Week in Review - September 6, 2019

NASET

WEEK IN REVIEW

National Association of Special Education Teachers

September 6, 2019 Vol 15 Issue #37

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

September 2019 - Special Educator E-Journal

Table of Contents

To Access this Months NASET E-Journal Click Here

Covert Bullying Higher Among Young Girls with Disabilities

A new South Australian study has found a serious problem of covert bullying in schools, particularly in relation to girls with disabilities. The work, led by University of South Australia researcher Dr. Anna Moffat, reveals that 57 percent of girls with disabilities in upper primary school have experienced covert bullying where they are excluded from social circles, rejected, subjected to vicious rumors, whispering and threatening looks. While boys with disabilities are also bullied more than their peers, this difference was greatest in high school. The research team, including Professor Gerry Redmond and Associate Professor Pammi Raghavendra from Flinders University, used data from the Australian Child Wellbeing Project, a survey of 4753 Australian children aged eight to 14 years, 490 of whom identified as living with a disability. Read More

Autism Rates Increasing Fastest Among Black, Hispanic Youth

Autism rates among racial minorities in the United States have increased by double digits in recent years, with black rates now exceeding those of whites in most states and Hispanic rates growing faster than any other group, according to new University of Colorado Boulder research. The study, published this month in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, also found that prevalence of autism among white youth is ticking up again, after flattening in the mid-2000s. While some of the increase is due to more awareness and greater detection of the disorder among minority populations, other environmental factors are likely at play, the authors conclude. "We found that rates among blacks and Hispanics are not only catching up to those of whites-which have historically been higher-but surpassing them," said lead author Cynthia Nevison, an atmospheric research scientist with the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research. "These results suggest that additional factors beyond just catch-up may be involved." Read More

Major Changes in IEP Diagnosis and Classification for Children with Disabilities Proposed by NASET

The National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) is proposing major changes to the existing system in which children with disabilities are diagnosed and classified on EPs (Individual Educational Programs). This new system will provide all professionals working in the field of special education, college students preparing to work with children with special needs, administrators, college professors, parents, and students with disabilities the information necessary to adequately determine the most comprehensive, detailed, and precise diagnoses of disabilities or disorders seen in infants, toddlers, children, and adolescents, particularly in the educational environment. Read More

Are you using your NASET Discounts at Office Depot & OfficeMax?

Join us for a FREE 15-minute educational webinar on Thursday, September 26th at 2pm EST to learn about the advantages of buying your office supplies through the National Association of Special Education Teachers, Office Depot OfficeMax member benefit program.

When you use this exclusive member discount, you can save up to 75% on thousands of items. Shopping and saving in-store or online is easy. Your cards never expire and can be used for personal or classroom supplies such as paper, crayons, rulers, calculators, scissors, and so much more! Most orders of $50 or more are eligible for free delivery to your home or office. Savings and convenience. What's not to like?

Don't think you can make it to our live webinar? Register anyway to ensure that you receive a copy of the webinar recording which will be sent out via email 24 hours after the live webinar. Register here

Board Certification in Special Education Available to NASET Members

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

TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Congratulations to: Jen Womble-Ericson, Olumide Akerele, Melody Owens, Denise Keeling, Tracey Christilles, and Cindi Maurice who all knew the answer to last week's trivia question:

According to recent research done by Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group (HALO) at the CHEO Research Institute in Ottawa (in their paper published this month in Pediatrics), children and youth who do not sleep enough and use screens more than recommended are more likely to act in what way?

Answer: IMPULSIVELY AND MAKING POOR DECISIONS

This Week's Trivia Question: According to a new University of Michigan study of school children in Bogotá, Colombia, this vitamin deficiency in middle childhood can result in aggressive behavior as well as anxious and depressive moods during adolescence. Children with blood of these vitamin levels suggestive of deficiency were almost twice as likely to develop externalizing behavior problems -- aggressive and rule breaking behaviors -- as reported by their parents, compared with children who had higher levels of the vitamin. What Vitamin (letter) is it?

