Week in Review - February 4, 2022


NASET

WEEK IN REVIEW

National Association of Special Education Teachers

February 4, 2022                 Vol 18 Issue #5



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,


WHATS NEW AT NASET

NASET Special Educator e-Journal - February 2022

Table of Contents

 

  • Special Education Legal Alert. By Perry A. Zirkel
  • Buzz from the Hub
  • Update from the U.S. Department of Education
  • Key Definitions in Part B of IDEA | Defining and Understanding Related Services
  • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
  • NASET Latest Job Postings
  • Acknowledgements

Read More


Board Certified Inclusive Education Specialist (BCIES) -b


COVID-19 Challenges Hit Special Education Teachers Especially Hard

There has arguably been never a tougher time to be a teacher. Working amid a deadly global pandemic while navigating multiple problems and evolving guidelines has placed more pressure on teachers than ever before. And for educators who work with students with disabilities or others who belong to vulnerable or underrepresented populations, the challenges mushroomed, especially once students went remote, UO researchers have found. “That was the single largest structural change in the delivery of instruction in the history of education in the United States, and it happened in a matter of weeks without any preparation,” said College of Education professor Jerry Rosiek. “Teachers were constantly put in impossible positions, and that was causing a great deal of stress. Everybody was in crisis mode, so teachers were doing just what they really absolutely had to do.” Read More

 

Pandemic Especially Tough on Kids with ADHD

Living through the pandemic has not been easy for kids, but it has really thrown off children who have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), new research warns. Though they were not more likely to catch COVID-19, they were more likely to experience symptoms if they were infected. But the damage did not stop there: These children were also more likely to have trouble sleeping, feel fear about infection risks, have trouble with remote learning and exhibit rule-breaking behavior. The interventions that can help these kids stay focused — like school involvement and parental monitoring — were also disrupted by the pandemic. Read More

Greenhouse Program Helps Students with Disabilities Learn Through Experience

Greenhouses built for a Reynolds School District program are helping teach young adults with disabilities entrepreneurship and other life skills. The students get hands-on experience growing and nurturing the plants, and eventually putting them up for sale come spring. "Our aim with the greenhouses is to create an onsite work experience for the students," said transition specialist Christina Bederka. The students received some of the donated plants from Fred Meyer and seeds donated from Parkrose Hardware. The students also got a $1,000 grant from the Reynolds Education Foundation to expand the greenhouse program. A main goal of the program is to teach students how to get and hold down a job. Read More

How Rosie, an African Penguin at Odysea Aquarium, is Inspiring Kids with Disabilities

Rosie, a small African penguin, might be small in stature, but she brought out big smiles and laughs from a group of children who were eager to meet her on Tuesday. Turns out, when Rosie hatched at Odysea Aquarium in 2019, she had some difficulty sitting up on her own and her feet with misalignment. X-rays confirmed that she had some skeletal abnormalities. But, with a little help from her care team, they created a penguin-sized "jump-a-roo" to help strengthen the muscles in her legs. Since then, she's returned to her family and now acts as an animal ambassador to inspire others. Read More

Remote School Meltdowns? Research Gives Window into Student Well-Being During the Pandemic

There’s a picture that went viral early in the pandemic that became a symbol of how hard emergency remote schooling was for the youngest students. The image showed a 5-year-old student sitting at a small desk in his family’s kitchen, facing a laptop computer. He’s holding a pencil in one hand, pulling up the neck of his T-shirt with his other hand to wipe tears away from his eyes. To understand the stakes of the image, it’s worth looking to a new Harvard University research report that begins: “Although children have largely been spared the direct health consequences of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), there is increasing concern about the pandemic’s influence on other aspects of child health and development.” Read More

A State-Funded Pre-K Program Led to ‘Significantly Negative Effects’ for Kids in Tennessee

Children who attended Tennessee’s state-funded voluntary pre-K program during the 2009-10 and 2010-11 school years were doing worse than their peers by the end of sixth grade in academic achievement, discipline issues and special education referrals. The trend emerged by the end of third grade and was even more pronounced three years later. These are the latest findings of a multi-year study that followed 2,990 children in Tennessee schools to look at the long-term impact of the state’s public pre-K program. The results, which were released earlier this month, could bring more scrutiny to public pre-Kindergarten programs and raise the question of whether they adequately set low-income children up for success. Read More

 



Genetic Diagnosis in Patients with Cerebral Palsy Could Change the Approach to Care

