This SIG is devoted to the discussion of special education needs of offenders in correctional education settings. They monitor current legislative issues impacting funding and staff requirements, new techniques for assessing the learning needs of students, and training for educators working with this population. http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/list.php?17 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:59:22 -0400 Phorum 5.2.7 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,1561,1561#msg-1561 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,1561,1561#msg-1561
I asked myself, “Okay, now what?” My first step was a trip to the American Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator. From my visit with our Racine Correctional Institution ADA coordinator, a lead emerged. I discovered an excellent resource available to the correctional teacher of a visually-impaired student, the Hadley School for the Blind. Hadley offers Braille (and other) classes at no cost to students who are visually impaired and is very helpful in the enrollment process. Class materials are shipped free of charge, and assignments that the students complete can either be emailed or sent to the school — free of charge. Materials for the blind are postage-free. The Hadley School for the Blind even offers classes to professionals who work with the blind, some of which are also free of charge.

Contact information for Hadley is:
The Hadley School for the Blind
700 Elm Street
Winnetka, IL 60093-2554
800-323-4238 (for receptionist or instructors)
800-526-9909 (for Student Services representative)
Email: info@hadley.edu
Website: www.hadley.edu

As a footnote, my student just completed his first course. His Hadley instructor provided excellent feedback on his work, and my student even received a very nice certificate!


by: Barb Rasmussen, Racine Correctional Institution (Wisconsin)]]> Jerry Bednarowski Special Education Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:55:04 -0500 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,1386,1386#msg-1386 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,1386,1386#msg-1386
Find strategies to help cope with your child's disability, and tips to help your child manage in and out of the classroom.

1. Learn All You Can About the Disability
Learning disabilities take many forms. As a knowledgeable informed parent, you will be better able to communicate with teachers about your child, help your child with schoolwork, and develop strategies to help him or her navigate social situations.
2. Keep in Contact with Your Child's Teacher(s)
Teachers want to work with parents. Let them know your child behaves at home, any difficult times he or she is going through, any subjects or lessons he or she has particularly enjoyed in class. Parents can also play an essential role in working with teachers to develop instructional and behavior strategies that can be used both in school and at home.
3. Keep a Profile of What Your Child Does Well
This can be important for your child at school and on a personal level. Too many times in the school arena, we tend to focus on the areas in which a child needs to improve. A "Strengths Profile" can help teachers and parents remember areas in which the child excels and that can be used to build curriculum that is meaningful to the child. A "Strengths Profile" is also a handy tool parents can use to banish the times when a child is feeling frustrated, a failure, or unable to cope.
4. Help Your Child Understand the Effect the Learning Disability Will Have on Him.
Even when a child accepts that he or she has a learning disability, the child may not realize how it will affect his or her life. Parents should help their child understand the learning disability may mean he or she will have difficulty reading, that others may become frustrated with the child or that the child may misread social cues, which can impact his or her social life. Of course, the parents and teachers could also develop intervention strategies to help the child cope with these factors.
5. Help Your Child Get Organized
For many children with learning disabilities, organization is a difficult concept. Parents should not only buy their child an assignment book, they should also teach him how to use it. For example, the child should not only put down the day project is due, he should also break the projects into steps and assign due dates to each one. If possible, parents should also get extra copies to textbooks to keep at home.
6. Involve Your Child in Extra-Curricular Activities
Some children with learning disabilities have a difficult time making friends and/or excelling in the school environment. Getting your child involved in extra-curricular activities provides another avenue in which your child can achieve success, as well as gain new friends.
7. Involve Your Child in Helping Someone Else
Too often students with learning disabilities fall into the "poor me" syndrome. Parents can not only put a stop to this, but also boost their child's self confidence by giving him or her opportunity to help someone else. Children with learning disabilities have successfully tutored younger children, helped the elderly, worked in homeless shelters, or in other capacities. Even very young children have served others successfully.
8. Keep Your Expectations for Your Child High But Realistic
It is extremely important that you keep your expectations for your child high, and let your child know that you believe in him or her. If a particular task or assignment is difficult for your child, the answer is not necessarily to make it easier but to help your child find a way to do it. Also, don't forget to ask your child to think. Children with learning disabilities are often very creative and insightful. By asking their opinions and allowing them to figure out the answers to problems, you let them know you trust their intellect and their judgment.
9. Help Your Child Learn to Ask for What He Needs
While children with learning disabilities often know what they need to learn (such as sitting close to the teacher), they may be afraid to ask for "special treatment." By teaching your child self-advocacy skills, you help him or her get the assistance they need to progress in any situation.
10. Lastly, Join or Form a Group of Parents with Similar Situations
You can learn invaluable information from other parents. And they can be a much needed source of support in times of stress!!!

