New Publication on Inclusive Early Childhood Education
How can early childhood professionals and families provide quality, inclusive early childhood education for young children with and without disabilities? That’s the question addressed in Impact: Feature Issue on Early Childhood Education and Children with Disabilities, published by the Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota. In this new publication, researchers and practitioners discuss strategies for identifying and providing quality, inclusive programs; staff from inclusive early childhood programs around the country describe their approaches; and parents reflect on their experiences with early childhood education and inclusion for their children. The Issue Editors for this edition are Marty Smith, Special Education Program Improvement Specialist, Minnesota Department of Education, and Ann Bailey, Associate Director for North Central Regional Resource Center, Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota. To receive a free print copy, call the Institute’s Publications Office at 612-624-4512, or e-mail .
Posted on: Monday, December 21, 2009
NCRRC Regional Part B and Part C Meeting
The NCRRC will be holding a Part B and Part C Regional Meeting at the Westin Hotel in Indianapolis, IN from Tuesday, February 2, 2010 through Thursday, February 4, 2010. This meeting is for Part B and Part C staff only and the deadline for registration is Wednesday, December 23, 2009. Additional information as well as a meeting agenda are available on the following website. Please contact Meghann Schmidt at 612-624-9722 or if you have questions regarding registration or travel arrangements.
Posted on: Monday, December 21, 2009
Recent Information Requests Submitted to the NCRRC
Information Services provided reports in response to 3 Information Requests in October. The following list describes the requests, using the descriptor terms from the Matrix thesaurus as an organizing device. Attached is a list of the actual questions as well. Please contact Rebekah Rieke, Program Coordinator, at if you would like further information about any of these searches.
2010 Parts B and C Formula Grant Award Application Packages
The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has recently posted information and application packages for applying for FFY 2010 grant awards under Parts B and C of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Application materials will be due on Monday, May 10, 2010. This information can be accessed by clicking here.
Posted on: Monday, December 21, 2009
NCRRC Regional Part B And Part C Meeting
The North Central Regional Resource Center will be holding a regional meeting for Part B and C staff within their region on February 2-4, 2010. The meeting will take place in Indianapolis, IN, at the Westin Hotel. For registration information, you may go to the meeting's website by clicking here.
Posted on: Wednesday, December 2, 2009
NDPC-SD Telephone Seminar
The National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities (NDPC-SD) is holding a telephone seminar entitled, Building Positive Relationships to Prevent Drop-Out and Other Negative Outcomes on Wednesday, October 28, 2009 from 11:00-12:30pm CST. The presenter will be Dr. Melissa Stormont, Associate Professor of Special Education at the University of Missouri. This seminar is FREE to State Departments of Education, OSEP/OSERS, and Regional Parent Information Centers. Please e-mail Kristen Verdeaux at for additional information.
Posted on: Thursday, October 15, 2009
Request for Comments on Proposed Information Collection Packages Related to Part C of the IDEA
On September 25, 2009, the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) published the following 60 day Notices of Proposed Information Collection Requests in the Federal Register. Comments must be submitted before November 24, 2009.
Recent Information Requests Submitted to the NCRRC
Information Services provided reports in response to 9 Information Requests in August and September. The following list describes the requests, using the descriptor terms from the Matrix thesaurus as an organizing device. Attached is a list of the actual questions as well. Please contact Rebekah Rieke, Program Coordinator, at if you would like further information about any of these searches.
Project Forum has recently published The National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS): State Implementation Update by Pontea Etemad, M.Ed. and Paula Burdette, Ph.D. This document can be found at the Project Forum website here. Project Forum’s aim is to facilitate improved services to children and youth with disabilities by gathering and sharing information that supports changes to policy and practice at the national, state, and local levels.
