Bridges4Kids News Digest

February 18, 2008

Bridges4Kids NewsDigest Topics

• National News	• Special Education Issues
• No Child Left Behind (NCLB)	• Ask the Attorney/Advocate
• Parenting/Parental Involvement	• Upcoming National Events
• Early Childhood	• Upcoming Michigan Events
• Disability News	• Visit Bridges4Kids
• Where to Find Help For a Child

National News	top
Online Schooling Grows, Setting Off a Debate http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/01/education/01virtual.html?_r=1&oref=slogin Half a million American children take classes online, with a significant group getting all their schooling from virtual public schools. The rapid growth of these schools has provoked debates in courtrooms and legislatures over money, as the schools compete with local districts for millions in public dollars. Embracing ‘Response to Intervention’ http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/01/23/20rti.h27.html?tmp=126022618 “RTI is this big thing that really can transform how we approach teaching all kids,” said W. David Tilly III, the director of innovation and accountability for Iowa’s Heartland Area Education Agency, which provides resources and professional development to 54 districts in the state. In practice, RTI can look quite different from school to school. But several key components are necessary for a successful program, researchers say. Dust, Air, Water Sources of Lead http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ga_85zk5c0qGS2Df4qxxiEcFWX0gD8UEBV2O0 The dangers of lead in some toys are well-known, but there are plenty of other ways people can be exposed to the metal. Young children are especially at risk of harm because their bodies are growing quickly. They can suffer damage to the brain and nervous system, slowed growth and other problems. Baltimore Jury Awards $6 Million in Lead Poisoning Case http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/baltimore_city/bal-md.ci.lead24jan24,0,6505583.story A Baltimore jury ordered an apartment management company to pay $6 million to an 8-year-old boy after determining that he suffered brain damage at his home as a result of exposure to lead-based paint. Longer School Days Create Additional Opportunities for Learning http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/03/AR2008020302925.html Struggling learners can get additional help and other students have more time for arts, music and enrichment at the increasing number of schools nationwide that are lengthening the school day or year, proponents say. "Our aspirations for both children and schools have increased dramatically, and we're still working out of the old, very limited box," said Paul Reville, Massachusetts Board of Education chairman, and co-chairman of a Boston-based organization formed to promote longer school days. "We're not getting all students to high standards. It seems to us, the way to do that is make more time available." Blue-collar Teacher Contracts Work Against the Students http://www.projo.com/education/juliasteiny/content/se_educationwatch10_02-10-08_JN8TNM8_v9.28785ba.html In an unfortunate accident of history, the labor contracts that won decent pay for teachers also cemented into place a factory-model design for schooling. Blue-collar labor contracts spell out and limit a worker’s obligations on the factory floor, or in this case a classroom, as if teachers were as interchangeable as die-press operators. District Connects Lead with Special Ed http://bridges4kids.org/articles/2-08/DailyNews2-10-08.html Galveston Independent School District has too many African-American students in its special education program, a problem that has earned the island’s schools extra scrutiny from the Texas Education Agency. Iowa Lead-testing Law May Create Economic Burden http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080203/NEWS/802030343/1001 A new Iowa law, slated to go into effect this fall, mandating that children be tested for lead exposure prior to starting kindergarten is meant to prevent future learning disabilities and brain damage associated with toxic levels of lead in the blood. However, health and housing officials are concerned the law will burden taxpayers with costs associated with such things as inspecting and cleaning up houses where lead-poisoned children are found to live, as well as a need to pay for interim housing when lead-removal efforts temporarily displace families from their homes.
