E-News—Issue 7, Number 4

Welcome to the May 2004 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:

• National Institute Update: National Institute's Family-School Linkages Project releases the "Let's Try" series
• News Brief: Bush nominates Hager to Assistant Secretary of Special Education
• Events: Collaboration Between Secondary and Postsecondary Education (July 12); Persistently Safe Schools (Oct. 27-29); TASH (Nov. 17-20); National ELL Research Conference (Nov. 18-19)
• New Resources: OSEP Publishes Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Resource; Beating the Odds IV; CEC Presents Its Definition of a Well-Prepared Special Education Teacher
• National Institute Help Desk

 

National Institute Update

National Institute's Family-School Linkages Project releases the "Let's Try" series

The National Institute for Urban School Improvement is pleased to announce a new series of publications focused on building stronger relationships between school personnel and families in urban communities.

Family members play significant roles in the education of children and youth. When family members talk to their children about schooling, work with school personnel, and support their children's efforts, those students achieve more, attend more regularly, and are more motivated and engaged as learners. At the same time, many schools struggle to get parents to come to meetings and events -- the most traditional way of thinking about family roles. Yet, there are many other reasons families might not be engaging in the roles schools offer. Schools may be unwelcoming and/or intimidating to some parents, especially those whose primary language is other than English, who are working hard to raise their income level out of poverty, or who may feel shy about developing relationships with teachers.

" Building the capacity of urban schools to address these and other issues in an effort to improve the connections between families and school personnel is an important aspect of the National Institute's agenda," said Dianne Ferguson, Director of the National Institute’s Family-School Linkages Project.
The Family-School Linkages Project has released a new, practical series of publications that are designed to improve the communication, linkages, and relations between school personnel and the families of their students. The "Let's Try" series contains several activities that school personnel can readily apply to create a more welcoming school environment. Some examples include:

• Developing a community assets map
• Creating a comfortable "family room" in the school
• Arranging mentors for family members who share similar cultural and/or language backgrounds
• Providing weekly "Friday" folders to regularly exchange information between the school and home
• Organizing a volunteer corps of office greeters

Free, downloadable copies of the publications in this series are available on the National Institute’s Web site: http://www.inclusiveschools.org. Spanish versions of these publications will soon be published.

News Brief

President Bush Nominates Former Virginia Lt. Gov. John Hager to Be Assistant Secretary of Education

President Bush has nominated former Virginia Lt. Gov. John H. Hager to be assistant secretary of education for special education and rehabilitative services, U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige recently announced.

" John's record of public service and his advocacy on behalf of people with disabilities give him a unique perspective and will enhance our efforts to ensure that all children, including those with disabilities, have the opportunity to learn," Secretary Paige said.

The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services assists in the education of children with disabilities and the rehabilitation of adults with disabilities and conducts research to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities regardless of age.

A recognized advocate for people with disabilities, Hager is the former lieutenant governor of the commonwealth of Virginia and most recently served as the assistant to the governor of Virginia for homeland security. He has served as both chairman and a member of several boards and commissions under Virginia Gov. James Gilmore, including the Governor's Disability Commission.

A North Carolina native, Hager earned his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University, his M.B.A. degree from Harvard University and holds honorary degrees from Averett College in Danville, Va., Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, Va., and the University of Northern Virginia.

Events

Collaboration Between Secondary and Postsecondary Education: Promoting Success for Students with Disabilities July 12, 2004 • Miami, Florida

This Capacity Building Institute, held in conjunction with the Annual Association on Higher Education and Disability Conference, will explore issues related to the transition and postsecondary participation of youth with disabilities, with a focus on improving collaboration between secondary school and postsecondary school personnel and policies. Free to participants, the institute will feature nationally recognized speakers in the area of secondary school to postsecondary school transition and postsecondary supports as well as include a student panel and a panel of programs that "bridge the gap." For more information or to register, visit http://www.ncset.hawaii.edu/institutes/july2004/

The Hamilton Fish Institute announces Persistently Safe Schools: The National Conference of the Hamilton Fish Institute October 27-29, 2004 • Washington, DC

The conference is designed to highlight and review past and present school violence prevention milestones and to propose directions for future research, practice, and partnerships. The projected plenary and concurrent sessions will be organized around the following subject tracks:

• Alternative education
• Bullying (student-on-student, student-on-teacher, teacher-on-student)
• Gender-related violence and issues
• School-based mental health
• Model interventions (universal, selective, and targeted)
• Risk and protective factors
• School security (including school bus safety)

Produced by the George Washington University, Eastern Kentucky University, Florida State University, Massachusetts Mental Health Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine (Atlanta), Shenandoah University (Virginia), Syracuse University, University of Oregon, and University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, with funding from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.

2004 TASH Annual Conference November 17-20, 2004 Reno, Nevada

The TASH Conference, known for pioneering strategies and blazing trails towards inclusive lives for people with disabilities and their families, brings together the best hearts and minds in the disability movement. The 2004 conference is jam-packed with over 300 topic specific breakout sessions, exhibits, roundtable discussions, poster sessions and much more.

For more information about the speakers and meeting agenda, visit http://www.tash.org/2004reno/index.htm. Register by July 9 and save an additional $20 off of already discounted early registration rates.

NCCRESt's National Research Conference
English Language Learners Struggling to Learn:
Emergent Research on Linguistic Difference and Learning Disabilities

Now accepting registrations - space is limited!
November 18-19, 2004 • The SunBurst Resort, Scottsdale, AZ

Presenters include:
Alfredo Artiles, Leonard Baca, Manual Barrera, Jim Cummins, Kathy Escamilla, Richard Figueroa, Todd Fletcher, Gene Garcia, Michael Gerber, Diane Haager, Janette Klingner, Nonie Lesaux, Jeff McSwan, Jamal Obedi, Alba Ortiz, Robert Rueda, Nadeen Ruiz, Richard Ruiz, and Sharon Vaughn.

