Week in Review - June 18, 2021


NASET

WEEK IN REVIEW

National Association of Special Education Teachers

June 18, 2021                 Vol 17 Issue #24


 


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,


Continuing_Ed


WHATS NEW AT NASET

JAASEP Spring/Summer 2021 Issue

Table of Contents

 

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Board Certified Inclusive Education Specialist (BCIES) -b

 

Florida Autism Provider Challenges State Over Verification System

The state’s largest provider of autism services has filed an administrative complaint against the Medicaid program, alleging that an electronic visit-verification system being tested in eight Southeast Florida counties is a roadblock to reimbursement and an overstep by the Agency for Health Care Administration. Stuart-based Positive Behavior Support alleges that the so-called EVV system or someone with access to it is changing behavior-analysis claims after submission and making them invalid. “The only opportunity that providers such as (Positive Behavior Support) have to correct such an improper modification prior to the reimbursement filing deadline is to personally monitor these submissions and attempt to manually restore them within the EVV system to their original status,” attorneys for the company wrote in the complaint. Read More

https://miami.cbslocal.com/2021/06/09/autism-provider-challenges-state-over-verification-system/

 

High-Sugar Diets Can Harm Kids' Physical and Mental Health, Study Finds

A new study led by researchers from the Queensland University of Technology explored how kids’ sugar intake can take a toll on their physical and mental health. Based on results from a trial conducted on mice, long-term consumption of high-sugar diets can increase the risk of obesity and place a heavier burden on the nervous system. This can ultimately impact attention span, hyperactivity, and decision-making.  “Our study found long-term sugar consumption (a 12-week period with the mice which started the trial at five weeks of age) at a level that significantly boosts weight gain, elicits an abnormal and excessive stimulation of the nervous system in response to novelty,” said researcher Selena Bartlett. “It also alters both episodic and spatial memory. These results are like those reported in attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders.” Read More

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/high-sugar-diets-can-harm-kids-physical-and-mental-health-study-finds-060921.html

 

 

 

Researchers Find COVID-19 Outcome Factors in Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities

Increased age and preexisting health conditions affected COVID-19 outcomes among people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, according to results of a cohort study published in JAMA Network Open. “To better understand COVID-19 outcomes among people with [intellectual and developmental disabilities], the present study used a sample of adults [in this population] receiving residential support services in New York City, the epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S.,” Scott D. Landes, PhD, of the department of sociology and the Aging Studies Institute at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs in New York, and colleagues wrote. “Based upon the results of prior studies, we hypothesized that more severe COVID-19 outcomes would be associated with increased age, residential characteristics, Down syndrome and preexisting health conditions.” Read More

https://www.healio.com/news/psychiatry/20210609/researchers-find-covid19-outcome-factors-in-intellectualdevelopmental-disabilities

 

New Mobility Device Helps Toddlers with Disabilities Reach Milestones

When Claira Stanger is riding around on her Baby Bug, she may appear to be a toddler just having fun, but in this case, there’s so much more going on than that. The new invention is helping the little girl learn and grow. Of all the things Shelby Stanger thought she’d teach her toddler, driving wasn’t one of them. “A lot of people are like, ‘Oh, that’s so cute.’ They just think it’s a cute little toy, but I’m like, ‘Uh, it does so much more,'” said Stanger, a mother of two children who lives in Ogden. Claira, 1, was diagnosed with a condition called Arthrogryposis that causes joint stiffness, making range of motion limited. The “Baby Bug,” created at Shriners Hospitals for Children-Salt Lake City, is an adapted baby seat on wheels. Read More

https://ksltv.com/463912/new-mobility-device-helps-toddlers-with-disabilities-reach-milestones/

 

 

The Benefits of Speech-to-Text Technology in All Classrooms

During in-person instruction, Vikram Nahal would correct console grips in his role as a Resource Specialist Program (RSP) teacher in Northern California. Learning console grips helps students develop the hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills necessary to correctly form shapes on a page. He could provide grip tools for pencils or guide students’ hands with his own, familiarizing them with the strokes. During virtual education, he relied on reference materials and parent assistance when available. An adult in the room could help demonstrate grips, steer hands and inform Nahal when additional resources were needed. Despite the difficulties of offering support remotely, Nahal found that virtual learning allowed him to experiment with new technologies that supported his students with learning disabilities. Speech-to-text technology allowed them to more easily transfer their ideas onto the page. This especially helped his students with ADHD and processing-related disabilities, such as auditory processing disorder or working memory deficits. Read More

https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/57786/the-benefits-of-speech-to-text-technology-in-all-classrooms

 

