SPP/APR Technical Assistance Call on Early Childhood Indicators
The Federal Resource Center (FRC) and Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) will be facilitating a teleconference call to review and discuss the Early Childhood Outcomes Indicators (Part C Indicator 3 and Part B Indicator 7) on September 14, 2006 at 4:00 – 5:00 P.M. EST. The purpose of this call is to discuss the change to the measurement for these indicators and what it means for States. Also, issues that are addressed in the FAQs will be reviewed. Ms. Julia Martin, MSIP, Jennifer Tschantz, RTP, and Kathy Hebbler, ECO Center are presenters for the call. The materials for the call are posted on the RRFC Network website. Click on the preceding link to download the materials.
Posted on: Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Alternate Assessment Seminars
Technical assistance providers, state practitioners, and leading researchers in the areas of students with disabilities, assessment, and accountability have partnered to offer interactive working seminars on alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS). The seminars are designed to: assist participants in recognizing what aspects of their system should remain flexible and what might be more standardized; provide participants with a framework for helping states conceptualize the evaluation of technical quality; and provide tools for documenting the technical quality of alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards. The seminars are intended for state teams, preferably consisting of members from the assessment, special education, and curriculum and instruction divisions. All participants must represent a state’s assessment system. The seminars will be held in Denver (CO) on October 10th and 11th, and in Alexandria (VA) on October 24 and 25. NCRRC staff John Heskett will be available at the Denver seminar. For more information, contact NCRRC staff Tom Delaney at
or 612-625-2388.
Posted on: Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Final IDEA 2004 Part B Regs Now Available
The U.S. Department of Education just published the official copy of the final Part B regulations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in the Federal Register on August 14, 2006. The regulations will go into effect 60 days after the official publication date. The Department has also made available on its website a user-friendly package to help guide the public through these changes. In addition to the actual text of the regulations, the package includes an analysis of the public’s comments, a summary of the major changes since publication of the proposed regulations, and several appendices, including an index and additional guidance for implementing the regulations. The Department also published a set of model forms for individualized education programs (IEPs), notices of procedural safeguards, and prior written notices as required under IDEA. All regulation-related materials can be found on the Department’s website. Click on the above link to view the materials.
Posted on: Wednesday, August 16, 2006
State of the Nation’s Data System
What is the state of your state data system? You can get an answer to this question and more on the Data Quality Campaign (DQC) website. This website provides information about the quality of all 50 states data system in addition to state-by-state analysis of the policy implications of each state’s data system. The information is derived from data collected by the National Center for Educational Accountability (NCEA) through a survey conducted in August 2005 to determine the number of states that have built the infrastructure to take advantage of the power of longitudinal data. The DQC is a national, collaborative effort to help states improve the collection and use of high-quality education data and implement longitudinal data systems to improve student achievement. The campaign is managed by the NCEA and 13 other national organizations and supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Click on the link above to go the website.
Posted on: Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Highlights from the 2006 Pennsylvania Community on Transition Conference
Katharine Hill, NCRRC State Technical Assistance Specialist, attended the 2006 Pennsylvania Community on Transition Conference in State College, PA, July 18- 20, 2006. Approximately 700 people attended, including teachers, LEA administrators, vocational rehabilitation professionals, parents, and youth. Featured presenters included John H. Hager, Assistant Secretary, Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Bill East, NASDE; Carl Suter, Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation; Linda Rhen, Director, Pennsylvania Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education; LeDerick Horne; and Jonathan Mooney. Katharine presented at a pre-conference session, “The Educator’s Challenge: High Academic Standards and Successful Postschool Outcomes” with Larry Kortering of the National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center and Karen Rabern from Auburn University. She and Drs. Kortering and Rabern also presented a feature presentation on “Building Capacity to Improve Transition Outcomes.”
Posted on: Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Region 4 Alliance Conference Highlights
Alliance Region 4 Conference was hosted by the Ohio Coalition for the Education for Children with Disabilities on Mackinac Island, MI from June 20-23, 2006. Approximately 75 parent training information center and state-level staff from Region 4 attended this event. Presentations were given by Joe McNulty, Executive Director of the Helen Keller National Center; Susan Mikolic, Stepping Stones Mental Health Educational Consulting; Suzanne Ripley, Director of the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities; and Matt Cohen, Attorney at Monahan & Cohen in Chicago. Stephanie Petska (WI) and LauraBelle Sherman-Proehl (IA) paired with lead staff from the PTIs in their states to present information on the collaborative efforts between state agencies and PTIs. Ann Bailey also presented information on the SPP and how PTIs can support states with parent surveys.