Posted on: Thursday, October 15, 2009
Systems and Improvement Planning Webinar
The RRC Program Systems Change and Improvement Planning Priority Team will be holding a webinar on Friday, August 28th from 1:00-2:30pm Central Time. Agenda items include: (1) State Presentation: The Perfect Storm - How the Synergy of TA Providers and OSEP Triggered Systems Change in Kentucky, (2) newly developed State Systems Framework Document and explain how states can use the document to assist in their improvement planning, and (3) a Showcase: Systems Change and Improvement Planning Resource Collection on the APR Calendar Website. To join this webinar go to the iLink meeting room.
Posted on: Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Comment Request – IDEA Part C SPP/APR
On August 12, 2009, the U.S. Department of Education posted a Federal Register notice; a new 30 day comment request for the IDEA Part C State Performance Plan (SPP) and Annual Performance Report (APR), which has recently been revised. Comments are due by September 11, 2009. The revised Indicator Measurement Table and an analysis of comments received to date are also available (click on “Download Attachments”).
Posted on: Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Recent Information Requests Submitted to the NCRRC
Information Services provided reports in response to seven Information Requests in June and July. The following list describes the requests, using the descriptor terms from the Matrix thesaurus as an organizing device. Attached is a list of the actual questions as well. Please contact Rebekah Rieke, Program Coordinator, at if you would like further information about any of these searches.
June
1. RtI, Certification, funding, and due process
2. Child find, evaluation, eligibility
3. Part C, Part B, Data reporting, Confidentiality
4. Early childhood transition, Compliance, Indicators, Strategies
5. Early childhood, Early Intervention, Community of Practice
July
1. Services Coordination, Part C
2. Monitoring, Level of Determination, Corrections, Community Mental Health Centers, MH
Posted on: Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Illinois Educational Rights Guide
The Illinois State board of Education has recently published a document entitled, Educational Rights and Responsibilities: Understanding Special Education in Illinois. Written and produced by Deb Kunz, ISTAC Parent Consultant, and Andrew Eulass, Due Process Coordinator, this document is intended for parents and other individuals to learn about the educational rights of children who have disabilities and receive special education services.
Posted on: Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Evidence-Based Social-Emotional Curricula
The Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Young Children (TACSEI) recently developed a document entitled, Evidence-Based Social-Emotional Curricula and Intervention Packages for Children 0-5 Years and Their Families. Written by Diane Powell and Glen Dunlap, this resource provides information that programs can use in selecting curricula or intervention packages that are most appropriate for the needs of the children and families they serve.
Posted on: Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Recent Information Request Submitted to the NCRRC
Information Services provided reports in response to 1 Information Request in May. The following list describes the requests, using the descriptor terms from the Matrix thesaurus as an organizing device. Attached is a list of the actual questions as well. Please contact Rebekah Rieke, Program Coordinator, at if you would like further information about any of these searches.
Part B, IDEA, Procedural Safeguards, Parents
Posted on: Tuesday, June 30, 2009
New Resource from CSEFEL
The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) has put out a new document entitled, Making the Most of Playtime. As a part of the CSEFEL Family Tools Collection, this resource offers tips and strategies for families to consider when playing with their infant or toddler.
Posted on: Tuesday, June 30, 2009
NASDSE’s New Project Forum
Project Forum has recently published The Alternate Assessment Based on Modified Achievement Standards: An Initial Review of State Implementation by Eileen Ahearn, Ph.D. This document can be found at the Project Forum website here. Project Forum’s aim is to facilitate improved services to children and youth with disabilities by gathering and sharing information that supports changes to policy and practice at the national, state, and local levels.
Posted on: Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Annotated Bibliographies by NSTTAC
In collaboration with TransCen, Inc., the National High School Center, Healthy and Ready to Work, PACER’s TATRA Center, the Center on Technology in Education, and PEPNet, the National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (NSTTAC) has developed annotated bibliographies on current topics in secondary transition on their website. Topics include: (1) Summary of Performance, (2) Secondary Transition and Students with Autism, (3) Transition Assessment, and (4) Outcomes for Students with Autism.