These tips can also be helpful in working with our inmate students. Many of them have learning disabilities that we know little about.

Reprinted with permission
Published in the Family Education Network. - December 2010]]> Jerry Bednarowski Special Education Wed, 28 Dec 2011 04:18:11 -0500 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,1173,1173#msg-1173 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,1173,1173#msg-1173 murray ellison Special Education Wed, 28 Dec 2011 04:19:59 -0500 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,1141,1141#msg-1141 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,1141,1141#msg-1141 bit.ly]

from Twitter
by BJ Berquist
bjb@tappedin.org
www.twitter.com/tappedinorg]]> BJ Berquist Special Education Tue, 25 May 2010 14:19:28 -0400 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,1108,1108#msg-1108 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,1108,1108#msg-1108 bit.ly] B4 discussion. 8pET/5pPT [tappedin.org]]]> BJ Berquist Special Education Mon, 12 Apr 2010 11:47:11 -0400 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,1101,1101#msg-1101 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,1101,1101#msg-1101 This Week at Tapped In (April 11-17)
***************************************
Tapped In Learning Hub Professional Development Series - This series of events is intended to provide a support system for educators who are not sure how to infuse technology into their curriculum. Tapped In will serve as the Learning Hub for this collaborative journey.
***************************************
SUNDAY
* Webheads in Action - TESOL/ESL/EFL/ELL community discussion for language teachers.
* TI: Learning Hub Tips and Tricks with Dianne Allen

MONDAY
* Middle School Portal - Extending an Inquiry Approach to Science and Math Teaching * Special Education Forum – Universal Design for Learning Paul Bohac leads this enriching and supportive discussion for all teachers who work with special needs children in the public, private, or alternative school setting. Please listen/watch Ira Socol's UDL presentation in Elluminate - [bit.ly] before the SPED discussion.

TUESDAY
* TI: Learning Hub Tips and Tricks with BJ Berquist
* K-3+ Resources - Sue Roseman leads the popular K-3+ Resources discussion.

WEDNESDAY
*Action Research - Diane Painter offers an Action Research discussion on what action research is and how it differs from traditional ed research.
* MusicShake – Music-making for everyone a la Web 2.0

THURSDAY
* ISTE International Media Specialists – Cultural Competency
* The Teacher's Life Coach - Lynne Wolters helps you deal with teaching-related issues like life-work balance, stress, burn out, difficult days, and renewal and refocus. (Don't we all have at least one of those a week?!)
* Web 2.0 Tools - Lynne Wolters shares tools you can use in your classrooms

SATURDAY
* Religious Educators discussion with John Greenamyre
* K-12 Collaboration Special with Jeff Cooper
* TI: Learning Hub Tips and Tricks with BJ Berquist


* TIPS AND TRICKS sessions are offered throughout the week to help both new and experienced Tapped In users get the most from the interface! These sessions will also help you to become an active TI: Learning Hub participant.
**********************
If you don't see an event that interests you, or have a suggestion for future discussions, send us an email and let us know! Comments are always appreciated!
**********************
View the Tapped In calendar of ASO events at:
[tappedin.org] By clicking on the calendar event, you can read the complete description of that event. Please note that occasionally an event description will have information to be read or instructions to be followed prior to the discussion. You can set the calendar to your time zone to see events in your times.

Add Tapped In calendar events to your Google calendar from the event description page.

RSS Feed for Tapped In calendar:
[tappedin.org]

Twitter TI updates at www.twitter.com/tappedinorg
Join the Tapped In groups in FaceBook and in LearnCentral (www.learncentral.org)!
**********************************************************
Respectfully submitted,
BJ Berquist
Associate Educator, TAPPED IN
bjb@tappedin.org]]> BJ Berquist Special Education Thu, 08 Apr 2010 14:27:33 -0400 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,1064,1064#msg-1064 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,1064,1064#msg-1064 soutien scolaire Professeurs donnez des co]]> preet Special Education Thu, 03 Dec 2009 03:30:39 -0500 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,1057,1057#msg-1057 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,1057,1057#msg-1057 murrayellison Special Education Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:32:14 -0500 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,1036,1036#msg-1036 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,1036,1036#msg-1036
Join the world recognized MBBS program in Ukraine.

