Bridges4Kids News Digest

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National News	*top*
House Approves Special Education Update CNN News, November 19, 2004 http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/11-04/CNN11-19-04.html#top The House on Friday approved an update of special education requirements and pledged less pressure on teachers and more enforcement of high standards for the disabled. The bill, approved 397-3, would be the first major revision to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in seven years. The law promises a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment to more than 6.7 million children with special needs. Text of Proposed New IDEA (320 pages) http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/C?r108:./temp/~r108PtW7i6 Senator Kennedy's Statement on the Urgent Need for Reauthorization of IDEA Senator Edward Kennedy, November 19, 2004 http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/11-04/Kennedy11-19-04.html#top KY Kentucky Teachers Taking Alternative Paths to Certifications Associated Press, November 15, 2004 http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/news/local/10183978.htm A growing number of Kentucky teachers are taking alternative routes to their certification - getting into the classroom while earning their credentials. Bullies Not Wanted Here Mel Meléndez, The Arizona Republic, November 17, 2004 http://www.bridges4kids.org/PBS/articles/AZRepublic11-17-04.htm Roxanne Tamayo, 9, recalled the day a group of students bullied her while she was playing ball during lunch at Lowell School. To bystanders, the jibes and taunts could seem like innocent child's play. To Roxanne, the incident left an indelible impression, one that school counselors say could scar her for life. Special Day Helps Shatter Stereotypes Janet Sugameli, The Detroit News, November 15, 2004 http://www.detnews.com/2004/schools/0411/15/C04-4993.htm Lake Orion students will break away from their friends at lunch to meet new kids. Although football player and Lake Orion junior Brad Hood says it's not a clique, he hangs out with other athletes, especially at lunchtime in the school's cafeteria. On Tuesday, he will be strongly encouraged to break those boundaries and sit with students he has never spoken to. MN Legislators Take Aim at School Bullying Norman Draper, Star Tribune, November 13, 2004 http://www.startribune.com/stories/1592/5083180.html State legislators will try again to stand up to bullies. At a Capitol news conference Friday, state Sen. Satveer Chaudhary, DFL-Fridley, announced that he will introduce legislation next year to require Minnesota school districts to adopt anti-bullying policies and offer them training in anti-bullying measures. Chaudhary said it was time that schools quit dismissing bullying as normal rite-of-passage behavior. "The excuse that bullying is just kids being kids is unacceptable," he said. FL Another Ruling Calls School Vouchers Unconstitutional Associated Press, November 13, 2004 http://www.sptimes.com/2004/11/13/State/Another_ruling_calls_.shtml A disappointed Gov. Bush still believes a 1999 law doesn't violate the church-state barrier. The Florida Supreme Court may weigh in next. VA Accessibility an Issue at City's Aging Schools Lindsay Kastner, Richmond Times-Dispatch, November 15, 2004 http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid= 1031779147606&path=!news&s=1045855934842 If you use a wheelchair or have another disability that requires accommodation, five of the Richmond school system's 63 buildings were built or fully retrofitted to meet your needs. [But] even at some of the city's fully accessible and newest schools, such as Linwood Holton, wheelchairs cannot enter through the front doors. At Holton, Wolf said, someone using a wheelchair must go around to the gym and wait for someone to open the door. Indy U Researchers Target Video Game Violence Shari Rudavsky, IndyStar.com, November 14, 2004 http://www.indystar.com/articles/2/194633-8642-009.html Group at medical school tries to learn what triggers aggression in some players. Two years ago, the IU team showed that brains of healthy teens, ages 13 to 17, reacted differently to violent video games than those of adolescents with a history of disruptive behavior. FL Woman Reportedly Tortures 'Special Needs' Students Internet Broadcasting Systems and Local6.com, November 10, 2004 http://www.local6.com/news/3908472/detail.html A 48-year-old teacher in Seminole County, Fla., is accused of torturing her autistic students, including allegedly rubbing a child's face in vomit and slamming another child's head so hard that he lost his front teeth, according to Local 6 News. bridges4kids Featured Resource: Stop It Now! http://www.stopitnow.com The Campaign to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse (888) PREVENT (773-8368).
