This section provides news about issues of importance to our partners and the field. It is updated weekly.

NEWS FROM THE.......

The Social Security Administration Publishes Final Rules for the Ticket to Work Program
The Social Security Administration published the final regulations for the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program (Ticket to Work program), which was authorized by the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999.  The final rule, based upon proposed rules from September 2005 and August 2007, will increase the amount of revenue available to employment networks (ENs) and will create opportunities for greater collaboration between private ENs and the publicvocational rehabilitation program.  The final rule will become effective on July 21, 2008.  An electronic copy of the regulations is available online at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-10879.htm.  The regulations and other helpful information such as a Side-by-Side Comparison of Key Regulatory Provisions: Old Regulations vs. New Regulations, and Overview of NEW Ticket to Work Regulations are provided at their website  http://www.socialsecurity.gov/work/newregs.html


U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
http://www.ed.gov/index.jhtml

Doing What Works – new content added on Preschool Language and Literacy
Doing What Works is a website dedicated to assisting teachers in the implementation of effective educational practices. The Doing What Works website contains practice guides developed by the Department’s Institute of Education Sciences that evaluate research on the effectiveness of teaching practices described in the guides. The website also contains examples of possible ways this research may be used, but not necessarily the only ways to implement these teaching practices.
http://dww.ed.gov/topic/topic_landing.cfm?PA_ID=7&T_ID=15

The What Works Clearinghouse has reviewed the research on two practices used in center-based settings with 3- to 5-year-old children who are not yet in kindergarten, as well as a number of specific curricula.  Review their reports:

Teach Phonological Awareness
http://dww.ed.gov/practice/practice_landing.cfm?PA_ID=7&T_ID=15&P_ID=30

Use Interactive and Dialogic Reading
http://dww.ed.gov/practice/practice_landing.cfm?PA_ID=7&T_ID=15&P_ID=31


New PEELS report: Changes in the Characteristics, Services, and Performance of Preschoolers with Disabilities
Changes in the Characteristics, Services, and Performance of Preschoolers with Disabilities from 2003-04 to 2004-05: PEELS Wave 2 Overview Report
http://ies.ed.gov/ncser/pubs/index.asp#20083011

The National Center for Special Education Research within the Institute of Education Sciences has released the second major report from the Pre-Elementary Education Longitudinal Study (PEELS) entitled Changes in the Characteristics, Services, and Performance of Preschoolers with Disabilities from 2003-04 to 2004-05: PEELS Wave 2 Overview Report. PEELS involves a nationally representative sample of children, 3 to 5 years of age when they entered the study, with diverse disabilities who are receiving preschool special education services in a variety of settings.


Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM):  Assistance to States for the Education of Children With Disabilities and Preschool Grants for Children With Disabilities

Federal Register: May 13, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 93)]
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-10522.htm

To send your comments, please refer to the submission directions at the front of the Federal Register and reference Docket ID:  DOCID: fr13my08-15  Comments must be received on or before July 28, 2008.

In developing final regulations for the Assistance to States for the Education of Children with Disabilities Program, OSERS identified certain issues for which additional regulatory changes might be necessary. These issues, which they address in this NPRM, are: (1) Parental revocation of consent after consenting to the initial provision of services; (2) a State's or local educational agency's (LEA's) obligation to make positive efforts to employ qualified Individuals with disabilities; (3) representation of parents by non-attorneys in due process hearings; (4) State monitoring, technical assistance, and enforcement of the Part B program; and (5) the allocation of funds, under sections 611 and 619 of the Act, to LEAs that are not serving any children with disabilities. This NPRM also proposes minor modifications to the consent provisions to correct an inadvertent omission.

IDEA Partnership New On-line Resource:
Together on RTI:  A Collection of Free Resources Selected by National Organizations for Their Members
http://www.ideapartnership.org/page.cfm?pageid=58
Working through the IDEA Partnership, national organizations have come together around Response-to-Intervention (RTI).  To help their members understand the basic concepts, engage in state and local discussions and become active in RTI Implementation;  they worked together to create a customized collection based in the research and training materials developed by national technical assistance centers.  In December 2007, states, technical assistance centers and national organizations came together in the National Summit on Response-to-Intervention.  Building on that event, national organizations are currently advancing their shared interest in RTI by disseminating this compilation of links to trustworthy sources of information that will be continually updated.  These resources have been developed and/or selected by practitioners and families. They provide tools and training materials for immediate use as well as links to websites that will continually produce high quality information.


TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE & DISSEMINATION NETWORK (TA&D)

Creating Agreement Train-the-Trainer Workshop
For the last few years a number of organizations have been working together with the Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Education (CADRE) to help bring resources on Creating Agreement to the field.  The latest effort involved over 75 local and state leaders hosted by the Region 1 Parent Technical Assistance Center in New Jersey.  

Click here to view the training resources with presenter notes
Click here to view a Dialogue Guide on Early Dispute Resolution in Special Education
Click on the link to view other presentations delivered by the Creating Agreement Workgroup:
http://www.directionservice.org/cadre/IDEApartnership.cfm


Center for Implementing Technology in Education (CITEd)
http:// www.CITEd.org
A recent CITEd newsletter highlighted resources for those working on cyberbullying issues.

For Teachers:   
Stop Cyberbullying
http://www.cited.org/index.aspx?page_id=5
Vary your methods of cyberbully prevention and education by taking one of the many tutorials offered through this archive of resources. Learn about the four types of cyberbullying and what teachers can do to stop them.  