If you know the answer to this week's trivia questions, email it to us at contactus@naset.org by September 9, 2019. If you are correct, you will be acknowledged in next week's NASET's Week in Review

Using Virtual Reality to Help Students with Disabilities

Danvers, a town about 20 miles north of Boston, has five small elementary schools. The switch to the town's bigger middle school - where, for the first time, students walk the halls on their own between classes - can be a little scary. It's even more daunting for students with disabilities. That's one reason the district's technology director, Jeff Liberman, purchased a 360-degree camera and recruited student videographers to help with a project: This year, students taking a video production class will create a virtual tour of the middle school. The goal is to give new students a chance to explore their future school in advance, in a low-stress environment. Last year, a student intern created a similar tour of the town's high school, and it was so popular that Liberman wants one for every school. About 16 percent of the 3,800 students in Danvers Public Schools get services because they have disabilities. Virtual reality is becoming an increasingly important tool for serving them. While the use of VR in schools has been growing in recent years, thanks in part to more affordable resources, Danvers is becoming a leader in finding applications of VR that help students with disabilities. Read More

Back-to-School Time is about 'Second Guessing Yourself' for Parents of Children with Special Needs: ESSAY

Some parents get giddy when Target starts putting their back-to-school stuff out in the middle of July. I believe it might be Staples that has the commercial where parents are dancing to the Christmas song "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year," while buying back to school items. I am the exact opposite. I avoid this task, until I can't anymore. The last thing I need is another festive reminder that the first day of school is around the corner. It's not that I don't like school. I just don't like what comes along with it, when you have children with special needs. Read More

State will Likely Cite Palo Alto Unified for too Many Students of Color in Special Education

The Palo Alto school district will likely be cited by the state this year for having a significantly disproportionate number of Latino and African American students in special education for the three years in a row. The Santa Clara County Office of Education's Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) informed the district on Aug. 3 that it had received notification that the state has projected Palo Alto Unified will be out of compliance this year, according to an email the district provided to the Weekly. Superintendent Don Austin said he expects to see a finding in this area for the next several years. "Since it is not practical" to take students out of special education who have already been classified as needing the services, he said, "it will take time for this situation to cycle through." Read More

The Number of Flint's Special Needs Students has Increased by 56% Since the Water Crisis, According to Report

As the new school year starts, Flint's public schools face a daunting challenge. According to a new report published by Education Week on Monday, this year at least 1 in 5 students in Flint's public schools are eligible for special education. That's a 56 percent increase from the year before the Flint water crisis started, which poisoned thousands of people with lead. The increase saw a rise from 13.1 percent in 2012-13 to 20.5 percent last school year, and the rise is putting a strain on Flint's school system resources. A lawsuit has been filed on behalf of Flint families against the Flint school system and the Michigan education department, "alleging systematic failure to meet the needs of special education students," according to the report. Though the lawsuit does not place the need for more special education services on the water crisis, lead exposure has been linked to developmental problems in children. Read More

New Autism Map Points to Diagnostic Deserts in United States

More than 80 percent of counties in the United States do not have diagnostic centers for autism, according to a new database. And across the country, autistic people live, on average, about 22 miles from a diagnostic center. The findings are from an online database called GapMap, which displays about 28,000 resources, such as autism therapy clinics, educational supports and diagnostic centers. Autistic people in the U.S. live 11 miles, on average, from the nearest such resource, according to the database. These numbers show that there are significant barriers to getting an autism diagnosis. "We need to do something about it," says lead researcher Dennis Wall, associate professor of pediatrics and biomedical data science at Stanford University in California, such as training more developmental specialists and performing diagnostic evaluations via video or other technology. Read More

