The Access Center: Improving Outcomes for all Students K-8

May Newsletter

Issue 25, 2007

Announcements
 
Bullhorn

Did You Catch Our Webinar on Accessing Algebraic Concepts?

If you missed the Access Center’s Math Module Webinar on April 25th, it’s not too late!  You may access the recording online and print a copy of the Power Point presentation. Click here to view the recording! 

Registration Now Open for the 2007 Student Progress Monitoring Summer Institute

The 2007 Summer Institute, to be held in Nashville, TN on July 10-11, is intended for anyone interested in implementing Curriculum-Based Measurement as a form of progress monitoring to improve achievement for students with disabilities and at-risk students. Click here to register.

   

TA Highlights
 
Spotlight

In March, Access Center staff continued work with the Maine Administrators of Services for Children with Disabilities (MADSEC). Continuing trainings that had begun in November, Access Center staff traveled to Freeport and Orono, Maine to present about the research continuum and research-based practices to participants including administrators and teachers from districts across the state.  In late April, staff traveled to Buffalo to continue work with the ERIE 1 BOCES by presenting the module, Enhancing your Instructional Skills through Differentiation, for over 100 general and special education teachers and support personnel.

   

Resources
 
books

NICHCY Releases New IDEA 2004 Training Modules

In conjunction with Building the Legacy: IDEA 2004, NICHCY recently posted three new training modules related to the new Part B regulations.  Visit their site today to view all available modules!  For additional information on Building the Legacy: IDEA 2004, please visit www.idea.ed.gov.

Project Forum Releases New RtI Article on Early Intervening Services (click here to link to document)

This Policy Forum Proceedings documents the process participants followed to describe barriers to implementation of Response to Intervention (RtI) as an Early Intervening Service (EIS), policy recommendations to address these barriers and implementation considerations. An introduction to the national perspective on RtI as it relates to EIS begins the document and closing remarks are included.

Highly Qualified Teachers and Special Education: Several State Approaches (click here to link to document)  
This Project Forum In-Brief Policy Analysis introduces the research on the importance that teacher quality has in student achievement and the legislative background for highly qualified special educators.

   

News & Policy

 
Newspapers

U.S. Department of Education Releases Proposed IDEA Part C Regs
On May 9th, the U.S. Department of Education released the proposed regulations for IDEA Part C.  IDEA Part C provides early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities, ages birth through two years, and their families.  According to the announcement for the proposed regulations, the Department of Education states that some of the highlights of the proposed regulations include:

  • Restructuring of the current regulations,
  • Reduced burden on states,
  • Increased state flexibility and options,
  • Much requested and needed clarification on complex provisions,
  • Ensuring state accountability for child find and provision of early intervention services, and
  • Aligning Part C, where practicable, to the Part B regulations.

For more information go to: http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/proprule/2007-2/050907a.html.

Public meetings on the proposed regulations will be held:

  • June 4, 2007, 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Portland, Oregon
  • June 6, 2007, 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  • June 11, 2007, 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Indianapolis, Indiana
  • June 14, 2007, 3:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Washington, DC

See OSEP's IDEA 2004 Web site at http://idea.ed.gov/static/partCNprm.

OSEP Director Posny Leaves Post; Returns to Kansas

Beginning July 1st, the Director of the U.S. Education Department’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), Alexa Posny, will return to Kansas to serve as the state’s commissioner of education.  It is expected that Patricia Guard, the Department’s Deputy Director, will serve as Interim Director. 

The Access Center, a project of the American Institutes for Research, is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs.    Cooperative Agreement #H326K020003

The Access Center | 1000 Thomas Jefferson St., NW Washington, D.C. 20007-3835 | Phone: (202) 403-5512 | TTY: (202) 333-3072 Fax: (202) 403-5444 | Email: accesscenter@air.org

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