August 2016 – Special Educator e-Journal

Table of Contents

• Update from the U.S. Department of Education

• NCWD: Intersection: Navigating the Road to Work

• Special Education Teacher Attrition. By Reshma Mulchan of Florida International University

• Buzz from the HUB

• From the Journal of American Academy of Special Education Professionals (JAASEP): Cameras in Self-Contained Classrooms: Legal, Professional and Student Implications. By Ashlee Ivie from Southern Utah University

• Latest Employment Opportunities Posted on NASET

• Acknowledgements

• Download a PDF or XPS Version of This Issue

Fact Sheet: Education Department Releases Proposed Regulations to Encourage Better and Fairer Tests, Reduce Burden of Testing

One essential part of educating students successfully is assessing their progress. Done well and thoughtfully, assessments are tools for learning and promoting equity. They provide necessary information for educators, families, the public, and students themselves to measure progress and improve outcomes for all learners. Done poorly, in excess, or without clear purpose, however, they take valuable time away from teaching and learning, draining creative approaches from our classrooms.

Many states have done important work in recent years to improve and reduce testing, but in too many places, redundant or ineffective assessments still consume valuable instructional time without clear purpose or benefit.

In October, President Obama announced a Testing Action Plan, putting forward a set of principles and steps to restore balance to America’s classrooms, protecting the vital role that good assessments play in guiding progress for students while providing help in unwinding practices that have burdened classroom time or not served students, educators, or families well. That plan acknowledged the role that this Administration has, at times, had to play in the overuse of testing and set forth a new vision for the role assessments should play in schools.

Consistent with the President’s plan, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) ensures annual information about students’ progress for parents, educators, and policymakers while helping states and districts improve and reduce testing. The law commits resources for states to improve their assessment systems by reviewing their existing assessments to ensure that each test is high-quality, maximizes instructional goals, has a clear purpose, and is designed to help students demonstrate progress. In addition, the law creates flexibility for state and local leaders to think creatively – beyond just test scores and graduation rates – about how to measure school quality. The law also enables state and local leaders and educators to eliminate redundant or unnecessary tests, by auditing their assessment systems and to start piloting innovative approaches to next generation assessments.

ESSA presents an opportunity to reclaim the promise of a high-quality, well-rounded education for every student by reducing the focus on testing, while ensuring critical protections for all students. Today, as part of its ongoing effort to seize that opportunity through implementation of the law, the U.S. Department of Education is releasing two Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). Together, they implement provisions of Title I of ESSA that seek to ensure states administer high-quality assessments that are worth taking and provide meaningful data about student success and equity, while also encouraging states and districts to continue to push the field of assessment forward through innovation.

“Across the country, states, districts, and educators are leading the way in developing innovative assessments that measure students’ academic progress; promote equity by highlighting achievement gaps, especially for our traditionally underserved students; and spur improvements in teaching and learning for all our children,” stated U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. “Our proposed regulations build on President Obama’s plan to strike a balance around testing, providing additional support for states and districts to develop and use better, less burdensome assessments that give a more well-rounded picture of how students and schools are doing, while providing parents, teachers, and communities with critical information about students’ learning.”

Ensuring Fairer and Better Tests Under Title I-A
The first proposed regulation focuses on ensuring states continue to administer tests that are fair measures of student achievement for all students, with particular focus on ensuring states appropriately capture and measure the progress of English Learners and students with disabilities. It also allows states to take advantage of a range of innovative approaches to improve assessment and reduce the burden of tests, such as utilizing computer-adaptive assessment, implementing smaller interim assessments in place of large summative tests, and diverse measures such as performance-based assessments.

The proposed regulation also implements flexibilities such as allowing districts to offer locally selected, nationally recognized high school tests in place of the annual-statewide high school assessment, which could reduce the amount of testing in high schools. This regulation was subject to negotiated rulemaking and achieved consensus among negotiators in the spring, a reflection of the support for the principles of creating flexibilities for states and districts and for ensuring that tests are administered fairly.

Creating Better, More Innovative, Next-Generation Assessments
The second proposed regulation establishes a rigorous, but achievable, process for a small set of states to take advantage of  new innovative demonstration authority under Title I, Part B, which will enable up to seven states to re-think their testing systems and pilot new approaches—to develop the next generation of high-quality statewide assessments. Specifically, these demonstration states will be allowed to phase-in and use a new system for accountability initially in a subset of their districts, while maintaining their existing system in the rest.  As innovative assessments are administered and used for accountability and reporting in participating schools, states in the demonstration authority can apply lessons learned from implementation to improve their innovative systems and take these projects to scale, building a new statewide assessment system over 5 years-one that is high-quality, fair, and worth taking.

 

U.S. Department of Education Takes Actions to Address Religious Discrimination

As part of ongoing efforts to encourage respect for students of all faiths and beliefs, the U.S. Department of Education shared a series of actions that confront discrimination and promote inclusive school environments.

The steps include a new website on religious discrimination, an updated civil rights complaint form, an expanded survey of America’s public schools on religious-based bullying, technical assistance for schools, and recent outreach on confronting religious harassment in education.

“Students of all religions should feel safe, welcome and valued in our nation’s schools,” said Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon. “We will continue to work with schools and communities to stop discrimination and harassment so that all students have an equal opportunity to participate in school no matter who they are, where they come from or which faith, if any, they subscribe to.”

“Today’s announcement underscores that we are concerned about the well-being of ALL students. On the prevention side, President Obama’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge, started in 2011, is another important resource,” said the Rev. Brenda Girton-Mitchell, director of the Department’s Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. “Our agency has had the privilege of coordinating the Challenge which provides college students from many religious traditions as well as nonbelievers to work together to tackle community problems. This higher education civic engagement allows students from religiously diverse backgrounds to build bridges of understanding across cultural and religious lines and helps prevent intolerance.”

Among the highlights of today’s actions:

• Religious Discrimination Website. The Department’s Office for Civil Rights launched a new page on its website with information about federal laws that protect students from discrimination involving their religion. The page links to OCR policy guidance, notable case resolutions, and resources in multiple languages and from other federal agencies.
• Updated Online Complaint Form. OCR updated its online complaint form to clarify that the office can investigate complaints regarding racial, ethnic or national origin discrimination involving religion. It reaffirms that students, parents, and persons of all faiths can file such complaints with OCR even though the laws OCR enforces do not expressly address religious discrimination in education. OCR has used enforcement as a key tool to protect students of many religious backgrounds from unlawful discrimination, including Jewish students subjected to anti-Semitic epithets and Muslim students targeted for wearing a hijab and called terrorists. Where schools have records of failing to address hostile environments, OCR seeks and secures commitments from them to improve their harassment policies and procedures, train staff and students, and conduct school climate surveys.

Other recent efforts undertaken by the Department to address discrimination involving religion include:

• New Data From U.S. Schools. Later this year, every public school across the country, for the first time, will report to OCR through the Civil Rights Data Collection on the number of incidents of religious-based bullying or harassment in their schools in the 2015-16 school year. This new collection will give stakeholders, policymakers, and educators critical data that will allow them to further understand the problem of religious discrimination and to measure progress going forward.
• Government Collaboration. Since March, OCR has participated in a series of roundtables with federal agencies through the Justice Department’s Combating Religious Discrimination Today initiative, on issues of religious discrimination, including bullying of students from diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds.
• Outreach. In June, OCR issued a fact sheet about combating discrimination against Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Muslim, Arab, Sikh and South Asian students, and translated the fact sheet into 15 languages to ensure that limited English proficiency is not a barrier to understanding one’s rights under federal civil rights laws. Lhamon recently blogged about her office’s work to prevent discrimination involving religion at schools and universities.
• Technical Assistance. In response to “an increasing number of incidents of anti-Semitic bullying and harassment in public schools . . . [and] reports documenting that students who are or are perceived as Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Arab, Middle Eastern, South Asian, or Southeast Asian are frequent targets of bullying and harassment,” the Department adopted new regulations for its Equity Assistance Centers (EACs) that will enable them, starting in October, to provide technical assistance, on request, to public school districts, students and parents, and community organizations about religious discrimination and harassment.

OCR enforces Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars discrimination based on race, color, and national origin, including a person’s actual or perceived shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics or citizenship or residency in a country with a dominant religion or distinct religious identity. That includes membership in a religion that may be perceived to exhibit ethnic characteristics, as often experienced by Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, and Sikh students.

Earlier this year, President Obama proclaimed Jan. 16 as “Religious Freedom Day, 2016” declaring that, “Since our country’s founding, religious freedom has been heralded as one of our most cherished ideals.”

In addition to the actions listed above, the Administration is taking other steps to combat religious discrimination.

The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is launching a new webpage today to ensure communities know about its work to combat hate violence and enforce laws such as the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. The Civil Rights Division is also publishing an update on its enforcement of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA).

Today, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced that it will implement changes to its collection of demographic data from individuals who file charges with the agency. These changes will allow EEOC to collect more precise data about the religion of the individual alleging discrimination. This will assist the agency, as well as the public, in recognizing and responding to trends in the data. And, to protect young workers, EEOC released a fact sheet, in English and in Spanish, about religious discrimination on their Youth@Work website which presents information for teens and other young workers about employment discrimination.

