OSEP Update | February 2024
A Newsletter for OSEP Grantees and Interested Stakeholders
In This Issue:
- From the Director
- Dose of Data
- Expect, Engage, and Empower: Successful Transitions for All!
- Announcements
- ED Updates
- News From Our Centers
- Implementation in Action
- In Case You Missed It
- Get to Know Us Better
From the Director
Message From OSEP Director Valerie C. Williams
Dear Friends,
Happy February! There is a lot taking place this month: Black History Month, the Super Bowl, Valentine’s Day, President’s Day, and everyone’s favorite the State Annual Performance Report submission to OSEP. It is hard to believe this is the shortest month of the year yet packed with activities.
If you can’t wait for winter to be over and want to look forward to a summer event, registration is now open for the 2024 OSEP combined Leadership and Project Directors’ Conference. This year the conference will be held from Aug. 6-8. The team has been planning this since September 2023, and I have no doubt it will be even better than last year. There are some surprises in store, and I can’t wait to see everyone there.
As you already know I’m interested in data, especially data that we collect under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), both through the State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report (SPP/APR) process and under IDEA Section 618.
The former CEO and Chairman of American Express, Kenneth Chenault said, “Many people don’t focus enough on execution. If you make a commitment to get something done, you need to follow through on that commitment.”
We’re all committed to serving children with disabilities. For this to transpire, we must utilize data to determine where our efforts are working, and where attention is needed. That’s why the “Dose of Data” section of the are routinely linked in social media, and I constantly get asked when OSEP will release its next set of Fast Facts.
For those of you who want to dive into our data and develop information and insight, last month we released 10 data files encompassing data from the 2021-2022 school year and 2022-2023 school year. Seven of the files relate to IDEA Part B and include:
- School Year (SY) 2021-22 Part B Assessment
- SY 2022-23 Part B Child Count and Educational Environments
- SY 2021-22 Part B Discipline
- SY 2021-22 Part B Dispute Resolution
- SY 2021-22 Part B Exiting
- SY 2021-22 LEA MOE Reduction and CEIS
- SY 2021-22 Part B Personnel
For IDEA Part C, we released three data sets including:
- 2022-23 Part C Child Count and Settings
- 2021-22 Part C Dispute Resolution
- 2021-22 Part C Exiting
So, my question and challenge to you is: how are you going to utilize the data to improve outcomes for our nation’s children with disabilities? Retired educator, Mike Schmoker said, “Things get done only if the data we gather can inform and inspire those in a position to make a difference.”
Whether you are the data gatherer or the educational leader, I’m looking forward to seeing the results of your work.
In Solidarity,
Valerie
Dose of Data
Did You Know?
The second largest reason Infants and toddlers with disabilities exit Part C is Part B eligibility not determined. Though the four-year trend of the percent of infants and toddlers with disabilities exiting Part C with Part B eligibility not determined increased from 2018-19 to 2021-22, this percentage decreased from 18.1% in 2020-21 to 16.5% in 2021-22. The percentage in 2021-22 was similar to the percentage reported in 2019-20.
To further explore this data visualization, see the February Dose of Data.
Upcoming Data Submission Deadline
The following 2022-23 IDEA Section 618 data submissions are to be submitted through EDPass by Feb. 21:
- 2022-23 Part B Personnel
- 2022-23 Part B Exiting
- 2022-23 Part B Discipline
- 2022-23 Part C Exiting
Send questions to the U.S. Department of Education’s Partner Support Center (PSC). The PSC is open from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday and can be reached by the following:
- Toll Free: 877-457-3336
- Federal Relay Service: 800-877-0996 (Voice/TTY) / federalrelay@sprint.com
- E-mail: EDFacts@ed.gov
IDEA Part B Personnel, Exiting, and Discipline Data TA Resources
- PSC is hosting office hours for the SY 2022-23 Assessment data submissions with OSEP on Wednesdays from 2-3 p.m. ET during the data collection window (Click here to join the meeting via Microsoft Teams).