Posted on: Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Building Inclusive Schools Webinar
The Equity Alliance at Arizona State University (ASU) is hosting a webinar on Thursday, May 28, 2009 entitled, Building Inclusive Schools, from 2:00-3:00pm. This webinar will look at ways that you can create inclusive learning communities in schools. For additional information and to register, please go here.
Posted on: Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Recent Information Requests Submitted to the NCRRC
Information Services provided reports in response to Information Requests in March and April. The following list describes the requests using the descriptor terms from the Matrix thesaurus as an organizing device. Attached is a list of the actual questions as well. Please contact Rebekah Rieke, Program Coordinator, at if you would like further information about any of these searches.
Recently the National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities (NDPC-SD) in partnership with the National Post-School Outcomes Center (NPSO) created an online guide entitled Making Connections Across Indicators to Improve Post-School Outcomes: Early State Efforts. The guide prepared by Cathy Hammond Ph.D. and Loujeania Williams Bost Ph.D., provides information on six states that have begun to display, analyze, and apply data across Part B Indicators 1, 2, 13, and 14.
Posted on: Wednesday, May 27, 2009
NASDSE’s New Project Forums
Project Forum has recently published State Efforts to Meet the Early Childhood Transition Requirements of IDEA by Eve Müller, Ph.D., Kathy Whaley, M.S., and Beth Rous, Ed.D and Using Unique Identifiers to Promote Data Sharing Between Part C and Part B by Eve Müller, Ph.D., Marilyn Friend, Ph.D., and DeAnna Hurley-Chamberlain, M.A. These documents can be found at the Project Forum website here. Project Forum’s aim is to facilitate improved services to children and youth with disabilities by gathering and sharing information that supports changes to policy and practice at the national, state, and local levels.
Posted on: Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Integrated Fiscal Accountability Webinar Series
The General Supervision Priority Team of the Regional Resource Center Program (RRCP) is pleased to announce a Webinar Series addressing integrated fiscal accountability. The first call of the series, Putting the Pieces Together for Integrated Fiscal Accountability, will be held on Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at 1:00 EDT/12:00 CDT. An online workspace for state staff will be launched in conjunction with the start of the Webinar series.
Additional calls in the series will be held on May 19, June 16, and July 21. All calls will be from 12:00-1:30pm (CDT). Registration information and detailed information about the call series will be sent to State Leaders for both Part B and Part C.
Posted on: Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Recent Information Requests Submitted to the NCRRC
Information Services provided reports in response to 5 Information Requests in February. The following list describes the requests, using the descriptor terms from the Matrix thesaurus as an organizing device. Attached is a list of the actual questions as well. Please contact Rebekah Rieke, Program Coordinator, at if you would like further information about any of these searches.
Screening Instruments for Social Emotional Concerns
Emotional Concerns: Considerations in the Selection of Instruments (2009), by Jasolyn Henderson and Phillip Strain. This document describes a review of the use of screening instruments to find children and families who would benefit from early and targeted intervention strategies. It also provides multiple example screening and assessment instruments for young children.
Posted on: Wednesday, April 8, 2009
NASDSE’s New Project Forum Policy Forum
Project Forum has recently published State Tracking to Measure Student Progress Toward IEP Goals by Paula Burdette, Ph.D. This document can be found at the Project Forum web site here. Project Forum’s aim is to facilitate improved services to children and youth with disabilities by gathering and sharing information that supports changes to policy and practice at the national, state, and local levels.
Posted on: Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Webinar Series on Disproportionality
The Regional Resource Center Program (RRCP) Disproportionality Priority Team would like to announce some save the dates for their Webinar Series on Reducing Disproportionality in Special Education: Together We Can! They had an introduction to the series on Thursday, February 12th and will have additional sessions on March 19th (Beyond Compliance), April 23rd (Intervention), May 14th (Addressing Systemic Issues), and May 28th (Roles and Responsibilities for Moving Forward). All Webinars will take place at 12:00-2:30pm (CST). For additional information, or to register, please go here.