The National Center for Culturally Responsive Educational Systems, a partner of the National Institute, is pleased to announce "English Language Learners Struggling to Learn." Co-sponsored by Arizona State University, the Council for Exceptional Children, and the National Association for Bilingual Education, the conference will present original, emergent scholarship on the differences between second language acquisition and learning disabilities. The impetus for the conference is the unprecedented growth of the English language learner population, the emergence of empirical evidence about the number of inappropriate referrals of ELLs to special education, the challenges associated with distinguishing between the characteristics of "normal" second language acquisition and learning disabilities, and the alarming dearth of research on these and related issues.

What will the conference cover?
• Original research with English language learner populations focused on differentiating between second language acquisition and learning disabilities
• Analytical perspectives on ELL issues
• Synthesis of the research on English language learners
• Population, referral, assessment, and instructional issues

For more information or to register, please go to http://www.nccrest.org/ell_conference.html. Direct any questions to Carolyn Ottke-Moore at Carolyn.Moore@cudenver.edu.

New Resources

OSEP Publishes Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Resource

The Office of Special Education Programs recently released Part II of a two-part resource guide on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Part I, entitled Identifying and Treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Resource for School and Home, is designed for families and educators. It provides information on how ADHD is identified and treated and includes sections on legal requirements, treatment options, and helpful hints on how to improve the quality of life at home and at school, for a child identified with ADHD. Part II, entitled Teaching Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Instructional Strategies and Practices, is designed for teachers, other school staff, and families. It describes an overall strategy for successfully instructing students with ADHD. Suggestions of research-based academic instruction, behavioral interventions, and classroom accommodations are provided. Both reports can be downloaded at
http://www.ed.gov/about/reports/annual/osep/index.html#adhd-res.

Beating the Odds IV: A City-by-City Analysis of Student Performance and Achievement Gap on State Assessments Results from 2002-2003 School Year

The Council of the Great City Schools has prepared the fourth edition of Beating the Odds to give the nation another look at how inner-city schools are performing on the academic goals and standards set by the states for our children. This analysis examines student achievement in math and reading through spring 2003. It also measures achievement gaps between cities and states, African Americans and Whites, and Hispanics and Whites. It also includes new data on language proficiency, disability, and income. Finally, the report looks at two critical questions: "Are urban schools improving academically?" and "Are urban schools closing achievement gaps?"

To find out more about the reports findings, visit
http://www.cgcs.org/reports/beat_the_oddsIV.html.

CEC Presents Its Definition of a Well-Prepared Special Education Teacher

The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) is pleased to present its definition of a well-prepared special education teacher and is encouraging the House and Senate to adopt the essential elements of its definition when the House-Senate conference committee on IDEA reauthorization meets to iron out the differences between their two bills. CEC is advocating for a collaborative relationship between the general and special education teacher so that an environment of two-way support and teaching exists. CEC also advocates special education teachers demonstrate competency in the core academic subjects if they are not teaching in a collaborative relationship. CEC is currently working with general education, disability, and family advocacy communities through the IDEA Reauthorization Work Group to gain consensus on legislative language on highly qualified for consideration by the House-Senate IDEA reauthorization conference committee. To download a copy of CEC's Definition of a Well-Prepared Special Education Teacher, visit
http://www.cec.sped.org/pp/well-prepared-teacher.pdf.

OSEP Publishes Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Resource

The Office of Special Education Programs recently released Part II of a two-part resource guide on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Part I, entitled Identifying and Treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Resource for School and Home, is designed for families and educators. It provides information on how ADHD is identified and treated and includes sections on legal requirements, treatment options, and helpful hints on how to improve the quality of life at home and at school, for a child identified with ADHD. Part II, entitled Teaching Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Instructional Strategies and Practices, is designed for teachers, other school staff, and families. It describes an overall strategy for successfully instructing students with ADHD. Suggestions of research-based academic instruction, behavioral interventions, and classroom accommodations are provided. Both reports can be downloaded at
http://www.ed.gov/about/reports/annual/osep/index.html#adhd-res.

Beating the Odds IV: A City-by-City Analysis of Student Performance and Achievement Gap on State Assessments Results from 2002-2003 School Year

The Council of the Great City Schools has prepared the fourth edition of Beating the Odds to give the nation another look at how inner-city schools are performing on the academic goals and standards set by the states for our children. This analysis examines student achievement in math and reading through spring 2003. It also measures achievement gaps between cities and states, African Americans and Whites, and Hispanics and Whites. It also includes new data on language proficiency, disability, and income. Finally, the report looks at two critical questions: "Are urban schools improving academically?" and "Are urban schools closing achievement gaps?"

To find out more about the reports findings, visit
http://www.cgcs.org/reports/beat_the_oddsIV.html.

CEC Presents Its Definition of a Well-Prepared Special Education Teacher

The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) is pleased to present its definition of a well-prepared special education teacher and is encouraging the House and Senate to adopt the essential elements of its definition when the House-Senate conference committee on IDEA reauthorization meets to iron out the differences between their two bills. CEC is advocating for a collaborative relationship between the general and special education teacher so that an environment of two-way support and teaching exists. CEC also advocates special education teachers demonstrate competency in the core academic subjects if they are not teaching in a collaborative relationship. CEC is currently working with general education, disability, and family advocacy communities through the IDEA Reauthorization Work Group to gain consensus on legislative language on highly qualified for consideration by the House-Senate IDEA reauthorization conference committee.

To download a copy of CEC's Definition of a Well-Prepared Special Education Teacher, visit
http://www.cec.sped.org/pp/well-prepared-teacher.pdf.

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.