| News for special education professionals |  |
- Special-education groups are concerned over effects of NCLB changes
Some special-education advocacy groups are concerned about potential changes and waivers to the No Child Left Behind Act that they say could have negative implications for students with special needs. They say the changes being proposed by Republican lawmakers would result in more students with disabilities taking modified tests that keep them on segregated and less-challenging curriculum tracks. Instead, the groups are calling for changes that increase access for students with disabilities to the general-education curriculum and college- and career-ready standards. Education Week/On Special Education blog
(9/20)     
- Do charter schools underserve students with special needs?
Some charter schools, including the New Orleans Charter Science and Math Academy and others in New Orleans, Los Angeles and other areas, are accused of systematically excluding or underserving students with disabilities. Federal law prohibits public schools from engaging in such practices, but researchers say charter schools receive less taxpayer funding than traditional districts and often cannot afford to provide adequate services for students with more severe disabilities. Bloomberg
(9/21)
- Enlisting parents as partners in their children's education
 Elementary-school principal Peter DeWitt encourages educators to partner with parents to help students be successful in school. DeWitt calls on parents and educators to strike a balance that allows children to be supported but also allows them to develop resiliency through problem-solving and making their own mistakes. Schools also should work to develop effective relationships and adequate communication with parents, he writes. Education Week/Finding Common Ground blog
(9/20)
- Facebook funds to be awarded to innovative teachers in Newark, N.J.
A portion of the $100 million gift from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to Newark, N.J., schools will go directly to public classroom teachers, Zuckerberg's foundation will announce today. Under the two-year, $600,000 plan, teachers -- or groups of them -- could receive $10,000 grants to pay for innovative in-class initiatives. City and state education officials are set to review other grants being funded by Zuckerberg's gift, which has been used primarily to open schools, lengthen school days and hire teachers. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model)
(9/21)
 | Multisensory Phonology & Morphology Practice
Looking for fun ways for students to practice identifying phonemes and word parts? Words Their Way Classroom provides hands-on practice. Students progress from identifying individual phonemes through picture sorts to sorting words by their affixes and roots. Try it free for 30 days! |
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| Technology Trends |  |  |
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- Autism groups partner to develop free assistive apps
Autism Speaks and the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism are teaming up with Hewlett-Packard on "Hacking Autism," a new program to develop software apps for individuals with autism. Volunteer developers will convene at a "hackathon" on Oct. 11, to work on tools that address seven areas of need, including communication, time management and bullying. The resulting apps are to be made available to the public for free. Disability Scoop
(9/20)
- Technology allows schools to bring classroom home for ill students
More schools are recognizing that access to the school experience, besides academics, is necessary for students who are too sick to attend classes, and are using technology to bridge the gap. One family was successful in petitioning its school district to set up a webcam at home for their 14-year-old son who has a rare genetic disease. "We tell schools that the days when you can say the student is getting straight A's and is fine are gone," said lawyer Thomas Warner, whose firm represented the school district in the case. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model)/Health Blog
(9/19)
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| The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS)
Gain a deeper understanding of Differentiated Instruction. Coming this winter, SDE offers two distinctive DI training opportunities. Our DI Train-the-Trainer Institute creates DI trainers for your school or district. Our DI Intensive Institute delivers a whole new level of DI expertise. Learn more about these powerful events. Questions? Call 1-800-462-1478.
Just what you need for teaching math in grades K-2. Math Work Stations by Debbie Diller helps you organize materials & spaces, foster independent learning, differentiate instruction, and more. Packed with full-color photos from real classrooms and practical activities linked to NCTM & state standards. Browse the entire book online!
Interested in learning more about advertising in CEC SmartBrief? Contact Joe Riddle at (202) 407-7857 or jriddle@smartbrief.com.
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| Policy News | | |
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- Disability groups protest potential cuts to Medicaid
Disability advocates scheduled a rally on Capitol Hill today to express their support for the Medicaid program. "Medicaid is the national safety net for millions of people," said Bob Kafka, one of the rally's organizers. The advocates are concerned about potential cuts to the program as a legislative supercommittee works to reduce federal spending and lower the national debt. Disability Scoop
(9/20)
- N.J. clarifies role of schools, law enforcement in bullying cases
The New Jersey Attorney General's Office on Tuesday released a set of revised regulations designed to offer guidance to schools and districts in implementing the state's new Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act. The regulations detail how school officials should coordinate their efforts with local law enforcement agencies. However, some officials expressed concern that the additional regulations will lead to underreporting of bullying by schools. The Star-Ledger (Newark, N.J.)
(9/20)
| Eye on Exceptionalities | | |
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- Are there advantages associated with dyslexia?
 Authors Fernette and Brock Eide discuss in this interview their theory that dyslexia, which is considered a learning disability, brings many benefits along with its difficulties. The Eides, in their book, "The Dyslexic Advantage," argue that the brains of individuals with dyslexia are organized in a way that allow for stronger big-picture connections. Individuals with dyslexia also may have strong spatial-reasoning skills and an enhanced ability to learn from experiences, the authors suggest. Wired.com/Wired Science blog
(9/20)
- Children with OCD benefit from psychotherapy plus meds
A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that a combination of cognitive behavior therapy and drug treatment seemed beneficial for children aged 7 to 17 years with obsessive-compulsive disorder. There was no difference between the outcomes of children under abbreviated CBT plus medication or those under medication alone, researchers said. However, they observed improvements in children receiving full CBT plus antidepressants. HealthDay News
(9/20)
| CEC Spotlight | | |
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Recognize a colleague's accomplishments with a CEC Professional Award
Celebrate outstanding special educators with CEC's Professional Awards: Wallin Lifetime Achievement, Clarissa Hug Teacher of the Year, Special Education Research and Outstanding CEC Leadership. Nominations for the 2012 awards are due Oct. 21. Find out more.
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Every job is easier when you have the right tools
CEC's Tool of the Week is a new, free resource designed to make your work easier and support you in your special-education practice. All Tools of the Week come from CEC's first-rate publications and are intended for you to take and use now. Subscribe by e-mail today and you'll find a free tool in your inbox every Monday morning. Find out more.
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- Monday, September 19, 2011
- Friday, September 16, 2011
- Thursday, September 15, 2011
- Wednesday, September 14, 2011
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