Posted on: Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Recent Information Requests Submitted to the NCRRC
Information Services provided a response to 1 Information Request in January. The State requested the exact language that all SEAs which use RtI in their SLD criteria are using. The Thesaurus descriptors used were: RtI, LD, and eligibility. Please contact Chris Opsal, Information Specialist, at if you would like further information about this request.
Posted on: Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Webinar on Technology-Supported Writing Interventions
The Center for Implementing Technology in Education (CITEd) and Don Johnston, Inc. are offering a FREE Webinar series, Moving Forward with Technology. The upcoming Webinar in this series will be Technology-Supported Writing Interventions and will be presented by George Peterson-Karlan on Tuesday, March 3, 2009 at 9:00am (CST) and again on Tuesday, March 17, 2009 at 2:00pm (CST). This hour-long Webinar will discuss various technologies that have the potential to improve the writing skills of students who have learning, behavioral, or cognitive disabilities. The Webinar is free, but registration is required. For additional information and to register, click here.
Posted on: Wednesday, February 25, 2009
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
On February 17, 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) was signed by President Obama. Information related to the Department of Education in the ARRA is located here; preliminary allocations for Department of Education programs are available here. Additionally, the IDEA Part B Preschool Grants and Part C Grants for Infants and Families are included on pages 4 and 5 of this report.
Posted on: Wednesday, February 25, 2009
CADRE New Videos On Listening and Understanding Interests
The Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education (CADRE) has recently posted two new Flash videos to their website on Listening and Understanding Interests. The Listening video focuses on keeping the focus on the other person, listening with care and empathy, and demonstrating understanding. The Understanding Interests video seeks to help viewers better understand a constructive alternative to positional negotiation.
Posted on: Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Disproportionality Webinar Series Announcement
Save the dates! The RRCP Disproportionality Priority Team has planned a webinar series on disproportionality. The webinars will occur from 12:00-1:30pm CST; dates and topics include: (1) February 12: Introduction to the Series, (2) March 19: Beyond Compliance, (3) April 23: Intervention, (4) May 14: Addressing Systemic Issues, and (5) May 28: Roles and Responsibilities for Moving Forward. For additional information or to register please go here.
Posted on: Friday, January 30, 2009
Final Changes to Part B Regulations
The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) made final changes to the Part B regulations of IDEA 2004 on December 1, 2008. Specifically, these changes concern the regulations governing the Assistance to States for Education of Children with Disabilities Program and the Preschool Grants for Children with Disabilities Program. These updated regulations and an analysis of important changes are available in the Federal Register. These rules went into effect on December 31, 2008.
Posted on: Friday, January 30, 2009
Recent Information Requests Submitted to the NCRRC
Information Services provided reports in response to 9 Information Requests in November and December. The following list describes the requests, using the descriptor terms from the Matrix thesaurus as an organizing device. Attached are lists of the actual questions as well, which can be reached by clicking on the respective month. Please contact Chris Opsal, Information Specialist, at if you would like further information about any of these searches.
November: 1. Compliance, LEA, OSEP, SPP-APR 2. Hearing officers, Due process, Dispute resolution 3. Parent-family involvement, APR 4. Service delivery
December: 1. Part C 2. Self-assessment, Suspension, Expulsion, LEA 3. Disproportionality, Identification, LEA 4. Rural areas, Low incidence, SEA, Finance 5. Monitoring, Part C, Procedures
Posted on: Friday, January 30, 2009
NCCRESt Publishes Learning Module
NCCRESt has recently published a new learning module on Culturally Responsive Response to Intervention. The module is organized into 3 separate academies: (1) Culturally Responsive Response to Intervention Models, (2) Using Data to Assess Student Progress and Inform Educational Decisions in Culturally Responsive RTI Models, and (3) Ensuring Culturally Responsive Student Supports. Each of these areas includes a free facilitator manual, PowerPoint presentation, and participant handouts.