Education Department Proposes Rule on State Authorization of Postsecondary Distance Education, Foreign Locations

The U.S. Department of Education proposed regulations that seek to improve oversight and protect more than 5.5 million distance education students at degree-granting institutions, including nearly 3 million exclusively online students by clarifying the state authorization requirements for postsecondary distance education.

To ensure that institutions offering distance education are legally authorized and monitored by states, as required by the Higher Education Act, the proposed regulations clarify state authorization requirements for institutions to participate in the Department’s federal student aid programs. The proposed regulations also address state and federal oversight of American colleges operating in foreign locations worldwide.

“These proposed regulations achieve an important balance between accountability and flexibility, and in so doing create better protections for students and taxpayers,” said U.S. Under Secretary of Education Ted Mitchell. “Additionally, these regulations promote and clarify state authorization procedures, further strengthening the integrity of federal financial aid programs.”

In 2006, Congress abolished a rule restricting access to federal student aid for distance education programs. Since then, the number of students enrolled in online degree programs has significantly increased. By 2014, more than half of students at for-profit institutions were enrolled in exclusively distance education courses, compared with an estimated 9 percent of students in public institutions and 15 percent of students in private nonprofit institutions.

State authorization is a longstanding requirement in the Higher Education Act that requires institutions to be authorized in the state in which they are located as a condition for eligibility to receive Title IV Federal student aid. While all higher education institutions must have state authorization in the states in which they are physically located, there are no federal requirements for distance education providers in states where the institutions are not located.

The proposed regulations close this loophole by:

• Requiring institutions offering distance education or correspondence courses to be authorized by each state in which the institution enrolls students, if such authorization is required by the state. The proposed regulation recognizes authorization through participation in a state authorization reciprocity agreement, as long as the agreement does not prevent a state from enforcing its own consumer laws.
• Requiring institutions to document the state process for resolving student complaints regarding distance education programs.
• Requiring public and individualized disclosures to enrolled and prospective students in distance education programs, including adverse actions taken against the school, the school’s refund policies, and whether each program meets applicable state licensure or certification requirements.
• Requiring that foreign branch campuses or locations be authorized by the appropriate foreign government agency and, if at least half of a program can be completed at the foreign location or branch campus, be approved by the accrediting agency and reported to the state where the main campus is located.

The Department previously regulated on state authorization of both physical locations and distance education in 2010, but a federal court vacated the distance education portion of the rule on procedural grounds in 2011. The other portions of the 2010 state authorization rule relating to physical locations were implemented last year. Similar to the proposed rule, the 2010 physical locations rule also required institutions to be authorized by states having a state-based consumer complaint system.

The Department held three sessions of negotiated rulemaking on this issue in 2014, but the negotiating committee did not reach consensus. These proposed regulations are a result of that process and further a longstanding regulatory effort by the Department to support state oversight of schools that offer distance or correspondence education and protect students in those programs.

The proposed regulations will be published in the Federal Register on July 25, and the public comment period will end August 24. The Department expects to publish a final regulation before the end of the year.

 

 

Administration Honors U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools, Districts, and Postsecondary Institutions; Announces 2016 Green Strides Tour

Deputy Secretary of Commerce Bruce Andrews, Federal Chief Sustainability Officer Christine Harada, and Deputy Director of the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council Anisa Baldwin-Metzger joined U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. to congratulate the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools’ District Sustainability Awardees, and Postsecondary Sustainability Awardees on their achievements at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.

At the event, 47 schools and 15 districts were honored for their exemplary efforts to reduce environmental impact and costs, promote better health, and ensure effective environmental education. In addition, 11 colleges and universities were honored with the Postsecondary Sustainability Award. Representatives from honored schools, districts and postsecondary institutions received sustainably-crafted plaques in recognition of their achievements.

“I congratulate these honorees that are leaders in school facilities, wellness and environmental education practices,” King said. “Their common-sense approach to investing more in education – rather than in utility bills – improves health and attendance, while exciting students about hands-on, real world learning.

Healthy, safe and efficient facilities as well as access to sustainability education are innovative ways to boost productivity and performance at every grade level.”

“With ongoing threats to our environment, we need to prepare for a future different from our own. The U.S. Department of Education’s Green Ribbon School awards are an outstanding example to get today’s youth to think and act towards building a more sustainable future,” said Deputy Secretary of Commerce Bruce Andrews.

“It is exciting to see the great commitment that our nation’s schools have for environmental sustainability,” said Federal Chief Sustainability Officer Christine Harada. “This exemplary effort will not only save these schools energy and much needed money, but it will also show that even the youngest in our society can reduce their carbon footprint and make a difference in protecting our planet.”

“This year’s awardees have much to be proud of – from innovative operational practices that save their schools valuable funds to pioneering education that involves students in the creation of a more sustainable world,” said Deputy Director of the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council Anisa Baldwin-Metzger. “We commend these schools, districts, and postsecondary institutions on their hard work, and we applaud the Department of Education’s commitment to honoring their success in positively impacting the environment, supporting health and wellness, and advancing environmental and sustainability literacy.”

King also announced the annual Green Strides Best Practices Tour, this year under the theme “Real World Learning.” This year’s tour will take place in September and spotlight sustainability education in past and present school, district and postsecondary honorees in Pennsylvania.

The honorees were selected from a pool of nominations made by 27 state education authorities, including 25 states, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Education Activity. The list of selectees includes 41 public schools and six private schools. The public schools include three charter and eight magnet schools. The schools serve various grade levels, including 27 elementary, 18 middle and 14 high schools are among them, with several schools having various K-12 configurations. Thirty-seven of the 2016 honorees (51 percent) serve a disadvantaged student body and among them are two community colleges and one work-college.

View the list of all selected schools and districts and summaries of each of the 73 honorees.  More information on the federal recognition award can be found here.

 

Secretary King Announces 2016 Promise Neighborhoods Grant Competition

U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. announced the 2016 Promise Neighborhoods grant competition, which will award $30 million to up to five organizations to provide their communities with a coordinated, comprehensive suite of services and school supports aimed at improving the outcomes for students and their families. The program is part of ED’s continued commitment to support locally-designed initiatives to revitalize the country’s most disadvantaged communities.

“We know that giving students the positive supports provided by Promise Neighborhoods helps to prepare them for success in school and their communities. The kind of interdisciplinary support that this program generates can transform our most distressed communities,” said King.

“The expansion of Promise Neighborhoods is good news for struggling communities all across the United States,” said Geoffrey Canada, a pioneer in comprehensive community development and founder of Harlem Children’s Zone, which serves as a model for Promise Neighborhoods. “Finally we are offering a comprehensive, cradle-to-career strategy for disadvantaged youth in our most at-risk communities. This is terrific news because it helps tens of thousands of children from poor families take a real shot at achieving the American Dream.”

Promise Neighborhoods was launched by the Obama Administration in 2010, and is a community-based cradle-to-career program that places schools at the center of a community’s revitalization efforts and aligns comprehensive supports that meet students’ and families’ needs. These supports include high-quality early learning, rich after-school activities, mental health services, job training, and crime prevention. The grants rely on local leaders to build capacity and drive change within their communities, and succeed by building a shared vision around creating equitable opportunities for students and families.

The 2016 Promise Neighborhoods grant competition is the fourth and final round of funding for the program under the Obama Administration. New grantees will build on a portfolio of 58 prior Promise Neighborhood grants in 48 communities across the nation, representing a federal investment of nearly $300 million. To date, over 1,000 national, state, and local organizations have partnered with a Promise Neighborhood, benefiting students at over 700 schools. It is one of several Administration initiatives, including Strong Cities, Strong Communities; Choice Neighborhoods; and Promise Zones, that focuses on strengthening successful Federal partnerships with communities.

Potential applicants, including nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, and Indian tribes, are encouraged to read the full Notice Inviting Applications. Applications are due by September 6, 2016. More information on the program, including a full list of past grantees, is available on the Promise Neighborhoods website.

 

Murphy, Fudge Introduce Stronger Together School Diversity Act of 2016

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge (Ohio-11), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education of the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce, on Tuesday introduced the Stronger Together School Diversity Act of 2016 to promote diversity in schools. The bill builds on President Obama’s FY 2017 Stronger Together budget proposal, and consists of a voluntary program to support the development and expansion of new and existing community-driven strategies to increase diversity in America’s schools. In June, Murphy joined U.S. Education Secretary John B. King Jr. at an event in the U.S. Capitol to discuss the opportunity for increased diversity in schools and communities to drive positive student outcomes in school and in life.

An April 2016 Government Accountability Office report found that the number of socioeconomic and racially segregated schools is increasing, negatively impacting students nationwide. The data shows that poor, segregated schools receive fewer resources, offer students fewer educational opportunities and take more disciplinary actions. Expanding socioeconomic and racial diversity in schools will reverse these troubling trends and help future generations of students receive the education they deserve.

In fact, students from low-income households who attend diverse schools are nearly 70 percent more likely to attend college than students from low-income households who attend high-poverty schools. The Stronger Together School Diversity Act of 2016 provides planning and implementation grants to help school districts find voluntary local solutions, implement new strategies, and expand existing diversity initiatives.

