Publications Menu
October 2007
National Technical Assistance Center:
PACER Center, 8161 Normandale Boulevard, Minneapolis, MN 55437 (888) 248-0822, www.taalliance.org
In This Issue:
Upcoming Events
- ALLIANCE New Directors Meeting - November 7-9, 2007
- ALLIANCE 11th Annual National Conference - January 30-February 1, 2008
Parent Center Update
- Wisconsin FACETS Receives New Grant
- Resources for Children with Special Needs to Hold Special Camp Fair
Announcements
- National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week 2007
- 2007 NAEP Results Show Improvement for Students with Disabilities
- Save the Date - 2007 National Inclusive Schools Week
- Bahrain Exchange Program
- October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month
Resources
- New IRIS Center Resources
- College R.E.A.C.H. Program
- New U.S. Department of Education NCLB Publications
- Education and Public Safety
- Vulnerable Infants and Toddlers
Technology
- Backing Up Your Data
- NIMAS Webinar
Fundraising
- Lowes Toolbox for Education
- Special Hope Foundation
To find the Technical Assistance Center in your Region please visit www.taalliance.org/centers/
Upcoming Events
ALLIANCE New Directors Meeting
November 7-9, 2007
Embassy Suites, Old Town Alexandria
ALLIANCE 11th Annual National Conferenc
January 30-February 1, 2008
Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill, Washington DC
Parent Center Updates
Wisconsin FACETS Receives New Grant
Wisconsin FACETS, the Wisconsin PTI, recently received a new grant for a Wisconsin Youth Information, Training, and Resource Center from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities. Nelsinia Ramos and Courtney Salzer are project directors, Pat Patterson is the transition coordinator, and a youth coordinator with developmental disabilities will be hired as part of the project. Congratulations to FACETS on this newly funded program! Learn more about Wisconsin FACETS at: http://www.wifacets.org/.
Resources for Children with Special Needs to Hold Special Camp Fair
On January 26, 2008 Resources for Children with Special Needs (RCSN) in New York City will be holding their 23rd annual free Special Camp Fair. The fair will include representatives from 70 camps in New York and the northeast and will also feature resources on travel programs, remedial education programs, volunteer and job opportunities, and early childhood programs. Camp guidebooks will also be available to participants. RCSN’s Web site is: http://www.resourcesnyc.org.
Announcements
National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week 2007
National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week is Oct. 21 – 27, 2007. It is sponsored by PACER Center’s National Center for Bullying Prevention and cosponsored by the American Federation for Teachers, National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education, National Education Association, National PTA, and School Social Work Association of America. Teachers, parents, and children nationwide are encouraged to increase community awareness about the prevalence and impact of bullying. Activities and materials are available at http://www.pacer.org/bullying/bpaw/index.asp to help reduce bullying in homes, schools, recreational programs, and community organizations.
2007 NAEP Results Show Improvement for Students with Disabilities
According to the 2007 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), students with disabilities have experienced significant gains in math and reading in the past 9 years. The percentage of 4th grade students with disabilities who performed at basic or above increased from 22-36 percent (a 14% gain, compared to 8% for students without disabilities). The percentage of 4th graders with disabilities who performed at basic or above levels in reading doubled from 30 – 60 percent (compared to a 16% increase for students without disabilities). More information on this data is available at: http://www.ncld.org/images/stories/downloads/advocacy/naep_2007_swds.pdf. The full NAEP reports are online at: http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/.
Save the Date - 2007 National Inclusive Schools Week
National Inclusive School Week 2007 will take place December 3-7. This year’s theme is “Great things happen in inclusive schools.” Promotional materials, celebration kit, media kit, and related Research are all online at: http://www.inclusiveschools.org/.
Bahrain Exchange Program
Mobility International USA (MIUSA) is accepting applications for its Youth Disability Inclusion Exchange Program to Bahrain. This U.S. Department of State sponsored program will involve a 21-day trip (March 9-31, 2008) to Bahrain where American youth will be hosted by the Bahrain Disabled Sports Federation and participate in trainings, cultural activities, and visits and discuss important issues for youth with disability and increase cross-cultural understanding. MIUSA is looking for applicants with and without disabilities who are 15-17 years old. Participants will receive program scholarship to cover airfare, activities and materials, meals, lodging, accommodations, health insurance, and transportation. The application deadline is November 19, and details are available at: http://www.miusa.org/exchangeprograms.
