Week in Review - February 3, 2017

NASET

WEEK IN REVIEW

National Association of Special Education Teachers
February 3, 2017                                                Vol 13 Issue #5

Dear NASET News,

Welcome to NASET'sWEEK in REVIEW.  Here, we provide you with the latest publications from NASET to read and or download, as well as some of the most interesting articles that have happened this week in the field of special education. We hope you enjoy this publication.  Feel free to send us articles for this publication or let us know your thoughts about the WEEK in REVIEW at news@naset.org. Have a great weekend.

Sincerely,

NASET News Team

NEW THIS WEEK ON NASET

NASET's HOW TO Series - Issue #38


How To Provide Students with a Level Approach to Shape Behavior

Purpose
The purpose of this issue is to teach your students to choose positive behaviors that will lead to classroom privileges.  Read More

NASET's HOW TO Series - Issue #38

How to Use Delay as a Discipline Tool

Purpose
The purpose of this Classroom Management Series is to allow you time to make better decisions about the outcomes of inappropriate behaviors. Read More

NASET's Special Educator e-Journal


February 2017

Table of Contents
  • Update from the U.S. Department of Education
  • Buzz from the Hub
  • Common Core State Standard and Students with Moderate to Severe Disabilities. By Marta M. Gonzalez
  • Inclusion and Its Importance to Contemporary Education. By Marta Nunez
  • Fostering Best Practices in Inclusive Education. By Jodie Ray
  • VAM Scores in Special Education. By Khalilah Samuel
  • Special Education Legal Alert.  By Perry A. Zirkel
  • Latest Employment Opportunities Posted on NASET

Why "High Functioning" Autism is So Challenging

The autism spectrum is very large.  If you think of it as a rainbow (or a bell curve), you'll note that there's an awful lot of the spectrum that is at neither one end nor the other -- but somewhere in the middle. At this point in history, we don't have good information to tell us whether MOST people on the autism spectrum are "somewhere in the middle," but it is clear that the lion's share of media attention goes to folks at the high and the low ends of the spectrum -- that is, the profoundly disabled and the very high functioning. The fact is that life with severe autism is extraordinarily difficult. And logic would suggest that people on the high end of the spectrum have it easy -- as do their families and teachers. But the reality is quite different. Read More

Youngest in Class Twice as Likely to take ADHD Medication

New research has found the youngest children in West Australian primary school classes are twice as likely as their oldest classmates to receive medication for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Published in the Medical Journal of Australia, the research analyzed data for 311,384 WA schoolchildren, of whom 5,937 received at least one government subsidized ADHD prescription in 2013. The proportion of boys receiving medication (2.9%) was much higher than that of girls (0.8%). Among children aged 6-10 years, those born in June (the last month of the recommended school-year intake) were about twice as likely (boys 1.93 times, girls 2.11 times) to have received ADHD medication as those born in the first intake month (the previous July). Read More

Federal Officials Will Visit Texas Again For Special Education Investigation

Federal officials will return to Texas late next month to continue investigating whether the state deliberately excluded students from receiving special education services. Last month, they held a series of public hearings across the state to hear parents talk about their experiences with special education. The Texas Tribune reports that during visits beginning the week of Feb. 27, federal officials will collect information on how the Texas Education Agency evaluated students for special education. A Houston Chronicle investigation found the TEA capped special education enrollment at 8.5 percent. The national average is 13 percent. Read More

Stress May Explain Digestive Issues in Kids with Autism

Many children with autism suffer from gastrointestinal problems, such as belly pain and constipation. And new research suggests that these issues may stem from a heightened response to stress. "When treating a patient with autism who has constipation and other lower gastrointestinal issues, physicians may give them a laxative to address these issues," said study author Dr. David Beversdorf. "Our findings suggest there may be a subset of patients for which there may be other contributing factors. More research is needed, but anxiety and stress reactivity may be an important factor when treating these patients," he added. Read More

Report: South Carolina Teacher Shortage is Getting Worse

South Carolina started the 2016-17 school year with 481 open teaching positions and it looks like the teacher shortage there is getting worse, according to the latest report from the Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement (CERRA). Since 2001, CERRA has administered its annual Supply and Demand Survey of South Carolina's public school districts. The organization Wednesday released the results of its Fall 2016 Supply and Demand Survey, which found that more SC public school teachers are leaving their classrooms each year, with almost 6,500 teachers not returning to their posts this year (up 21 percent from the previous year). Of that number, 1,640 teachers started teaching in a different district, but more than 4,800 are no longer teaching in any school district in the state. Read More