No Child Left Behind (NCLB)	*top*
PA Principal Getting Results in a Struggling School Melanie Burney, Philadelphia Inquirer, November 15, 2004 http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/10183109.htm?1c Claudia Cream, in her third year as Parkside's principal, has sought to boost student achievement by instilling ethnic pride, setting high standards, and imposing strict discipline. "Children seem to thrive when they realize they come from greatness," she said. "I give them a sense of who they are." The efforts are producing improvements at Parkside, once the lowest-performing elementary school in the nearly 18,000-student Camden system. From the Capital to the Classroom: Year 2 of the No Child Left Behind Act The Center on Education Policy http://www.ctredpol.org/pubs/nclby2/ This report from the Center on Education Policy is the first and most comprehensive national examination of all main aspects of NCLB implementation at the federal, state, and local levels, and is based on a survey of 47 states and the District of Columbia, a nationally representative survey of 274 school districts, in-depth case studies of 33 urban, suburban, and rural school districts, and other research methods. MI Makeover, Facelifts, or Reconstructive Surgery: An Early Look at NCLB School Restructuring in Michigan (PDF) The Center on Education Policy, November 2004 http://www.cep-dc.org/fededprograms/Michigan_Nov2004.pdf Interesting compilation of statistics outlining Michigan’s “moderate” approach to NCLB sanctions. MI Howell to Appeal Failing Grade Linda Theil, The Detroit News, November 15, 2004 http://www.detnews.com/2004/schools/0411/15/C05L-5023.htm Officials say larger schools with special needs kids shouldn't separate MEAP scores.
Parenting/Parental Involvement	*top*
Schools Must Engage Parents, Survey Finds Judy Putnam, MLive.com, November 14, 2004 http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/11-04/MLive11-14-04.html#top Parents who take time to help teachers understand their child are less likely to feel like outsiders at the school and more likely to understand how to help their child learn, a new survey concludes. 10 Tips to Prepare for a Parent-Teacher Conference Christy L. Breithaupt, Special to The Detroit News, August 3, 2004 http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/11-04/DetNews8-4-04.html#top Parent-teacher conferences are designed for both the parent and the teacher to learn things about the children in question. Preparation is key if you really want to utilize your time with your child’s teacher, says Joan Firestone, director of early childhood for Oakland Schools. Here are 10 tips on how to prepare for a better parent-teacher conference.
Early On/Early Intervention	*top*
MI Ypsilanti Preschool Program's Results Prompt a Call to Expand Lori Higgins, Detroit Free Press, November 18, 2004 http://www.freep.com/news/education/preschoole18w_20041118.htm They were poor Ypsilanti children likely to perform poorly in school when researchers randomly placed them in an experimental preschool program in the 1960s. Now, decades later, their successes as adults are fueling a push for more quality preschool programs for low-income youth. The findings showed that for every dollar invested in the High/Scope Perry Preschool Study, the nation has saved nearly $13 in social-welfare costs. MI Memorandum from State Superintendent Tom Watkins Announcing Public Hearing Schedule For Proposed Early Childhood Standards of Care Thomas D. Watkins, Jr., Michigan Department of Education, November 10, 2004 http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/11-04/MDE11-10-04.html#top In January 2003, Michigan continued on a journey to develop a comprehensive early childhood system, with the vision of Governor Granholm’s “A Great Start for every child in Michigan: safe, healthy, and eager to succeed in school and in life.” As the work unfolded, it became clear that expectations for young children’s learning and for quality program standards beyond child care licensing rules were a critical foundation for this comprehensive system. In response to this, the Department of Education convened an interagency group to lead the development of the Early Childhood Standards of Quality for Prekindergarten. MI Public Comment on Early Childhood Standards of Quality WHEN/WHERE: Public comment will be at the following locations and times: Dickinson-Iron ISD, 1074 Pyle Dr., Iron Mountain, November 29, 10 a.m. - noon; Michigan Child Care Task Force Meeting, Michigan Library and Historical Center, 702 W. Kalamazoo St., Lansing, December 1, 11 a.m. – noon; and Patricia A. Taylor School for Exceptional Learners, 1515 Cemetery Rd., Petoskey, December 2, 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Comments on the document will be accepted until December 3, 2004 through a dedicated e-mail address, ecsq@michigan.gov, or by mail to: Lindy Buch, Ph.D., Director, Office of Early Childhood Education and Family Services, Michigan Department of Education, P.O. Box 30008, Lansing, MI 48909.