“Diverse schools help students. That’s the bottom line,” said Murphy. “We’re introducing this bill because districts need the resources to enact voluntary measures that will make schools more diverse and reduce the economic and racial isolation that sadly exists in places like Hartford and Bridgeport. Looking back, some of the proudest moments in our nation’s history have come when the federal government prioritizes racial integration in our schools. That’s why Washington cannot sit on the sidelines as racial and socioeconomic divisions in our schools get worse and our kids’ schools suffer.”

“Brown v. Board ruled more than 60 years ago that ‘separate is not equal,’ yet it is obvious that many schools are suffering from the effects of “de facto” segregation,” said Fudge. “As Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education, increasing diversity in staff, resources, and student populations in our public schools is a top priority. That’s why I am pleased to be the House sponsor of The Stronger Together School Diversity Act of 2016. This bill will help bring parity of access and resources to schools across the nation, provide a platform to address inequities within our current education system, and help give all of our students a chance to succeed.”

“Today, diversity is not a nicety but a necessity,” Secretary King said. “Diversity is critical,  not just for some students, but for all of our students. There are communities and neighborhoods and schools all over this country where educators, parents, and students understand this and are pushing for more diversity in their schools. The legislation introduced by Senator Murphy and Congresswoman Fudge will support and expand these efforts.”

Philip Tegeler of the National Coalition on School Diversity said, “School integration isn’t just important for academic achievement, although the evidence on achievement is very strong. Bringing children of different backgrounds together also helps to reduce racial prejudice and teaches children how to live and work together across racial and class lines. This bill is an important step toward reversing the trend of resegregation of our public schools that was recently documented by the Government Accountability Office, and it will provide funding for cities and towns that have recognized the importance of bringing their communities back together.

What is unique about this bill is that it relies on substantial financial incentives to encourage progress on school integration.”

The Stronger Together Diversity Act has been endorsed by the National Education Association, American Federation of Teachers, the National Urban League, National Women’s Law Center, National Coalition on School Diversity, Association of University Centers on Disabilities, Magnet Schools of America, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Poverty & Race Research Action Council, Civil Rights Project – UCLA, National Council of Jewish Women, and Girls Inc..

The Stronger Together School Diversity Act

• Authorizes $120 million to provide planning and implementation grants to support voluntary local efforts to increase socioeconomic and racial diversity in schools.
• Supports school districts, independently or in collaboration with neighboring districts, as well as regional educational authorities and educational service agencies.
• Grants could fund a range of proposals, including (but not limited to):

Studying segregation, evaluating current policies, and developing evidence-based plans to address socioeconomic and racial isolation;

Establishing public school choice zones, revising school boundaries, or expanding bussing service;

Creating or expanding innovative school programs that can attract students from outside the local area;

Recruiting, hiring, and training new teachers to support specialized schools.

To top

To access everything below in this section from Buzz from the Hub, visit:

http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/buzz-may2016/

and

 

http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/buzz-june2016/

New Resources in the Hub

Understanding Student Learning: The Need for Education Data.
This 3-page fact sheet explains the types of data schools collect and how they use education data to help individual students. It also explains who needs these education data and why. From the Alliance for Excellent Education.

Opening Doors to Self-Determination Skills.
This 26-page handbook, subtitled Planning for Life After High School, deals with the self-determination and self-advocacy skills that students will need no matter what option they choose after high school. Want to start teaching these skills in the early grades? That’s included in the handbook, too.

Webinar series on Family, School, and Community Engagement.
Definitely share news of this series with school systems! The webinar series of 9 makes clear that effective family engagement is not a one-time program or event. Rather, it’s a set of day-to-day practices, attitudes, beliefs, and interactions that support learning at home, at school, afterschool, and during the summer. The series focuses on how to get there.

New from CPIR! Tools That Empower Spanish-Speaking Parents.
In the last year, more than 27% of the families served by Parent Centers received their services in Spanish. CPIR’s Myriam Alizo has compiled this “starter” list of tools that can empower Spanish-speaking parents and support the bilingual work that so many of you do.

Surrogate Parents and Unaccompanied Homeless Youth under IDEA.
Each year, more than 1.5 million youth run away from, or are forced out of, their homes. Did you know that every local educational agency has a designated homeless liaison, with the responsibility to identify homeless students and ensure they can enroll in school and receive appropriate services and supports? This document discusses the rights of homeless youth who may need special education services.

What Parent Centers Need to Know: Historical Perspectives for Working with Native American Parents.
This document from the Native American PTAC (NAPTAC) describes some of the historical factors impacting the participation of Native parents in the schooling of their children.

Developing Relationships with Families.
For Parent Centers | This isn’t just one learning resource—it’s a package of 4 individual sessions: (1) Getting Started: Family Engagement and Positive Goal-Oriented Relationships; (2) Strengths-Based Attitudes and Relationship-Based Practices; (3) Reflective Strategies: Sustaining Effective Practice; and (4) Additional Resources on family engagement and related topics.

Professional Development Tools to Make Continuous Family Engagement Come Alive!
For educators, schools, and school systems | Share the March newsletter of FINE, the Family Involvement Network of Educators. It offers educators tools and resources for learning and developing the skills to promote family engagement from early childhood through to transitioning to college.

Immigrant Parents and Early Childhood Programs: Addressing Barriers of Literacy, Culture, and Systems Knowledge.
For Parent Centers and schools | Immigrant parents face significant barriers as they try to engage with their children’s early educational experiences. This report identifies the unique needs of newcomer parents across the range of expectations for parent skill, engagement, and leadership, as well as strategies to address these needs. From the National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy.

Interactive Homelessness Lessons.
For Parent Centers and schools | The Interactive Homelessness Lessons were designed to strengthen the knowledge and skills of all staff who work with families experiencing homelessness. The lessons include useful strategies, compelling parent stories, experiences and lessons learned, sample documents, and much more.

Quick Guide on Making School Climate Improvements.
This Quick Guide provides Parent Centers, district and school leaders, teachers, school staff, and other members of the school community with the basics of how to initiate, implement, and sustain school climate improvements, with emphasis on 5 specific sets of activities.

Statement of Interest.
The U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education have filed a Statement of Interest in a case about the language-based rights of parents who are limited English proficient (LEP). The SOI addresses, among other matters, the extent to which IEPs of children with disabilities must be translated for LEP parents under the Civil Rights Act and the Equal Educational Opportunities Act.

OSEP Policy Letter about the Extended Part C Option under IDEA.
Issued in May, this policy letter from OSEP clarifies that there is nothing in IDEA that addresses if an IEP must be developed before a parent chooses Part C early intervention services or Part B services for their child after age 3.

New IDEAs that Work website.
Check out the redesigned IDEAs That Work website, which now houses information and resources from tadnet.org (the website of the TACC, the Technical Assistance Coordination Center); OSEP’s database of discretionary grants; federal resources for stakeholders; and more.

Takeaways for Parents from the National Parent Survey.
Results of ZERO TO THREE’s survey of parents of children birth to 5 years old (which included a series of in-home discussions) are in and reveal important insights about what parents think, know, and need when it comes to raising their young children. This article summarizes the key takeaways from the research.

Helping Resistant Teens into Treatment.
For treatment to work, young people not only need to be in the room, they need to be motivated enough to want (and believe) that things can change. Here are powerful suggestions for parents. From the Child Mind Institute.

Physical Developmental Delays: What to Look For.
Do you have parents who are concerned about their young child’s motor development? Here’s an interactive online tool that parents can use to learn more about physical developmental delays for children ages 5 and under. The information is also meant to help parents start a conversation with their child’s pediatrician. From the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Executive Functioning Issues: Strategies You Can Try at Home.
Parenting a child with executive functioning issues can have its challenges. But there are specific strategies and tools that could make everyday life easier for parents and their child.

Resources You Can Share with Families

This section of the Buzz identifies useful resources you might share with families or mention in your own news bulletins. You told us you’re interested in resources that are ready-to-share with families, so we’ve identified several relating to other topics of interest, especially key transition moments across time.

Get Ready for Kindergarten!
Being ready for kindergarten means that a child with special needs is able to attend to and learn the information being presented in the academic setting and is emotionally able to interact appropriately with the teacher and fellow students. This article asks (and answers) 2 questions: What are some of the skills expected of a child entering kindergarten? And what are some things that families can do to prepare their child for kindergarten?

Parent Toolkit | In English and Spanish.
This toolkit will help parents navigate their child’s journey from pre-kindergarten through high school. It is designed to help families track and support progress at each stage. While not specifically about children with disabilities, the toolkit explores growth and development through each of the grades (K-12) and provides important and useful information about how to support children’s academics, social-emotional development, and health and wellness.

Making My Way Through College: A Guide for Youth with Disabilities.
This guide is aimed at helping students with disabilities navigate postsecondary education. It provides information and resources on preparing for and succeeding in college and transitioning from college into the world of work.

Early Connections: A Parent Education Toolkit for Early Childhood Providers.
Early Connections offers a host of easy-to-use resources early childhood providers (and Parent Centers!) can use to educate the families they serve about media and technology. The toolkit includes handouts, family workshop outlines, media recommendations and more, focused on 6 topics related to media and technology: feelings and friends, creative play, moving, language, reasoning, and media messages.

