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The success rate among the graduates of  America’s Special Education Programs has been studied and criticized for decades. In 2005, Dr. Frank Rusch of Pennsylvania State University and this writer addressed the issue related to the inability of young special education high school graduates to achieve success in employment, post-secondary education, adequate housing and community acquiescence. According to the study, Rusch and Pizzuro wrote: “Young adults with disabilities typically leave publicly funded educational institutions without a job, without being enrolled in postsecondary education, and without the security of knowing their roles in society. Fewer than 30 percent of high school leavers obtain jobs after departing mandated education and fewer than 10 percent enroll in postsecondary education. The past 25 years has witnessed continued poverty among young adults with disabilities, despite legislative reauthorizations aimed at improving educational opportunities (The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004) and employment access (The Americans with Disabilities Act).”

Today, the Department of Education announced new steps to help close the achievement gap for students with disabilities by moving away from a one-size-fits-all, compliance-focused approach to a more balanced system that looks at how well students are being educated in addition to continued efforts to protect their rights. While the Department has effectively ensured access to educational resources for students with disabilities, not enough attention has been paid to educational outcomes, which have not sufficiently improved. This is partly due to the fact that federal policy has focused more on procedural requirements and not enough on critical indicators like increasing academic performance or graduation rates for students with disabilities.

Today, the Department of Education announced new steps to help close the achievement gap for students with disabilities by moving away from a one-size-fits-all, compliance-focused approach to a more balanced system that looks at how well students are being educated in addition to continued efforts to protect their rights.

Since the current process of conducting on-site state compliance reviews has not focused enough on improving student outcomes, the Department will not be carrying out the visits scheduled for the 2012-13 school year to allow it time to develop a new and more effective system. However, the Department will continue to review annual performance reports as well as monitor state supervision systems.

To that end, today, ED’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) issued guidance to educators and stakeholders on the matter of bullying of students with disabilities. This guidance provides an overview of school districts’ responsibilities to ensure that students with disabilities who are subject to bullying continue to receive free appropriate public education (FAPE) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Under IDEA, States and school districts are obligated to ensure that students with disabilities receive FAPE in the least restrictive environment (LRE). This guidance explains that any bullying of a student with disabilities which results in the student not receiving meaningful educational benefit is considered a denial of FAPE. Furthermore, this letter notes that certain changes to an educational program of a student with a disability (e.g., placement in a more restricted “protected” setting to avoid bullying behavior) may constitute a denial of FAPE in the LRE.

On April 8, 2011, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) released a notice of proposed rulemaking to clarify and update the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). FERPA protects the privacy of education records, while allowing for the effective use of data in statewide longitudinal data systems (SLDS). The public comment period for the proposed regulations will close on May 23, 2011. To learn more, go to http://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2011/04/08/2011-8205/family-educational-rights-and-privacy On a related note, the Data Quality Campaign will host a webinar featuring FERPA legal expert, Steve Winnick, to offer an initial analysis of the proposed regulations, including the extent to which they provide clarity to states to both use data for continuous improvement and protect the privacy, security, and confidentiality of student-level data. To learn more, go to http://www.dataqualitycampaign.org/events/details/288

At its core, the American educational system is about democratization of knowledge for all students, regardless of their circumstances. In 2011, 22 percent of non-institutionalized adults with disabilities had less than a high school education. If this statistic was applied to the general population, my suspicion is that there would be an outcry to reform K-12 education to have better graduation results. But for students with disabilities, there is no shock or outrage and that is something that has to change. The key to improving the educational experience for students with disabilities is better accommodations in schools and continued improvements in assistive technology.

Click here to register for this event What: Ensuring School Readiness will explore how and why smooth transitions among early learning environments are critical for school readiness and are the first step toward preparing students for success in college and career. Presenters will focus on what it takes to foster continuity as children move from early learning programs to preschool to kindergarten, and will discuss the specific roles of early learning programs, schools, and families in preparing young children to enter school ready for success. This webinar will highlight innovative practices, explore the range of supports and services offered to young children and their families, and emphasize how to help families understand how to remain involved in their child’s education as the child moves into the early school grades. Jacqueline Jones from the U.S. Department of Education will discuss the importance of successful early transitions to education reform. Sharon Ritchie from FirstSchool, a research-based preK–3rd grade initiative, will discuss “seamless education” and how to use data to improve practice. Judith Jerald from Save the Children will talk about developing early childhood programming with an eye toward facilitating transitions. And Whitcomb Hayslip will discuss how a Los Angeles-based transitional kindergarten initiative uses deliberate collaboration between teachers and families to prepare children for school success. When: April 14, 2011 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. Mountain Featured speakers include: Moderator: Tom Schultz, Project Director for Early Childhood Initiatives, Council of Chief State School Officers Jacqueline Jones, Senior Advisor to the Secretary for Early Learning, U.S. Department of Education Sharon Ritchie, Senior Scientist, FPG Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Judith Jerald, Early Childhood Advisor, Save the Children Whitcomb Hayslip, Early Childhood Education Consultant and Former Assistant Superintendent, Los Angeles Unified School District Click here to view the webinar archive for this event series