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* 50% Aggregate In Physics, Chemistry & Biology
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Karabuts
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+380930484422
Website: [www.karabuts.com]
Email: info@karabuts.com]]> kuberentp4 Special Education Wed, 04 Nov 2009 01:47:56 -0500 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,1019,1019#msg-1019 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,1019,1019#msg-1019


Join the world recognized MBBS program in Ukraine.



You can now earn your MBBS degree at an expense less than 30% by doing it in one of the most reputed universities in Ukraine with world class accreditation.

*

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*

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*

World Class Standards
*

Medical University Listed With International Medical Education Directory (IMED).

Karabuts
Logovenko Street,
Mykolayiv
Ukraine - 16600
+380930484422
Website: [www.karabuts.com]
Email: info@karabuts.com]]> iglobal12 Special Education Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:19:02 -0400 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,950,950#msg-950 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,950,950#msg-950 Thanks
Murray Ellison
CEA President's Council Chairman
email: bluemur@comcast.net
and additional new email: mellison@edaff.com]]> murrayellison Special Education Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:14:47 -0400 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,900,900#msg-900 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,900,900#msg-900


May 7, 2009, is National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day. The purpose of this observance is to promote positive youth development, resilience, recovery, and the enhancement of mental health services for children and youth with mental health needs and their families.

This year's theme "Thriving in the Community" focuses on how high-school youth who receive needed mental health services are more likely to have positive outcomes, such as better grades, and less likely to have negative outcomes, such as involvement with the juvenile and criminal justice systems.

Resources:

To access further information about Children's Mental Health Awareness Day and related resources, visit [www.samhsa.gov].]]> BJ Berquist Special Education Wed, 06 May 2009 11:32:44 -0400 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,811,811#msg-811 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,811,811#msg-811 murrayellison Special Education Thu, 12 Mar 2009 23:36:36 -0400 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,779,779#msg-779 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,779,779#msg-779 Teaching Is Only Part of the Job

Deb Anderson makes an observation about her students: "These kids just aren't very good criminals." She's hoping they decide, with her help, not to seek careers in the field.

Anderson is a teacher at Metro High, a little-known school run out of the Dane County jail. Her students, some as young as 14, are serving time for crimes including car theft, driving without a license, shoplifting, robbery, gang activity, sexual assault and even murder.

"We get kids who are so low when they come here they feel that they don't count," says Anderson. "We teach them that they are a valuable person, and not to let anyone make them believe differently. They want someone to sit down with them and listen to what they have to say."

One of her students, who we'll call Sam, committed a string of felony robberies after a fight with his mother. Anderson recognized that Sam had learning and emotional disabilities; he needed a teacher more than he needed to be locked up.
With Anderson's encouragement, Sam became an avid reader, which helped improve his self-confidence as well as to pass the time during the 10 months he spent in jail. And with the credits he earned at Metro High, he was able to graduate from his home school of Monona Grove.

Sam, who turned 18 during his incarceration, now works for Operation Fresh Start, a nonprofit that trains at-risk young people to build homes. Anderson helped get Sam in the program.

Sam's aunt says Anderson "saw that he had potential and gave him a quiet place to study. She was very accessible to the family and communicated with Sam's mom and me. Sam looked at Deb as a mentor and trusted her."

Metro High, part of the Madison Metropolitan School District, began in 1996 with Anderson as its first teacher. Anderson had been a special education teacher at La Follette for 14 years.

The school usually has between 15 and 20 students at any one time. The school's budget — $191,195 in 2008-09 — is covered by local dollars but fully reimbursed by the state.

"Metro High provides another opportunity for learning for students," says Nancy Yoder, who oversees alternative education for the Madison school district. "It helps to rekindle the enthusiasm and get the spark of interest back with an eye to future."

In Wisconsin, anyone who has reached the age of 17 is considered an adult by the criminal justice system, and kids as young as 14 can be waived into adult court, depending on the severity of the crime. But Wisconsin has compulsory school attendance through age 18 or high school graduation, regardless of where the child lays his or her head at night. And so juveniles in adult jail, like those in juvenile institutions, must go to school. Metro High provides this mandated service for young people in jail here.