Board Certification in Special Education Available to NASET Members

AASEP Logo
Through an agreement with The American Academy of Special Education Professionals(AASEP), NASET members now have the opportunity to achieve AASEP Board Certification in Special Education - (B.C.S.E.) at a reduced fee. AASEP Board Certification in Special Education - (B.C.S.E.) is a voluntary choice on the part of the candidate. The candidate for Board Certification wishes to demonstrate a commitment to excellence to employers, peers, administrators, other professionals, and parents. From the standpoint of the Academy, board certification will demonstrate the highest professional competency in the area of special education. Board Certification in Special Educationestablishes a much needed standard for professionals, across disciplines, who work with exceptional children.Read More

Virginia Families of People with Disabilities Criticize New Funding Structure

Matthew Goodloe cannot control his bladder, feed himself or talk. So when an interviewer got to a question about how much support the 27-year-old Hanover County man would need to attend a college class, his mother and his other caretakers were puzzled. "If you're sitting there and you get asked that question, you kind of look at each other," Kim Goodloe said recently. "For Matthew, it doesn't make sense." The question was one of many the Goodloe had to answer in a lengthy survey of Matthew's abilities, even if they did not pertain to him specifically - and they carried significant weight. Read More

In Michigan, Students Have Mixed Reactions to Temporary Disabilities Accommodations

Last winter, Engineering sophomore Sam Greeley developed a severe case of Achilles tendinitis, an ankle injury confining her to crutches for weeks, adding unexpected challenges to her daily life. After receiving attention from the University of Michigan Hospital, Greeley was not informed of the accommodations available to her from Services for Students with Disabilities. It was not until two days after her hospital visit that she learned about the services available to students with temporary conditions. "I wasn't given any contact information for a ride or a cab (from the hospital)," Greeley said. "While you are mostly mobile on crutches, travelling just down the hallway, especially in the beginning, was very tiresome." Read More
George Washington Univeristy

TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Congratulations to: Sharon Johnson-Hiltz, Patsy Ray, Cynthia Williams, Vanessa Harvey-Lykes, Raynelle Lanier, Laura Melena, Denise Keeling, Olumide Akerele and Julie Clausing who all knew the answer to last week's trivia question:

QUESTION:
Approximately what percentage of babies are born preterm in the United States?

ANSWER:  Between 10-12%

This week's question:  According to the latest research in the field, approximately how many children worldwide are born each year with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)?

If you know the answer, email us at contactus@naset.org by Monday, 2/6/17.  We will acknowledge your correct answer in the next edition of the Week in Review

Childhood Asthma May Encourage Obesity, Study Suggests

A young child with asthma has a greater risk of obesity than one without the chronic respiratory condition, a new study suggests. Among nearly 2,200 elementary school students in California, researchers found that childhood asthma was linked to a 51 percent increased risk of obesity over the next 10 years.  "I was surprised it was that substantial," said study senior author Dr. Frank Gilliland. He is a professor of preventive medicine at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles. However, kids who used "rescue" inhalers were less likely to become obese compared to those who did not treat flare-ups, the investigators found. Read More

SPECIAL EDUCATION LAW SYMPOSIUM (JUNE 18-JUNE 23, 2017)

Lehigh University's intensive one-week institute provides a practical analysis of legislation, regulations, and court decisions relating to the education of students with disabilities. The symposium is designed for special education coordinators and teachers, principals, psychologists, parent advocates, charter school personnel, attorneys (on both sides), hearing officers, state education agency personnel, and other individuals interested in a thorough exploration of the special education legal landscape.

The program offers two parallel tracks, one for basic that offers in-depth foundation knowledge about the IDEA and Section 504: eligibility, FAPE, LRE, student discipline, and remedies. The other track is for advanced participants, offering brand new "hot topics," such as child find nuances, pending Supreme Court cases, the behavioral legal alphabet soup, current parental participation parameters, and settlement strategies.

Included in the symposium is a separable two-day (June 22-23) training for school district Section 504 coordinators, including the latest litigated Section 504 disputes, an in-depth comparison of the IDEA and Section 504, and a "nuts and bolts" how-to session about how to appropriately and effectively implement Section 504.

The Symposium is offered with the options of graduate or continuing education credit for week-long participants. Shorter, including daily, registrations are also available. For full information, go to http://go.lehigh.edu/spedlaw. For any questions, email or call Shannon Weber or Donna Johnson at specialedlaw@lehigh.edu or (610) 758-5557.

