New
name! ENews becomes EquiNews
Breakthoughs
in Inclusive Education Awards
Rethinking
Mathematics: Teaching Social Justice by the Numbers
NIUSI
and NCCRESt’s Online Libraries
Applications
for Technical Assistance
State Performance Plan Analsyis – Indicators 5, 9, & 10
Tips
to help your child be successful on the first day of school
Anytown
Human Relations and Leadership camp
UPDATE
NEW NAME! ENEWS BECOMES EQUINEWS
The beginning of the school year is an exciting
time, full of new students, new schools, and new teachers. At NIUSI and
NCCRESt, we too are celebrating our own changes: a new headquarters at
SPOTLIGHT
BREAKTHOUGHS IN INCLUSIVE EDUCATION AWARDS
Please consider
nominating an individual or school/ school system for a new awards program,
sponsored by TASH and Brookes Publishing. Called Breakthroughs in
Inclusive Education Awards, the intent is to honor important and
courageous contributions of individuals and school districts in advancing
inclusive education and equitable opportunities for students K-12, particularly
those with the most significant disabilities and support needs. Selected
awardees will set a high standard for innovation and excellence in inclusive
education for others to emulate.
Nominations are being
accepted through September 20 in the following categories:
·
Most Promising
Inclusive School
·
Inclusive Education
Advocate of the Year
·
Inclusive Education
Administrator of the Year
·
Inclusive Education
Teacher of the Year
·
Most Promising
Inclusive School District-co-sponsored by the National Institute for Urban
School Improvement
All awardees will be
invited to attend the TASH 2007 conference in Seattle, WA, Dec. 5-8, 2007, and
will be recognized in the conference program, on the TASH website, and at the
closing general session (The awards are posted as part of the conference
information -- link is http://www.tash.org/2007tash/Awards.htm). Awardees will receive a library of books about inclusive
best practices from Brookes Publishing, a commemorative plaque, and press
releases announcing the awards will be distributed to the trade media and local
press.
The attached nomination form provides full guidance.
PEOPLE IN EDUCATION
Do you know an amazing person who is a champion for inclusive education? We would love to recognize them in an upcoming monthly EquiNews publication. We will be accepting nominations from our readers describing a person whose work they feel should be acknowledged including what this person is doing, or has done related to equity and excellence in education.
Nominations should be approximately 1500 words in length and include a picture for publishing. Please submit your nominations by the fifth of each month for consideration in that month’s publication. You will be notified by email if your candidate was chosen. Those not published will be kept in our data base with the possibility of being used in later editions. Please include your name and contact information to receive credit as the author of the article. Send your nominations to niusi@asu.edu or nccrest@asu.edu.
RECOMMENDED READINGS
RETHINKING MATHEMATICS: TEACHING SOCIAL JUSTICE BY THE NUMBERS
Edited
by Eric Gutstein and Bob Peterson
Math is often taught in ways
divorced from the real world. The alternative proposed in this book is to teach
math in a way that helps students more clearly understand their lives in
relation to their surroundings, and to see math as a tool to help make the
world more equal and just. This unique collection of more than 30 articles
shows teachers how to weave social-justice principles throughout the math
curriculum, and how to integrate social-justice math into other curricular
areas as well. Rethinking Mathematics presents teaching ideas, lesson plans and
reflections by practicing classroom teachers and distinguished mathematics
educators. This is real-world math - math that helps students analyze problems
as they gain essential academic skill... In a
"rethought" math class, teachers make mathematics more lively,
accessible, and personally meaningful for students, who in turn learn in more
depth.
The articles in this book provide examples of how to weave social
justice issues throughout the mathematics curriculum and how to integrate
mathematics into other curricular areas. This approach seeks to deepen
students' understanding of society and to prepare them to be critical, active
participants in a democracy.
The elementary school, middle school, high school, and college
teachers who have contributed to this book also note the many potential
benefits of such a social justice approach to mathematics. Among them:
·
Students can
recognize the power of mathematics as an essential analytical tool to
understand and potentially change the world, rather than merely regarding math
as a collection of disconnected rules to be rotely memorized and regurgitated.
·
Students can
deepen their understanding of important social issues, such as racism and
sexism, as well as ecology and social class.