Cerebral palsy, a non-progressing motor impairment that begins in early childhood, has widely been viewed as the result of oxygen deprivation during birth or other birth-related factors such as prematurity. While this is true for many children, new research from Boston Children's Hospital finds that as many as 1 in 4 have an underlying genetic condition with potential to change the overall approach to their care. The study appears in the Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology. "In cerebral palsy, the first thing that comes to many physicians' minds is birth injury or asphyxia," says senior investigator Siddharth Srivastava, MD, a neurologist in Boston Children's Cerebral Palsy and Spasticity Program who specializes in neurogenetic disorders. "That idea has become pervasive, in both neurology and orthopedics training and in the general public." Read More

Maternal Eating Disorders Increase Risk for ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorders in Offspring

Children born to mothers with active eating disorders during pregnancy demonstrated an elevated risk for developing ADHD and autism spectrum disorders, according to a Swedish population-based cohort study published in JAMA Network Open. “In addition to the direct effect on the fetal growth and development, the intrauterine environment presumably influences health during childhood and throughout life. Precise mechanisms and interactions are poorly defined, but it is assumed that intrauterine environmental exposures, including nutritional factors, affect neurodevelopment and immune maturation,” Ängla Mantel, MD, PhD, of the division of clinical epidemiology at Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden, and colleagues wrote. “Thus, hypothetically, children of mothers with eating disorders might be prone to develop specific conditions, including neurodevelopmental disorders.” Read More

Study Explores Possible Autism Link in Young Adults Treated for Addiction

One in five young adults being treated for alcohol or drug use may have undiagnosed traits characteristic of autism-spectrum disorder, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital report. They found that among patients with an average age of 18.7 being treated in an outpatient substance-use disorder clinic, 20 percent had elevated scores on the Social Responsiveness Scale-2, a parent- or teacher-reported measure that has been shown to identify the presence and severity of social impairment, and to distinguish autism from other disorders. The study, results of which are published in The American Journal on Addictions, is the first to look at the prevalence of previously undiagnosed autistic traits among teens and young adults with substance-use disorders, said lead author James McKowen of the Addiction Recovery Management Service at MGH and Harvard Medical School. Read More

Can an Autism Brain Scan Be Used for Diagnosis?

If only there was a quick, accurate test that could diagnose autism effortlessly, a rapid blood test or brain scan, eliminating the need for doctors to painstakingly examine a child’s developmental history, observing and deciphering behavioral clues.  Diagnosing autism spectrum disorders is often a lengthy procedure and, for accuracy, a multidisciplinary team may be required. Increasingly research is examining the future use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as complimenting current gold standard methods of diagnosis. There are certain aspects of diagnosing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that may be challenging for professionals (Makino et al., 2021). Since there is no physical test to diagnose this complex neurodevelopmental condition, doctors use behavior, history, and parent-reported interviews to diagnose ASD. Read More

Students with Disabilities Get Mixed Results on Mask Mandates

Parents of students with disabilities in Iowa and South Carolina received mixed results Tuesday in cases alleging state provisions barring mask mandates in public schools violate their children’s rights under federal disability bias laws. The cases are examples of litigation throughout the country contesting the validity of state laws, executive orders, and health department initiatives either requiring—or barring schools from requiring—that students, teachers, and staff wear masks while in school buildings to help stop the spread of Covid-19. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit upheld—but narrowed—an injunction blocking state officials from enforcing a law prohibiting universal masking requirements in districts where students with disabilities attend school. Read More

 



TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Congratulations to: Joanna Blau, Olga Stavro, Katrina Snider, Stacy Shrimplin-Kaser, Lauro Esquilona, Karen Frantz-Fry, Susan Mason, Patsy Ray, Cindi Maurice, Tracey Christilles, and Diane Campbell-Mitchell who all knew the answer to last week's trivia question:

According to recent research published in JAMA Pediatrics, do parents report that their children's behavioral health at home is better, the same, or worse during remote learning when compared to their behavior with in-person learning?

Answer: WORSE

This week's trivia question: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted ‘breakthrough device’ designation to a hair-based test designed to aid a specific diagnosis. The acknowledgment shifts the test into a fast lane through the agency’s regulatory review process. The test, called StrandDx, analyzes the levels of chemicals in a strand of a child’s hair to capture a snapshot of ‘exposome’ — some of the child’s cumulative environmental exposures and how the child regulates certain essential nutrients. The measures suggest how a person’s physiology responds to one’s environment, which can predict the chances of having what diagnosis?