Many Psychiatric Disorders have Heightened Impulsivity

Individuals with many different psychiatric disorders have a higher tendency to choose smaller, immediate rewards over larger, delayed rewards, a study led by Hamilton researchers has found. The findings of a meta-analysis by researchers of McMaster University and St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, which combined data from more than 40 studies, was published in JAMA Psychiatry today. That this type of decision-making tied to impulsivity, called delay discounting, is heightened in those with certain psychiatric disorders compared to others, is expected to have an important impact on future research and treatment across an array of disorders. "The revelation that delay discounting is one of these 'trans-diagnostic' processes will have a significant effect on the future of psychiatric diagnosis and treatment," said Michael Amlung, lead author of the study. He is an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences at McMaster University and researcher for the Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton. Read More

Many Psychiatric Disorders have Heightened Impulsivity

Understanding Connection Between Poverty, Childhood Trauma and Heart Disease

Traumatic childhood experiences among the poor and uninsured are associated with higher cardiovascular risk, according to new research. Experts have long known difficult childhoods are linked with a wide range of health risks later in life, including obesity, substance abuse and cardiovascular disease. They're also alarmingly common: More than half of the U.S. population say they experienced at least one adverse experience as a child or adolescent. A new study published Tuesday in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes looks at how childhood trauma impacts heart health among a very specific population: low-income, uninsured adults. That population had not been extensively studied before, according to Heidi Allen, the study's lead author and professor of social work at Columbia University in New York. Read More

Mindfulness for Middle School Students

Two new studies from MIT suggest that mindfulness -- the practice of focusing one's awareness on the present moment -- can enhance academic performance and mental health in middle schoolers. The researchers found that more mindfulness correlates with better academic performance, fewer suspensions from school, and less stress. "By definition, mindfulness is the ability to focus attention on the present moment, as opposed to being distracted by external things or internal thoughts. If you're focused on the teacher in front of you, or the homework in front of you, that should be good for learning," says John Gabrieli, the Grover M. Hermann Professor in Health Sciences and Technology, a professor of brain and cognitive sciences, and a member of MIT's McGovern Institute for Brain Research. Read More

Study: Bilingualism Linked to Few Cognitive Advantages Among Children with Attention Problems

The benefits of bilingualism in mental functions have long been observed and studied. Compared to their monolingual peers, bilingual individuals have enhanced cognitive capacities in executive functioning and visual processing - areas that include inhibition and visual discrimination skills. But in a recent study of children with neurodevelopmental disorders and attention problems, the cognitive benefits of bilingualism stopped short. The study, published last month in the Journal of Attention Disorders, found that the "bilingual advantage" seldom played a role in mitigating attention deficits among participants. Read More

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Better Seizure Control with Ketogenic Diet in Infants with Genetic Epilepsy

Infants and young children with epilepsy due to a confirmed genetic abnormality had a better response to treatment with ketogenic diet compared to patients with other types of epilepsy, according to a review of 10-year experience at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. Results were published in Scientific Reports. "Overall, we observed that ketogenic diet continues to be a safe, effective and well-tolerated treatment for patients under 3 years of age with drug-resistant epilepsy," says study author John Millichap, MD, an epilepsy specialist at Lurie Children's and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. "Based on our experience, clinicians could consider offering ketogenic diet earlier to infants diagnosed with genetic epilepsy, perhaps even before it becomes clear that the patient is not responding to anticonvulsant medication." Read More

free IEP ???????

Stable Home Lives Improve Prospects for Preemies

As they grow and develop, children who were born at least 10 weeks before their due dates are at risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder and anxiety disorders. They also have a higher risk than children who were full-term babies for other neurodevelopmental issues, including cognitive problems, language difficulties and motor delays. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis who have been trying to determine what puts such children at risk for these problems have found that their mental health may be related less to medical challenges they face after birth than to the environment the babies enter once they leave the newborn intensive care unit (NICU). Read More

Children of Incarcerated Parents have More Substance Abuse, Anxiety

Children of incarcerated parents are six times more likely than other children to develop a substance use disorder as adults and nearly twice as likely to have diagnosable anxiety, according to new research from the Center for Child and Family Policy at the Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy. In addition, children whose parents were incarcerated are more likely to encounter significant hurdles transitioning into adulthood, including being charged with a felony (35% vs. 11.5%), dropping out of high school (25.5% vs. 5.0%), becoming a teenage parent (14.3% vs. 2.8%), experiencing financial strain (37.2% vs. 17.5%), and being socially isolated (24.5% vs. 9.4%), the study found. Read More