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month
Every October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month is celebrated to recognize the accomplishments of U.S. workers with disabilities and reinforce the country’s commitment to equal employment opportunities. The 2007 theme is “Workers with Disabilities: Talent for a Winning Team.” More information is available at the Office of Disability Employment Policy’s Web site at: http://www.dol.gov/odep/index.htm.
Resources
New IRIS Center Resources
The IRIS Center on Faculty Enhancement released several new training modules over the summer.
RTI: Considerations for School Leaders- This fifth RTI module provides information for principals on implementing Response to Intervention programs.
http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/rti_leaders/chalcycle.htm
School Counselors: Facilitating Transitions for Students with Disabilities from High School to Post-School Settings- This module follows a school counselor as he works with a 14-year old student to develop post-secondary goals for education, employment, and independent living.
http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/cou2/challenge.htm
The IRIS Center has also updated their Web site with an updated navigation system and revised Web Resource Directory. They also added a searchable film database that includes more than 500 movies with characters with disabilities. IRIS’s Web site is:
http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu
College R.E.A.C.H. Program
The University of Iowa R.E.A.C.H. (Realizing Educational And Career Hopes) Program is a new a two year, campus-based certification program for students with multiple learning and cognitive disabilities. The program encourages students to become independent, engaged members of their communities. For more information, see the R.E.A.C.H. Web site at http://www.education.uiowa.edu/reach/index.html
New U.S. Department of Education NCLB Publications
Teacher Quality Under NCLB: This interim report presents findings from national studies on how states and local school districts are complying with No Child Left Behind requirements on teacher and paraprofessional qualifications. Full report and an executive summary are available:
http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/teaching/nclb/index.html.
Giving Parents Options: This guidebook for teachers and local and state administrators provides strategies for informing parents about their educational options (school choice and supplemental educational services) under No Child Left Behind.
http://www.ed.gov/admins/comm/choice/options/index.html
Education and Public Safety
This new policy brief from the Justice Policy Institute reports on the correlation between higher educational attainment and lower violent crime rates. Read the full report at: http://www.justicepolicy.org/content.php?hmID=1811&smID=1581&ssmID=61
Vulnerable Infants and Toddlers
A new publication from the Urban Institute, “Vulnerable Infants and Toddlers in Four Service Systems” compares data for the young children in Early Head Start, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, the child welfare system, and the Part C Early Intervention Programs. Several similarities were found, and the authors suggest using a coordinated approach to integrate common lessons learned. http://www.urban.org/publications/411554.html
Technology
Backing Up Your Data
This article provides best practices for backing up databases, accounting files, and important documents. http://ga0.org/ct/ldS-qJ91t4p6/
NIMAS Webinar
The Center for Implementing Technology in Education is holding 2 webinars in October on the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standards (NIMAS). The discussion will focus on the issues districts are facing as they implement the standards and suggest various solutions being used around the country. For details and registration information, go to: http://www.cited.org/index.aspx?page_id=140&#upcoming.
Fundraising
Lowes Toolbox for Education
Lowe's Toolbox for Education grant program accepts applications twice a year – the next cycle’s deadline is February 15, 2008. Funds are given to schools and affiliated parent groups that promote parent involvement; preference is given to projects that include permanent improvements such as indoor or outdoor facility enhancement. Maximum funding is $5,000. Read more at: http://www.toolboxforeducation.com.
Special Hope Foundation
The Special Hope Foundation funds projects that improve the quality of life of people with developmental disabilities and their families. Their priorities include inclusion of children with special needs. Find out more at: http://www.specialhope.org/index.htm.
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The ALLIANCE site offers many PDF files for download, which require Adobe Reader to view.This project is supported by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Opinions expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the U.S. Department of Education. |
©2008 PACER Center, Inc. |