Capacity Building Takes Time.
Building the system’s capacity to support evidence-based practices is a complex endeavor, to say the least. In this SISEP eNotes from April, implementation specialists summarize how to make capacity building last. The eNotes also links you to SISEP’s series of modules on the nuts-and-bolts of active implementation.

Share your input on the proposed regulations for parts of ESSA.
As you no doubt know, the Department of Education has released proposed regulations for the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to address the specific areas of (1) accountability and school improvement, (2) data reporting, and (3) consolidated state plans.

NCWD: Intersection: Navigating the Road to Work

Students with Traumatic Brain Injury: Observation and Intervention By Pamela L. Snavely

By

Pamela L. Snavely

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a prevalent health issue which affects multiple thousands of children each year. As a result, it is imperative that educators are able to recognize academic and psychosocial problems of children with TBI. Furthermore, it is essential that educators are not only able to identify these issues, but are able to effectively implement strategies which will improve the students’ academic and behavioral skills. This article details some of the concerns associated with adolescents with traumatic brain injury. While these students can struggle academically due to poor organization, memory issues, and focus, during this transitional time in life, social skills or lack thereof, are often just as big a problem for students with TBI. These students often struggle with loneliness and isolation due to the fact that they can be emotionally unstable, lack proper boundaries, and misunderstand social miscues. Furthermore, this piece of writing explores several interventions which can be put into practice in order to assist these learners.  Two of these interventions are behavioral self-regulating and an arts-based therapy program.

 

Introduction

According to Greenwald, Barrett, & Miller (2003) a traumatic brain injury, TBI, is defined as damage to the brain not due to any pre-existing condition that occurs after birth (Agnihotri, 2014). TBI is often associated with car collisions, physical abuse, or childhood accidents. These instances can range from minor concussions to protracted coma. According to the Center for Disease Control, although the majority of TBI cases in America are caused by falls, nearly 40 percent, the most deaths accredited to traumatic brain injury are due to motor vehicle accidents (2010). Likewise, Faul, Xu, Wald, and Coronado (2010) state that around 700,000 children are seen in emergency rooms across America each year for injuries which are diagnosed as traumatic brain injuries (Moran, 2013).

Overcoming Obstacles to Parent/Student Participation in Early Intervention Programs by Embracing Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families By Deborah C. McLaughlin

By

Deborah C. McLaughlin

Florida International University

Abstract

Many families of children with disabilities, especially those that are Culturally and Lingistically Diverse (CLD), go through the process of obtaining services for their children from the ages of 0-3 in a family-based system of service delivery. However, even though these same children are eligible to receive services after turning age three, the available service delivery method changes to the public school setting. This paper explores possible roadblocks that these families encounter and ways professionals and families can overcome them to continue services in the best interests of the disabled child.

 

Introduction

In early childhood, individuals with developmental disabilities (DD) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are at a critical point in age at which early intervention has been shown to improve their social, academic, and communicative outcomes later in life (Leon, 2014; Marshall & Mendez, 2014; Stern et al., 2015; Williams, Perrigo, Banda, Matic, & Goldfarb, 2013; Mattern, 2014). Language delay and behavior issues are frequently linked (Leon, 2014; Williams et al. 2013). Ideally, when a parent recognizes that their child needs services and goes through extensive steps to get support for their child, they will receive an Individualized Family Plan of Service (IFPS) if their child is newborn until age three. After the child turns three, an Individual Education Plan (IEP) is written and they then must enroll their child in a Pre-Kindergarten Exceptional Student Education (PreK ESE) program, usually in a public school setting. However, in some instances along the way, parents choose not to proceed with their child’s enrollment, instead opting out. This points to a breakdown in facility of access to the system of services delivery.  Some reasons that parents, especially those that are Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) do not continue in getting help for their child include: language barriers, lack of agency response (Williams et al., 2013), lack of communication between agencies (Canary, 2008), not being able to talk to a live person (Williams et al., 2013), poor past experiences with an agency, fear of being racially stereotyped and the sometimes adversarial attitudes of professionals in the schools (Irvine, 2012).

Programs are in place to help parents realize that assistance is available but navigating the system to find access to services can be extremely stressful on a family with a disabled child. Family physicians and pediatricians regularly screen for developmental delays and inform parents of agencies to which to apply with their referral. The steps in the process from referral to placement each have their own demands on the parent. Some obstacles to parents completing all the required steps are: their having to miss work, lack of transportation, lack of/no resources for child care, making multiple telephone calls, often on hold, finding a caseworker that speaks a language other than English, being distrustful of the agency because of past negative experiences and being distrustful of an government agency because of the parents’ legal status. The transition from an IFPS where service providers come to the child’s home, to an IEP in a “big school” setting is a crucial step for the parents and the child. How can we convince parents that this is in their own and their child’s best interest?

Stressors That Face CLD Parents in Advocating for Their Children with Disabilities

Non-English speaking parents have frustrating obstacles to receiving services (Canary, 2008). In a study done in Los Angeles, California by Williams, Perrigo, Banda, Matic and Goldfarb (2013), scripted calls were made to local schools, mental health centers and agencies, the first round of thirty initial calls were in English. The second round of thirty calls to the same agencies were made in Spanish. The regional centers were efficient in settling up appointments 90% of the time, but calls to mental health centers and schools were not as successful, and with the Spanish callers, only 50% were able to make appointments. Interestingly, this discrepancy took place in Los Angeles where Spanish is the second most spoken language (p. 70). In total, twenty-five percent of the calls resulted in hang ups or the inability to talk to a live person after three calls.

Through the process of referral and identification, many times parents do not understand the severity of their child’s disability and do not seek treatment for it (Marshall & Mendez, 2014). This points to a lack of helpful interpretation from professionals. Parents are also distanced when services are provided for one disability such as speech, but another concern such as behavior is not addressed (Marshall & Mendez, 2014). In a study of exit interviews with twelve parents after early intervention placements for their child published in 2014, Mattern recounts that many wished that the therapists would share the strategies that they used in interventions (p.63). The most satisfied parents were provided with a communication notebook by the therapists as they were not likely to see them during regular student drop off and pick up.

Our lowest socioeconomic status families often have parents that work multiple jobs. The lack of time that parents are able to spend with their children produces stress while involvement in activities like a routine of telling bedtime stories not only helps reduce stress but increases the bond between parent and child, helping the child later (Leon, 2014). Adding to that stress is the stratospheric reading level of procedural safeguards that are given at an IEP meeting. This is the document that tells parents what their rights as the parent of a child with a disability consist of. States were given the right to produce their own versions of procedural safeguards and while one state produced a document with a tenth grade reading level, most of the other states wrote theirs at college or graduate school reading level (Mandic, Rudd, Hehir, & Acevedo-Garcia, 2012). Additionally, Mandic and colleagues (2012) report that more than half of 25 to 49 year olds are considered to have “limited literacy” (p.198).

Another minority population is at disadvantage, African-Americans. They may be grouped with CLD but have problems and stressors particular to their own culture. In an article from 2014, Irvine describes the African-American experience in detail. They are overrepresented in special education, and are more often referred for behavior more than grades. White teachers are cited as being culturally unaware of the differences in the ways African-Americans communicate verbally and non-verbally and discount them because they do not respond like the teachers’ own culture.

Ways Professionals Can Enable Collaboration and Reduce the Stress on CLD Parents

In reviewing the literature, some suggestions for professionals who are in contact with the CLD parents of disabled students are suggested. In a study by Byington and Whitby (2011), parents feel more comfortable in meetings with professionals when they feel free to speak (and are given time to). They can be allowed to bring in photographs or artwork by their child. It is suggested to let parents know that their questions are important, and if their questions are off topic, write them down and address them after the meeting. Besoy and colleagues (2015) note that if CLD parents are given access to descriptions of special education services and interventions they are more likely to trust the professionals at the school (p.110). They also list some basic provisions to increase parent satisfaction such as respecting parents as equals. Parents can also be reminded that they may bring an advocate from the community to meetings (Byington & Whitby, 2011).

Canary (2008) states that parents want a more personal, helpful relationship with professionals which in turn would help them receive further services for their children. Disabled children also prefer a caring teacher who takes an interest in them (Invine, 2014).

In the first contact, care must be given to connect the parent with someone who speaks their language. Also from the English for Speakers of other Languages (ESOL) direction, there are some accommodations, tips and helps that carry over from the classroom in a meeting with CLD parents.  Cheatham & Ro (2011) suggest trying not to use idioms, speaking slowly and clearly with a simpler sentence structure and stopping at points to do a comprehension check. Teachers can also use the teaching practice of activating prior knowledge about the student (How has your child’s week been?). The parents can also be provided with a list of technical terms and their definitions to this end Chang & Read (2006) also found the best way to support CLD individuals was to give a link to the subject at hand that related to the child or family and to ask the parents’ opinions throughout the meeting.

Teachers can be advocates for their students and their students’ parents as well. Teachers can provide websites and links to present a need for services to an elected officials (LaRocco and Bruns, 2005). Teacher education programs are offering emphases on social justice, researching best ways to meet students’ needs, working with parents to offer the best placements and services for their child (Puig &Recchia, 2012).