While Metro High's students may not be clamoring to get in, they usually benefit from the experience. Anderson and fellow teacher Tina Chavez do more than teach reading, writing and arithmetic. They are advocates for their charges, helping them navigate their way through legal and family services systems.

Chavez has been teaching at Metro High since 1998. She was one of Anderson's former student teachers at La Follette.

"The academics are important," says Chavez. "But who the kids are and how they are going to function in the world are most important."

Anderson and Chavez test each student on his or her first day of class. Then they seek to identify realistic educational goals and vocational options.

Many of the students are bipolar, suffer from fetal alcohol syndrome, Asperger's disorder, or are mentally ill. Helping develop the social skills needed to get along with other people is a part of the daily curriculum.

"Jail is a temporary holding facility; no one stays here forever," says Anderson. "It is our responsibility to ensure that kids leave Metro in a better space than when they arrived. They make better neighbors that way."

Metro High classes consist of four to six students each. Two or three sessions are taught per day. A sheriff's deputy escorts Anderson's students from their cells to the narrow rectangular classroom located on the seventh floor of the City-County Building.

The classroom, with a view of Lake Monona, is stocked with computers, books and maps. On the walls are photos taken by Anderson of current and former students wearing the cap and gown from their high school graduation.

Anderson worries about possible budget cuts — especially during the summer months, when school is not mandated. She hopes school officials remember "there is no difference for our captive audience" during these months.

Many students are anxious about their legal situations. Anderson and Chavez counsel them on handling stress, including preparing them for going to prison.
The caring doesn't end when the kids leave jail. Anderson and Chavez give students their phone numbers in case they need direction and also to provide "Miss Deb" and "Miss Tina" with updates on their progress in the real world.

"I believe that each of us is where we're meant to be," says Anderson. "For whatever reason. I am constantly humbled by what I learn from the kids."

by: Jill Carlson
The Isthmus
Reprinted with permission]]> Jerry Bednarowski Special Education Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:19:11 -0400 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,759,759#msg-759 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,759,759#msg-759 By Shaun Heasley
February 18, 2009

[www.disabilityscoop.com]

Going to jail is scary for anyone. But for a person with a developmental disability the new, unfamiliar surroundings can have dire consequences. Now, legislation proposed in Washington state would ease the process of incarceration for individuals identified as having developmental disabilities.

The proposal comes after a man in Washington experienced brain damage after declining food and water while held in solitary confinement. The man, advocates say, did not understand what was happening to him.

The bill would require “reasonable accommodations” for people with developmental disabilities including the continuation of medical services while they are incarcerated and a transition program to help them when they’re released, reports the (Kennewick, Wash.) Tri-City Herald.]]> BJ Berquist Special Education Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:35:09 -0500 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,749,749#msg-749 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,749,749#msg-749 Proyecto Vision is a bilingual project to connect Latinos with disabilities to employment opportunities.

We invite you to participate in Proyecto Visión! Introduce yourself, ask questions, give feedback, recommend resources, and more on our new Facebook page! There, we also have forums, polls, and continual updates about the new opportunities and resources we list on our website. Show your interest in our work by becoming a fan. It is also a great way to share Proyecto Vision with other people who could benefit from the resources we provide. Check it out at [www.facebook.com].

Our YouTube channel shows all of our Video Success Stories and our Public Service Announcement. While our videos will continue to be available on our own website, our new YouTube channel shows them all on one page and allows you to rate them, comment on them, and tell your friends about them. Watch it on [www.youtube.com].

Freelance Opportunities for Writers with Disabilities

Proyecto Vision is looking for reporters with first-person experience with disability in ethnically diverse communities. Read more...

New National Center for Parents with Disabilities

A new National Center for Parents with Disabilities and their Families has been established in Berkeley, California under the auspices of Through the Looking Glass, a non-profit organization founded in 1982. The Center will oversee several national research studies concerning parents with disabilities and their families, as well as provide consultations, trainings and publications to parents, family members and professionals. Read more...