Michigan News	*top*
bridges4kids Featured Resources: Find out how your school is doing Michigan School Report Cards http://ayp.mde.state.mi.us/ayp/ Search by school or district for state information about the performance of your schools. School District Profiles http://info.detnews.com/schools/index.cfm Revenues, spending, student teacher ratio, state rankings, schools of choice transfers. Report Targets Childhood Lead Poisoning Associated Press, November 17, 2004 http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041117/NEWS01/411170350/1001/news01 Michigan should create a registry of rental properties built before 1978 to increase awareness of lead poisoning among children, a state task force recommended in its final report released Tuesday. Guardianship Q & A from Calhoun County, Michigan (PDF) http://www.bridges4kids.org/IEP/GuardianshipQACalhoun.pdf This informative thirteen-page document contains questions and Answers on Guardianship accessed from the Calhoun County Courts website. State Facing $1 Billion in Red Ink in FY '06 MIRS, November 15, 2004 http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/11-04/MIRS11-15-04.html#top Gov. Jennifer Granholm and state lawmakers will have to solve a $1 billion General Fund (GF) budget hole when they develop the state's next budget (FY 2006) according to Tom Clay of the Citizens Research Council. That figure makes the $110 to $140 million problem the state faces this fall in closing last year's budget pale by comparison. More Schools Working to Prevent Suicides Jiquanda Johnson, The Flint Journal, November 15, 2004 http://www.mlive.com/news/fljournal/index.ssf?/base/news-25/110053568534450.xml Clio High School last week became the fifth school in Genesee County to offer MINDS, as schools step up to the challenge of trying to prevent youth suicide. Several other districts offer similar suicide prevention programs, such as Yellow Ribbon. Oakland Aims to End Homelessness Jennifer Chambers, The Detroit News, November 16, 2004 http://www.detnews.com/2004/oakland/0411/16/B04-5408.htm County task force undertakes effort to eradicate the problem over the next 10 years in the affluent area. David Permaloff has a name for the young people he counsels on the streets of Oakland County: the forgotten homeless. Some have fled homes filled with tension and pain. Others have been abandoned by their parents. Permaloff recalls a case where a teen went on a weekend camping trip and came home to find his parents and all their belongings gone. Detroit Schools to Lose 4,000 Jobs to Red Ink Peggy Walsh-Sarnecki and Chastity Pratt, Detroit Free Press, November 16, 2004 http://www.freep.com/news/education/dps16e_20041116.htm $198-million deficit is looming over district. Magnet Programs Outlined Ann Schimke, Ann Arbor News, November 14 ,2004 http://www.mlive.com/news/aanews/index.ssf?/base/news-10/1100430710109820.xml Saving endangered corals, reconstructing crime scenes and designing computer games could be part of the curriculum for some students when Ann Arbor's new high school opens in 2007. These are just a few of the projects that will be offered under the auspices of four magnet programs being developed for the new school. Pro-Rata K-12 Cut? Tim Skubick, MIRS, November 17, 2004 http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/11-04/MIRS11-17-04.html#top Discouraging estimates are beginning to surface leading to speculation about a possible pro-rata cut in the state School Aid Fund (SAF) that could run from as low as $58 dollars per student to a high of $147. Olds School Versus New School Budgeting MIRS, November 16, 2004 http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/11-04/MIRS11-16-04.html#top Will New Approach Work? - Commenting on predictions that Michigan will face a $1 billion budget deficit in Fiscal Year 2006, Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema (R-Wyoming) warned that the old school of budgeting won't get the state through its crisis. New Playground Easy for Disabled Lansing City Community News, November 14, 2004 http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/11-04/Lansing11-14-04.html#top Diverse groups from Lansing - business, government and even a motorcycle club - united for a good cause: Playing. The "Able to Play" project at Henry H. North Elementary School is billed as the first of its kind in Michigan. It is a playground designed to be accessible to children of all physical abilities. The playground opened Nov. 5, 2004. Local Comment: Let's All Help the Youth 'Aging Out' of Foster Care Maura D. Corrigan, Detroit Free Press, November 15, 2004 http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/11-04/Freep11-15-04.html#top Imagine this: It's your 19th birthday. Your few belongings are packed. The adults you have been living with say goodbye. The door shuts behind you; you are on your own - and very much alone. You have no job, no family and no idea how to handle your new independence. That scene is taking place all over the state for hundreds of young adults who must leave the foster care system and venture out on their own. State Looks to Raise Bar for High Schoolers Judy Putnam, Booth Newspapers, November 14, 2004 http://www.mlive.com/news/statewide/index.ssf?