Week in Review - March 6, 2020

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NASET

WEEK IN REVIEW

National Association of Special Education Teachers

March 6, 2020                    Vol 16 Issue #9



Dear NASET Members and Guests,


Welcome to NASET's WEEK in REVIEW.  Here, we provide you with the latest publications fromNASET 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,


NEW THIS WEEK ON NASET

NASET's Classroom Management Series

Poverty and Learning: The Effects of Poverty in the Classroom


By Dr. Jessie S. Thacker-King

Arkansas State University

This issue of NASET's Classroom Management series comes from JAASEP and was written by Dr. Jessie S. Thacker-King.Children who live at or below the poverty level must overcome the detrimental effects of poverty before education can begin. The causes of poverty in America is as varied as the number of students affected. The one theme that evolved from the research is the number of children affected by poverty continues to grow (Flores, 2014; Ehrenfreund, 2016;Staff, 2017). With more than 19% of public school children affected by poverty in the United States, researchers are delving into the reprecussions related to the long term effects of children living below the poverty level. This article reviews the prevelance of poverty and growth of "extreme" poverty. Through research, the author presents the expanse of poverty in the United States. The author also examines the educational effects of living at or below the poverty level for young children. The author examines several long-term and short-term studies relating to the physical evidence of developmental effects of poverty on childhood learning and the long term effects. Finally, this article offers several interventions that can help meet the needs of the most needey students. Click Here


Talking to Kids About the Coronavirus

News of the coronavirus COVID-19 is everywhere, from the front page of all the papers to the playground at school. Many parents and teachers are wondering how to bring up the epidemic in a way that will be reassuring and not make kids more worried than they already may be. Here is some advice from the experts at the Child Mind Institute. Read More



Students with Special Needs Often Pay Price in Efforts to Strengthen School Safety 

It was nearing 8:30 p.m. on October 24 when Jessica Davis called the police, searching for her missing teenage son. "They had no answers for me," Davis said.  After multiple calls to the school and the police department, she only knew a few things for certain: Jaden, who was attending Duval County Public Schools at the time of his disappearance, climbed on the bus that morning but never made it home and that no one, including the school her son attended, would answer her questions.  Four days later, when Jaden, who had already been diagnosed with ADHD, was discharged from a mental health holding facility where he was sent from school, Davis got her answer: Her son had been "Baker Acted."  Read More

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TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Congratulations to: Olumide Akerele, Patsy Ray, Cindi Maurice, Diane Campbell-Mitchell, and Susan Avery who all knew the answer to last week's trivia question:  

From hormonal changes to new schedules and altered expectations, children face a variety of challenges when they enter middle school. But students and their parents aren't the only ones stressing out. According to the latest data collection done by researchers the University of Missouri, what percentage of middle school teachers experience high stress levels?  

Answer: 94% 

This Week's Trivia Question:

New research from the CHILD Cohort Study shows that frequent exposure to common household cleaning products can increase a child's risk of developing a particular childhood health impairment. It is the most common chronic childhood health impairment and is the primary reason why children miss school or end up in hospital. The study was published  in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. It found that young infants (birth to three months) living in homes where household cleaning products were used frequently were more likely to develop this health impairment by three years of age. What is this childhood health impairment? 

If you know the answer to this week's trivia questions, email it to us at contactus@naset.org by March 10, 2020. If you are correct, you will be acknowledged in next week's NASET's Week in Review 



State Schools Chief Pleads with Lawmakers for Special Education Funding

Arizona Superintendent of Education Kathy Hoffman recently appealed to the state legislature to make up a chronic, $100-million shortfall in the money the state provides for special education students. Some 12 percent of the state's students must cope with learning disabilities Federal law requires special services for students diagnosed with conditions like attention deficiency disorder, dyslexia, deafness, vision impairment emotional disorders and mental illness and disabilities. However, the state provides less money than it takes to provide those legally required services - forcing districts to shift the money from other programs. Read More


Wisconsin Special Education Programs Continue to Provide Care Despite Cost, Staffing Concerns

Every year, children enter Wisconsin school systems with needs that can't be met by standard education practices. Special education programs rise to the occasion to meet those needs, but costs and difficulties are on the rise. The first step for many kids with special needs is the Birth to Three program, a federally mandated system that aims to plan for children's needs before they enter the school system. Birth to Three is implemented on a county-by-county basis in Wisconsin, and works in conjunction with local Health and Human Services departments. In Juneau County, Children, Youth, and Family Services manager Kelly Firlus heads up the Birth to Three program, working under a mandate from the Individuals with Disabilities Act. According to Firlus, her team contracts with the local Cooperative Educational Service Agency, based in Portage. Through that partnership, the agencies determine how to best set the kids in their care up for success. Read More