How to Introduce Lessons on Disability

In Illinois, where I work as a fourth-grade teacher, two new state plans will make it critical that schools select thoughtfully curated social and emotional learning (SEL) curricula that are culturally responsive and designed to serve marginalized students. Most of us know that identities such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual identity, nationality, and religion are crucial aspects of this work. And they are, full stop. Yet there’s one area that often gets overlooked in these conversations: disability. As we begin the 2021–22 school year with a renewed focus on identity studies and anti-bias instruction, we must look to broaden our lens of intersectionality to incorporate disability. Read More

https://www.edutopia.org/article/how-introduce-lessons-disability

 

Senate Bill Becomes Law to Give Nevada Students Mental Health Days

Taking a break to deal with the stress and pressure. Students in Nevada will now be allowed to have some time away from the classroom. A Senate bill signed into law by Gov. Steve Sisolak is paving the way to address student mental health head-on and try to save lives in the process. The pandemic has been a roller coaster for so many students and it was no different for these students from Bishop Gorman High School. “We went from such busy schedules to a whole completely different world,” Lauren Edgeworth said. A world where schools shifted to distance learning and not being able to see friends as often. The students say this has caused their peers to take mental health days as unexcused absences. Read More

https://www.ktnv.com/news/sb-249-becomes-law-to-give-students-mental-health-days

 

Addressing the Challenges of Rural Students

Rural districts are an often-overlooked part of the complex American education system, even though 9.3 million students—or one in five nationally—attend a rural school. These districts are typically disregarded because of their small populations compared with larger single districts in more urban areas. In terms of funding, national and state legislation tends to be more directly applied to the larger districts in an attempt to effect the most positive change for as many students as possible. However, when considered as a group, rural districts encompass a large number of students nationwide. Despite specific challenges within rural districts, students in these districts often score at or above their peers on state and national testing. According to the Economic Research Service at the USDA, in 2018, 22.4 percent of students in non-metro schools were in poverty compared with their metro school counterparts at 17.3 percent. While these students perform well on assessments statistically, their school experience is different from that of their suburban or urban peers in several ways. Read More

https://www.edutopia.org/article/addressing-challenges-rural-students

 

 

 


TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Congratulations to: Velma Brockman, Susan Mason, Jennifer Mabry Ragsdale, Cindi Maurice, Tracey Christilles, Olumide Akerele, Joanna Blau, Patsy Ray, Judi Betancourt, Stephanie Jenkins, Veronica Ellis, Helma Wardenaar, Shelma Brackett, Karen Frantz-Fry, Mariola Papa, Tammy Wolfe, and Latorrya Buie who all knew the answer to last week's trivia question:

On April 6, 1963, a group of parents convened a conference in Chicago entitled “Exploration into the Problems of the Perceptually Handicapped Child.” The 1963 conference articulated the cornerstones on which a new field of study would be based. The underlying assumptions put forth provided the frameworks for legislation, theories, diagnostic procedures, educational practices, research and training models. American psychologist and educator Samuel Kirk coined a new term for this area of study. This new term would lead to much more research, and today, be the highest prevalence disability of children receiving special education services under the federal law, IDEIA. What is this IDEIA classification?

Answer: Learning Disabilities

This week's trivia question: This person is most well-known for his groundbreaking work with “Victor”, the so-called homme sauvage or “wild boy”. His systematic attempts at educating Victor, whom he believed to be a victim of social/educational deprivation, signaled the start of the notion that individuals with significant disabilities are capable of learning. Though never making the progress he had hoped, this person’s techniques and willingness to stand up for the cause of "Victor the Wild Boy” were very influential to the training and education programs of the time. Who is this person that some call “The Father of Special Education”?

If you know the answer to this week's trivia questions, email it to us at contactus@naset.org by June 21,2021. If you are correct, you will be acknowledged in next week's NASET's Week in Review


Creating Access, Connectivity and Support for English Learners

Even under the best of circumstances, remote learning can be challenging. For English learners (ELs), this challenge is compounded by linguistic barriers, lack of access and socioeconomic stressors. To ensure learning gaps aren’t being exacerbated during the pandemic, it’s crucial that educators consider how to create access, connectivity and family supports for English learners. Here are steps that can be taken to address these priorities at the district and classroom levels. First, district leaders need to evaluate the systems and processes in place to ensure EL families are adequately supported. I recommend forming a support team that’s available to address linguistic barriers that may exist for students and families. Reference each school site’s language demographics and create an action plan for distributing multilingual materials to students and families. Ensure that multilingual versions of district- and school-wide communications are available and accessible. Read More

https://thejournal.com/articles/2021/06/09/creating-access-connectivity-and-support-for-english-learners.aspx

 