Conclusion

With a respectful attitude, open to questioning, knowledgeable teachers and service providers, families can entrust the safety and education and future outcomes of their most vulnerable members. Professionals can encourage parents and families every step of the way, by encouraging communication, respecting differences and becoming more approachable. To encourage parents who speak a language other than English, professionals can use simpler vocabulary, a more basic sentence structure, and speak slowly and ask if they have any questions occasionally. All parents would benefit from an acronyms and information sheet before an IEP meeting. Techniques to ensure students are enrolled and attend early intervention also include being an advocate for the student and his placement as well as using language that is non-polarizing and inclusive. Teachers and therapists must consciously utilize the principles of respectful communication in every contact with parents of disabled students, especially those that are culturally and linguistically diverse. So much depends on it!

References

Besnoy, K. D., Swoszowski, N. C., Newman, J. L., Floyd, A., Jones, P. & Byrne, C. (2015). The           advocacy experiences of parents of elementary age, twice-exceptional children. Gifted   Child Quarterly, 59(2),108-123. doi: 10.1177/0016986215569275

Byington, T. A. & Whitby, P. J. (2011). Empowering families during the early intervention planning process. Young Exceptional Children, 14(4), 44-56. doi:  10.1177/1096250611428878

Canary, H. E. (2008). Creating supportive connections: A decade of research on support for             families of children with disabilities. Health Communication, 23, 413-426.      doi:10.1080/10410230802342085

Chang, A. C., Read, J. (2006). The effects of listening support on the listening performance of          EFL learners. TESOL Quarterly, 40(2), 375-397. doi: 10.2307/40264527

Cheatham, G. A & Ro, Y. E. (2011). Communication between early educators and parents who         speak English as a second language: A semantic and pragmatic perspective. Early     Childhood Education,39, 249-256. doi:10.1007/s10643-011-0467-8

Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, P. L. 108-446

Irvine, J. J. (2012). Complex relationships between multicultural education and special     education: An African-American perspective. Journal of Teacher Education, 63(4), 268-                274. doi:10.1177/0022487112447113

LaRocco, D. J. & Bruns, D. A. (2005). Advocacy is only a phone call away: Strategies to make a        difference on behalf of children and their families. Young Exceptional Children, 8(4). 11-               18.

Leon, A. M. (2014). Research on the challenges faced by families with children experiencing            health or mental health problems.  Journal of Social Service Research, 40. 587-590. doi:                    10.1080/01488376.2014.955781

Mandic, C. G., Rudd, R., Hehir, T. & Acevedo-Garcia, D. (2010). Readability of special        education procedural safeguards. The Journal of Special Education, 45(4). 195-203. doi:             10.1177/0022466910362774

Marshall, J., Mendez, L. M. R. (2014). Following up on community-based developmental screening: Do young children get the services they need? Infants and Young Children,  27(4), 276-291. doi:10.1097/IYC.0000000000000019

Mattern, J. A. (2014). A mixed-methods study of early intervention implementation in the               Commonwealth of Pennsylvania: Supports, services, and policies for young children with       developmental delays and disabilities. Early Childhood Education Journal, 43, 57-67.                doi:10.1007/s10643-014-0633-x

Puig, V. I., Recchia, S. L. (2012). Urban advocates for young children with special needs: First-       year early childhood teachers enacting social justice. The New Educator, 8, 258-277.    doi:10.1080/1547688X.2012.697018

Williams, M. E., Perrigo, J. L., Banda, T. Y., Matic,, T. & Goldfarb, F. D. (2013). Barriers to               accessing services for young children. Journal of Early Intervention, 35(1), 61-74.

About the Author

Deborah McLaughlin has been an ESE Prekindergarten teacher in Palm Beach County for the past four years. At present, she is in the process of earning a Master of Science in Special Education degree as the recipient of a federal grant through Florida International University and Project OPERATE (Online Preparation of Educators and Researchers in Autism who Teach Effectively). She is also a wife (husband Michael) and mother to two wonderful children, Evan and Sheila. Mrs. McLaughlin enjoys the beach and outdoors and is the Chair of her school’s Green Team and also head of its Garden Club.

By

Nicole Paez

Florida International University

It is frequently brought up that students with special needs are a high-risk population and deserving of additional supports and services in order to best meet their academic goals. It would appear that the teachers of these particular students should also be viewed as high-risk and are deserving of their own supports and services. Special education teachers are said to have higher rates of leaving the profession compared to their general education counterparts (Major, 2012).

The issue is not only the high turnover rate of special education teachers, but identifying why these individuals are choosing to pursue other professions, and what changes can be made in order to increase the longevity of Special Education teachers in the classroom. In a study published by the Florida legislature (2007), approximately 10% (14,700) teachers left their positions in the classroom. Of these 10%, 30% claimed that they left the classroom because of overall dissatisfaction with the work conditions (OPPAGA, 2007).  In order to work with students who having varying disabilities and conditions, there need to be qualified, effective educators in the classroom- in addition they must be working in a supportive and engaging work environment (DeMik, 2008).

As our knowledge over learning disabilities grows, our accuracy in identifying autism and other learning delays means there has been an increase in identifying students with special needs. The larger population causes a demand for Special Education educators; however the growth of Special Education teachers is in no way a match for the growth in students with disabilities population. This disconnect must be addressed and for these reasons I have chosen to investigate the topic of: Combating High Rates of Attrition in Special Education Teaching Positions.

In researching how to combat the high rates of attrition in special education teaching positions, is first important to identify the reasons why this issue has arisen in the first place. An inquiry by DeMik (2008) reviewed several narratives where beginning teachers shared their frustrations and reasons for leaving the profession. Frequently cited complaints revolved around administrative issues, controversy with special education policies, lack of appropriate teaching materials and resources, and feelings of isolation and a lack of support from coworkers and administrators. These special education teachers frequently left their classrooms to take on roles in general education classrooms, or completely left the school systems for private programs and other education-based careers.

It is also important to note how many times these special education teachers leaving the profession are still in the early stages of their career, inexperienced teachers will frequently report higher feelings of frustration and isolation and are more likely to feel less obligated to remain in a frustrating, unappreciative profession.

Topping the list for these disenchanted teachers are frustrations with administrators (Billingsley, 2004). Frequently there is a breakdown in effective communication between the Special Educators and their administration. Overwhelmed by challenges in the classroom, high academic standards, and this lack of support and communication lead to an overworked and overwhelmed teacher who feels as though they have no one to request help or support from. Teachers want to know they are appreciated and valued by their administrators (Cancio, Albrecht, Johns, 2013). Just as with our students, positive reinforcement, and recognition can go a long way in boosting the morale and confidence of the special education teacher. The validation of teachers at staff meetings or even a personal note in the mailbox may help strengthen the trust teachers place in their administrators and open up pathways for future communication.

In addition to this “staff acknowledgement” (Major, Albrecht, Johns, 2013) , administrators can offer opportunities for their special education teachers to gain outside knowledge, and stay up to date on the latest teaching and behavior management methodologies in the classroom.

Approving the time off for workshops, or inviting guest speakers to the school provides opportunities for the teachers to continue their own education and demonstrates the personal investment the administration takes in helping the teachers learn. Keeping teachers up to date on the latest techniques and strategies ensures that students are afforded the best possible means of achieving their personal academic goals.

Another issue special education teachers have noted is friction between their classroom structure and activities, and the policies that must be implemented for special education students. Of course, legislation surrounding particulars such as the Individualized Education Plan were created in order to ensure that students receive the necessary accommodations and modifications in order to have the best opportunity to survive. The issue is the extensive paperwork and a lack of time during the day required to stay up to date on every child’s caseload. Special Education teachers frequently take work home, stay late after school, and skip lunch in order to stay on top of the piles of paperwork. In an interview by DeMik (2008), a teacher stated “It’s astronomical! Ridiculous! Redundant! Basically, the paperwork comes from our ‘department of redundancy!’” The paperwork can be so extensive (12-15 pages for an IEP) that without a planning period throughout the day, the special education teacher will have no choice but to sacrifice the time from another part of their day. If administrators were better aware of this issue, perhaps the schedule of the teacher could be accommodated or structured better.

In regards to the policies implemented by the state, Special Education teachers must assess the students at the state standards, create activities and lessons based on the standards, as well as ensure all students follow testing protocols and complete the exams. For low-functioning students these tests are a poor representation of the student’s capabilities, and often take away valuable instruction time from the teacher.

A final concern of special education teachers revolves around feelings of isolation and a lack of outside support, this holds particularly true for novice teachers. Confusion over protocol, paperwork, and classroom management can overwhelm the novice teacher who is unsure about who best to ask for help. However studies by Billingsley (2004) and (Wasburn, Wasburn-Moses, Davis, 2012) have identified a procedure that may help alleviate the isolation concerns for new Special Education teachers. The concept of mentoring has been implemented at many schools and in various districts with typically positive results. Mentoring refers to the partnering of a novice teacher with an experienced, older teacher. Past studies have shown that these pairings may potentially “improve teacher quality, prevent attrition, and boost job satisfaction” (Wasburn, Wasburn-Moses, Davis, 2012).  However the mentoring is found to be most effective when five key aspects are implemented.  One, there must be frequent face to face contact between the novice and experienced teacher. The in-person interactions lead to stronger relationships and more open communication lines between the pairings. Second, the mentor and the mentee should be in the same or similar positions of work, they should teach the same grade, or the same type of students- ex. third grade inclusion language arts. Third, the mentor is in a “nonevaluative” role, meaning the mentor is providing feedback merely meant to assist the mentee and offer positive suggestions. The evaluations of the mentor should in no way affect the job security or position of the mentee. Four, both the mentee and mentor should have an understanding of the purpose of the mentoring partnership and view the experience as a positive, growing experience for both. Finally, the mentor provides supports that go hand in hand with the needs of the mentee. Open lines of communication and mutual trust and respect will help the relationship flourish, and overall improve the teaching methods and confidence levels of both novice and experienced teacher.  (Wasburn, Wasburn-Moses, Davis, 2012).