State Schools Chief Pleads with Lawmakers for Special Education Funding

Arizona Superintendent of Education Kathy Hoffman recently appealed to the state legislature to make up a chronic, $100-million shortfall in the money the state provides for special education students. Some 12 percent of the state's students must cope with learning disabilities Federal law requires special services for students diagnosed with conditions like attention deficiency disorder, dyslexia, deafness, vision impairment emotional disorders and mental illness and disabilities. However, the state provides less money than it takes to provide those legally required services - forcing districts to shift the money from other programs. Read More


Wisconsin Special Education Programs Continue to Provide Care Despite Cost, Staffing Concerns

Every year, children enter Wisconsin school systems with needs that can't be met by standard education practices. Special education programs rise to the occasion to meet those needs, but costs and difficulties are on the rise. The first step for many kids with special needs is the Birth to Three program, a federally mandated system that aims to plan for children's needs before they enter the school system. Birth to Three is implemented on a county-by-county basis in Wisconsin, and works in conjunction with local Health and Human Services departments. In Juneau County, Children, Youth, and Family Services manager Kelly Firlus heads up the Birth to Three program, working under a mandate from the Individuals with Disabilities Act. According to Firlus, her team contracts with the local Cooperative Educational Service Agency, based in Portage. Through that partnership, the agencies determine how to best set the kids in their care up for success. Read More



Lehigh University Special Education Law Symposium

The Lehigh University Special Education Law Symposium will be held on our beautiful campus in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania June 21-26, 2020.  Featuring a keynote by OSEP director Laurie VanderPloeg, eight "hot topic" sessions by paired attorneys for a dual perspective, and a culminating comprehensive update from Professor Perry Zirkel, this year's symposium promises to be the best ever in this nationally prominent program.  The week also includes a separate two-day program, the Lehigh Section 504 Institute on June 25-26. For complete information, see go.lehigh.edu/spedlaw


Researchers Develop AI-Based Intervention for Kids with Autism

Everyday social interactions with family members and peers can be challenging for children with autism spectrum disorder. Oftentimes, specialists use behavioral therapy to work with these children on communication skills and help them better interact with and respond to those around them. In a new study published Wednesday in Science Robotics, researchers reported that robots, programmed using artificial intelligence, can also help children with ASD develop the social skills they need in order to communicate more effectively. The study described a new computer model, dubbed Socially Assistive Robotics, or SAR, designed to provide personalized verbal and visual feedback to children with ASD as they play space-themed math games on a tablet, games that the researchers also developed. And much like therapists, these robots use the games to prompt children to perform social tasks. Read More


How to Help Teens Tackle Mental Health Issues with Reading

Anxiety almost destroyed my second-grader. At 2:45 each day, she staggered into her school's corridor with holes chewed into her T-shirt and her curls twisted into knots. At home, she closed herself in her bedroom, where she sat for hours playing silently with her stuffed animals. My husband and I adopted our daughter from foster care when she was a toddler. Six years later, she still suffered from separation anxiety that sent her into a heart-pounding, gut-writhing panic each morning when we left her in the classroom. When she began to hide under her desk and scream, we rearranged our work schedules so we could teach her at home for two years. I designed curriculum around children's novels that reflected her experiences as a biracial kid adopted from the state and struggling with ADHD and depression. Slowly, her self-esteem grew, and her anxiety lifted. These days, she skips home from sixth grade with her shirt and her curls intact, laughing and chattering about her day. Read More


Education to Help Drive VR Growth

Education is one of the categories that will help propel the massive growth of virtual reality over the next five years. According to a new market forecast from ABI Research, the virtual reality market will grow 45.7 percent year over year, reaching $24.5 billion in 2024. Standalone VR gear will account for 70 percent of the market. ABI noted: "While VR has yet to live up to its early expectations, there is positive momentum and strong activity beyond the mainstream's vision." According to ABI Principal Analyst Michael Inouye: "Gaming remains the main driver on the consumer side and with titles like "Half-Life: Alyx" soon to be released. Coupled with Sony's continued support of VR, gaming is buoying the consumer side of the market. VR had a less than stellar start, and while it's still a long-time horizon, some of the building blocks have solidified, affording VR the time it needs to reach its potential across verticals." Read More


Multi-Sensor Band Quickly and Simply Records Subtle Changes in Patients with MS

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive, chronic disorder in which the body's immune system attacks the central nervous system, resulting in multiple adverse effects, from numbness, fatigue and impaired speech to loss of muscle control and vision. There is no cure for MS; treatment focuses upon managing symptoms and slowing progression. As a result, the ability to precisely assess the extent of MS-related disability and disease advancement is critical to effective treatment. In a new study, published in the February 26, 2020 online issue of Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, an international team of scientists, led by researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, describe a new, multi-sensor tool that measures subtle changes in MS patients, allowing physicians to more frequently and more quickly respond to changes in symptoms or patient condition. Read More