Interview with Stephanie Ortoleva about Job Discrimination Against People with Disabilities

Stephanie Ortoleva is the Disability Coordinator of the Department of State and the Executive Director of the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Disability Advisory Committee. She has worked in various government positions related to disability rights, and has also served as a Justice Department prosecutor in cases related to labor, transportation, and education, among other issues. On this occasion, however, I spoke with her not about her government work, but instead to learn from her experience as a lawyer. Ortoleva has extensive experience in lawsuits related to discrimination and civil rights policy. Read more...

Letter from San Juan, Puerto Rico

As I sit to write this article, it’s been almost four months since I moved back to Puerto Rico after living in New York City for the last 12 years. Before making the move, many friends, both in the states and in Puerto Rico, had cautioned me to carefully ponder my decision of coming back to live on the island. The warnings were always the same: the employment situation in Puerto Rico is precarious; salaries are low and expenses are high... Read more...

Read more at [www.proyectovision.net]

Thanks to Arthur Plitt for bringing this newsletter to our attention.
Forwarded by BJ Berquist
bjb@tappedin.org]]> BJ Berquist Special Education Fri, 30 Jan 2009 19:36:52 -0500 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,680,680#msg-680 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,680,680#msg-680
Dear Colleagues,
>
>
>
> On May 13, 2008 the Department published a Notice of Proposed
> Rulemaking
>
> in the Federal Register. The comment period closed on July 28, 2008
>
> and the more than 700 comments were carefully reviewed by the
>
> Department. The purpose of this email is to alert you that the final
>
> regulations were published today in the Federal Register. These
>
> regulations address:
>
>
>
> * parental revocation of consent after consent to the initial
>
> provision of services has been provided;
>
> * State or local educational agency's (LEA's) obligation to make
>
> positive efforts to employ qualified individuals with disabilities;
>
> * representation of parents by non-attorneys in due process
>
> hearings;
>
> * State monitoring, technical assistance, and enforcement of the
>
> Part B program; and
>
> * allocation of funds, under sections 611 and 619 of the Act, to
>
> LEAs that are not serving children with disabilities.
>
>
>
> These regulations go into effect in 30 days (December 31st) and are
>
> available at:
>
> [edocket.access.gpo.gov]
>
>
>
> A conference call will be held next week to walk through the content
> of
>
> the final rule. Details regarding the conference call will follow.
> If
>
> you have any questions, please contact Ruth Ryder at ruth.ryder@ed.gov
>
> or Mary Louise Dirrigl at mary.louise.dirrigl@ed.gov.
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Bill
>
>
>
> Acting Director
>
> Office of Special Education Programs
>
> U.S. Department of Education
>
> Phone: 202-245-7459
>
> Fax: 202-245-7638
>]]> Ralph Orleck Special Education Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:07:52 -0500 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,659,659#msg-659 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,659,659#msg-659 This Week's Live Chat
High School Completion and Transitions
When: Monday, November 17, 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time
Where: [www.edweek-chat.org]
Submit questions in advance.


Please join EPE Research Center director Christopher Swanson as he moderates a lively discussion examining the challenges facing students with disabilities in completing high school and preparing for the transition to adult life.

Finishing high school and transitioning into adulthood represents a critical stage of life for all young people. Students with disabilities, like their peers, aspire to take part in a wide range of activities as they leave high school and enter adult life, including earning a diploma, going on to college, finding and holding down a job, engaging in civic life, living independently and starting a family. Yet, research shows that students with disabilities graduate from high school at lower rates than their peers and may face particular challenges when moving into adult roles.

This is the third in our monthlong series of online chats in which leading experts in the field will engage in a lively, in-depth dialogue on critical issues facing special education today. More information on EPE Research Center's new report "Special Education in America" and on the monthlong chat series is available here.

About the guests:


David R. Johnson is a professor and associate dean at the University of Minnesota, where he serves as director of the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition.

Mary Wagner is director of Center for Education and Human Services at SRI International, a non-profit research organization, where she is principal investigator of the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2).

No special equipment other than Internet access is needed to participate in this text-based chat. A transcript will be posted shortly after the completion of the chat.]]> BJ Berquist Special Education Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:12:09 -0500 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,626,626#msg-626 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,626,626#msg-626
Many kids with learning disabilities and AD/HD struggle with money management. An expert offers training tips for parents.