/base/news-5/1100171410216390.xml A college-prep curriculum, including physics, chemistry and geometry, should be mandatory for all Michigan high school students, a commission led by Lieutenant Governor John Cherry is expected to recommend next month. Girls Fight For Healthy Eating at School Diana Dillaber Murray, The Daily Oakland Press, November 12, 2004 http://theoaklandpress.com/stories/111204/loc_20041112018.shtml Two 10-year-old girls have caused a mini-revolution regarding what kids eat at 325-pupil Webster Elementary School. Fifth-graders Molly Powers and Katelin Webster never carried protest signs or held a boycott, but in their own passionate and steadfast ways, they've convinced other kids and teachers to incorporate healthy foods into most school events. Survey: MEAP Doesn't Help Our Kids MIRS, November 16, 2004 http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/11-04/MIRS11-16-04.html#2 A new survey released today by the Great Lakes Center for Education Research and Practice suggests that parents don't hold dear the so-called Michigan Education Assessment Program (MEAP) test. MI MEAP Resources from the Detroit News MEAP scores http://www.mcgi.state.mi.us/mischoolinfo/index.htm Search by city, township, school district or school. Sample MEAP quiz http://info.detnews.com/meap/ Test your social studies skills. A MEAP Primer http://www.detnews.com/2003/schools/0310/28/a01-309950.htm How parents can navigate the MEAP muddle. Higher Ed Fearful Despite High Level of Financial Aid MIRS, November 16, 2004 http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/11-04/MIRS11-16-04.html#3 The growing financial aid opportunities for Michigan college students couldn't dispel a looming sense of dread at a press conference today held by the Presidents Council for the State Universities of Michigan.
Disability News	*top*
A Lesson About Life With Disabilities Nate Trela, Detroit Free Press, November 18, 2004 http://www.freep.com/news/cfp/5/wrdisabled18r_20041118.htm Students discover firsthand ways to cope with physical challenges. mi Group Wants Broader Diabetes Testing in Schools Carol Hopkins, The Oakland Daily Press, November 15, 2004 http://www.theoaklandpress.com/stories/111504/loc_20041115033.shtml With more than 13,000 young people being diagnosed each year with Type 1 diabetes, the American Diabetes Association has launched a campaign that calls for the training of non-medical personnel to assist students with diabetes in the absence of a school medical staffer. bridges4kids Featured Resource: Angels of Destiny http://www.angelsofdestiny.org Creates hand-painted angels for seriously ill people (especially children) free of charge throughout the U.S. Down Syndrome Doesn’t Keep Ryan Down Ken Marten, Royal Oak Mirror, November 11, 2004 http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/11-04/Mirror11-11-04.html#top Ryan Dupuis can do a cartwheel and play “Silent Night” on the piano. He likes Nightmare on Elm Street and other scary movies and his favorite class at Kimball High School is lunch. A 16-year-old sophomore, Ryan is also a member of the girls cheerleading team. And he has Down syndrome. Parents Claim 'Victory Over Autism' Eileen Soler, Miami Herald, November 14, 2004 http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/11-04/MiamiHerald11-14-04.html#top Logan Mathieu entered The Victory School for children with autism in 2001, barely able to speak and certainly not reading, said his father, Ron Mathieu of Weston. "When Logan was 3 years old, doctors told us he had pervasive developmental disorder in the autism spectrum and that the best-case scenario was that Logan would always be two to three years behind in school," Mathieu said. Today, Logan, who is now 7, is an honors student in second grade at the American Academy at American Heritage School located in Plantation. Grief Can be a Gift Sally Nantais, The News-Herald, August 1, 2004 http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/11-04/Nantais8-1-04.html#top With the dog days of summer upon us, I was sitting at this silly computer trying to find the direction for a column. My mind wandered far from summer to a personal experience. It's a unique experience that only a parent of a child with a disability can understand: the grief that one experiences with a diagnosis of a disability. Disability News & Views Radio Show Reaching thousands of listeners across Western New York, from Northern Pennsylvania, and Toronto, Canada. For more information about Disability News Radio visit www.disabilitynewsradio.com or tune in to WXRL 1300 AM Sundays from 5-6 p.m. To make on air comments Sundays between 5- 6pm call (716) 681-1313. bridges4kids Featured Resource: The Mental Illness Needs Discussion Sessions (MINDS) http://www.mindsprogram.org/home.htm An awareness program that aims at educating young people about mental illness. To achieve this goal, MINDS conducts free seminars in high schools throughout the Detroit metropolitan area. The MINDS curriculum includes a hands-on look at a model brain, discussion of the symptoms of mental illnesses, and interactive activities that allow students to participate actively during the seminars.