Babies from Bilingual Homes Switch Attention Faster

Babies born into bilingual homes change the focus of their attention more quickly and more frequently than babies in homes where only one language is spoken, according to new research published in the journal Royal Society Open Science. The study, led by Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), used eye-tracking technology to record the gaze of 102 infants carrying out a variety of tasks. The researchers chose to test babies aged between seven and nine months to rule out any benefits gained from being able to speak a second language, often referred to as the "bilingual advantage." Instead, the study focused on the effects of growing up hearing two or more languages. Read More


North Dakota Non-Profit Make Skiing a Reality for Children with Disabilities

Jacey Enget has always had a love for the outdoors, but enjoying has had its obstacles. "I was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at age 1 and a half," she explains. Jacey's only mode of transportation is a wheelchair. Still, she hasn't let that stop her. Enget is one of the participants of Hope's Vision that recently got to trade their chairs in for a pair of skis. "It was just...just a thrill. I got to know the feeling of the wind in my hair and got to leave the chair behind. So, that's the best part," Enget said after carving up the slopes. Hope Reis suffers from a condition that causes low vision. She started Hope's Vision tenyears ago for a Girl Scout project, offering those with disabilities to have a chance to experience sports as well. Read More


Ohio High School Students Won't Have to be Proficient in Math or English to Graduate Under State Plan

Should high school students be proficient in basic English and math? The debate is at the crux of a proposal by the State Superintendent of Schools to change the requirements to earn an Ohio high school diploma. If the plan passes, Ohio high school seniors graduating in 2023 won't have to be proficient in Algebra 1 and English II. They would only need to be "competent." Under the plan, students would need a score of 682 on math and 679 in English to be considered "competent." When asked if a student who is competent or proficient means they are college or job-ready, the state superintendent of schools had a hard time answering that. Read More


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Feds Offer Guidance on School Safety

The federal government has launched a "clearinghouse" website to help schools prepare for threats. A joint venture of the four agencies, the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security, Education, Justice and Health and Human Services, SchoolSafety.gov will provide recommendations for helping schools "prevent, protect, mitigate, respond to and recover from emergency situations." Currently, SchoolSafety.gov includes links to about 255 resources, including videos; virtual training; guidance; reports; tools; fact sheets; podcasts; surveys and assessments; and links to grants, programs and events. Content can be filtered and searched on by education level (primary, secondary or post-secondary), audience (such as principals, emergency managers or parents and students) and intended application (classroom, school building, campus, etc.). Read More


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Children with Developmental Disabilities Especially Vulnerable to Bullies

As Canada celebrates Pink Shirt Day - also known as Anti-Bullying Day - the Developmental Disabilities Association is asking people to spare a thought for one of society's most vulnerable groups. "Kids with developmental disabilities are more likely to get bullied than typical children because they're vulnerable, and very often bullies pick on people who don't have as much power," says the group's executive director Alanna Hendren. According to government statistics, 47 per cent of Canadian parents report their children as being victims of bullying. Separate studies have shown kids with developmental disabilities are twice as likely to be targeted. Read More


Oregon Woman Helps Those with Invisible Disabilities Train Service Dogs

Service animals can mean the difference between a life of independence and one shuttered away from the world. That is something Suzanne Brean knows first-hand. A survivor of sexual assault, Brean suffers from PTSD and started working with service dogs to help control and alert her to the side effects. Then, the need for a service dog by her side grew after a stroke brought on seizures in the early 2000s. Her first service dog, Wyatt, saved her life more than once, she said. He was able to sense a seizure was coming on before Brean herself even knew it. "He knew exactly what to do," she said. The first time Wyatt came to her rescue, Brean was in Washington, D.C. for a conference. Before a seizure hit, Wyatt got her to a safe place. He then held her upright during the seizure. Once she came to, she knew she needed to get back to her hotel room. However, she couldn't remember the room number. Wyatt was still able to direct her there. Read More


'Eat Well, Do Good': N.J. Eatery Hires People With Intellectual Disabilities

There are no limits to what you can accomplish, given the right tools and resources. That's the message one New Jersey cafe aims to spread by almost exclusively hiring adults with intellectual disabilities. The No Limits Cafe just opened its doors to the public. CBSN New York's Nina Kapur visited the lunch cafe off Route 35 in Middletown on Wednesday. "Eat well... do good." That's No Limit Cafe's motto. The restaurant employs 33 adults with intellectual disabilities, all in an effort to give everyone a real world experience, employment, and, of course, a paycheck. "It's our belief that EVERYONE has the ability to be a contributing member of society. Our employees will have a sense of pride and purpose, while serving our customers great food," the establishment says on its website. Read More