If you know the answer to this week's trivia questions, email it to us at contactus@naset.org by February 8, 2022. If you are correct, you will be acknowledged in next week's NASET's Week in Review


8 Best Adaptable Clothing Brands for People with Disabilities

You may find yourself asking what adaptive clothing is. The truth is, this is a question for many, as it usually arises from the lack of integration with those less abled. In other words, if you aren’t a part of the disabled community, which is comprised of those with disabilities and those that know someone with a disability, you would never have a need to understand the importance of adaptive clothing. While adaptive clothing isn’t a need to everyone, it is pivotal to people who face difficulties when it comes to dressing independently. Although there is still a long way to go for companies to understand inclusivity on a wider scale, some brands are taking initiative in this space.  Keep reading to discover the best adaptive clothing brands for adults and children. Read More

Graduation Rates Dip Across U.S. as Pandemic Stalls Progress

High school graduation rates dipped in at least 20 states after the first full school year disrupted by the pandemic, suggesting the coronavirus may have ended nearly two decades of nationwide progress toward getting more students diplomas. The drops came despite at least some states and educators loosening standards to help struggling students. The results, according to data obtained from 26 states and analyzed by Chalkbeat, are the latest concerning trend in American education, which has been rocked by a pandemic that left many students learning remotely last year and continues to complicate teaching and learning. Some fear that the next several graduating classes could be even more affected. Read More

From Principals, a Primer on Delivering Bad News

Principals have always had the unpleasant task of sharing bad news and unwelcome mandates —especially those dealing with policies and rules they had no part in creating but that affect their staff and school communities. That role has been magnified in the last two years, propelled by the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic and the politicization of safety protocols including mask requirements, social distancing, and quarantines. Added to that, principals may have to deliver traumatic word about student and staff deaths. Managing those difficult conversations—making sure the message gets across, while ensuring recipients feel respected and heard—is a delicate, high-wire act that requires preparation and flexibility. Read More

Automated Insulin Delivery for Young Children with Diabetes via Android App

Families with young children who have type 1 diabetes use insulin pumps that require a lot of effort to operate. Scientists from all over Europe, including researchers from Leipzig University Hospital, the only site involved in Germany, have shown for the first time in a clinical trial that automated insulin delivery is safe and effective even at the age of one to seven years. The data was recently published in the journal New England Journal of Medicine. Managing insulin-dependent diabetes in young children is a major challenge. In Germany, people mostly use insulin pumps for controlling blood glucose levels. In combination with continuous glucose monitoring under the skin, this is called sensor-augmented pump therapy. The parents are responsible for manually dosing the insulin and adjusting the elevated blood glucose. This often requires correction, especially at night. Read More



Alabama Streamlines Special Education Certification in Bid to Remedy Teacher Shortages

Alabama Superintendent of Education Dr. Eric Mackey announced at the state board of education meeting this month that there would be a streamlined approach for special education teachers seeking temporary teaching certifications. The streamlined process will allow someone to begin teaching special education while working on their certification, similar to the emergency teacher certification process currently in place. Those with temporary certification can teach in the classroom for three years while working through five modules that would allow them to receive their permanent certification. The program will be open to people who have a four-year degree from an accredited university. Alabama is in the midst of a teaching shortage, and according to Mackey, Alabama had a teacher shortage before the pandemic. Mackey said that when he announced this program superintendents cheered. Read More

Tennessee State Using Grant for Intellectual Disabilities Program

Tennessee State University plans to use a $284,000 grant to prepare students with intellectual and developmental disabilities for jobs. The university is among four to receive the grants from the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, the school said in a news release. The university's non-degree certificate program will enable young adults with these disabilities to experience college life while being prepared for employment. The school hopes to enroll eight students in the program this fall. The students will be 18 to 25 years old and will live on campus. They will be paired with an undergraduate student who is majoring in special education as a peer mentor, the university said. Read More

'Like the Land of Oz': South Phoenix is Home to First STEM Prep School for Kids with Autism

Fifteen-year-old Angel Montano said it's "not fair" that many students on the autism spectrum don't have access to a place like Science Prep Academy. After a long time of feeling misunderstood in public school, Montano transferred to the south Phoenix private school about three years ago. "It's been amazing," Montano said. "It's like the Land of Oz — how it's all magical and wonderful here." The teenager said he's flourished at Science Prep Academy, where he has learned how to code and program robots and where his creativity and individuality are encouraged instead of diminished. Read More