Special Education Issues	*top*
bridges4kids DVD Review: Surviving Due Process: When Parents and the School Board Disagree (Stephen Jeffers v. School Board) Jackie D. Igafo-Te'o, Bridges4Kids, November 10, 2004 http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/11-04/HarborHouse11-10-04.html#top Learn how attorneys for parents and schools prepare for due process hearings. See exciting direct examination and dramatic cross-examination of witnesses, objections and arguments between counsel, and rulings by the hearing officer. Learn about rules that must be followed, mistakes people make - and why the parents' case was nearly dismissed. Surviving Due Process: Stephen Jeffers v. School Board is based on an actual case about a young child with autism. With different evidence and witnesses, this could easily be a case about a child with a different disability or a different legal issue. bridges4kids Featured Resource: Special Education Advocacy Services http://www.iser.com/CAadvocacy.html A listing of professionals all over the country offering advocacy services, legal and otherwise, for special education. There are also categories on assessments, therapy, and ADD among others.
Ask the Attorney/Advocate	*top*
bridges4kids Exclusive: Ask the Attorney with John Brower http://www.bridges4kids.org/AA.html#q&a It's IEP season again! Preparing for your first IEP of the year? Refresh your legal know-how by visiting John's Q & A on Special ed law. Visit our site to find the answers to dozens of special ed-related questions!
Upcoming National Events	*top*
These are NEW calendar listings that have been added this week. To view a complete calendar of National events, visit http://www.bridges4kids.org/Conferences.html. Education Leaders Council's Annual Meeting WHEN: December 3-4, 2004 WHERE: Orlando, Florida DESCRIPTION: Because we are Beyond Theory…join hundreds of education reform leaders from around the country for the Education Leaders Council’s (ELC) 9th annual conference—the first major education reform conference after the election focused on both policy and practice. Among the topics: No Child Left Behind implementation, standards and assessments, school choice, school discipline, virtual schools, getting research into classrooms, using data, teacher prep and more. FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on how to take part in these two days of problem solving and best practices, visit http://www.educationleaders.org/elc/events/conferences.html.
Upcoming Michigan Events	*top*
These are NEW calendar listings that have been added this week. To view a complete calendar of Michigan events, visit http://www.bridges4kids.org/Conferences.html. Public Comment on Early Childhood Standards of Quality WHEN/WHERE: Public comment will be at the following locations and times: Dickinson-Iron ISD, 1074 Pyle Dr., Iron Mountain, November 29, 10 a.m. - noon; Michigan Child Care Task Force Meeting, Michigan Library and Historical Center, 702 W. Kalamazoo St., Lansing, December 1, 11 a.m. – noon; and Patricia A. Taylor School for Exceptional Learners, 1515 Cemetery Rd., Petoskey, December 2, 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Comments on the document will be accepted until December 3, 2004 through a dedicated e-mail address, ecsq@michigan.gov, or by mail to: Lindy Buch, Ph.D., Director, Office of Early Childhood Education and Family Services, Michigan Department of Education, P.O. Box 30008, Lansing, MI 48909. Fragile X Association of Michigan (FXAM) Resource Group Meetings WHEN: February, March, April, May, June, October and November on the first Saturday of the month from 7-9 p.m. WHERE: Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak Campus, Administration Building, Conference rooms A & B. DESCRIPTION: The Fragile X Association of Michigan (FXAM), as a resource group of the National Fragile X Foundation (NFXF), joins with NFXF to enrich lives through educational and emotional support, promote public and professional awareness of FX Syndrome and advance research toward improved treatments and a cure for FX Syndrome. FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on our group call 1-313-381-2834, email fraxmich@hotlinemail.com, or visit us on the Web at www.fragilex.org/html/michigan.htm. MICHIGAN STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING WHEN: December 14, 2004 WHERE: Meetings are usually held on the 4th floor of the Hannah Building in Lansing. HOSTED BY: The Michigan State Board of Education DESCRIPTION: These meetings are open to the public. Persons with disabilities needing accommodations for effective participation in the meeting should contact Mrs. Eileen Hamilton, one week in advance to request mobility, visual, hearing, or other assistance. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call Mrs. Eileen Hamilton (Administrative Secretary, State Board of Education) at: (517) 373-3900 (voice), (517) 373-4035 (TDD), or email: hamiltone@michigan.gov.
Bridges4Kids Chief Executive Officer Deborah Canja deb@bridges4kids.org Bridges4Kids Director of Information Technology & Information Systems Jackie Igafo-Te'o jackie@bridges4kids.org Bridges4Kids Resource Assistant Bella Djordjevski news@bridges4kids.org