Parents Plan for Their Children's Transition to Adulthood

Jenise Reedus, a mother of a Newark high school junior with autism, says her daughter's forthcoming transition to adulthood is full of uncertainties. Planning for the future can be daunting.  Reedus was among nearly 500 people who attended Autism New Jersey's transition conference Monday, about life after high school for people with autism. Newark Public Schools was among the sponsors of the event, held at the DoubleTree Newark Airport hotel.  "I'm hoping to process what might be the right fit for her," Reedus said, noting her daughter hasn't yet decided if she wants to go to college or apply for jobs. "Then, how will we go about accessing it? I'm getting a lot of information here." Read More


NEW NASET BOARD CERTIFICATION PROGRAM IN SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVOCACY

The National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) and the American Academy of Special Education Professionals (AASEP) recognize the increasing need for qualified special education advocates. In order to enhance this area of concern, they have created a comprehensive special education advocacy program whereby upon completion, you become a Board Certified Advocate in Special Education (BCASE). The BCASE program offers you all the materials to be an effective, articulate, and qualified special education advocate. completion of the BCASE program will provide you with the knowledge, skills and abilities to be confident as an advocate for children with special needs and their parents.­ To learn more about becoming a Board Certified Advocate in Special Education (BCASE), click here


LATEST JOB LISTINGS POSTED ON NASET

* Technology Resources Teacher - Is responsible for teaching computer skills, and 21st century technology skills. The position will work as a member of the STEM team to advance the mission of the Goodwill Excel Center to ensure students are job ready, especially upon graduation. The Technology Resource Teacher will support GEC students with accessing their on-line courses, and facilitate student learning as it relates to understanding the functions of computers, the internet and with accessing and mastering on-line curriculum. To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Instructor - Mathematics - The Teacher of Record, will also serve as Special Education Instructor charged with working with Excel Center students who need extra support, or require an advanced program of learning in order to reach their full educational potential. TORs/Special Education instructors may work with individuals who have physical disabilities, sensory impairments (i.e. hearing or visual), speech and language difficulties, learning difficulties such as dyslexia, conditions such as autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, or have a combination of these difficulties. To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Teacher - Ascend is a network of K-12 public charter schools serving 5,500 students in 15 schools across Brooklyn-New York's most populous borough. Our undertaking is to lead all students on a great intellectual adventure, provide them with an exceptional college preparatory education, and place them firmly on the path to success in college and beyond. To learn more - Click here

* Diverse Learning Teacher/Special Education - The primary responsibilities of the Special Education Teacher are to maintain quality services in accordance with state/federal guidelines and ensuring that instruction, modifications, etc. for students with special needs are being implemented consistently. An ideal candidate is someone who has a proven record of success and is committed to maintaining high expectations for students. To learn more - Click here

* 2020-2021 Classroom Teachers (PreK-12th) - Founded in 2013, InspireNOLA Charter Schools is currently the highest performing charter school management organization in New Orleans. InspireNOLA operates seven public charter schools and serves more than 5,000 students in Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade. To leern more - Click here

* Bilingual Diagnostician - Bilingual Diagnostician sought by White Settlement Independent School District in White Settlement, TX. Select and administer formal and informal assessments to determine student eligibility for special education services according to federal and Texas Education Agency regulations. Requires travel to other US offices as needed. To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Teacher (SPED) - As part of our mission to pave the way for children's success worldwide, Therapy Source is currently seeking several full or part-time Special Education Teachers (SPEDs) to provide services for charter school students with various caseloads. This position is for the remainder of the 2019/2020 school year. Excellent compensation. To learn more - Click here

* Teacher (10-month) SY 2020-21 - As part of a comprehensive reform e?ort to become the preeminent urban school system in America, DCPS intends to have the highest-performing, best paid, most satis?ed, and most honored educator force in the nation and a distinctive central o?ce sta? whose work supports and drives instructional excellence and signi?cant achievement gains for DCPS students. To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Teacher - Stars is seeking Special Education Teachers in Arizona (Phoenix and surrounding cities).  With a proven track record, STARS is able to offer you an unbeatable support system and resources. We are hiring for the 2020-2021 school year. STARS places Special Education Teachers throughout the Phoenix, Tucson and the surrounding area public schools. to learn more - Click here

* 2020 Arizona Education Job Fairs -  The Arizona Department of Education will be hosting the 2020 Arizona Education Job Fairs. Arizona public schools will be looking for administrators, teachers, related service providers, and support staff. To learn more - Click here

If you are an Employer looking for excellent special education staff - Click here for more information


Food For Thought..........

We don't know who we are until we see what we can do.  

                                                                    Martha Grimes


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