Teachers of students with special needs have chosen a career that can seem frustrating when the focus on everyday frustrations seems overwhelming. By remaining focused on the big picture, SPED teachers should realize the huge impact they have on their students’ lives, as well as proud contributors to the overall morale and representation of their school.  By better involving the school personnel, we can make efforts to increase the years SPED educators spend in the classroom. The longer they remain, the better experienced they become, and will help to train and prepare the next generations of teachers. Involving the administration can be extremely beneficial in combating the high turnover rates. Not only can they provide opportunities for workshops and furthering education credits, but their trust and appreciation for their staff boosts confidence levels and makes the workload seem more manageable for the novice teachers.

The idea is to build a safe and supportive work environment; the same conditions we expect for our students should be given to the teachers. Proper supports and services can only be beneficial in reaching the goals of the classroom for both the students and teachers. Mentoring programs in particular can strengthen the relationships between colleagues, and administration. The mentor/mentee relationship can be seen as a key to alleviating many of the concerns that lead to teachers leaving the classroom. The idea is that an individual or group can focus on changing working conditions in order to positively influence the work of the special educator teacher. If this occurs then they have changed the design of the special education teachers’ job. The job design of a special educator position is a complex system with structures in place so that a novice teacher can develop into a professional, well-trained, engaging special education educator who properly manages the workload and demands of a classroom (Major, 2012).

References

Billingsley, B.S. (2004). Special education teacher retention and attrition: A critical analysis of the research literature. Journal of Special Education, 38, (1), 39-55.

Cancio, E. J., Albrecht, S. F., & Johns, B. H. (2013). Combating the Attrition of Teachers of Students With EBD: What Can Administrators Do. Hammill Institute on Disabilities, 49(5), 306-312.

DeMik, S. A. (2008). Experiencing Attrition of Special Education Teachers through Narrative Inquiry. The High School Journal, October/November, 22-32.

Florida. (2007). OPPAGA: Dissatisfaction with school governance, student behavior, parent support, and career opportunities lead to teacher attrition. Tallahassee, Fla: Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability.

Major, A. E. (2012). Job design for special education teachers. Current Issues in Education, 15(2). Retrieved from http://cie.asu.edu/ojs/index.php/cieatasu/article/view/900

Wasburn, M. H., Wasburn-Moses, L., & Davis, D. R. (2012). Mentoring Special Educators: The Roles of National Board Certified Teachers. Hammill Institute on Disabilities, 33(1), 59-66.

 

About the Author

Nicole Paez is a graduate student at Florida International University studying Special Education.  Her teaching certifications include Special Education K-12, Social Sciences 6-12, Reading and ESOL endorsements, and upon graduation an endorsement for Autism.  She currently works as a homebound/ hospital bound itinerant teacher for Miami-Dade County, working with students that are medically fragile, with varying disabilities. Her latest research project is an investigation on the implementation of transition skills for medically fragile students returning to the classroom.

New Orleans, LA

Job Category: Special Education Teacher

Essential Functions:

• Deliver curriculum utilizing Target Teaching methodologies.

• Track student attendance, maintain weekly grades, maintain and make available student grades weekly.

• Adhere to school policies pertaining to grading, posting student grades, quarterly reports
• Respond to the questions and needs of students who have a variety of ability levels.
• Be prepared for each class with written lesson plans that adhere to Target Teaching.
• Maintain a clean, positive, and inviting learning environment.
• Be on time and prepared to participate in weekly staff meetings.
• Participate in after-hours extracurricular program events as required.
• Develop and implement effective classroom management strategies.
• Conduct large and small group instruction and individual instruction as needed.
• Work collaboratively with Crescent Leadership Academy staff on implementing a “team” based program.
• Maintain a three day supply of emergency lesson plans that follow clinical teaching format and define student learning objectives and evaluation procedures.
• Manage supplies, materials and equipment with an itemized inventory and/or materials safety data sheet when necessary.
• Other duties as assigned by the Director.

 

Minimum Qualifications:

KNOWLEDGE OF:

• Instructional strategies and how they can be employed to deliver curriculum and assess student learning.

• Various methodologies and research related to learning and working with at-risk, high school aged youth.
• Effective classroom management techniques and behavioral management styles that result in understanding of how to manage and teach to various learning styles.
• Effective communication techniques that enable positive and productive collaboration with Crescent Leadership Academy staff.
• Technology and how it can be used as an educational tool.

ABILITY TO:

• Establish a teaching rapport with students which results in student achievement in all program areas.
• Collaborate with staff to deliver a consistent curriculum and implement a team approach to working with students. Confront inappropriate behavior appropriately and take the necessary action as outlined in the program procedures. Learn and utilize computers in the overall function of performing required teaching duties.
• Accept additional tasks as assigned including flexible work schedule and extracurricular assignments.

 

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• BA Degree and Valid Louisiana Education certification
• Valid Sped Certification required
• Related experience working with at-risk students
• Three or more years of successful classroom teaching
• Demonstrated skills in curriculum design, lesson planning, and Clinical Teaching.
• Must be able to pass State and Federal background checks , educational checks, reference checks, drug test for position.

 

Benefits:

Company offers medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, flexible spending plans, etc. after 30 days of employment for teachers. Company also offers tuition reimbursement and 401k match up to 6% after 1 year of employment.

Contact:

Please contact Crescent Leadership Academy Principal Nick Dean at 504-322-8424 regarding position. Also, feel free to email resumes to nick.dean@rop.com

 

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Sherman Oaks, CA

Job Category: Full Time

 

DESCRIPTION:

• Plan, coordinate and implement individual student programs
• Select appropriate curriculum content for each student.
• Determine appropriate, measurable goals and objectives for each student
• Write individual education plans (IEPs) and participate in IEP meetings
• Employ a trans-disciplinary approach to education, conferring with team members as appropriate for particular issues.
• Prepare or secure necessary instructional materials
• Modify activities and adapt materials to promote student success
• Design and use instructional grouping patterns that are varied and flexible, including individual, small group, and whole class instruction
• Employ clear, predictable daily and weekly schedules, which accommodate students’ needs.
• Prepare a weekly plan book to detail lesson plans, grouping, activities, staff assignments, and other relevant information
• Employ appropriate, individualized teaching and reinforcement techniques to maximize student achievement

 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Teaching credential in moderate to severe credentials required (CA); OR the ability to qualify for an emergency teaching credential
• Experience teaching students with autism, learning disabilities, emotional disabilities

BENEFITS:

• $7500 Sign-on bonus for successful new hires
• Competitive salary
• Reimbursement of CEUs
• Mentor teacher opportunities
• Excellent benefits, including a 100% employer-sponsored health insurance plan
• Dental, vision, and life insurance
• 403b Retirement Plan
• Flexible Spending Account
• Small class sizes with a supportive staff and a professional environment

 

CONTACT:

Email resume and cover letter to careers@thehelpgroup.org.

 

 

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Antioch, CA

Job Category: Full Time

 

Description:

• Provide individualized instruction to each student by promoting interactive learning
• Plan and execute educational in-class activities and events
• Develop and enrich professional skills and knowledge by attending seminars and conferences
• Observe and understand student’s behavior and psyche and make recommendations for the student
• Access and record student’s progress and provide feedback

 

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited institution
• Relevant teaching experience using applied behavior analysis
• California Special Education Credential Moderate/Severe Credential Mandatory
• Training in applied behavior analysis and experience with functional, community-based curriculum a plus

 

Benefits:

• Excellent Compensation
• Benefits Package including a choice of two medical plans
• Dental and Vision coverage
• Life and Long Term Disability
• Employee Assistance Program
• Health Savings Account and 401k Retirement Plan
• Career path for advancement

 

Contact:

Marlene Casillas – 213-810-4826 email resumes to mcasillas@spectrumschools.com

Apply:http://careers.chancelight.com/job/Special-Education-Teacher–Antioch-Campus/J3L6FY6S1LKXBRPD4TP

 

 

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Antioch, CA

Job Category: Full Time

 

Description:

• Provide individualized instruction to each student by promoting interactive learning
• Plan and execute educational in-class activities and events
• Develop and enrich professional skills and knowledge by attending seminars and conferences
• Observe and understand student’s behavior and psyche and make recommendations for the student
• Access and record student’s progress and provide feedback

 

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited institution
• Relevant teaching experience using applied behavior analysis
• California Early Childhood Special Education Credential. Credential Mandatory
• Training in applied behavior analysis and experience with functional, community-based curriculum a plus

 

Benefits:

• Excellent Compensation
• Benefits Package including a choice of two medical plans
• Dental and Vision coverage
• Life and Long Term Disability
• Employee Assistance Program
• Health Savings Account and 401k Retirement Plan
• Career path for advancement

 

Contact:

Marlene Casillas – 213-810-4826

Apply:http://careers.chancelight.com/job/Early-Childhood-Special-Education-Teacher–Antioch%2C-CA/J3J5M36P92N5X48NKTV

 

 

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Islesboro Central School – An Island School in Maine

Job Category: Special Education and Case Manager of 12 students

 

Description:

We are all about supporting our students in becoming capable, responsible learners as well as good people. The role of Special Education teacher for our kindergarten – sixth grade student body is an integral member of a long lasting, supportive team involving students, parents and staff. The ideal person is well organized, has excellent people skills and is a solid communicator with a good sense of humor. Having a full understanding of Special Education law and requirements, differentiated instruction and assessment practices that monitor growth is a must. This person would be responsible for providing effective instruction; innovative approaches and one to one support so that students can figure out how to be successful in meeting their learning standards and showing growth in the guiding principles. Additionally, this staff member will run team meetings using the required forms, and procedures in a timely and clear fashion, be able to facilitate the development and implementation of an I.E.P.’s to students, parents and staff, and to implement and monitor student progress on their goals in an ongoing fashion so that successes can be celebrated and adjustments can be made as necessary. We look forward to adding a positive, hardworking and collaborative member to our two member Special Education team.