- For up-to-date information on EDPass, see Communities360° — Home > Overview > EDFacts Modernization Corner.
- An EDFacts Business Rules Single Inventory training video is available on the Modernization Technical Assistance (TA) Videos page of the EDFacts Community of Practice website.
- State Educational Agency (SEA) and Local Educational Agency (LEA) Edit Check and Data Display Tools are available to help states detect possible business rule errors and errors in category sets, subtotals or totals before submitting the data via EDPass.
IDEA Part C Exiting TA Resources
- PSC is hosting office hours for the 2022-23 Part C Exiting data submissions with OSEP on Wednesdays from 3-3:30 p.m. ET during the data collection window (Click here to join the meeting).
- EMAPS IDEA Part C Exiting Collection User Guide: PDF.
- DaSy’s Part C Exiting Data Tool helps states save time by identifying potential format errors, validation errors, and other errors in subtotals or totals.
Expect, Engage, and Empower: Successful Transitions for All
Save the date
The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services’ (OSERS’) initiative “Expect, Engage, and Empower: Successful Transitions for All!” will host the second session for the 2023-2024 OSEP symposium series, Beyond the IDEA and WIOA requirements: Knowing what to expect when it matters! virtually, Feb. 28, 1-2:30 p.m. ET.
Register for this exciting event discussing exceeding requirements of the IDEA and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
Previous event recordings and additional updates will be posted on the Office of Special Education Programs’ (OSEP’s) Expect, Engage, Empower: Successful Transition for All page.
Please email the planning team at OSEP-EEE@air.org with any questions.
Transition Planning to Prepare Our Youth for Success
OSEP Director Williams and Rehabilitation Services Administration Commissioner Danté Allen released the fourth blog in a series of blog posts on secondary transition from OSERS. This month’s blog addresses the transition planning process to ensure youth with disabilities and their families are empowered to experience successful post-high school outcomes.
Announcements
2024 OSEP Combined Leadership and Project Directors’ Conference
This year’s OSEP Combined Leadership and Project Directors’ Conference will take place Aug. 6-8, in Crystal City, Virginia. The theme is Early Beginnings to Bright Futures.
The official invitation from OSEP Director Williams and information on registration, lodging, and proposal submission are on the conference website. An agenda will be released closer to the event.
Proposals for presentations are due Feb. 16.
Conference room blocks fill up quickly, so reserve your room as soon as you know you will be attending.
OSEP looks forward to seeing you this summer!
Technical Assistance (TA) Calls
OSEP’s Monthly Technical Assistance (TA) calls are intended for OSEP grantees. The registration links and recorded content are available on the MSIP Program Page of the IDEAs That Works website. The OSEP Monthly TA Calls generally occur on the second and/or fourth Thursdays of the month at 4 p.m. ET. Check the OSEP Monthly TA call for the schedule of topics and registration links.
State Performance Plans / Annual Performance Reports (SPPs/APRs)
Thank you for your timely submissions of the federal fiscal year (FFY) 2022 SPP/APR on Feb. 1. We received all SPP/APR submissions and are in the process of reviewing them in preparation for the clarification period in April.
IDEA Part B/C Grants
The Part B and Part C FFY 2024 IDEA grant applications are due May 22. The public participation deadline is March 22. OSEP will disseminate the grant application packages to states as soon as OSEP receives Office of Management and Budget approval on the revisions to the Part C package documents. OSEP will make the allocation tables available after Congress appropriates funding for FFY 2024 for the Part B and Part C programs.
OSEP conducted a Monthly TA call on FFY 2024 grant applications on Feb. 8. Refer to the MSIP Program Page of the IDEAs That Works website to access the recording and materials.