A 3-Step Strategy to Build Students’ Reading Fluency

Fluency is often discussed by elementary teachers simply as the rate of words read aloud per minute, although the full definition includes reading accuracy plus voice tone and inflection. It’s an important measure of student reading success, and as students move through grades, poor fluency becomes increasingly serious. To raise fluency levels, students need to practice reading in short bursts of effort, and they need to practice word attack skills that are used for frustration-level text, in which more than one out of 20 words are difficult to decode. Independent reading is one way to help students build fluency, but we all know that they’re not necessarily going to focus if you simply hand them a book and tell them to read it. I’ve found that if I combine repeat reading, paired reading, and fluency trackers, students are more motivated to do that crucial work that builds fluency. Read More

https://www.edutopia.org/article/3-step-strategy-build-students-reading-fluency

 

Trauma and Teaching: Boundaries and Bridges

Why didn’t she tell me? I was completely caught off guard when my school administrator called me into a meeting to update on one of my students, who I’ll call Jade. My administrator let me know that Jade had experienced a significant traumatic event a few weeks before and gave me some advice about how to support her in class. My heart hurt for Jade, but I also had a nagging question: why didn’t my student tell me? Jade and I had a close relationship, and she often shared details about her life with me, from funny stories about her dog to everyday frustrations with family or friends. I’ll admit I felt a little hurt that Jade hadn’t come to me for help – I knew I could have supported her. Read More

https://www.middleweb.com/45276/trauma-and-teaching-boundaries-and-bridges/

 

 

 

 

 

Pandemic Relief Money is Flowing to Class-Size Reduction but Research Evidence for it isn’t Strong

Cutting class size appears to be increasingly popular as school districts figure out how to spend their $190 billion in federal money for coronavirus relief, according to media reports. Georgetown University professor Marguerite Roza tracks school spending and she’s also seeing a new 2021 trend of schools’ hiring more teachers in order to reduce class sizes. Parents and teachers may like smaller classes but the research evidence for spending money on them isn’t strong. Here’s a quick tour through more than five decades of muddy studies. Until the 1980s, no one had designed a good experiment to see what happens to student achievement when you reduce class size. Earlier research on the relationship between class size and achievement was inconclusive. Read More

https://hechingerreport.org/proof-points-pandemic-relief-money-is-flowing-to-class-size-reduction-but-research-evidence-for-it-isnt-strong/

 

Indiana Sees 11% Drop in Preschoolers with Disabilities During Pandemic

The number of Indiana students enrolled in programs for disabilities declined this school year — the first dip in at least four years and the latest sign of the disruption caused by the pandemic. The drop was especially pronounced among preschool children with special needs. About 14,000 preschoolers had diagnosed disabilities, down more than 11% — or about 1,800 students — from last year, according to an annual count of students with disabilities approved by the Indiana State Board of Education. There was also a dip in the number of students ages 5 to 22 years old who had disabilities, but it was far less significant. This school year, about 169,000 elementary and high school students received special education services, which is nearly 1,400 fewer students than last year. That drop is less than 1%. Read more

https://www.wfyi.org/news/articles/indiana-drop-in-preschoolers-with-disabilities

 

Study: Pre-COVID-19 Summer Slide Worse for Students with Special Needs

Special education students had larger summer learning losses in K-4 compared to students who never had special education services, according to a new study conducted by NWEA that is believed to be the first analysis of seasonal learning patterns for students with disabilities. During some of the school years studied between 2014-19, however, students in special education grew more in math and reading achievement than their peers. These findings may help dispel concerns that special education students cannot make significant progress over one school year, said Elizabeth Barker, an accessibility research manager at NWEA and co-author of the report. Schools can support children’s academic progress by increasing summer learning experiences for students with disabilities and adopting a universal multi-tiered system of supports for all students, according to recommendations from NWEA and the National Center for Learning Disabilities. Read More

https://www.k12dive.com/news/summer-slide-worse-for-special-education-students-study-shows/601265/

 

 


JOB POSTINGS

* 21-22 Middle School Special Education Teacher 5-8 - We know that talented, committed, culturally competent teachers and leaders have the power to amplify our children’s potential by creating a school experience that affirms, values, and challenges them each day. We seek to create a professional environment full of joy, candor, care and respect where excellent educators can make a long-term home. To learn more - Click here

* Learning Disabilities Teacher, ES/MS/HS - Provides and is accountable for the planning, assessment, instruction, communication, human relations, safety, and management of a classroom or assigned instructional setting. Supports FCPS mission to "inspire, enable, and empower students to meet high academic standards, lead ethical lives, and demonstrate responsible citizenship." To learn more - Click here