Requirements:

Job Requirements: The ideal candidate will have certification for Teacher of Students with Disabilities (282E) K-8)or the equivalent from other states, with the required background check.

Our Website:http://ics.islesboro.k12.me.us/

A completed packet will include the following items: a cover letter, a completed ICS application found on our school website, copies of certification(s) or equivalent/applicable certifications, three letters of reference, and transcripts.

Benefits:

Salary ranges between BA with 4 years at 40,975 to Master’s at 4 years at 43,693.
Health Insurance: The school will pay 90% for single coverage and 85% for family coverage.
180 day calendar with 15 days (plus 3 personal)

But more importantly, you would be working with the best kids on the planet on a beautiful, K-12 island school in Maine amongst a hard working, creative staff supported by a wonderful community.

P.S. We also have an all organic food program!

Check us out!!
http://ics.islesboro.k12.me.us/

 

Contact:

Heather Knight
Principal
159 Alumni Drive
Islesboro, Maine, 04848

hknight@islesboro.k12.me.us

 

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Culver City, CA

Job Category: Special Education Teacher (Middle and High School)

 

Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree
• CA Education Specialist Credential (Candidates with an intern credential also considered)
• Two years of urban teaching experience preferred
• Bilingual Spanish or Korean desirable
• Possession of either Bilingual, Cross-Cultural, Language and Academic Development (BCLAD) certificate; Cross-Cultural, Language and Academic Development (CLAD) certificate; Bilingual Certificate of Competence (BCC); or Language Development Specialist (LDS) certificate desirable

 

Teacher Traits:

• Belief that every child is deserving an excellent education which prepares him/her for college and life beyond
• Demonstrated ability to teach whole child in an inclusive setting using modifications and accommodations
• Willingness to receive feedback, engage in frequent dialogue and ability to self-reflect
• Life-long learner
• Collaborative
• Belief in data-driven instruction
• Firm, kind approach to managing student behavior
• Technologically competent
• Entrepreneurial spirit and creative problem solver
• Sense of humor and love of teaching

 

Whole School Responsibilities:

• Uphold Bright Star Schools’ mission and values
• Demonstrate genuine care for all students
• Embrace existing school-wide management systems and promote high standards of behavior
• Collaborate with school leaders, providing input to improve Bright Star programs
• Actively participate in professional development sessions
• Communicate professionally with peers, supervisors, parents, and students
• Participate in 20 BSS after school/evening activities: i.e., Parent conferences, overnight trips
• Commit to a longer school day and calendar year
• Adhere to Bright Star’s professional attire guidelines
• Supervise bathroom breaks and participate in rotating detention supervision
• Uphold attendance procedures each period using School Information Systems (SIS)
• Enthusiastically participate in school-wide culture events (i.e., Songfest, academic assemblies, and Field Day)
• Perform other duties as assigned

 

Instructional Responsibilities:

• Adhere to Bright Star curriculum maps and guidelines
• Create weekly lesson plans/overviews
• Plan rigorous lessons aligned to the California State and/or California Common Core standards
• Differentiate lesson plans for a variety of learners (kinesthetic, gifted students, English Language Learners, and/or students with IEPs, etc.)
• Implement feedback from administrator regarding lesson plans and/or execution
• Establish and maintain positive classroom environment
• Implement Bright Star’s Expected School Learning Results
• Support instruction with school-wide supplemental programs (i.e., -Maintain grade books and meet reporting deadlines (i.e., OT/CU or progress reports)
• Communicate with families regarding student academics and behavior
• Collaborate with Special Education Team
• Use planning periods for the advancement of student academics
• Tutor students in need of remediation
• Perform other adjunct duties

Salary and Benefits: BSS salary is based on experience and education, and was created In consideration of the longer school day and school year. Bright Star Schools will honor up to 5 years on the LAUSD salary scale.

 

Start Date: An exceptional candidate will assume a full time role no later than August 1, 2016.

Benefits: Health, dental, vision, STRS retirement matching, life insurance, short-term disability, optional 403b plan, sick and vacation paid time off, and holidays.

 

Other Benefits:

• Laptop
• iPad or Android for Middle School Teachers
• No-Cost New Teacher Development Program for those with a preliminary teaching credential
• Instructional Leaders as Principals
• School Connectors to support with family engagement and communication

 

Contact:

If you would like to talk more about the experience working for this group of charter schools or if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Talent Manager, Leslie Nguyen, at lnguyen@brightstarschools.org.

For more information, visit us at www.brightstarschools.org.

 

 

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Randolph County, North Carolina

Job Category: Special Education Teacher

 

The Randolph County School System is seeking Special Education Teachers at all levels K-12.

 

Basic Nature of Work:

The Special Education teacher will develop and implement effective instructional practices based on students’ needs as identified in the Individualized Education Plan (IEP). The Special Education teacher will work collaboratively with school staff, IEP team members, and parents to monitor student progress towards IEP goals.

Qualifications:

Applicants should hold a North Carolina teaching license in special education or a reciprocal license and have the ability to pass appropriate Praxis tests.

Apply:

Visit the RCSS website at http://www.randolph.k12.nc.us and look under employment/certified positions for the online application. Complete and submit to the Randolph County School System.

Send updated resume to ahaynes@randolph.k12.nc.us

Position Start Date: August 18, 2016

 

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Manhattan, Kansas

Job Category: Early Childhood Special Education

 

REPORTS TO:

District Director of Special Education/Building Principals.

To support students, regular classroom teachers, special education team and administration in
the facilitation of full integration/least restrictive environment and services to students with exceptionalities.

 

PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Acts as team leader/case manager in the special education process to determine appropriate classroom placement and IEP development for students with exceptionalities.
   2. Provides consultation, educational assistance and resources to regular classroom teachers, special education team and administration.
   3. Provides leadership and assistance in special education program development and evaluation.
   4. Works with special and general education teachers, jointly and individually, to program for students based upon their unique instructional and behavioral needs.
   5. Ensures the implementation of all statutes, regulations, policies, and procedures for special education.
   6. Collaborates with general education teachers on curriculum development, student performance and progress.
   7. Works with students with exceptionalities on IEP goals and objectives and evaluation of the students’ progress.
   8. Serves as advocate for parents and students to assure least restrictive environment placements for each child needing special education and related services.
   9. Supervises, trains, and evaluates special education paraprofessionals.
   10. Helps arrange schedules in buildings, as requested, to facilitate inclusionary practices.
   11. Facilitates and administers appropriate state and local assessments for students with exceptionalities.
   12. Maintains all appropriate student records for reporting purposes to local, state and federal agencies.
   13. Performs related work as assigned.

 

QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Meets certification requirements as established by the State Department of Education.
2. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with administration, teachers, parents and students.
3. Knowledge of behavioral and learning strategies.
4. Meets all requirements as set forth by UDS #383 Board of Education.

 

BENEFITS:

• Salary: Placement on the salary schedule
  • Paid health benefits
  • Employer Funded 403b Plan
  • Short-Term Disability Plan
  • Paid sick and personal leave

 

CONTACT:

apply online at www.usd383.org
or contact HR Director Larry Doll, 785-587-2000
larryd@usd383.org

 

 

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Phoenix, AZ

Job Category: Full Time for School Year 2016-17

 

Description:

Multiple positions in Phoenix, Tempe, Surprise, Buckeye, Casa Grande, Tolleson, Yuma, and Higley. Relocation assistance and Referral Bonus for specific positions.

Desert Choice Schools, a Learn It Family of Companies division, is a certified K -12 Private Day School approved by the Arizona Department of Education to provide Special Education Services for the following disability categories: Autism (A), Emotional Disability and Emotional Disability-Private (ED) (ED-P),Developmental Delay (DD), Mild Intellectual Disability (MIID), Moderate Intellectual Disability (MOID),Orthopedic Impairment (OI), Other Health Impaired (OHI), Specific Learning Disability (SLD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI),Visually Impaired (VI), and Speech-Language Impairment (SLI). Desert Choice Schools utilizes a highly-structured, school-wide Positive Behavioral Supports program that teaches students Academic, Social/Emotional Problem-Solving and Strategies. All DCS teachers and support staff are trained in a unique methodology that assists students with maintaining Positive Choice-Making.