For Administrators:
Cyberbullying for Administrators
http://www.cited.org/index.aspx?page_id=57
Demonstrate strong leadership in your school and district with a proactive approach to cyberbullying. Learn how cyberbullying occurs anonymously, which requires new tactics and strategies.    

For Technology Coordinators:
Cyberbullying Situation Review Process
http://www.cited.org/index.aspx?page_id=63
Coordinate a comprehensive cyberthreat prevention plan by addressing what can be done to properly identify cyberbullies through internet searches, risk assessment, and when necessary, assistance with criminal prosecution.  

For Professional Development Coordinators:
Stop Bullying Now!
http://www.cited.org/index.aspx?page_id=69
Utilize this resource's archive of expert advice on bully prevention and intervention techniques to find out how you can successfully implement an anti-bullying agenda.  


National Early Childhood  Technical Assistance Center (NECTAC)
RTI Goes to Pre-K
http://www.nectac.org/~ppts/calls/2008/sec619/call4_rti_goes_to_pre-k.ppt
This is a webinar on an adapted a model of Response to Intervention (RTI) for use in pre-kindergarten settings with 3-5 year-olds entitled RTI Recognition and Response (R&R).  


Project Forum @ NASDSE

Synthesis of Two Reports on Critical Issues for Special Education in Charter Schools
http://projectforum.org/docs/Synthesisof2ReportsonCriticalIssuesforSpEdinCharterSchool.pdf
This Brief Policy Analysis is a synthesis of two reports developed for the website, Primers on Implementing Special Education in Charter Schools. A background on charter schools is given prior to the syntheses of the reports. The two reports each focus on a distinctive type of charter school: 1) schools designed for students with disabilities and 2) virtual charter schools. In the case of the charter schools for students with disabilities report, the author shares legal and policy contexts and typical issues. Regarding virtual charter schools, the report shares information on how special education is handled in this context. An observation section is provided following the report syntheses.

Optional IDEA Alternative Dispute Resolution
http://projectforum.org/docs/OptionalIDEAAlternativeDisputeResolution.pdf
This In-Depth Policy Analysis is the result of findings based on a survey sent to all special education units of state education agencies. The survey requested information about the use of 10 alternative dispute resolution processes not specifically required under IDEA, the extent of their use, and other information. Each of these processes is defined and findings are described under each process. Factors that impact the use of these processes are discussed and conclusions are drawn.


National Early Childhood Transition Center
This new report from the National Early Childhood Transition Center (NECTC) provides findings from a national validation survey. The report describes 21 transition practices validated across early childhood and early childhood special education professionals.

Recommended Transition Practices for Young Children
Summary: http://www.ihdi.uky.edu/nectc/documents/TRANSITIONALERTS/Validation%20Survey%20TA4.pdf
Full report: http://www.ihdi.uky.edu/nectc/Documents/technicalreport/Validation_Survey_Final.pdf


National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Centers (NSTTAC)
NSTTAC List of Products with Descriptions
http://www.nsttac.org/pdf/NSTTAC_products.pdf.
This is a document that allows you to link directly to the products described, when viewed electronically.


OUR PARTNERS

Response to Intervention Blueprint Series
The National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) and the Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) have released two documents in the Response to Intervention (RTI) Blueprint series and are available for free download and/or purchase of print copies.  The Blueprints are intentionally designed to provide a framework around which RTI implementation can be built. The Blueprints were developed jointly by NASDSE and CASE.

The two Blueprints, Response to Intervention Blueprints for Implementation: District Level and Response to Intervention Blueprints for Implementation: School Building Level, provide step-by-step implementation guidelines, resources and tips from RTI implementers with many years of experience.  The final document in the series, the State Level Blueprint, will be available in the near future.

To download a free copy of the District Level Blueprint,
http://www.nasdse.org/Portals/0/DISTRICT.pdf

To download a free copy of the School Building Level Blueprint,
http://www.nasdse.org/Portals/0/SCHOOL.pdf

Print copies of the Blueprints are available on the NASDSE website at
http://nasdse.org/Default.aspx?TabID=446&CategoryID=20&LangID=0

Education Commission of the States (ECS)
High School Agenda: Who’s Doing What
http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/78/26/7826.pdf
HIGH SCHOOL REFORM - This updated ECS paper provides information on the high school improvement projects, initiatives and products of ECS and other national education and policy organizations. It is designed to direct policymakers to various groups and resources that might be useful in developing and implementing effective high school policy.


State Funding Programs for High-Cost Special Education Students
http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/78/10/7810.pdf
Of the six-million students receiving special education services in the United States, approximately 300,000 could be defined as "high need" or "high cost" students. This ECS StateNote presents the results of a survey of 12 states' high-cost special education policies to determine how each state defines special education students as being "high-cost" and what, if any, additional funding is provided to districts to address their funding needs.

Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO)
Special Education Resources for General Educators (SERGE)
http://serge.ccsso.org
CCSSO has launched a new section to their website designed to provide general classroom educators with quick access to information and professional development about addressing the needs of students who have disabilities and special education.


OTHER

2008 KIDS COUNT Data Book
http://www.kidscount.org/datacenter/databook.jsp
The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 19th annual KIDS COUNT Data Book (2008) is a national and state-by-state profile of the well-being of America’s children that ranks states on 10 key measures and provides data on the economic, health, education, and social conditions of America’s children and families.