Posted on: Thursday, July 20, 2006
Highlights from NCCRESt State Liaison Meeting
The National Center for Culturally Responsive Educational Systems (NCCRESt) held its State Liaison Meeting June 22-23, 2006 at its offices in Denver, Colorado. The meeting was attended by representatives from six states, as well as Kathy Chapman from the Mid-South Regional Resource Center and Tom Delaney from the North Central Regional Resource Center. The meeting participants reviewed NCCRESSt technical assistance plans, district identification processes, a curriculum assessment tool, and presented ideas for a national forum.
Posted on: Thursday, July 20, 2006
Recording for Access Center’s RtI Webinar Now Available Online
On June 20, 2006 the Access Center hosted a State Information Sharing Community web seminar titled "Implementing RtI: Lessons from the Minneapolis Public Schools Problem-Solving Model." If you missed this informative webinar, or you would like to listen to it again, you can now listen to a recording of the event online. The Access Center has made available online the recording along with the PowerPoint slides and handouts from the presentation. This webinar was presented by Tom Hegranes, Ann Casey, and Doug Marston from the Minneapolis Public Schools. The presenters provided a brief history and an overview of the Minneapolis Problem-Solving Model and discussed how the model can be used as one approach to RtI, authorized by IDEA 2004. To listen to the recording and/or download the presentation materials, click here.
Posted on: Thursday, July 20, 2006
NCRRC Regional Teleconference Call on Public Reporting
The North Central Regional Resource Center (NCRRC) is hosting a second regional teleconference call on public reporting strategies on Thursday, July 27, 2006 at 10:00 CST, 11:00 EST. This regional call is a follow-up to last month’s call on using “icons and metaphors” as a strategy for public reporting. During last month’s call many participants indicated that they had materials already developed that they were willing to share, which we are inviting you to share during next week’s call. Accordingly, please forward any materials to Maureen Hawes at
by Tuesday, July 25 so that the materials can be disseminated to all participants prior to the call. Participants who have materials to share will be asked to spend a few minutes on the call discussing the materials. The NCRRC will also be reviewing the information shared in last week’s OSEP call on public reporting. State personnel in Region 4 who are responsible for collecting and reporting data on SPP indicators are encouraged to participate in the call. For more information about the call and/or dial-in number, please contact Ms. Hawes at 612-624-1144 or by clicking on the link above.
Posted on: Thursday, July 20, 2006
National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard Conference Call
As a follow-up to the NIMAS National Conference Call held March 28, 2006 on the IDEA 2004 requirement for States to adopt the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS), a second conference call for States is scheduled for July 27 from 3 - 4:30 p.m. EDT. The purpose of this call is to provide state personnel with updated information on the implementation of NIMAS and the most current information to assist in their coordination responsibilities with the National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC). Lead representatives from States’ offices such as textbook administration, assistive technology, educational technology, curriculum and instruction, blind/low vision and print disabilities services are encouraged to participate. A technical assistance tool has been designed by the NIMAS TA Center to assist State Directors with NIMAS Implementation. Participants are encouraged to review the Checklist in advance before the call, as this Checklist will be used during the conference call. Click on the preceding link to view the tool. For more information about the NIMAS TA Web site and the NIMAC Web site, click on the respective links above.
Posted on: Thursday, July 20, 2006
NCCRESt Now Accepting Session Proposals for 2nd National Forum
The National Center for Culturally Responsive Educational Systems (NCCRESt) is now accepting session proposals for the 2nd National Forum, Leadership for Equity and Excellence: Transforming Education, held in Washington D.C. on February 7-9, 2007. The conference presentations will focus on the following five areas: 1) school improvement for all children; 2) family and community partnerships; 3) policy to promote equity and eliminate racism; 4) leadership for change; and 5) transforming teaching and learning. States, districts, schools, students, and advocacy personnel are encouraged to submit session proposals. Proposals are due September 22, 2006 at 5:00 PM MST and must be submitted on online. For additional information, please visit the NCCRESt website by following the link above.
