E-News—Issue 6, Number 2

Welcome to the February 2003 issue of E-News!

E-News is designed to keep individuals informed of new developments in urban education and inclusive schooling practices in urban schools. In particular, E-News includes brief items of interest around the work of the National Institute and other organizations engaged in similar work, current research, upcoming conferences and events, new online and off-line products and resources, and other news happening in the field.

Features this month:

• News Brief: Secretary Paige releases principles on the reauthorization of IDEA
• Events: Maryland DOE presents Strategies for Reducing Disproportionality (March 17); SERRC presents Bridging the Gap (April 14-17); Harvard Institute focuses on teacher preparation (July 14-18)
• Web Site of the Month: New autism information center
• New Resources: NCLB Act's implications for special education; appropriate referrals of English language learners
• National Institute Help Desk
  

News Brief

Secretary Paige Releases Principles for Reauthorizing IDEA

On Wednesday, February 25, U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige unveiled a set of principles to guide the Education Department in its work toward the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

"Our goal is to align IDEA with the principles of No Child Left Behind by ensuring accountability, more flexibility, more options for parents, and an emphasis on doing what works to improve student achievement," said Secretary Paige.

The act, which comes up for reauthorization before Congress this year, guarantees a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment to students with disabilities. In 2001, the President created the Commission on Excellence in Special Education. After 13 meetings and hearings across the country, the Commission delivered to the President its recommendations for improving special education and reforming IDEA. President Bush believes the Commission's recommendations should serve as the starting point for reauthorization. The President intends to work with the Congress to renew IDEA based on the following principles:

1. Stronger accountability for results
2. Simplify paperwork for states and communities and increase flexibility for all
3. Doing what works
4. Increase choices and meaningful involvement for parents

To read the announcement in its completion, please visit http://www.ed.gov/PressReleases/02-2003/02252003.html.

Events

Classroom and Systemic Strategies for Reducing Disproportionality

6th Annual Full-Day Conference Addressing the Reduction of the Disproportional Representation of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students in Special Education in Maryland

March 17 (8:15-3:45 p.m.), BW Airport Marriott

General education classroom teachers and administrators, as well as special education and related personnel are encouraged to attend this free conference from the Maryland Department of Education, Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services. Dr. Alba A. Ortiz of the University of Texas, Austin, is the guest speaker, and she will present "Disproportionality in Special Education: From Traditional to Best Practices."

Participants will also be able to attend two workshops, such as:

• A Peer-Coaching Model for Students and Teachers
• Contstructing a Powerful Schoolwide Program for Middle School Students that Stimulates Growth in Reading and Writing
• Culturally Competent Intervention and Assessment for Second Language Learners
• Looking at Learning Through Cultural Lenses

Register now, as there will be no on-site registration and space is limited to 300 participants. For more information, contact Jack Mead at the Maryland DOE: 410-333-8165.

Bridging the Gap: From Planning to Action April 14-17, 2003, Atlanta, Georgia

The Southeast Regional Resource Center (SERRC) is sponsoring a national disproportionality conference for regional and national stakeholders. The major goals of the conference are to disseminate the latest developments in research, diagnosis, treatment, and intervention strategies to facilitate a connection between 30+ years of research, and to move from planning to action. Topical strands focus on a variety of areas: English Language Learners (ELL), gifted under-representation, reading, assessment, adjudicated youth, poverty, and behavior/emotional issues. Special and general education professionals, researchers, and practitioners from a variety of disciplines are invited to attend and/or submit a paper. Abstracts must be at least 250 words and include a statement of the primary question or problem, theoretical framework, research method, major findings, and proven intervention strategies (please include contact information on a separate cover page and a vita or resume). Abstracts must be postmarked by March 14 and mailed to:

Southeast Regional Resource Center/AUM
Attn: Agnes Helen Bellel
P.O. Box 244023
Montgomery, AL 36124-4023

Notification of acceptance or rejection will be mailed by March 21. Register online at http://edla.aum.edu/serrc/serrc.html. Contact Agnes Bellel for additional information at abellel@mail.aum.edu or 334-244-3111.

Critical Issues in Urban Special Education, Harvard Institute Preparing and Supporting Teachers of Students with Disabilities July 14-18

The requirements for special education teacher knowledge and skills have changed. To educate students more effectively in more inclusive settings, many urban schools are adopting research-based instructional practices, attempting to meet the requirements of law, and following models of best practice. In addition, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) requires that by the end of the 2005-06 school year every classroom in America will have a teacher who is "highly qualified."

Co-chaired by David Riley of the National Institute and the Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative, this Summer's Institute seeks to clarify the demands of teacher preparation and support in the current results-oriented school environment, explore the possibilities for effective approaches, and help participants develop plans for their districts.

Large group presentations and small-group discussions will explore the best current thinking on critical issues and provide participants with practical solutions for enhancing programs in their own schools and districts, including:

• Research regarding pre-service and in-service professional development
• Characteristics of highly effective urban educators
• Qualities of excellence in teachers for students for all abilities
• Examples of promising practices for teacher preparation and support in urban school districts

Institute faculty include Alfredo Artiles, Associate Professor at Vanderbilt University's Peabody College; Susan Moore Johnson, Pforzheimer Professor of Teaching and Learning at the Harvard Graduate School of Education; Elizabeth Kozleski, Associate Dean of the School of Education at the University of Colorado-Denver and the Director of the National Institute; and Brenda Townsend, Professor in the Department of Special Education at the University of South Florida.

The Institute takes place on the Harvard campus. For more information or to register, call 800-545-1849 or visit http://www.gse.harvard.edu/%7Eppe/programs/use/program.html.

Web Site of the Month

National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities' New Autism Information Center

Visit http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/dd/ddautism.htm, the new Web-based Autism Information Center from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), which focuses on activities and resources which are considered best practice for individuals with autism spectrum disorders. These research initiatives and related activities are conducted by federally funded programs and include the following:

• Information about autism spectrum disorders
• CDC activities and those of other federal agencies which support autism research
• State activities funded by CDC
• Education services
• Resources for families and researchers
• A special Kids' Quests with activities that help children to learn more about autism
  

New Resource

No Child Left Behind Act of 2001: Implications for Special Education Policy and Practice

The Council for Exceptional Children's (CEC) Public Policy Unit continues to develop a variety of resource documents on No Child Left Behind and the Reauthorization of IDEA. One of its latest resources, published in January 2003, is an extensive side-by-side of the NCLB Act that analyzes its implications for special education. You can download the document by clicking on the following link http://www.cec.sped.org/pp/NCLBside-by-side.pdf. Additional resources from the Public Policy Unit may be found at http://www.cec.sped.org/pp/resources.html.

Determining Appropriate Referrals of English Language Learners to Special Education

Given the rapidly increasing numbers of English language learners in the United States, this invaluable resource provides administrators with an easy-to-use guide to understanding and addressing the impact of special education referral and classification processes on English language learners. Developed by National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) and the IDEA Local Implementation by Local Administrators (ILIAD) Partnership, it covers key issues such as: how to review student data and determine if your school may have an overrepresentation (or underrepresentation) of English language learners in special education; strategies for improving communication with English language learners and their families; and a strategy that many schools are using, Teacher Assistance Teams.

For more information or to download a copy, visit http://www.ideapractices.org/resources/detail.php?id=22266.

National Institute Support Desk

Previous issues of E-News can be viewed at: niusi.obiki.org/enews.htm.

For more information about the National Institute for Urban School Improvement, please feel free to contact us.