State Recognized For Increasing Job Opportunities for People with Disabilities

For the fifth consecutive year, the Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities has secured federal support for efforts to increase competitive, integrated job opportunities for people with disabilities. The state has been recognized as a Core and Community of Practice State in the Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program, a news release announces. That program of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy means more disability service providers will receive training and technical assistance as they transition from segregated workshops to community-based employment. According to the state, the result could mean positive impacts for more than 500 people currently supported by DIDD. Read More

Does 'Juvy' Confinement Jeopardize Long-Term Health?

Young people in juvenile detention or jail may suffer health effects that last well into adulthood, a pair of new studies suggests. Together, they suggest incarcerated teens will face higher rates of depression, worse physical health, and a greater risk of sexually transmitted diseases, compared to other young Americans. Experts said the studies highlight a little-recognized fact: Youth incarceration is a public health problem. The United States has the highest rate of "youth confinement" of any developed country, according to the advocacy group Campaign for Youth Justice. In 2013, out of every 100,000 minors, 173 were in confinement nationwide. Read More

E-Cigarettes Not a Smoking Deterrent for Kids

There's no evidence that e-cigarettes are driving down teen smoking -- and, in fact, they may be drawing in kids who otherwise would never have smoked, a new study suggests. Researchers said the findings add to concerns about teenagers' use of e-cigarettes. E-cigarettes are battery-powered devices that deliver nicotine -- along with flavoring and other chemicals -- through a vapor rather than tobacco smoke. They are often marketed as a "safer" alternative to smoking, and a bridge toward quitting. But little is actually known about their health effects, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Read More

Many Agree Delaware Special Education Bill is Needed, But There's No Money for It

Special education advocates say Delaware's school funding system is denying important help to almost 2,500 of the state's youngest students. Rep. Kim Williams, D-Newport, is sponsoring a bill she says would fix that. Yet, despite widespread support, it is one of many proposals that has little chance of passing because of a projected $350 million state budget gap. "I know money is an issue for the state," Williams said. "But we invested all of this money into our early learning programs, and yet we have that void there in our elementary schools. This is something we really need to change." Williams' bill would provide school districts extra money for students in grades K-3 who are in the "basic" special needs category. Read More

In New Hampshire, Workforce Shortage, Under-funding: The Service Wait-list for Adults with Developmental Disabilities

An individual with developmental disabilities (intellectual challenges that require life-long care, and inhibit independent living) is entitled to services through the school system, with support from local area agencies, until the age of 21. Some families and caretakers for these individuals describe the experience of losing these entitled services at age 21 as being like "falling off the services cliff." Once an adult reaches age 21, the services that the family once received from the school system and from the area agencies must come entirely from the state through Medicaid waiver programs that are matched by the federal government. For years, New Hampshire has struggled to provide adequate state funding and services for adults with developmental disabilities. As of November 2016, 176 people remained on the waitlist. Read More

Specialized Physical Therapy Helps Teens with Scoliosis Get Ahead of the Curve

For teens with scoliosis, a new study shows specialized physical therapy exercises can improve the curve of the spine, muscle endurance and quality of life, as researchers advocate for conservative management to be added to the standard of care for patients in Canada. "Currently patients diagnosed with scoliosis are either monitored for progression, treated with a brace, or, in severe cases, offered surgery," explained Sanja Schreiber from the University of Alberta's Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine. "Our study showed that 88 per cent of patients who did the Schroth physiotherapeutic scoliosis-specific exercises showed improvements or prevented progression in their scoliosis curves over six months compared to 60 per cent in the group receiving only standard of care." Read More

Genetic Study Identifies Fourteen New Developmental Disorders in Children

The largest ever genetic study of children with previously undiagnosed rare developmental disorders has discovered 14 new developmental disorders. Published today in Nature, the research led by scientists at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute also provided diagnoses of rare conditions for over a thousand children and their families. These diagnoses allow families with the same genetic conditions to connect and access support, and help inform better clinical management. The study also accelerates research into disease mechanisms and possible therapies. Read More

When Should Doctors Treat Short Children and Teens with Growth Hormone?