Posted on: Thursday, July 20, 2006
NICHCY Connections...to Transition
Are you a parent, educator, or student looking for resources on transition? Look no further than the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities’ (NICHCY) new Transition Suite for resources on transition. Launched in June, this five-part suite of resources looks closely at and connects you with a wide range of transition materials. The suite was developed for a broad audience. It contains five separate collections including the introductory Transition 101, Transition for Parents, Transition for Students, Transition for Professionals, Transition for Students with Disabilities. Follow the link above to access the resources.
Posted on: Thursday, July 20, 2006
National School Reform Center Releases School Reform Checklist
The Comprehensive School Reform Quality (CSRQ) Center recently published a considerations checklist, “Questions That Educators Can Ask About the Participation of Students With Disabilities in School Reform and Improvement Models,” which can be used by educators to assess the capacity of school reform and improvement models to address the needs of students with disabilities. This checklist is designed to be used in conjunction with the CSRQ Center Reports that provide guidance on the effectiveness and quality of widely implemented elementary, middle, and high school CSR models and Education Service Providers (ESPs). To download a copy of the checklist, click on the link above.
Posted on: Thursday, July 20, 2006
Using “Icons and Metaphors” for Public Reporting
In the interest of following up on our presentation on using “icons and metaphors” for public reporting at the Region 4 Directors’ Meeting in Milwaukee, the NCRRC will host an online presentation and conference call on Friday, June 23 from 1-2:00 EST (noon-1:00 CST) to engage a group of interested people within the Region to collaborate about "next steps." Using graphic representations of icons and metaphors for reporting is an innovative and exciting alternative to using “static” reports and charts to present complex data sets effectively and in a manner that can be easily understood to a wide range of audiences—regardless of prior training in the use and interpretation of data. This reporting technology is based upon the use of graphical icons and metaphors familiar to many people (e.g., dashboards, pressure gauges, thermometers) and in which highly complex data sets can be organized and understood easily. If you are interested in participating, please contact Maureen Hawes at 612-624-1144 or at
.
Posted on: Thursday, June 20, 2006
NCRRC Hosted 2nd Annual Regional Part C Coordinators’ Forum
On June 15 & 16, NCRRC facilitated a regional forum addressing SPP indicators related to Part C and 619. Full participation of all nine Region 4 states was greatly appreciated, and allowed for many useful and interesting formal large-group discussions as well as many formal and informal opportunities for state exchanges regarding issues pertaining to the SPP indicators, common and unique improvement strategies, and future collaborative activities. Also in attendance was NECTAC representative Shelley deFossett, who offered a national perspective on many issues discussed. The goals of the Forum included sharing regional information from the State Performance Plans and providing work time for state teams to further develop their efforts around improvement strategies and activities, and identify state specific technical assistance needs. The focuses included Early Childhood Outcome Indicators (Part B #7 & Part C #3), the Parent Survey (Part B #8 & Part C #4), Transition Indicators (Part B #12 & Part C #8), LRE (Part B #6 & Part C #2), and Timeline Indicators (Part B #11 & Part C #1 & #7). Technical assistance plans were also discussed for states interested in updating and development of their plans.
Posted on: Thursday, June 20, 2006
Wisconsin Post High School Survey Tool Kit for LEAs
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) recently launched its Post High School Outcomes Survey (WPHSOS) website. This dynamic website provides both State Education Agencies (SEAs) and Local Education Agencies (LEAs) a framework to conduct outcomes studies, identify critical outcomes and needs, and improve the post high school outcomes of future students. The online tool is especially designed to provide LEAs with the method and tools to conduct their own local outcomes survey in a time efficient and cost effective manner. A unique feature of the tool is that reports can be generated on the “fly”—allowing users to view summary data in “real time”. In addition, users can opt to compare results to state, local, and national data. To access the tool, follow the link above.
Posted on: Thursday, May 25, 2006
Ohio's Integrated Systems Model for Improving Student Achievement
The Ohio Integrated Systems Model (OISM) for Academic and Behavior Supports is a comprehensive school-wide prevention & intervention model that provides support systems which address both academic and behavioral needs of all students. The OISM was developed to assist school administrators and educators assess students, implement school-wide educational and behavioral foundations, provide intervention strategies and progress monitor to enhance student success in school and reduce the number of students referred for intensive interventions and possibly special education services. This integrated systems model is widely used in Ohio; since the implementation of the model the state has seen a rise in student achievement, a closing of achievement gaps, and improvement in overall school climate.