 

What You’ll Do:

Special Education Teachers work in a school-based setting and are responsible for providing an educational atmosphere where students have the opportunity to fulfill their potential for intellectual, emotional, physical, and psychological growth. This person is responsible for organizing and implementing an individual instructional program that will result in students achieving academic success in accordance with policies.

• Develop and implement student Individual Education Plans.
• Implement instructional activities that contribute to a climate where students are actively engaged in meaningful learning experiences.
• Identify, select, and modify instructional resources to meet the needs of the students with varying backgrounds, learning styles, and special needs.
• Assist in assessing changing curricular needs and offers plans for improvement.
• Provides a positive environment in which students are encouraged to be actively engaged in the learning process.

 

What You’ll Need to Bring:

• Valid Arizona Special Education Certification (Cross Categorical)
• Valid Arizona DPS Fingerprint Card with IVP status
• Bachelor’s degree required
• At least 1 year of experience working with students with emotional disabilities preferred.
• Spanish speaking a plus. Not required.

 

What We Offer:

Desert Choice Schools offers a competitive compensation plan, comprehensive benefits and retirement plan, tuition assistance reimbursement, relocation assistance and travel reimbursement (for many on-site programs), referral bonuses. We are most proud of Desert Choice School’s collaborative team approach, professional development, and structured, strong mentorship program.

Desert Choice Schools is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Candidates must be presently eligible to work in the United States

 

Benefits:

• Comprehensive benefits plans
• including 401K
• PTO
• and paid holidays

 

Contact:

Sue Tapper
Human Resources Operations
sue.tapper@learnitsystems.com

 

 

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Ingelwood, CA

Job Category: Full Time for School Year 2016-17

Posted on Wednesday, 06. of July 2016

Beach Cities Learning, a division of Learn It Systems, is currently hiring Special Education in the Greater Los Angeles area/Inglewood. We specialize in employing qualified professionals to work with behavioral and emotional needs students in small group settings. Our services tailor to meet the needs of each district partner and family.

 

Description:

The Special Education Teacher is responsible to implement all Beach Cities Program Components with integrity as well as oversee two behavior technicians’ implementation our programs.

Responsibilities:

• Clinical Program duties such as De-escalation, Pre-crisis, Crisis, and Post crisis Intervention application
• Classroom Management
• Behavior Documentation and Reporting
• implementation of social/emotional/behavioral Interventions
• Curriculum and Instruction assistance such as planning, documentation and reporting of academic data/progress and applying interventions
• Ability to follow individually-design instruction, individualized lesson-planning based in common core standards and IEPs
• Conduct assessments, manage grading, homework, quarterly report cards
• IEP Case Manager assistance (e.g. maintain compliant file, schedule and run all meetings, write all IEPs, report on progress quarterly and at all meetings)
• Documentation and reporting of SPED data (e.g. ESY, quarterly progress reports)
• Assist in Physical Fitness program
• Maintain student records as needed

 

Position Requirements:

• Active and valid Special Education K-12 Cross Categorical teaching certificate issued by CA State Department of Education
• Bachelor’s degree minimum
• Teaching experience with elementary, middle, and/or high school students
• Experience working with emotional and/or behaviorally challenged students

 

Work Conditions:

• Must be able to lift 30 pounds
• Work location is in a school building where employee will need to be able to go up and down stairs
• Frequent standing
• Ability to safely and effectively use Crisis Management Interventions (including the use of therapeutic holds) of all involved (e.g. self, student, other employees)

Learn It Systems/Beach Cities Learning is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Candidates must be presently eligible to work in the United States.

 

Benefits:

Comprehensive benefits plans including 401(k)

Contact:

Sue Tapper
sue.tapper@learnitsystems.com

 

 

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Decatur, GA

Job Category: Special Education Teacher K-5

 

Description:

The International Community School (ICS) is an International Baccalaureate World School that educates refugees, immigrants and local children, and provides a rigorous and holistic education in an intentionally diverse community of mutual learners.

Essential Duties:

1. Teaches content and skills in all subject areas utilizing curriculum designated by ICS through the Common Core Standards and Georgia Standards of Excellence along with the effective implementation of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IBPYP).

2. Create a developmentally appropriate, child centered environment that establishes positive behavioral interventions.

3. Provides quality instruction/services to special education students based on IEPs and conducts regular progress monitoring to address adequate progress and school targets.

4. Collaborates with general education teachers and support personnel to ensure implementation of required IEP services and accommodations and assures frequent reviews.

5. Evaluates academic and social growth of students (pre-post tests), analyzes data, prepares report cards, keeps appropriate records (to include attendance reports, checklists, and other recordkeeping activities) as necessary.

6. Evaluates each student’s progress in meeting the Common Core and Georgia Performance standards.

7. Establishes and maintains standards of student behavior needed to provide an orderly, productive, and safe classroom environment.

8. Identifies student’s needs and cooperates with other professional staff members to address issues such as counseling concerns, SST process, School-Within-a-School (SWS)

9. Communicates with parents and school counselors on student progress.

10. Participates in staff meetings, joins a staff committee, and supports student activities (i.e. IB Exhibition, Drama, and Photography Club).

11. Administers mandated tests in accordance with the testing department of ICS and the DeKalb County School District

12. Teaches through a student centered, inquiry-based creative approach.

13. Proven track record of student success on formative, summative and standardized tests as well as impacting student social and emotional well-being.

14. Develops a multicultural learning community that emphasizes respect for diversity.

15. Engages with the community and works with translators and social service providers to help ensure a continuum of support between the home and school.

Requirements:

Minimum Qualifications: Must hold a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree with Early Childhood Education Certification (P-5) from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission and Special Education General (must have Special Education content certification in all 5 contents Math,

 

Benefits:

Compensation packages are competitive and commensurate with experience. International Community School offers a comprehensive benefit package that includes medical, dental and vision, life and disability coverage. Employees also participate in TRS (state retirement system).

Contact:

Please submit a cover letter that speaks to a proven student achievement track record, the teaching of inquiry based learning and philosophy on global education/diversity along with a current resume. Submit these documents via email hr@icsgeorgia.org

 

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Culver City, CA

Job Category: School Administration

 

POSITION:

Provide leadership to ECF Kayne Eras School staff. The Assistant Principal will work as part of a team along with the Director of School Programs and the Principal to promote, enhance, and effectively manage all school related programs and activities.

SUMMARY OF DUTIES

1. Implement State standard curriculum and ensure State standards are used in the development of weekly lesson plans and check for compliance. Conduct state mandated testing. In conjunction with supervisor, oversee State Certification and WASC Accreditation.

2. Develop, manage, and direct the process for students to transition to the next grade level following diploma guidelines.

3. Coordinate Master Schedule.

4. Continuously evaluate academic curricula and behavioral plans to determine appropriate fit for the current student population and amenable to differentiated instruction. Responsible for identifying new curricula and programs which add value and distinguish the school from other NPS’s; bring to leadership team for review.

5. Facilitate the intake process and make placement decisions. Ensure all tests and other enrollment documents are completed and submitted prior to student enrollment/placement.

6. Conduct parent conferences as needed. Manage IEP process including collecting, reviewing, and finalizing all IEP’s prior the meeting.

7. Supervise staff which includes developing, evaluating, and setting goals and ensuring that on-site work hours are observed; ECF and school policies are followed and enforced; certifications and licenses are maintained, and all trainings, team and core meetings ,and parent conferences are attended.

8. Ensure that any staff incidents and/or injuries are reported immediately and reviewed with the Principal and related documentation is completed as required.

9. Conduct frequent formal and informal classroom observations to monitor teacher performance, implementation of lesson plans, and classroom management.

10. Participate in school budget development, and monitor general overall budget performance.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Bachelor’s degree and current California Special Education Teaching Credential.

Experience: Two years teaching elementary and/or middle school special educations students, and two years supervising and/or mentoring professional level staff.

Knowledge/Abilities/Skills: Knowledge of teaching strategies and current technology in the education field; Proficient in the use of MS Word, EXCEL, Power Point, Welligent and SEIS; and Effective written and verbal communication skills.

 

SALARY

Commensurate with experience.

WORK LOCATION

5350 Machado Road, Culver City, CA

HOW TO APPLY

Qualified applicants may submit an employment application or cover letter and resume by mail, email, or fax to: Exceptional Children’s Foundation, 5350 Machado Road, Culver City, CA 90203, hr@ecf.net, (310) 391-1059.

To learn more, visit www.ECF.net and connect on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/ConnectwithECF.

Exceptional Children’s Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender, race, color, religious creed, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, and/or protected veteran status.

 

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Acknowledgements

Portions of this month’s NASET’s Special Educator e-Journalwere excerpted from:

• Center for Parent Information and Resources
• Committee on Education and the Workforce
• FirstGov.gov-The Official U.S. Government Web Portal
• Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals (JAASEP)
• 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 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 Health and Human Services
• U.S. Department of Labor
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration
• U.S. Office of Special Education

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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