What:This free seminar shines new light on how the natural ability to think in pictures can be a disability in word thinking settings.  10 – 15% of the population struggle with learning, are often misunderstood, leading to frustration and low self-esteem.  Strategies exist for those working hard and not getting the results they expect.  * Thinking style—Learning differences * The two facets of Dyslexia: The disability…and THE GIFT * Why creativity holds a critical key to visual-spatial learning * Overview of Davis® Dyslexia Correction Program * Teacher Renewal and Continuing Education Units Available* Strategies to use your way of thinking to your advantage Presenter: Elsie Johnson, DDAI Certified Facilitator, Educational TherapistWhen:Thursday, February 23, 7:00 - 9:00 pmSaturday, February 25, 10:30 am - 12:00 pm Thursday, April 19, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pmSaturday, April 21, 10:30 am - 12:00 pm Thursday, May 17, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pmSaturday. May 19, 10:30 am - 12:00 pmWhere:Pilgrim Church, 2118 South 3rd Avenue Bozeman, MT 59715 Contact:   Elsie Johnson  Phone: 406-282-7416Email:  elsie@thelearningoptions.comWebsite: www.thelearningoptions.com Seating is limited - Pre-registration is required. 

What:This free seminar shines new light on how the natural ability to think in pictures can be a disability in word thinking settings.  10 – 15% of the population struggle with learning, are often misunderstood, leading to frustration and low self-esteem.  Strategies exist for those working hard and not getting the results they expect.  * Thinking style—Learning differences * The two facets of Dyslexia: The disability…and THE GIFT * Why creativity holds a critical key to visual-spatial learning * Overview of Davis® Dyslexia Correction Program * Teacher Renewal and Continuing Education Units Available* Strategies to use your way of thinking to your advantage Presenter: Elsie Johnson, DDAI Certified Facilitator, Educational TherapistWhen:Thursday, February 23, 7:00 - 9:00 pmSaturday, February 25, 10:30 am - 12:00 pm Thursday, April 19, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pmSaturday, April 21, 10:30 am - 12:00 pm Thursday, May 17, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pmSaturday. May 19, 10:30 am - 12:00 pmWhere:Pilgrim Church, 2118 South 3rd Avenue Bozeman, MT 59715 Contact:   Elsie Johnson  Phone: 406-282-7416Email:  elsie@thelearningoptions.comWebsite: www.thelearningoptions.com Seating is limited - Pre-registration is required. 

States that run afoul of federal rules for special education funding will be punished—though not forever—under a technical, but important tweak to state maintenance of effort under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The change, which was crafted with the help of the U.S. Department of Education, was included in the giant spending bill for the rest of this fiscal year (better known in Inside the Beltway as a continuing resolution, or CR) that Congress passed this month.

Download the the link for full information right here! (PDF)What:By the end of this continuing education, participants should be able to: Use new techniques to assess and assist patients with psychiatric disorders with suicide prevention, medication adherence, and medication management. Develop a process to evaluate patients with psychiatric disorders and/or chronic pain to ensure the effective and safe use of medications. The registration fees are as follows:$150.00 - All Healthcare Providers $50.00 - StudentsThe deadline for registration is April 6, 2012. There is a $25 processing fee applied to all late registrations and cancellations. No refunds will be granted for cancellations after April 6, 2012.When:Friday, April 13, 20128:00 am - 4:45 pmWhere:Mansfield Health Education Center2900 12th Ave. N.Suite 30WBillings, MTContact:Robert Parker Phone: (406) 237-4537Email: robert.parker@svh-mt.org

Download the Save the Date here!What:About MASPA key aspect of the mission of the Montana Association of School Psychologists (MASP) is to promote the educational and mental health needs of all children and youth. The MASP Summer Institute serves educators and other professionals who work with children and youth by offering professional development opportunities that bridge the latest research findings with real-world practice. Early Bird and student discounts will be offered! (Details will appear on the website in late March or early April.) The registration fee includes all conference materials and handouts, delicious lunches on Monday and Tuesday, and delightful snacks each day. To qualify for the student discount, you must be a student actively enrolled in an accredited degree program. Electronic registration coming in late March or early April. Intended Audiences:School Psychologists, Counselors, Social Workers, Teachers (Regular and Special Education), and Administrators Credit available:OPI Renewal credits (12); Continuing Professional Development credits (12); Billings Public School Step-Up credit (1) When:June 4-5, 2012Where:Mansfield Health Education CenterBillings, MontanaContact:Rick BartschPhone: (406) 855-4277Website: http://www.masponline.us/summer-conference