* Emotional Disabilities Teacher, MS/HS - Provides and is accountable for the planning, assessment, instruction, communication, human relations, safety, and management of a classroom or assigned instructional setting. Supports FCPS mission to "inspire, enable, and empower students to meet high academic standards, lead ethical lives, and demonstrate responsible citizenship". To learn more - Click here

* Multiple Disabilities Teacher, ES/MS/HS - Provides and is accountable for the planning, assessment, instruction, communication, human relations, safety, and management of a classroom or assigned instructional setting. Supports FCPS mission to "inspire, enable, and empower students to meet high academic standards, lead ethical lives, and demonstrate responsible citizenship." To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Teacher - Provides services to students with a range of moderate to severe disabilities ages three to 21 years of age. Leads the IEP team to develop data driven student learning and behavioral goals. Responsible for developing curriculum and program strategies consistent with the student's learning level and to continually assess student progress towards IEP goals. To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Teacher LBS 1 - The Sonia Shankman Orthogenic School (O-School) is a private independent school that provides educational and therapeutic services to youth ages 8-22. For more than a century the O-School has provided a culture of support, a safe haven, and a path to hope for students with mental health challenges, who are on the autism spectrum, or both. We provide a supportive, nurturing environment that provides each child with individualized treatment that allows them to reach their full potential. To learn more - Click here

* Special Needs Tutors - is seeking dynamic, state credentialed special needs teachers to tutor on our virtual platform teaching learners all over the world. This is a perfect second job to earn extra money from the safety of your own home. There is no minimum hourly requirement; all you need is a computer, reliable internet, a quiet space and willingness to teach. To learn more - Click here

* Director of the Vocational Independence Program - Direct and oversee the overall operations of the program including supervision of staff, budget, and administrative functions. Will also work with various departments on campus, outside agencies including school districts, advocacy and family organizations to recruit a cohort of students for the CMSV-VIP program each year. To learn more - Click here

* Learning Specialist -  Kehillah Jewish High School is seeking a full-time experienced Learning Specialist to support students with learning needs through case management, collaboration and consultation with classroom teachers, and partnership with parents. The ideal candidate must be an expert in understanding the strengths of students with high-incidence disabilities and learning differences, and a proven practitioner in the implementation of research-based interventions and teaching learning strategies. To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Teacher - Willamette Education Service District is accepting applications for a full-time (40 hours per week) Special Education Teacher position; bilingual Spanish preferred. Successful candidate will work as a member of the School Improvement Services department and will follow a 225-day calendar. To learn more - Click here

* Director of Special Education - Reports directly to the Executive Director with responsibility for planning, directing, and coordinating the delivery of school-wide special education and related services in compliance with state regulations and federal laws. The Director of Special Education provides leadership and coordination to ensure the overall design and implementation of individualized educational programs and support services. To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Teachers - Come work in an environment where working with the students is the priority not meetings and paperwork. Where class sizes are kept below 10, and where teachers have the freedom to be creative in their lessons and do what is best for their students. Pay and benefits are comparable to the local, public school systems. We currently have two openings. To learn more - Click here

* Standards-Based Instruction Special Education PK-1 - Under the direction of the Executive Director of Student Support Services, the position will carry out assignments in support of certificated staff in the areas of curriculum development, review, evaluation, and resource selection with emphasis in special education (i.e. supplemental curriculum and modifications / accommodations). To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Teacher- Albemarle County Public Schools is committed to providing all students the opportunity to learn from talented, diverse teachers who represent the many cultures and experiences of our community. We seek to hire educators who demonstrate the ability to work with culturally diverse students, and who see themselves as lifelong learners – always willing to learn new things to best meet the ever-changing needs of our students. To learn more- Click here

* Special Education Teacher (All Specializations) - We are looking for highly motivated and skilled Special Education Teachers to join our team at District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). We are primarily hiring for several Inclusion/Resource classrooms as well as Communication and Education Supports (Autism) classrooms. We seek individuals who are passionate about transforming the DC school system and making a signi?cant di?erence in the lives of our students with special educational needs. To learn more - Click here

* High School Learning Specialist 20-21 and 21-22 - Opportunity Charter School (OCS) teachers are trained in cutting-edge, research-based methodology of evaluating students’ academic strengths and challenges. To maximize each child’s personal development, an individualized education plan is created that is tailored to his or her unique needs. Students receive differentiated instruction in every curricular area with the goal of expanding their higher cognitive thinking. To learn more - Click here

* Special Needs Tutors - is seeking dynamic, state credentialed special needs teachers to tutor on our virtual platform teaching learners all over the world. This is a perfect second job to earn extra money from the safety of your own home. There is no minimum hourly requirement; all you need is a computer, reliable internet, a quiet space and willingness to teach. To learn more - Click here

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


FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.

Gail Devers

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