Category Archives: Special Education

Effective Personnel for ALL: Attract, Prepare, Retain

Logo: Effective Personnel for ALL Attract, Prepare, Retain

In April, through the 2019 Symposia Series — Effective Personnel for ALL: Attract, Prepare, Retain, the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)  kicked off a focused effort to support States in their work to address personnel shortages. The Series focused on three critical areas: attracting new personnel to the field, preparing them for a successful career, and retaining them longer term. It explored what we know from existing evidence and established best practices, as well as innovative approaches across the country that are making a difference. If you have not been able to participate in this year’s Symposia Series, we invite you to view the archived events at the Virtual Symposia Series webpage.

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Office of Special Education Programs

OSERS Application Assistance for 2019 Grant Competition: 84.373Y

Competition:

National Technical Assistance Center to Improve State Capacity to Collect, Report, Analyze, and Use Accurate IDEA Part B Data

CFDA:

84.373Y

The U.S. Department of Education is committed to attracting as many qualified applicants as possible for its discretionary grant competitions. The Department is also committed to an equitable and transparent application process. OSERS is, therefore, providing to interested applicants technical assistance on the application process and application requirements for this competition.

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OSERS Application Assistance for 2019 Grant Competition: 84.326C

Competition:

Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center for the Development and Implementation of High-Quality Instruction, Interventions, and Services for Children with Disabilities

CFDA:

84.326C

The U.S. Department of Education is committed to attracting as many qualified applicants as possible for its discretionary grant competitions. The Department is also committed to an equitable and transparent application process. OSERS is, therefore, providing to interested applicants technical assistance on the application process and application requirements for this competition.

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“Voices From the Field” Interview with Eric Elmore

Advancing in the Early Childhood FieldEric Elmore

Eric Elmore is a doctoral scholar in early childhood special education at the University of Colorado Denver. He is also an affiliate professor at Metropolitan State University of Denver and the chair of the board of directors of the Colorado Association for the Education of Young Children. He has over eight years of experience working in early childhood education in various capacities including as a teacher, staff developer, coach, and community and family leader. Eric has a passion for bringing individuals into the early childhood profession and supporting them in advancing in their careers.

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Eric Elmore
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Doctoral Scholar in Early Childhood Special Education, University of Colorado Denver

OSERS Application Assistance for 2019 Grant Competition: 84.325H

Competition:

Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities—Doctoral Training Consortia Associated with High-Intensity Needs

CFDA: 84.325H

The U.S. Department of Education is committed to attracting as many qualified applicants as possible for its discretionary grant competitions. The Department is also committed to an equitable and transparent application process. OSERS is, therefore, providing to interested applicants technical assistance on the application process and application requirements for this competition.

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OSERS Application Assistance for 2019 Grant Competition: 84.327S

Competition:

Stepping-Up Technology Implementation

CFDA: 84.327S

The U.S. Department of Education is committed to attracting as many qualified applicants as possible for its discretionary grant competitions. The Department is also committed to an equitable and transparent application process. OSERS is, therefore, providing to interested applicants technical assistance on the application process and application requirements for this competition.

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Teaching English Learner Students with Disabilities

Erica Sommer

Erica Sommer is a special education teacher in Del Valle Independent School District, which serves students in and around Austin, Texas.

Sommer works closely with the district’s substantial English learner population, has almost 15 years of teaching experience and has been passionate about teaching for as long as she remembers. She shared with us how working with English learner students and those with disabilities has impacted her as a teacher and individual.

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Erica Sommer
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Special Education Teacher Del Valle Independent School District, Del Valle, Texas

October and Disability Awareness

ICYMI "In Case You Missed It!"

In addition to announcing OSEP’s new director, Laurie VanderPloeg, and interviewing Caryl Jaques at Little One’s University preschool, this October, we highlighted aspects of disability awareness for National Disability Employment, Dyslexia, Learning Disabilities, ADHD, and Down Syndrome!

Check out the stories below:

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Learning About My LD: Accepting My Challenges & Finding My Voice

October is Learning Disabilities/Dyslexia/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Awareness Month

Lena McKnight

Lena McKnight was born in Norfolk, Virginia and raised in Harlem, New York. She attended public school in New York City until 10th grade and later enrolled in a YouthBuild program where she achieved a High School Equivalency Diploma. Lena then went on to graduate with an associate’s degree and later a bachelor’s degree in Theatre and Sociology in May 2017. Lena has served as a Student Advocate for 10th graders through the Harlem Children Zone and remains involved with YouthBuild. She now works full time and devotes her career to serving kids in her community. Lena is committed to using her voice to have a positive impact on the field of education and on society at large.

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Lena McKnight
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Way2Work: Helping Marylanders with Disabilities Transition into the Workforce

This is the final blog in a series of three blogs in October from the National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT) to honor National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

Way2Work Maryland logo

Way2Work Maryland is a project designed to improve the academic and career success of students with disabilities in Maryland through work-based learning experiences. The project is open to any student with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a 504 Plan who will complete high school with a diploma or certificate in 2020. The project focuses on helping students engage in paid or unpaid work experiences, aligned with their interests and skills, while supporting a student’s academic success to complete high school. During the 2018-19 school year, seven Maryland counties engaged in the program for juniors and other students who are two years away from finishing high school. The program is a partnership of the Maryland’s Department of Education, Maryland’s Division of Rehabilitation Services, the American Job Center Network, and the Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education at the University of Maryland.

The following stories highlight the work done by those Way2Work Maryland serves.

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Catherine Fowler
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Project Coordinator, NTACT, UNC Charlotte, Cato College of Education