[www.greatschools.net]

Forwarded from GreatSchools
by BJ Berquist
bjb@tappedin.org]]> BJ Berquist Special Education Sun, 19 Oct 2008 18:26:48 -0400 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,610,610#msg-610 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,610,610#msg-610


[www.serve.org]]]> Ralph Orleck Special Education Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:04:01 -0500 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,609,609#msg-609 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,609,609#msg-609
Suggested Accessible Instructional Materials Language in the IEP
State and local education agencies are encouraged to include language relating to a student's need for accessible, alternate-format versions of print instructional materials in the IEP in order to ensure—

Access to General Curriculum (34 CFR 300.138(a) and 300.347 (a)(3)) Students with disabilities are to be provided access to the general curriculum with modifications, accommodations, supplementary aids, and supports in order to make satisfactory educational progress.

"Supplementary aids and services"—the term 'supplementary aids and services' means aids, services, and other supports that are provided in regular education classes or other education-related settings to enable children with disabilities to be educated with non-disabled children to the maximum extent appropriate in accordance with section 612(a)(5)" (IDEA 97's provision on least restrictive environment).

It is recommended that the IEP include a query such as the following:

Does the student require accessible, alternate-format versions of printed textbooks and printed core materials that are written and published primarily for use in elementary and secondary school instruction and are required by an SEA or LEA for use by students in the classroom?

A query of this kind is designed to prompt the IEP team to consider each print-disabled student's need for accessible, alternate-format versions of print instructional materials.

If a student with a print disability does need a specialized format, the IEP should specify the following:

the specific format(s) to be provided (Braille, audio, e-text, large print, etc.)
the services and/or assistive technology the student needs to use the specialized format
the individual or individuals responsible for providing the specialized format, and
whether or not the format is required to be used in the student’s home or in another setting in order for the student to receive a free appropriate public education.]]> Ralph Orleck Special Education Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:26:14 -0400 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,592,592#msg-592 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,592,592#msg-592 On September 26, 2008, the U.S. Senate passed the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Reauthorization and Improvement Act, S. 2304. The bill is expected to be taken up in the House this weekend for final approval and then be sent to the President for his signature.

S. 2304 reauthorizes the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act (MIOTCRA) for an additional five years at $50 million per year. The bill also expands training for law enforcement to identify and respond appropriately to individuals with mental illnesses and supports the development of law enforcement receiving centers to @#$%& individuals in custody for mental health and substance abuse treatment needs. MIOTCRA, PL 108-414, created the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Grant Program (JMHCP) in 2004 to help states and counties design and implement collaborative efforts between criminal justice and mental health systems.

“Senator Kennedy understands that far too often individuals are arrested and subjected to the criminal justice system, when what they really need is treatment and support to overcome mental illness or substance abuse disorders. His bipartisan bill provides strong federal support for helping local communities address this crisis and improve treatment outcomes for mentally ill offenders,” said Anthony Coley, spokesman for Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA). “He commends Senator Domenici for his leadership on this bill and on so many other initiatives to improve our nation's mental health system. He also welcomes the leadership of Representatives Bobby Scott and Randy Forbes on this needed legislation.”

People with mental illnesses are overrepresented in all parts of the criminal justice system -- in their contact with law enforcement, in the courts, in jails and prisons, and in parole and probation caseloads across the country. Prevalence estimates of serious mental illnesses in correctional facilities range from 7 to 16 percent, or rates four times higher for men and eight times higher for women than found in the general population. The U.S. Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates that the prevalence of youth with mental disorders in juvenile justice facilities is even higher. In many cases, these individuals are not violent criminals, but rather low-level offenders. In addition, it typically costs far more to treat individuals with serious mental illnesses in jail or prison than it does in community-based settings.

“I have witnessed the challenges associated with mentally ill offenders who are part of the criminal justice system, and I believe resources are necessary to help local law enforcement and the judicial system implement appropriate measures to address these offenders,” said Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM), “Senator Kennedy worked hard to get this bill moving, and I am pleased the Senate has approved it.”

The JMHCP program provides assistance to states and communities to develop new programs or expand existing programs that can both reduce costs and help individuals with mental illnesses in contact with the criminal justice system return to productive lives. The program has helped states and local governments implement and expand mental health courts, law enforcement training, mental health and substance abuse treatment for incarcerated mentally ill offenders, community reentry services, and cross-training of criminal justice and mental health personnel.

The Council of State Governments Justice Center coordinates the Criminal Justice/Mental Health Consensus Project, an unprecedented, national effort to help local, state, and federal policymakers and criminal justice and mental health professionals improve the response to people with mental illnesses who come into contact with the criminal justice system.