Family-School Engagement has Specific Perks for Young Students

With school in full swing, many parents might be considering how to get more involved with their child's schooling. Parent involvement and support can be beneficial for students of all ages, but new research shows that family-school involvement has specific perks for young students. After surveying more than 3,170 students and 200 teachers, researchers at the University of Missouri found that families are less engaged with their child's schooling in middle school than they are when their child is in elementary school. However, the researchers also found a silver lining: Both elementary school children and middle school children are less likely to have concentration problems and behavioral issues at the end of a school year if their parents made a greater effort to be engaged with their schooling earlier in the year. Read More

LATEST JOB LISTINGS POSTED ON NASET

* IMMEDIATE HS Special Education (ELA) Teacher - The Special Education Teacher at KIPP Philadelphia Public Schools is required to perform the following duties, develop, monitor, and evaluate the effectiveness of special education programs and other student supports (Intervention, 504, ELL, etc.) To learn more - Click here

* Learning Specialist - Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill has an immediate need for a full-time Learning Specialist. The role of Learning Specialist is supporting students with learning differences and attention challenges by providing remediation and strategies through direct and indirect services while guiding students through the process of learning about their strengths, challenges, and giftings. To learn more - Click here

* Accessibility Program Manager - This person will report to the Division Director of Professional Services. The purpose of this position is to assist the Division Director with developing strategies for teachers to use in classroom settings, identifying and leading committees of STEM accessibility subject matter experts, planning outreach events and meetings and general administrative support. To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Intervention Methodology Advisor - Peace Corps Response Volunteers (PCRV) with a degree in special education, at least 2 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and young people with intellectual disabilities, and advanced Spanish skills are needed to serve in Peru as a Special Education Intervention Methodology Advisor for Residential Care Centers (CAR) in the Unit of Services for the Protection of People with Disabilities (USPPD). To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Teacher - Bartow, FL - The Invo-Progressus Team has incredible opportunities for Special Education Teachers...or, as we like to call them, Superheroes. If you use your super powers to help ensure that children have access to the best education possible. To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Teacher - Wake up every morning knowing you have the power and the tools to change lives. EBS is the employer of choice for special education teachers who truly want to help children learn, evolve, and grow. Join us, and we'll give you everything you need to fuel your passion as a special education teacher. To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Teacher - Newark Board of Education (NBOE) is now accepting applications for Special Education Teachers for the 2019-20 school year. Certified teachers, career changers, and recent graduates should apply today to be considered. Completing the central application will give principals the ability to access your resume and invite you to interview for open positions in your subject area. To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Teacher, Teaching Assistant - The California Montessori Project seeks both Special Education Teachers and Special Education Teaching Assistants. These postions are available at multiple locations in California. To learn more - Click here

* Math and Science Teacher- The Katherine Thomas School in Rockville, MD seeks to hire full-time high school Special Education Math and Science teachers for 2019/2020 school year. Responsibilities include: implement content area curricula, provide necessary accommodations to meet individual, group, and program needs, write and implement IEPs, create a supportive learning environment, implement Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and create partnerships with parents and The Katherine Thomas High School Community. To learn more - Click here

* Chief Clinical Officer- Criterion Child Enrichment is conducting a search for a Chief Clinical Officer (CCO). 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 in Massachusetts. Each year the agency serves over 7000 families with a staff of over 400 through a program network that extends throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. To learn more - Click here

* Early Childhood Educational Diagnostician/Assessor - is responsible for accurately assessing a child's needs after s/he is referred to Early Stages through the administration of the appropriate screenings and educational assessments. The Coordinator functions as part of a multi-disciplinary team that collaborates to determine eligibility for special education services and is responsible for leading the team's collaboration and composing IEPs for children with special needs. To learn more- Click here

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

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

Look for a way to lift someone up. And if that's all you do, that's enough.

Elizabeth Lesser

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