Differentiated Monitoring and Support
OSEP monitors all IDEA Parts C and B programs through its Differentiated Monitoring and Support 2.0 system (DMS 2.0). DMS 2.0 is a cyclical monitoring process that focuses on states’ general supervision systems. To review monitoring reports, resources and other support documents related to our monitoring activities (e.g., DMS 2.0, DMS reports, and older monitoring reports), refer to the DMS section on the IDEA website.
ED Updates
Assistive Technology: Release of New Guidance Document
OSEP released a comprehensive guidance package designed to increase understanding of the IDEA’s assistive technology (AT) requirements as it relates to the IDEA requirements under both Part B and Part C. This guidance document dispels common misconceptions regarding AT and provides examples of the use of AT devices and services for children, students, and youth.
Learn more about the guidance in a live webinar on Feb. 14 with Assistant Secretary Glenna Wright-Gallo and other educational leaders.
2024 Update to the National Education Technology Plan
The Department of Education released the 2024 National Education Technology Plan (NETP), Jan. 22. This document is the flagship educational technology policy document that provides actionable recommendations to address digital use, design, and access divides encountered in education. This document has examples from early education, school districts, and states for creating more inclusive and accessible learning environments for all learners, including those with disabilities.
Early Childhood Transition Q-&-A Released
OSEP released a questions-and-answers document on early childhood transition, Nov. 28. This guidance will assist early intervention providers, school districts and state agencies in ensuring a seamless transition between Part C and Part B IDEA services for children with disabilities.
Research Highlights from the National Center for Special Education Research
The Institute for Education Science’s National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) funds research designed to expand knowledge and understanding of learners with and at risk for disabilities, from infancy through postsecondary settings. NCSER released two reports, listed below, on issues, findings, and events related to special education.
- What We are Learning from NAEP Data About Use of Extended Time Accommodations presents the latest findings, and accompanying interview with Dr. Xin Wei, from a NCSER-funded study on the use of the extended time accommodation by students with learning disabilities taking the National Assessment of Educational Progress mathematics test.
- Research and Development Partnerships Using Artificial Intelligence to Support Students with Disabilities illustrates the ways in which NCSER-funded projects are including voices from the special education community in their research on the use of artificial intelligence to optimize learning for students with disabilities.
News From Our Centers
Series on Accessible Materials and Technologies
The National Center on Accessible Educational Materials (AEM) launched their Online Learning Series on Accessible Materials & Technologies. AEM’s mission is to empower educators in understanding and implementing accessible materials and technologies.
If you need any support or have questions, contact AEM TA Specialists at aem@cast.org.
Webinar Invitation: Leveraging CIID Resources for EDPass
Join the Center for the Integration of IDEA Data (CIID) to learn how data leaders use Generate, a data integration and reporting tool, to integrate and report high quality IDEA data at the time of submission in EDPass. Register for the virtual session, Feb. 28.
Childhood Outcomes Instrument Crosswalks
The Early Childhood Technical Assistance (ECTA) instrument crosswalks reference the functional skills assessed by various published instruments with the three child outcomes required by OSEP for IDEA Part C and Part B, Section 619 programs. The two most recent crosswalks, issued in December 2023, are:
- Early Childhood Development Chart-Third Edition
- Measure of Engagement, Independence, and Social Relationships
New Brief on Assessing Dual Sensory Loss
Assessing Dual Sensory Loss in Students With Significant Cognitive Disabilities is the third in a series of briefs co-produced by the National Center on Deafblindness and Accessible Teaching, Learning, and Assessment Systems at the University of Kansas. This brief discusses the impact of suspected dual sensory loss on communication and learning and offers recommendations for assessment. Information in the brief is drawn from a more extensive report, Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities and Dual Sensory Loss.
Participation and Performance of Students with Disabilities in Assessments
The 2023 Survey of States: Trends, Accomplishments, and Challenges report highlights the findings of the 16th survey of states conducted by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It is administered to collect information from states about the participation and performance of students with disabilities in the assessments that comprise the comprehensive assessment system.