For more information on the reauthorization of the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Reauthorization and Improvement Act, contact Leah Kane.


As always, the Consensus Project wants to hear your comments and reactions.
Please send them to cp_editors@consensusproject.org.

forwarded by BJ Berquist/bjb@tappedin.org]]> BJ Berquist Special Education Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:18:55 -0400 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,549,549#msg-549 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,549,549#msg-549
The 32nd Annual TECBD Conference On Severe Behavior Disorders of Children and Youth
November 17-19, 2008
Mission Palms Hotel in Tempe, Arizona

Arizona State University (ASU) is proud to provide a forum for sharing current practice, research, and theory in emotional and behavior disorders. ASU is currently seeking proposals on topics related to:

* Academic and behavioral interventions
* Aggression and violence in schools
* Assessment issues
* Autism research and interventions
* Characteristics of students with EBD
* Corrections, delinquency, or juvenile justice
* Culturally responsiveness in EBD
* Depression and social withdrawal
* Gender issues in EBD
* Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
* Response to Intervention (RTI)

Please submit your proposal by September 1, 2008 using the Proposal Submission Form (MS Word [snurl.com] [click_icptrack_com] ).
Questions?
Please e-mail TECBD.Conference@cox.net


Net proceeds from this conference will go towards the Robert B. Rutherford, Jr. Memorial Fellowship in Special Education at Arizona State University.

Forwarded by BJ Berquist
bjb@tappedin.org]]> BJ Berquist Special Education Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:56:23 -0400 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,538,538#msg-538 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,538,538#msg-538 Education (ED) include...

* Center on Positive Behavioral Supports -- CFDA# 84.326S

* Center on Dispute Resolution -- CFDA# 84.326D

Below are excerpts from the "notice inviting applications" for
each grant opportunity. For more complete information, please
see the full notice inviting applications in the Federal
Register. We try to ensure that the web version and the
Federal Register notice are the same; however, the Federal
Register notice should be consulted for complete and
authoritative information.

For application packages and other information related to ED
funding opportunities, please see:

[www.ed.gov].
[www.ed.gov]

*******************************************************************
Center on Positive Behavioral Supports (Federal Register: July
30, 2008 [CFDA# 84.326S])
*******************************************************************
Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Technical Assistance and
Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with
Disabilities program is to promote academic achievement and to
improve results for children with disabilities by providing
technical assistance (TA), supporting model demonstration projects,
disseminating useful information, and implementing activities that
are supported by scientifically based research.
Applications Available: July 30, 2008.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 29, 2008.
Eligible Applicants: SEAs; LEAs, including public charter
schools that are considered LEAs under State law; IHEs; other
public agencies; private nonprofit organizations; outlying areas;
freely associated States; Indian tribes or tribal organizations;
and for-profit organizations.
Estimated Available Funds: $1,700,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,700,000.
Number of Awards: 1.

Additional information is available online at:
[www.ed.gov]
tml

*******************************************************************
Center on Dispute Resolution (Federal Register: July 30, 2008
[CFDA# 84.326D])
*******************************************************************
Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Technical Assistance and
Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with
Disabilities program is to promote academic achievement and to
improve results for children with disabilities by providing
technical assistance (TA), supporting model demonstration projects,
disseminating useful information, and implementing activities that
are supported by scientifically based research.
Applications Available: July 30, 2008.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 29, 2008.
Eligible Applicants: SEAs; LEAs, including public charter
schools that are considered LEAs under State law; IHEs; other
public agencies; private nonprofit organizations; outlying areas;
freely associated States; Indian tribes or tribal organizations;
and for-profit organizations.
Estimated Available Funds: $500,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $500,000.
Number of Awards: 1.

Additional information is available online at:
[www.ed.gov]
tml

==========================================================
Forwarded from [EDInfo] Notices Inviting Applications (August 12, 2008)
From: "Kickbush, Peter" <Peter.Kickbush@ED.GOV>
by BJ Berquist
bjb@tappedin.org]]> BJ Berquist Special Education Tue, 12 Aug 2008 18:29:17 -0400 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,510,510#msg-510 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,510,510#msg-510
Apparently, my books are used quite successfully in the Florida State corrections system (for both juveniles and adults), and I was asked to present at this conference. My session’s title is “Easy to Read High-Interest Books and Materials for Low Level Readers.” (This title was chosen by the team of folks who called to ask me to present, and although the session title is quite self-explanatory, many people who are familiar with my books, materials and presentations say this title lacks the usual flair my self-chosen session titles usually offer.)

