

President Obama Announces Free Community College Plan

On January 9, 2015, President Obama announced his plan to make two years of community college free for students meeting certain requirements. The plan would apply to students who are earning the first half of a bachelor’s degree and for students gaining skills to go directly into the workforce. If all states were to participate, the White House estimates that 9 million students could benefit and a full-time community college student could save an average of $3,800 in tuition per year. President Obama announced this plan at Pellissippi State Community College, the site of one of the grantees of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy’s Pathways to Careers: Community Colleges for Youth and Young Adults with Disabilities Demonstration Project.

CMS Seeking Comments on Draft Summary of Benefits and Coverage

Under the Affordable Care Act, all health plans and issuers are required to provide consumers with a standardized, brief summary of what a health insurance policy or employer plan covers, known as a Summary of Benefits and Coverage. This information allows consumers to make comparisons when they are shopping for health insurance coverage and to have a clear picture of what their insurance covers. Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services are seeking feedback on what should be displayed about health insurance policies and employer plans and in what form such information should be presented. If finalized, the new requirements would be implemented for plan years on or after September 1, 2015. Comments are due by March 2, 2015.

Senate Committee Holds First Full Hearing on ESEA Reauthorization

On January 21, 2015, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) convened its first full committee hearing on the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), a law passed 50 years ago to promote educational opportunity and protect the rights and interests of students disadvantaged by discrimination, poverty, and other conditions that may limit their educational attainment. The hearing, titled Fixing No Child Left Behind: Testing and Accountability, included a witness panel comprised of educators, state education officials, and civil rights education advocates.

TIME Act Introduced in Congress

On January 7, 2015, U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) introduced the Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment (TIME) Act of 2015. The TIME Act would seek to phase out the use of Special Wage Certificates under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act which allow some employers of people with disabilities to pay them less than the minimum wage. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, which will consider it before possibly sending it on to the House of Representatives as a whole.

AIR Hosts Briefing on Lack of Equal Pay for Workers with Disabilities

On January 22, 2015, NCWD/Youth attended a briefing hosted by the American Institutes for Research on Closing the Pay Gap for Workers with Disabilities. The briefing, and accompanying report, An Uneven Playing Field: The Lack of Equal Pay for People with Disabilities, found that people with disabilities earn 64 cents to every dollar their colleagues make and that the greatest earnings inequalities occur among those with master’s degrees or higher. The briefing also discussed what changes to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act mean for workers with disabilities.

AYPF Publishes Policy Brief on Supporting Youth in Transition from Foster Care

The American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF) released Creating Access to Opportunities for Youth in Transition from Foster Care, which highlights best practices and policies and makes recommendations to support youth in transition from foster care. The recommendations are in three critical areas of need: sustainable social capital, permanency supports, and access to postsecondary opportunities. For each area, AYPF defined the challenges youth face and identified promising programs and policies that are in place to help them transition from foster care to a healthy successful adult life.

NCWD/Youth’s Host Organization Holds Successful Annual Meeting with Juvenile Justice Transition Program

On January 20 and 21, 2015, NCWD/Youth’s host organization, the Institute for Educational Leadership, held the second Annual Meeting for the Right Turn Career-Focused Transition Initiative, a program that provides a career development process for youth that are involved with or at risk of becoming involved with the juvenile justice system. The meeting was hosted at one of the five Right Turn sites at KentuckianaWorksin Louisville, KY and had youth and adult representation from the other sites: Peckham, Inc., in Lansing, MI; Oasis Center in Nashville, TN; Playa Vista Jobs in Los Angeles, CA; and Goodwill Industries of Houston in Houston, TX. The meeting featured content-rich training both in and out of the facility and featured a visit from Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer. Right Turn is based on a variety of foundational materials from IEL and NCWD/Youth and is funded by the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration.

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!

• There Is No “I” in “Teach” (cross-post from Blend My Learning) – 1/14/2014
• Wale Shares “Ambition” with Adjudicated RAMP Youth – 1/28/2014

January is National Mentoring Month! Check out some of our most popular mentoring themed blogs below!

• Being a Role Model for Youth Should Be Everyone’s Job
• Be Someone Who Matters to Someone Who Matters
• Thank Your Mentor Today!
• Inclusive Mentoring: What Do You Need to Know?
• Mentors: Superheroes without the Cape

Legislative Announcements, Calls to Participate

and New Projects

Autism Speaks Putting New Focus on Adults
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2015/02/03/autism-speaks-focus-adults/20019/
After prioritizing the needs of children for years, Autism Speaks, the nation’s largest autism advocacy organization is turning its attention to expanding housing options and supports for adults. Starting as a pilot project in three states, Florida, New Jersey and Illinois, Autism Speaks is working with locally-based disability advocacy groups and policymakers to identify legislative goals and mobilize its own network to push for expanded home and community-based services.

Obama Calls for Boost to Disability Programs
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2015/02/03/obama-budget-disability/20023/
President Barack Obama wants Congress to halt planned cuts under sequestration and increase funding for special education and other programs for people with disabilities. The proposals come in Obama’s $4 trillion budget plan which was released 02/16/15. The budget highlights the president’s priorities for the government’s 2016 fiscal year starting Oct. 1. Included in the plan is an added $175 million in funding for special education services for school-age children with disabilities and $115 million for programs for young kids served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

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 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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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 2015
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 2015 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 2015 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.

Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation: Grants for Youth with Disabilities
http://www.meaf.org/how_to_apply/
The Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation Grants program is dedicated to helping young Americans with disabilities maximize their potential and fully participate in society. The foundation supports organizations and projects within its mission that have broad scope and impact and demonstrate potential for replication at other sites. A major program emphasis is inclusion: enabling young people with disabilities to have full access to educational, vocational, and recreational opportunities, and to participate alongside their non-disabled peers. Maximum award: $90,000. Eligibility: 501(c)3 organizations. Deadline for Concept Papers: June 1, 2015.

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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