New Brief Focused on Readiness to Implement Data-Based Individualization
Readiness for change is an important factor in successful implementation and scale-up of a new practice or program in schools. To support school and district leaders interested in implementing data-based individualization (DBI), the National Center on Intensive Intervention released a new brief, Getting Ready to Implement Data-Based Individualization. The brief encourages leaders to spend time understanding the needs that DBI will address, developing implementation plans, and aligning implementation efforts with the current school or district context.
Webinar on Supporting Practice Guide Implementation: Preparing Young Children for School, Language and Literacy Recommendations
The National Center for Systemic Improvement will host the second session in their Research to Practice webinar series. Register for a Feb. 27 session on building the foundational literacy skills of early learners, including those who may benefit from additional support.
Now Available: Early Science, Technology, and Engineering Learning Trajectories Website
ED-funded STEM Innovation for Inclusion in Early Education (STEMIE) released a new website focused on early science, technology, and engineering learning trajectories.
Research-based learning trajectories is a strengths-based approach that includes goals, developmental progressions and teaching. Learning trajectories can help early childhood, early intervention, and early childhood special education professionals and families understand how children (birth to 5) think and learn about science, technology, engineering and math topics and offer them strategies to engage children with and without disabilities in developmentally appropriate STEM learning to reach their fullest potential.
Implementation in Action
Minnesota State Personnel Development Grant Makes a Big Impact on Graduation Rates
The Minnesota State Personnel Development Grant has the goal of increasing graduation rates of American Indian students with disabilities. They take a three-pronged approach by supporting:
- Check and Connect, an evidence-based mentoring approach, in schools serving American Indian students with disabilities.
- The recruitment and development of American Indian teachers.
- Minnesota’s parent information and technical assistance center — PACER Center — to partner with and improve engagement with the families of American Indian students with disabilities.
The state graduation rate for American Indian students with disabilities has increased from 48.9% (school year 2019-2020) to 53.0% (school year 2021-2022).
Free Tech Tools!
Did you know OSEP funds many FREE evidence-based tech tools and resources? Here are just two that also support Assistive Technology!
- CORGI supports middle school learners to develop higher-order reasoning skills and engage in challenging ways of thinking and doing.
- Writing Efficiently with Graphic Organizers (WEGO) provides free access to the tool as a guest user and teachers can request free access.
In Case You Missed It!
Discussing Common Misperceptions About Accommodations
Teachers sometimes find it difficult to discuss student accommodation needs as there can be misperceptions about the use of accommodations to access instruction and assessments.
NCEO created a video, Discussing Common Misperceptions About Accommodations, in which a special education teacher and math teacher discuss common misperceptions about accommodations. The special education teacher explains how accommodations “level the playing field” for students with disabilities rather than giving them an unfair advantage. The teachers then discuss which accommodations may be useful for the student.
Get to Know Us Better
Connect With OSEP Online
Want to connect with OSEP? We have many opportunities for you!
- Social Media:
Find information on OSERS’ social media accounts, including X (Twitter), the OSERS Blog and YouTube.
Learn More About OSEP
OSEP is leading the nation’s efforts to improve outcomes for children with disabilities from birth through age 21 and their families, ensuring access to fair, equitable, and high-quality education and services. Our vision is for a world in which individuals with disabilities have unlimited opportunities to learn and lead purposeful and fulfilling lives.
Visit these sites to learn more about OSEP, SEAs, and OSEP-funded TA centers:
- OSEP home page:
Visit the OSEP landing page on ED’s website. - Federal and state contacts:
Find general overview information about federal and state contacts, including links to state special education departments and state early intervention and early childhood special education programs. - IDEA by State:
Find your SEA’s contact information on file with ED and OSEP’s contacts for your state. - Resource Centers:
Learn about the types of centers funded by ED and OSEP that are relevant to the IDEA. - OSEP IDEAs That Work:
Find federal resources for stakeholders and grantees.
Last modified on February 15, 2024