Action Video Game Improves Kids’ Reading Skills Sevenfold

If you’re like most people, you bought a lot of video games as Christmas gifts. Also if you’re like most people, you’re torn over whether spending so much time playing those games is good for your child. But what if video games could help children improve their reading abilities? “Reading calls upon several other essential mechanisms that we don’t necessarily think about, such as knowing how to move our eyes on the page or how to use our working memory to link words together in a coherent sentence,” said Daphné Bavelier, a professor in the psychology section of the faculty of psychology and educational sciences at the university. Angela Pasqualotto, first author of this study, explained, “These other skills, such as vision, the deployment of attention, working memory, and cognitive flexibility, are known to be improved by action video games.” The study is based on her PhD thesis at the Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science of the University of Trento. Read Mor


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JOB POSTINGS

* Principal - We work with Chicago Public Schools and with school districts from the Suburban Cook County, Lake County, and the Western Suburbs to serve stu

dents who are referred based on their need for a highly structured, therapeutic school setting and individualized approach to learning. Students who are referred by a public school district are educated at Knapp School & Yeshiva at no cost to their families. In doing so we provide both academic and social and emotional supports that are aligned with each student’s specific strengths and needs. To learn more- Click here

* Senior Director of Program Operations Aspire Living & Learning - Aspire Living & Learning is a non-profit human services agency making a meaningful difference in the lives of neurodiverse adults and children. We provide residential programs, day support, special education, and employment services in partnership with families and in collaboration with public and private health, human service, education and other government agencies. Headquartered in Vermont, our 1,200 team members serve individuals across four Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states. To learn more- Click here

* Teach SPED 22-23 School Year - At New Visions for Public Schools, we work to make great public schools common in New York City. We believe that all of New York City’s students deserve public schools that make successful futures possible, especially Black, Latinx, and low-income students who have historically had inequitable access to a great public education. To learn more- Click here

* Strategist II: ID Teacher - Join Ames Community School District, where your journey matters! ACSD promotes an educational environment that is racially, ethnically, linguistically, and culturally diverse to broaden students' academic experience and to enrich our District. We are focused on creating and supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the organizational culture and in our community. To learn more- Click here

* Integrated Services Teacher - Join Ames Community School District, where your journey matters! ACSD promotes an educational environment that is racially, ethnically, linguistically, and culturally diverse to broaden students' academic experience and to enrich our District. We are focused on creating and supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the organizational culture and in our community. To learn more- Click here

* Strategist I Teacher - Join Ames Community School District, where your journey matters! ACSD promotes an educational environment that is racially, ethnically, linguistically, and culturally diverse to broaden students' academic experience and to enrich our District. We are focused on creating and supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the organizational culture and in our community. To learn more- Click here

* Behavior Interventionist - Join Ames Community School District, where your journey matters! ACSD promotes an educational environment that is racially, ethnically, linguistically, and culturally diverse to broaden students' academic experience and to enrich our District. We are focused on creating and supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the organizational culture and in our community. To learn more- Click here

* Director of Student Recruitment - Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the Director of Student Recruitment is responsible for creating and leading the student recruitment, enrollment, and retention strategy for all DREAM schools, ensuring we achieve 100% enrollment across all grades and schools. This includes, but is not limited to collaborating with key network and schools leaders and staff, reporting, training, accountability management, data analysis, and developing and rolling out new practices and updates to existing practices. To learn more- Click here

* [2022-2023] 7th Grade Learning Specialist - Reporting to the Academic Dean, the Learning Specialist will be responsible for providing tailored support to students with special education needs, through integrated co-teaching, in small group settings, or a combination of both. This is an exciting opportunity for a seasoned educator who is passionate about ensuring all students succeed and thrive in school. To learn more- Click here

* [2022-2023] Middle School Learning Specialist - Reporting to the Academic Dean, the Learning Specialist will be responsible for providing tailored support to students with special education needs, through integrated co-teaching, in small group settings, or a combination of both. This is an exciting opportunity for a seasoned educator who is passionate about ensuring all students succeed and thrive in school. To learn more- Click here

* Executive Director, MARCH Inc. of Manchester (CT) - MARCH, Inc. of Manchester (MARCH) seeks a leader experienced in intellectual and developmental disabilities to position the organization for growth and sustainability by anticipating trends and changes in the developmental disabilities field in Connecticut. We are looking for an Executive Director skilled in external relations, partnership building, fundraising, and communications, balanced with being able to build its people and agency operations. To learn more- Click here

* Special Education Teacher, Institutional Settings - Dedicated and collaborative teams of educators committed to supporting teaching excellence through coaching, professional development and excellent administrative support. CES prides itself on providing robust and engaging learning opportunities to all its teachers. To learn more- Click here