When is it appropriate to treat short children with growth hormone? The answer is not always clear-cut, as many parents and physicians have discovered over the past three decades. Social, medical and ethical concerns complicate the issue. Short stature itself is not a disease, although it may result from underlying disease. But diagnosis can be challenging and treatment decisions may be controversial. Some short but healthy children receive expensive nightly injections of recombinant growth hormone. As with any medicine, there may be side effects -- and possibly unknown long-term risks. Read More

Engaging Fathers in Parenting Intervention Improves Outcomes for Both Kids and Fathers

A parenting program where fathers engage with their children through reading was found to boost the fathers' parenting skills while also improving the preschoolers' school readiness and behavior, finds a study led by NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. "Unlike earlier research, our study finds that it is possible to engage fathers from low-income communities in parenting interventions, which benefits both the fathers and their children," said Anil Chacko, associate professor of counseling psychology at NYU Steinhardt and the lead author of the study, published in the Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology. Read More
free IEP
jobs

LATEST JOB LISTINGS POSTED ON NASET


*Special Education Teacher - Alliance is seeking teachers who are passionate about education excellence, committed to transforming the lives of children in communities where they are needed most, and want to join a team "where Exceptional is the Rule". As the largest nonprofit charter school network in Los Angeles, Alliance is closing the achievement gap at scale in the second largest city in the country. To learn more - Click here
*Special Education Teacher - JCFS is looking for a Special Education Teacher for our Therapeutic Day School located in West Rogers Park.  The Teacher creates and delivers student centered, individualized and small group academic instruction within a therapeutic, highly structured classroom. To learn more - Click here
*Special Education Teacher - Our public school students need your expertise, passion and leadership. We are looking for highly motivated and skilled talent to join our team at District of Columbia. Public Schools (DCPS). We seek individuals who are passionate about transforming the DC school system and making a significant difference in the lives of public school students, parents, principals, teachers, and central office employees. To learn more - Click here
*Special Services Manager - Puget Sound ESD is seeking a Special Services Manager to support the provision of pre-employment transition services to students with disabilities across the region.  This is an exciting opportunity to support school district staff as they increase the post-secondary successes of students with disabilities through job exploration........To learn more - Click here
* Children's Quality Reviewer - Conduct external quality review activities for Children's Long Term Support Waiver. Access multiple electronic health record systems and read member/participant records to evaluate compliance with certain federal and state requirements. To learn more -Click here
*Certified Special Education Teacher - Since 1949, our client has been serving children with multiple and complex disabilities that public and private schools aren't able to accommodate.  By providing a safe and nurturing environment and expert staff, children are learning and growing everyday. To learn more - Click here
*Project Program Specialist - The Project Program Specialist will focus primarily on two projects: (1) the Center for Community Engagement's (CCE) implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions, Supports (PBIS) and (2) Project LAUNCH, a program designed to help prevention efforts in mental health among children 0 to 8 and their families. To learn more - Click here
*Special Education Teacher - JCFS is looking for a Special Education Teacher for our Therapeutic Day School located in West Rogers Park.  The Teacher creates and delivers student centered, individualized and small group academic instruction within a therapeutic, highly structured classroom. To learn more - Click here
*Project Program Manager - The duties of this position involve the performance of work involving the management or general business operations of projects for CCE and OBRE . The individual in this position will be asked to exercise discretion and independent judgement in project implementation. To learn more - Click here
*Arizona: Special Education Teacher - $46,000/school year (180 days).  Summers off with year round pay.  Special Education Teachers needed in Arizona (Phoenix and surrounding cities). Needs are in the self-contained and resource settings serving students with emotional disabilities (ED), Autism (A), Severe/Profound (S/P), and Intellectual Disabilities (ID).  To learn more - Click here
*ESS Coordinator / Special Education Teachers - Great Hearts Academies is committed to serving the students within our special education population in a manner that reflects and affirms their dignity and rightful participation within the larger student body. To learn more - Click here
*Special Education Teacher - Provide special education services in small community/ies in northwest Alaska. Work with team, complete required paperwork, follow IEPs, assist with assessments. To learn more - Click here
*Head of School for Dallas Academy - Dallas Academy is seeking an enthusiastic and committed Head of School who is knowledgeable in the full spectrum of special education and who possesses a heart for working with families and their children who have these learning differences. To learn more - Click here
*Special Education Teacher - The Hoffman Academy is a special education, private, academic school for students identified with social and emotional disorders.  The school is aligned with, and located on the grounds of, Hoffman Homes for Youth- a psychiatric residential treatment facility outside Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.  The Hoffman Academy educates approximately 100 students. To learn more - Click here
*Special Education Specialist - The primary responsibility of the Special Education Specialist is to provide instruction and other related services to Special Education students. The Special Education Specialist will also facilitate diagnostic assessment including administration, scoring and interpretation. To learn more - Click here

If you are an Employer looking for excellent special education staff - Click here for more information
Food For Thought..........
Teachers don't teach for the income. Teachers teach for the outcome
forgot username or password?