Posted on: Thursday, May 25, 2006
Highlights from the National SEA Conference on SLD Determination Pre-session
On April 18, The North Central Regional Resource Center (NCRRC) provided a pre-session to the National SEA Conference on SLD Determination, sponsored by the National Research Center on Learning Disabilities and the Regional Resource Centers. The pre-session was attended by representative teams from Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, and Illinois. The session included presentations on state integration of data-based instructional decision-making systems in State Performance Plans, as well as results of a regional survey examining state implementation of response-to-intervention, early intervening services, and research-based intervention systems. In addition, state teams had the opportunity to exchange development and implementation strategies with each other. The presentation slides and notes will soon be available by request from the NCRRC.
Posted on: Monday, April 24, 2006
State Performance Plan Indicators Expertise Directory
The North Central Regional Resource Center (NCRRC) is developing an expertise SPP Indicators Directory for both Part B and Part C. The purpose of the directory is to facilitate the development of a "Community of Practice" network of individuals throughout Region 4 who share like interests and responsibilities with regard to SPP/APR indicators. The directory will provide a venue for states to exchange strategies and information about what each state is doing with the indicators. The NCRRC is asking that states complete a form for each person responsible for specific indicators. Please submit completed forms to Maureen Hawes via email at
. To download a form, click on the appropriate link above.
Posted on: Monday, April 24, 2006
Early Childhood Conference Call Powerpoint Uploaded
Materials for Jennifer Grisham-Brown's presentation on next week's Early Childhood call have been uploaded. They can be downloaded by clicking here.
Posted on: Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Upcoming Events in Region 4
Mark your calendars! There are two significant and informative events coming to Region 4. The North Central Regional Resource Center (NCRRC) is hosting the Region 4 SPP and APR Implementation Forum (Registration flyer and agenda) on May 15-16, 2006 and the 2006 Part C/619 Coordinators’ Forum (Registration flyer and agenda) on June 15-16, 2006. The purposes of these forums are to provide platforms for state staff in Region 4 to share experiences regarding State Performance Plans (SPPs) and exchange information with one another about innovative and successful improvement strategies. These forums are also designed to provide opportunities for NCRRC staff and state staff to refine or revise technical assistance plans in response to current needs and circumstances. The registration deadline for the implementation forum is April 21 and the deadline for the coordinators’ forum is May 1. For detailed information about the events and how to register, click on the above links accordingly.
Posted on: Tuesday, April 11, 2006
What’s Happening in Region 4
The purpose of the “What’s Happening” series of news items is to inform Region 4 states of activities in which NCRRC is or has been involved, with a focus on one or two states. This segment offers a focus on Wisconsin. Other states will appear in the “What’s Happening” news items in the future. With Wisconsin, NCRRC is currently involved in several technical assistance activities. For example, the NCRRC and Wisconsin are working collaboratively to develop a sampling plan and web-based survey to address OSEP’s reporting requirement regarding parent involvement. The purpose of this effort is to develop a representative sample and a reliable instrument to assist State Education Agency (SEA) staff collect data relevant to the SPP/APR Part B indicator 8. For more information about the technical assistance activities in Wisconsin or other Region 4 technical assistance initiatives, please contact NCRRC’s Coordinator, Maureen Hawes, at 612-624-1144 or via e-mail at
.
Posted on: Tuesday, April 11, 2006
NCRRC Conducts NCCRESt Pre-session for Addressing Disproportionality
The NCRRC, in collaboration with the Northeast Regional Resource Center (NERRC) and the Southeast Regional Resource Center (SERRC), hosted a cross-region pre-session to NCCRESt’s Forum for Addressing Disproportionality. The pre-session included a focused discussion on the following topics: protocols that states are using to review policies, practices, and procedures to determine which local education agencies (LEAs) demonstrate disproportionality that is a result of inappropriate identification; how states are defining “educationally valid” reasons; how state education agencies (SEAs) are providing technical assistance and guidance to LEAs to address disproportionality; and a discussion of performance indicators 9 and 10 from the SPP. The proceedings from this meeting will be compiled in a brief and disseminated to the states.
The Early Childhood Conference Call will be held today, February 21. One of the highlights of the discussion is a presentation by Professor Robin McWilliam of Vanderbilt University, in which the topic of teaching students with disabilities with the goal of increasing student engagement and final outcomes. The accompanying Powerpoint for this has been made available online for access and download. Please click the above link to obtain a copy.
