Lawsuit Alleges Chicago Public Schools has Failed Non-English Speaking Parents of Special Education Students Chicago Public Schools has failed to adequately help parents with limited English skills navigate the special education process for their children as required by law, a federal lawsuit filed alleges. The lawsuit was filed by Equip for Equality, a federally mandated advocate for disabled Illinois residents. It seeks class-action status on behalf of tens of thousands of parents, primarily Spanish-speaking, of CPS students with disabilities. More than 40 percent of students with disabilities in Chicago have parents with limited English, according to the lawsuit. Unable to understand what is being said at important annual meetings over their child's special education plan, some parents only learn just before the academic year begins that their child has been moved to a new school or denied previously provided services, said Olga Pribyl, an attorney who heads the advocacy group's special education clinic. Read More |
'Cautiously Optimistic': Parents, Lawyers See Texas' First Steps Toward Special Ed Reform The state of Texas says it promises to reform its special education services following federal findings that the state denied thousands of children those services for over a decade. Lawyers and parents say the state has a long way to go. A rambunctious, at times excitable, 10-year-old Will Yoder is just home from school in Fort Worth. As he talks about his latest obsession - sinkholes - his dad Pete Yoder explains that Will is on the autism spectrum and can sometimes get violent, hurting himself and others. Will has needed special education services for at least half his life. Pete Yoder welcomes the U.S Department of Education's findings that Texas illegally denied special education to thousands of kids with disabilities. "The fact that the feds have cracked down on Texas, and Texas has admitted they need to make changes, it's basically a good first step," Yoder said. "And there are so many other fights: It goes beyond the education. While this a step in the right direction, nothing's going to ever pay back for the years of our loss." Read More |
ADHD Prescriptions Spike in Young Women According to new Centers for Disease Control (CDC) research, between 2003-2015, the number of privately insured US women aged 15-44 who filled a prescription to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) increased 344%. Using the Truven Health MarketScan commercial database, researchers examined outpatient pharmacy prescription drug claims for ADHD medications among female patients which included 2.3¬-6.8 million reproductive-age women per year who had ?11 months of enrollment in a private health insurance that covered prescription drugs. Researchers reported the percentage of women who filled at least 1 prescription for an ADHD medication rose from 0.9% in 2003 to 4% in 2015, a 344% increase. Read More |
In Hawaii, Charter Schools and Special Education Will Be in the Legislative Spotlight The lineup of K-12 education proposals in the Hawaii Legislature this year is anchored by two recurring issues: boosting funding for public charter schools and improving the quality of education for special needs and rural students. HB 2508 reintroduces the idea of creating a separate facilities funding stream for start-up charter schools, which must locate and pay for their building leases from their operating budgets without additional assistance from the state. While a similar measure died in conference last year, supporters express cautious optimism it might gain more traction this session as charter schools gain more visibility. The percentage of Hawaii students enrolled in charter schools, for instance, increased this year. Read More |
Making Special Education Truly Special in Maryland One of the least noticed recommendations in the preliminary report of the Kirwan Commission on school reform in Maryland (on which I am a member) has the potential to revolutionize special education. It calls for an "independent expert study" of the actual costs of adequate special education. But what could be revolutionary about just another study? The answer is that this study is supposed to be unlike any other ever conducted in our country or perhaps the world. Past and present studies, including those presented to the commission, estimate the costs of special education as it is, not as it should be. There's a world of difference, with tragic consequences, and we in Maryland have the chance to get it right. Read more |
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In Toronto, Schools Urged to Provide Training, Goals for Youth with Disabilities For Sarah Jama, working as a day camp counsellor the summer after Grade 11 was more than just a first job. It was also "the gateway" to future employment, she says. That job at a Toronto District School Board program helped Jama - who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair - envision her future as a valued employee and participant in the community. "A lot of my experiences wouldn't have started if I didn't start to see myself as employable," says Jama, 23. She went on to work part-time at McMaster University during her first year as a social sciences student, and now has two jobs since graduating last year. But too often, high school students with disabilities aren't getting that message, she says. Nor are they learning the pre-employment skills or how to access the supports they need to find work and plan for their futures. Read More |
Research Finds Early Childhood Program Linked to Degree Completion at Age 35 Participating in an intensive early childhood education program from preschool to third grade is linked to higher educational attainment in mid-life, according to a new study by University of Minnesota researchers. The study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, tracked the progress of more than 1,500 children from low-income neighborhoods in Chicago, from the time they entered preschool in 1983 and 1984 in Child-Parent Centers (CPC) until roughly 30 years later. The children were part of the Chicago Longitudinal Study, one of the longest-running follow-ups of early childhood intervention. "Children from low-income families are less likely to attend college than their higher-income peers," said lead author Arthur J. Reynolds, a professor at the University of Minnesota Institute of Child Development and director of the Chicago Longitudinal Study. "A strong system of educational and family supports in a child's first decade is an innovative way to improve educational outcomes leading to greater economic well-being. The CPC program provides this." Read More |