No Child Left Behind (NCLB)	top
Teens May Get 5 Years to Graduate http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080211/SCHOOLS/802110353/1026 Some Michigan students would be able to attend a fifth year of high school -- and not be counted as dropouts for failing to graduate in four -- if the federal government grants a request the State Board of Education will consider Tuesday. Special Education Law Must ‘Give Way’ to NCLB, Court Says http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/02/20/24nclb.h27.html?tmp=2146612076 A federal appeals court has turned away a lawsuit by two Illinois school districts and four families that said the No Child Left Behind Act was in conflict with requirements of the main federal special education law. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals Rules: No Federal Money, No NCLB Mandates http://bridges4kids.org/articles/1-08/MIRS1-8-08.html A school district does not have to spend state or local money to comply with a federal "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB) requirement that isn't completely paid for with federal money, the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled Monday. The No Child Left Behind Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: A Progress Report http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2008/NoChildLeftBehind_IDEA_Progress_Report.html This report examines the impact of NCLB and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) on improving educational outcomes for students with disabilities Over the span of six months, NCD spoke with more than 35 staff members from 10 states: California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania about NCLB and IDEA to compile this report which includes candid assessments of progress and remaining obstacles. For more information on No Child Left Behind, visit http://www.bridges4kids.org/ESEA.html
Parenting/Parental Involvement	top
U.S. Says 82 Youths Have Died in "Choking Game" http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSKUA47551220080214 At least 82 U.S. youths have died since 1995 engaging in "the choking game" in which they try to experience a fleeting "high" by cutting off the oxygen supply to the brain, U.S. health officials said on Thursday. An unknown number of youths, mostly boys, are taking part in the practice in which they strangle themselves with their hands or a noose or have someone else strangle them, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a report. Head-lice Drug Promotions Halted http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20080131/1a_bottomstrip31_dom.art.htm The sole U.S. maker of an insecticide-based treatment for head lice has stopped promoting the product after a sharply worded warning from the Food and Drug Administration that its marketing misled consumers by downplaying the rare, but serious, risks of the treatments. MI Foster Care Falls Short on Basics http://bridges4kids.org/articles/2-08/Freep2-8-08.html The Michigan Department of Human Services failed to follow its own policies and to meet basic standards for care of foster children, according to court-appointed experts who reviewed hundreds of case files. MI Suit Against State Foster Care Delivers Another Blow http://bridges4kids.org/articles/2-08/Freep2-12-08.html State record keeping is so shoddy and investigations are so superficial that children in Michigan's foster care system face continuing danger of physical abuse, according to a report compiled as part of a class action against the Michigan Department of Human Services. New School Year Brings New Class: Parenting http://bridges4kids.org/articles/1-08/Chron1-14-08.html Sandwiched between lessons on counting calories and staving off disease, high school health teachers will offer hefty doses of parenting advice in the next school year. A new state law requires that parenting and paternity awareness be included in the high school health curriculum by 2008-09. For more information on Parenting, Siblings, Adoption and Foster Care, visit http://www.bridges4kids.org/Parenting.html
Early Childhood	top
Baby Toiletries Linked to Chemical Risk http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-02-03-baby-lotion_N.htm Parents who use baby powder, lotion or shampoo on their infants may unknowingly expose their children to controversial chemicals with hormone-like effects, a study shows. Researchers found the chemicals — called phthalates — in the urine of all 163 babies tested, according to the study in today's Pediatrics. Spanish Infant-Toddler language and early literacy activities: Free and Reproducible To download materials go to http://www.walearning.com and click on the purple button that says "Free Parent Education Handouts" on the home page. These materials include twenty home and community activities for adults and children birth to three that encourage early language and literacy development. They are appropriate for children with disabilities as well as children who are developing typically. Study Links Preschool Teachers' Stress to Higher Student Expulsions http://www.earlychildhoodmichigan.org/articles/1-08/LATimes1-11-08.htm Long days and burdensome workloads are likely to affect an instructor's ability to manage a classroom, researchers find. Virtual Encyclopedia of Early Childhood Development http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/en-ca/list-of-topics.html This Encyclopedia covers 33 topics related to the psychosocial development of the child, from conception to the age of five. For each topic, a series of articles written by internationally renowned experts presents the most up-to-date scientific knowledge and addresses three questions: How important is it? What do we know? What can be done? Each topic is organized with key messages geared for parents and service providers. A summary of findings is provided with the complete articles also available. For more information on Early Childhood issues, visit www.EarlyChildhoodMichigan.org