* [Immediate Hire] High School Math Learning Specialist - Reporting to the Academic Dean, the High School Math Learning Specialist will be responsible for providing tailored support to students with special education needs, through integrated co-teaching, in small group settings, or a combination of both. This is an exciting opportunity for a seasoned educator who is passionate about ensuring all students succeed and thrive in school. To learn more- Click here

* [2021-2022] Reading Interventionist - The Reading Interventionist will be responsible for providing tailored support to students that are reading significantly below grade level in grades K-2 through small group instruction (3-4 students) and push-in support. This is an exciting opportunity for a seasoned educator who is passionate about ensuring all students succeed and thrive in school. To learn more- Click here

* Special Education Teacher - Rivermont, is a subsidiary of New Story Schools, which is an educational organization comprised of special education schools in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. We offer an academic learning environment integrated with behavior support services for students diagnosed with autism or emotional/behavioral disorders. To learn more- Click here

* Principal - Our multidisciplinary teams collaborate with families, school districts and community partners to empower children in overcoming challenges and creating new stories in their lives. Do you have a passion for education and being a part of a mission-driven organization? Do you want to join a fast-growing company with excellent benefits, such as tuition reimbursement, generous paid time off, and so much more? To learn more- Click here

* Special Education Teacher - Do you aspire to help children with diverse challenges build skills for their future? Are you ready to make a real impact in their lives? As a Special Education Teacher at Bancroft, you will draw upon a wealth of curriculum and clinical resources to design individualized student goals. To learn more- Click here

* Director of Oregon Migrant Education Service Center - The Director position for the Oregon Migrant Education Service Center (OMESC) will provide leadership for the 3rd largest migrant education program in the nation that includes nine education service districts and nine district regional program. To learn more- Click here

* Executive Director of Special Education - Willamette Education Service District is accepting applications for a full-time (40 hours per week) Executive Director of Special Education position. Successful candidate will work as a member of the Special Education Department and will follow a 240-day calendar. This position will be based at the Willamette ESD Marion Center in Salem, OR and will begin July 1, 2022. To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Teacher-Options Program - The teacher would need to be passionate about supporting inclusion in an academically rigorous environment as well as qualified to teach differentiated, developmental instruction based on student needs. The options Program teacher would help support success for both the student and general education teacher in the inclusion classroom. The teacher is also a key member of the larger Special Services team and should be excited to not only teach, but also work collaboratively to grow this new program. To learn more- Click here

* Special Education Teacher (All Specializations) - 2022-23 School Year - DCPS serves approximately 49,000 students in the nation's capital through the efforts of approximately 4,200 educators in 117 schools. As part of a comprehensive reform effort to become the preeminent urban school system in America, DCPS intends to have the highest-performing, best paid (Salary Range: $56,313 - $90,905), most satisfied, and most honored educator force in the nation and a distinctive central office staff whose work supports and drives instructional excellence and significant achievement gains for DCPS students. To learn more- Click here

* Middle School Special Education Teacher - The Halton School, an independent school for students with Asperger’s, is looking for a Middle School Special Education teacher. The teacher will provide special education instruction to students in a small multi-grade class. The teacher will utilize a variety of teaching methods to meet student’s educational needs and adapt and develop instructional materials accordingly. To learn more- Click here

* Director of McKay Academic Center (Academic Support) - The Dunham School is a PK-12, non-denominational Christian, independent school serving 785 students on one campus. The school offers fee paid tutoring, coaching, small group instruction and individual courses for students with a range of learning challenges including ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia and high functioning autism. To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Teacher - STARS is owned and operated by Occupational Therapists. You will be an employee and receive full benefits. Summers off with year-round pay and year-round appreciation. With a proven track record, STARS is able to offer you an unbeatable support system and resources. STARS is hiring for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years. STARS places Special Education Teachers throughout the Phoenix, Tucson and the surrounding area public schools. To learn more- Click here

* Middle School and High School Special Needs Teacher at the Anglo-American School of Sofia - We are a school of extraordinary families and outstanding teachers. We are an inspiring educational community - nestled in the stunning foothills of Mount Vitosha on the outskirts of Sofia. We are an exceptional IB world school offering children from 4 to 18 years a world class educational experience. We take pride in academic achievement, and value creativity and athletic talent with equal vigor. We offer a curriculum and approach that looks beyond the classroom and prepares our students for the challenges and opportunities that the world has to offer. 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 can’t heal the world today but we can begin with a voice of compassion, a heart of love, an act of kindness.

Mary Davis

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