'Cautiously Optimistic': Parents, Lawyers See Texas' First Steps Toward Special Ed Reform The state of Texas says it promises to reform its special education services following federal findings that the state denied thousands of children those services for over a decade. Lawyers and parents say the state has a long way to go. A rambunctious, at times excitable, 10-year-old Will Yoder is just home from school in Fort Worth. As he talks about his latest obsession - sinkholes - his dad Pete Yoder explains that Will is on the autism spectrum and can sometimes get violent, hurting himself and others. Will has needed special education services for at least half his life. Pete Yoder welcomes the U.S Department of Education's findings that Texas illegally denied special education to thousands of kids with disabilities. "The fact that the feds have cracked down on Texas, and Texas has admitted they need to make changes, it's basically a good first step," Yoder said. "And there are so many other fights: It goes beyond the education. While this a step in the right direction, nothing's going to ever pay back for the years of our loss." Read More |
The Benefits of Treating Attention Deficit Disorder with Neurofeedback Training Neurofeedback training is a proven technology that was first used in 1972 to successfully treat epilepsy. It has many advantages over the standard drug therapy currently in use and can help with the treatment of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD and ADHD). As the name implies, this is an "exercise for the brain." A typical training session lasts 30 minutes. Just like physical exercise, neurofeedback changes the blood flow and the shape of the brain over time. The training uses a process called operant conditioning, a natural form of learning we use every day. If you ever learned how to ride a bike, play cards, or tie your shoes, you`ve employed operant conditioning to do so. Your brain uses the experience each time you do something to learn how to do it better the next time you do it. Read More |
LATEST JOB LISTINGS POSTED ON NASET
* Executive Director of Special Education - Under the direction of the Chief Academic Officer, the Executive Director of Special Education provides vision, leadership, oversight and evaluation for the Department of Special Education. A completed application includes all application materials and three supervisory references. This position is posted until filled, with an initial screening date of February 11, 2018. To learn more - Click here * Special Education Teacher (secondary) - Linwood Center is currently hiring for Special Education teachers for Grades 9-12. The teacher will guide the educational process and provide specialized instruction at the secondary school level for students with autism and related disabilities in classrooms of four to seven students. S/he will use various techniques to promote learning, including individualized instruction, problem-solving assignments, and small-group work. To learn more - Click here * High School Special Education Teacher - Tutor individual and small groups of students, reinforcing language and reading concepts. Schedule and conduct IEP meetings, coordinating schedules with parents, general education teacher(s), administrator, and all appropriate special education staff. Communicate with parents regarding individual student progress and conduct. Maintain progress records and record progress toward IEP goals. To learn more - Click here * Instructional Specialist - The STEPP Program's mission is to provide students with learning disabilities who aspire to achieve a college education and who demonstrate the potential for postsecondary success with access and comprehensive support throughout the university experience. By partnering with these students, their families, and a variety of educational communities, the STEPP Program fosters a network of opportunities and resources to empower and support students from admission to graduation from East Carolina University. To learn more - Click here * EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - Criterion Child Enrichment is conducting a search for an Executive Director. Founded in 1985 as a not-for-profit organization, Criterion has served families for over 30 years and is a leading provider of early childhood education and early intervention services. Each year the agency serves over 7000 families through a program network that extends throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. To learn more - Click here * Program Director ~ Annandale Campus - Applications are being accepted for this key leadership position within PHILLIPS Programs. The PHILLIPS School ~ Annandale Program Director, reporting to the President & CEO, will be responsible for all aspects of operation of a 200 pupil campus for students with emotional & behavior problems, learning disabilities and other school challenges. The Program Director also oversees a staff of 150. To learn more - Click here * Special Education Teacher - Various - $50,000/school year (185 days), summers off with year round pay and year round appreciation. 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). STARS is the largest school contract agency in AZ. STARS is owned and operated by Occupational Therapists. You will be an employee and receive full benefits. To learn more - Click here * Special Education Teacher - The Adolescent Care Unit (ACU) at Tséhootsooí Medical Center on the Navajo Nation seeks a Special Education Teacher to work with 8 to 10 teens aged 13-17 with mild emotional or behavior issues in a subacute 60-day inpatient program. ACU combines western therapy with Native American traditional cultural methods to foster health and Hozho or harmony, and is located in northeastern AZ. To learn more - Click here * Special Education Teacher - Various Positions Open: 2 positions for Special Education Resource 5th - 8th, Special Education Resource K-3rd, SPED - Social Skills le-4th, SPED - Social Skills 6th - 8th, Arizona certification required. To learn more - Click here If you are an Employer looking for excellent special education staff - Click here for more information |
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