For conference agenda, please go here: [www.criminologycenter.fsu.edu]

I hope to see (and meet) some CEA members at my presentation. Please stop by to say hi.

~Elise]]> Elise Leonard Special Education Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:21:34 -0400 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,493,493#msg-493 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,493,493#msg-493
>How Best to Convey Where a Specific Approach Fits into the Many Efforts to Enable Students to Have an Equal Opportunity to Succeed at School?

In response to various initiatives designed to improve schools with respect to students with learning, behavior, and emotional problems, a colleague recently sent us the following: "It appears to me that three distinct schools of intervention are developing: Response to Intervention, Positive Behavior Support, and Addressing Barriers to Learning. While these schools appear parallel, they must intersect at some point in order to develop a comprehensive approach to intervention. Each approach deals with an area: RTI -- academic systems of support; PBS -- school wide discipline support; and Barriers to Learning -- health, community, family, and school. All are three levels of intervention."

From the perspective of our policy and practice analyses, we don't really see these as separate "schools of intervention." We do, however, strongly support the importance of bringing under one conceptual umbrella all efforts to enable students to have an equal opportunity to succeed at school and weaving them together into a comprehensive, multifaceted, and cohesive system. The lack of such a conceptual umbrella continues to cause problems for policy, practice, research, and training. While it is important to understand what a specific initiative can contribute, it is essential to understand its relationship to other efforts and where it fits into a "big picture" and how to integrate and implement it in keeping with current priorities and resources.

To this end, we have proposed a comprehensive intervention framework and a related reframing of operational and organizational infrastructure and policy.* Embedded into the intervention framework are specific school-wide and classroom-based activities related to such concepts as social-emotional learning and initiatives such as positive behavior support, response to intervention, and CDC's Coordinated School Health Program. And, note that with respect to framing levels of intervention, in contrast to some conceptualizations, we emphasize the development of integrated systems within and among three levels. Thus we label each level as follows: (1) System to promote healthy development and prevent problems, (2) System of early intervention (responding as soon as a problem appears), and (3) System of care to treat severe and pervasive problems.

*See "Frameworks for Systemic Transformation of Student and Learning Supports" [smhp.psych.ucla.edu]

Your Views on this??? What are your views on how best to frame student/learning supports as a comprehensive entity in school improvement policy and practice? Besides being an important concern each day at schools, it is a critical matter for discussion as Congress moves forward in reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. We look forward to your comments. Send to ltaylor@ucla.edu]]> Ralph Orleck Special Education Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:09:27 -0400 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,439,439#msg-439 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,439,439#msg-439
The National Center for Technology Innovation (NCTI) has updated its TechMatrix, a searchable database that enables educators and families of students with disabilities to identify and compare assistive learning software and technologies. Users can search for and compare more than 190 products that focus on improving the lives of students with special needs. Funded by the NEC Foundation of America and the U.S. Department of Education, the expanded TechMatrix allows users to generate a detailed report on customized searches within four areas of focus: reading, mathematics, writing, and assistive technologies. | [snurl.com] [www_eschoolnews_com]

Forwarded from eSchool News
by BJ Berquist
bjb@tappedin.org]]> BJ Berquist Special Education Thu, 05 Jun 2008 18:21:27 -0400 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,255,255#msg-255 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,255,255#msg-255 murrayellison Special Education Mon, 04 Feb 2008 08:53:51 -0500 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,254,254#msg-254 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,254,254#msg-254
The Council of State Governments Justice Center released today an updated edition of
Improving Responses to People with Mental Illnesses: The Essential Elements of a
Mental Health Court. The publication is the result of many rounds of rigorous review
and describes the 10 important program elements that jurisdictions should consider
when planning, implementing or enhancing a mental health court.

To read more, visit [consensusproject.org]]]> BJ Berquist Special Education Fri, 01 Feb 2008 14:12:17 -0500 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,189,189#msg-189 http://www.ceanational.org/phorum/read.php?17,189,189#msg-189 MISESUP Special Education Fri, 01 Feb 2008 13:58:13 -0500