Disability News	top
The MIND Institute in Sacramento Makes Its Distinguished Lecturer Available Series Online http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/mindinstitute/events/dls_recorded_events.html#dls08 Some of the top names in autism (the institute¹s primary focus), Tourette¹s, mirror neurons, face processing, and the like, are there, including a fascinating lecture by Dr. Temple Grandin who speaks about thinking in pictures. The Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan’s Camp Discovery The only camp in Michigan for children with epilepsy. It provides youth with epilepsy a safe, structured and encouraging home away from home for 5 days and 4 nights. All participants will have the opportunity to enjoy canoeing and kayaking, horseback riding, arts & crafts, swimming and much more! Camp staff include Foundation personnel, pediatric neurologists and registered nurses. Financial assistance is available. For a camper application, please visit our website: www.epilepsymichigan.org, call (800) 377-6226 option 1, ext. 231, or e-mail sdarroch@epilepsymichigan.org. Camp will take place from June 29 - July 3, 2008 at Sherman Lake YMCA Outdoor Center, Augusta, MI. Mercury-autism Debate Rages On http://www.kentucky.com/211/story/307394.html A University of Kentucky chemist still thinks that a mercury-containing preservative in children's vaccines is behind rising rates of autism in youngsters, despite a recent California report that seems to dismiss the theory. MI The Arc Michigan 2008 Tax Guide (PDF) http://www.arcmi.org/2008TaxGuideOrderForm.pdf This authoritative income tax guide will prove to be invaluable for tax preparers, parents and others concerned with tax deductions stemming from the care and support of a minor child or adult child or other persons with intellectual or cognitive disabilities or other developmental disabilities. Bridges4kids Featured Resource: AUTCOM - Autism National Committee http://www.autcom.org/index.html Auditory Processing Disorder: He Can Hear You, But it Makes No Sense http://www.education.com/magazine/article/Auditory_Processing_Disorder/ Ben was a happy, playful baby—a delight to his whole family. But by the time he turned three, they could see that something was wrong. He couldn’t seem to make sense of people’s sentences; and in turn, he barely spoke words at all. And yet medical tests showed that his hearing was normal! Parent Creates Website to Improve Understanding of Dyslexia http://www.therighttolearn.com/ After four of Michelle Masko's five children were diagnosed with dyslexia, she launched a Web site to help educators and families better understand how the learning disorder affects children. Masko found her children improved their reading once they could convert words into pictures. Bridges4kids Featured Resource: Deafuture http://www.jumpstartwebsites.com/deafuture/web/index.htm Started by parents of a deaf child, the Deafuture website provides access to information about laws, education, and related services to hearing families and relatives with deaf children, building a community that will enable children to reach their maximum potential. The “Tools” section has a large list of sample letters to use when advocating for services and support. Young Artists with Down Syndrome Shatter Stereotypes http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0210odd4.html Students at a Mexico City art school for low-income people with Down syndrome are making a global splash at art museums across Mexico, the U.S. and Europe, as their paintings shatter preconceptions about the creative capabilities of youths with special needs. "They have a capacity, a sensitivity, for art: They're very creative," said art instructor Daniel Perez of the students. "Their limitations enable them to see the world in a way you and I don't." For more information on Disabilities, Disorders and Diseases, visit http://www.bridges4kids.org/Disabilities.html
Special Education Issues	top
Bridges4kids Featured Resource: School Psychologist Files http://www.schoolpsychologistfiles.com/ The online special education filing cabinet full of special education resources for parents, educators, and psychologists. Iowa School District Pioneers iPods for Special-Ed Testing http://www.essentialestrogen.com/2008/02/iowa_school_district_pioneers.html Sandwiched between two of Iowa's more rural counties, the Louisa-Muscatine Community School District and its centralized campus, nuzzling Highway 61 and currently barren crop fields, may not seem like the type of educational facility that would gain international notice for technological advances. Looks, however, can be deceiving. For more information on Special Education, IEPs and Section 504, visit http://www.bridges4kids.org/Rules.html
Ask the Attorney/Advocate	top
Bridges4Kids Exclusive: Ask the Attorney with John Brower Visit http://www.bridges4kids.org/AA.html for dozens of John's previously posted Q&As.
