School Edition

Project SOURCE

The University of North Florida, Status Of University/Community College Resources for College Experiences-Florida (Project SOURCE) has created a brief survey to identify current post-secondary educational options for students with developmental disabilities in the state of Florida.  Project SOURCE is identifying programs taking place on college/university, community college or technical institute campuses.  The goal of the project is to create an action plan for anyone interested in starting a new program or expanding existing programs.  School districts, colleges/universities, community colleges or technical institutes with such programs are invited to participate.  Project SOURCE is funded through the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, Inc.  The survey is located at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=yOC20xGYe15grX4Nl4ninA_3d_3d.  For more information please contact Debra Duran at dduranconsulting@yahoo.com.

Post-School Outcome Survey Flyers Available Online

Post-School Outcome Survey Flyers designed to help states and school districts increase youth/family participation in “Indicator 14″ post-school outcome surveys are now available online. The flyers were created as handouts for students with Individualized Education Programs who are leaving school and their families. Available in both Spanish and English and designed with youth and family readers in mind, the flyers convey essential points about the purpose of Indicator 14 data collection activities and encourage participation in the process. School districts can add their own contact information and the flyers can be customized to reflect a state’s unique format or survey process. A “tips sheet” containing suggestions for dissemination activities is also available.  Prepared by the National Post-School Outcomes Center (NPSO) in collaboration with PACER Center, they can be downloaded at no cost from the NPSO web site at http://psocenter.org/data_collection.html.

National Center on Response to Intervention (RtI) Resources

The National Center on Response to Intervention http://www.rti4success.org/ has announced the release of the Progress Monitoring Tools Chart.  This chart represents the results of the first annual review of reading and math progress monitoring tools by the Center’s Technical Review Committee (TRC).  The chart provides ratings on the technical adequacy of progress monitoring tools used within an RtI context.  The tools were rated against criteria for general outcome measures, or mastery measures.  Additional information on how to implement them can be found on the chart as well.  The information in the chart is intended to assist educators and families in becoming informed consumers who can select progress monitoring tools that best meet their individual needs.  The Center’s TRC will review progress monitoring tools annually, with the next call for tools being issued in fall 2009.  View the Progress Monitoring Tools Chart online at http://www.rti4success.org/chart/progressMonitoring/progressmonitoringtoolschart.htm.

New Family Voices Booklet

“Growing Your Capacity to Engage Diverse Communities by Working with Community Liaisons and Cultural Brokers” is a Family Voices booklet that describes a new approach to family and community engagement that involves community liaisons and cultural brokers. The information is based on knowledge and experience of family leaders around the country. The booklet is available in PDF format at http://www.familyvoices.org/pub/general/CommunityBrokers_04-27-2009.pdf.

Technical Assistance Paper for Speech and Language as a Related Service

DPS Memo 2009-099, Questions and Answers Regarding Speech/Language as a Related Service has been posted to the Florida Department of Education website at http://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-5423/dps-2009-099.pdf.  This document updates and extends previous guidance, and includes questions and answers about identification of Speech/Language as a related service on the IEP or EP, provision of Speech/Language as a related service, and other related information.  Two attachments are included:  Appendix A is a flowchart of Guiding Questions for Determining the Need for Speech/Language as a Related Service - Revised June 2009, and Appendix B is a sample form that may be used to document Communication Impact on Special Education Services.  For additional information please contact Shannon Hall-Mills, Program Specialist, at Shannon.Hall-Mills@fldoe.org or (850) 245-0478.

2nd Annual Youth Summit

The Florida Youth Council is excited to invite you to the 2nd Annual Youth Summit. The Youth Summit is a fun-filled, educational event for youth and emerging leaders with disabilities between the ages of 13 and 30. Participants in the summit will enjoy an art activity, multiple educational sessions, and a dance party on Saturday night to cap off the festivities.

Curriculum Based Measurements Webinars

The National Center Response to Intervention is hosting a series of free webinars on Curriculum Based Measurement (CBM) divided into six modules including Introduction to CBM, Using CBM in Reading, Using CBM in Math, Using CBM in Written Expression and Spelling, Other ways to use CBM Data, Using CBM to Determine RTI.  Through these webinars learn what CBM is, how to administer it, and how to use the data you collect in a response to intervention framework.  The presenter, Dr. Michelle K. Hosp, is a Research Associate at the University of Utah.  Her research focus is on using CBM to inform instruction in the area of reading.  

NEA Learning & Leadership Grants

NEA Foundation Learning & Leadership Grants are given to public school teachers, public education support professionals, and/or faculty and staff in public institutions of higher education for one of two purposes: Grants to individuals fund participation in high-quality professional development experiences, such as summer institutes or action research; Grants to groups fund collegial study, including study groups, action research, lesson study, or mentoring experiences for faculty or staff new to an assignment. Maximum Award: $5,000 for groups, $2,000 for individuals. Eligibility: public school teachers grades K–12; public school education support professionals; or faculty and staff at public higher education institutions. Deadline: October 15, 2009. For more information or to apply please refer to
http://www.neafoundation.org/programs/Learning&Leadership_Guidelines.htm.

American Management Association and Leader to Leader Institute Scholarship

The American Management Association (AMA) and Leader to Leader Institute scholarship program assists social-sector nonprofit organizations in developing strong leadership. The scholarship is designed to give nonprofit leaders an opportunity to step out of the day-to-day, interact with peers across sectors, and develop practical skills to apply immediately within their organizations. Maximum Award: one-year scholarship. Eligibility: employees of 501(c)3 organizations with a minimum of three years of work experience in the social sector. Deadline: December 15, 2009. For more information or to apply please refer to
http://leadertoleader.org/collaboration/ama/index.html.  

Web-Based Surveys Available from the Florida Office on Disability and Health

The Florida Office on Disability and Health is pleased to announce that both self-response and proxy response versions of a web-based health surveys of Floridians with disabilities are now available.  If you are age 18 or older and have a disability, please visit http://www.surveygizmo.com/s/90895/mzfpa.  If you are age 18 or older and would like to complete the survey on behalf of someone else with a disability (for example, a child under 18 or someone who cannot respond for himself because of a communication or other disability), please visit http://www.surveygizmo.com/s/134860/sc32e.   You can also access the surveys from their website, http://fodh.phhp.ufl.edu. These surveys will be active through the end of the year.

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