Upcoming National Events	top
These are NEW calendar listings that have been added this week, along with events taking place this week. To view a complete calendar of National events, visit http://www.bridges4kids.org/Conferences.html Resources for Children with Special Needs, Inc. Presents 2007-2008 Free Training Series: What’s Out There and How to Get It DESCRIPTION: For Families and Professionals Needing Programs and Services for Children with Disabilities. WHEN/WHERE: Dates/Locations vary. FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information, contact Gary Shulman, MS.Ed. at 212-677-4650, gshulman@resourcesnyc.org, http://www.resourcesnyc.org, or http://www.resourcesnycdatabase.org. Bronx Location: Jewish Child Care Association 555 Bergen Ave. Bronx 10455 Bronx Dates: March 5, 2008 Early Childhood Services: Birth to 5 10 AM-1 PM; April 9, 2008 Community Resources 10 AM-12 Noon. Manhattan Dates: March 12, 2008 Getting Appropriate Educational Services 10 AM-1 PM; March, 19 2008 Community Resources 10 AM-12 PM; March 26, 2008 Turning 5:Transition to School Age 10 AM-1 PM. Manhattan Location: Resources for Children with Special Needs, Inc. 116 E. 16th St. 5th Floor NY, NY 10003 Manhattan Dates: March 13, 2008 Early Childhood Services: Birth to 5 10 AM-1 PM; March 27, 2008 Community Resources 6 PM-8 PM; April 2, 2008 Transition from School to Adult Life 10 AM-1 PM; April 10, 2008 Early Childhood Services: Birth to 5 6 PM-8 PM. Staten Island Location: Joan and Alan Bernikow Jewish Community Center of Staten Island, 1466 Manor Road, Staten Island NY 10314 Staten Island Dates: March 18, 2008 Advocacy Skills for Parents 10 AM-1 PM; April 15, 2008 Community Resources 10 AM-12 Noon. Postsecondary Disability Training Institute WHEN: June 10-13 & 14, 2008 from 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. WHERE: Portland, Maine FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please visit our website at www.cped.uconn.edu for detailed Institute information.
Upcoming Michigan Events	*top*
These are NEW calendar listings that have been added this week, along with events taking place this week. To view a complete calendar of Michigan events, visit http://www.bridges4kids.org/Conferences.html Michigan’s Conference for Lead Safe & Healthy Homes WHEN: April 22, 2008 WHERE: Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center, East Lansing, MI DESCRIPTION: This conference is intended for public health staff (nursing and environmental health), health officers, WIC staff, lead professionals, physicians, educators, community advocates, social workers, home visitors, daycare providers, rental property owners and managers, local, county and state legislators, and housing rehab contractors and workers. FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information contact Tarah Collins at (517) 324-8329 or tcollins@mphi.org. TEENS USING DRUGS PART One: What To Know WHEN: March 4, 2008. April 1, 2008. May 6, 2008. WHERE: St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Education Center, 5305 Elliott Drive, Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197 AND WHEN: March 12, 2008 WHERE: St. Joseph Mercy Livingston Hospital, 620 Byron Road, Howell Michigan 48843 HOSTED BY: Co-sponsored by Dawn Farm, the Livingston/Washtenaw Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Act Consortium, and Saint Joseph Mercy Health System Mission Services DESCRIPTION: This is a FREE, 2-part program for parents, families, teens, and people who work with teens; presented by Ron Harrison, SW. FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://www.bridges4kids.org/Conferences.html#4 TEENS USING DRUGS PART TWO: WHAT TO DO WHEN: March 11, 2008. April 8, 2008. May 13, 2008. June 10, 2008. WHERE: St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Education Center, 5305 Elliott Drive, Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197 AND WHEN: March 19, 2008 WHERE: St. Joseph Mercy Livingston Hospital, 620 Byron Road, Howell Michigan 48843 HOSTED BY: Co-sponsored by Dawn Farm, the Livingston/Washtenaw Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Act Consortium, and Saint Joseph Mercy Health System Mission Services DESCRIPTION: This is a FREE, 2-part program for parents, families, teens, and people who work with teens; presented by Ron Harrison, SW. FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://www.bridges4kids.org/Conferences.html#4
Bridges4Kids NewsDigest Staff Deborah Canja Chief Executive Officer deb@bridges4kids.org Jackie Igafo-Te'o Director of Information Technology & Information Systems jackie@bridges4kids.org Bella Djordjevski Resource Assistant news@bridges4kids.org