·
Students can
connect math with their own cultural and community histories and can appreciate
the contributions that various cultures and peoples have made to mathematics.
·
Students can
understand their own power as active citizens in building a democratic society
and become equipped to play a more active role in that society.
·
Students can
become more motivated to learn important mathematics.
These benefits come both when teachers reshape the mathematics
curriculum with a social justice vision and when they integrate social justice
mathematics across the curriculum into other subjects, such as social studies,
science, health, reading, and writing. (http://www.rethinkingschools.org/publication/math/RM_intro.shtml)
For more information about this book please see: http://www.rethinkingschools.org/publication/math/
TOOLS YOU CAN USE
NIUSI AND NCCRESt’S ONLINE LIBRARIES
NIUSI’s and NCCRESt’s Libraries are some of the most important tools that NIUSI and NCCRESt offer teachers, administrators and families. The libraries feature
more than 3,500 selected references for articles, books, and reports on all
domains of NUISI Systemic Change Framework (i.e., Student Effort, School
Organizational Effort, Families & Communities, Professional Effort and
District Effort & Support) that guide our practice with local school
systems. Resources in the NIUSI and NCCRESt libraries are selected to
support systemic, inclusive, culturally responsive practices that support
educational success for ALL students. Each of the featured resources has an
abstract to help educators and families to find the resources they need. The
Online NIUSI and NCCRESt libraries grow everyday with contributions of
practitioners, families and researchers from multidisciplinary perspectives. You are invited to visit and contribute to the Online Libraries by suggesting
current resources that will expand your knowledge about how culture, gender,
language, ability, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity influence learning. You
can register with the NIUSI Network or NCCRESt Network by providing your name, an email address, and creating a
password. Registering with the NIUSI or NCCRESt Networks will grant you access
to all of the other Education
Reform Networks and enable
you to contribute resources to the Online Libraries.
RESEARCH BASED PRACTICE
UNIVERSAL DESIGN
Universal Design was initially an architectural term that refers
to an inclusive approach to the design of buildings so that all people
regardless of ability, circumstances, or age had equal access. The term Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
was coined by the Center for Accessing Special Technology (CAST) in the 1990s,
and defined as a method to minimize barriers that students may experience when
learning new concepts. UDL is a proactive approach. It refers to more than
adding accommodations and modifications to existing curriculum “after the
fact”; UDL considers that a universally designed curriculum, instruction, and
assessment are all imperative in ensuring student access to learning.
So then,
it is important to understand how to go about applying the concepts of UDL to
curricular, instructional and assessment design. See the table below for ways
to begin to think about applying UDL in your educational setting.
|
UDL Curricula
includes:
·
Standards
and Goals
·
Materials
·
Methods
UDL
Curricula provides flexibility in:
·
Activities
·
How
information is presented
·
The ways in
which students respond or demonstrate knowledge
·
The ways in
which students are engaged
·
Assessments
|
UDL Instruction
includes:
·
Multiple
modes of presentation that consider diverse abilities, interests, language,
& backgrounds
·
Differentiation
with embracing of diversity
·
Basic
skills embedded in content areas
|
|
UDL Assessment
includes:
·
Feedback
& assessment processes that are embedded & continuous
·
Is key to
the selection of activities, contents, supports, & resources
|
Table
includes adapted content from Hitchcock & Stahl (2003).
Further
UDL Resources:
The
National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard at CAST
The
NIMAS website provides resources and updates in the efforts to produce and
distribute electronic versions of textbooks and instructional materials. It
also provides guidelines for states to follow, and provides information about
the NIMAS Development and
Teaching
Every Student TES Website
http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent
The TES
Website provides specific cases of curriculum design and assessment under an
UDL approach. Each case details the process of examining existing standards and
building assessment tasks inclusive for all students.
http://education.umn.edu/nceo/
The
For more
information about Universal Design and other effective research based inclusive
teaching strategies, please see our Library.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE UPDATE
APPLICATIONS FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
In order to provide high quality technical assistance that contributes to state capacity and sustainability, NCCRESt will accept applications on an open ended basis, beginning August 1, 2007 for specific and individualized technical assistance. The technical assistance requested can be short or long term, and can focus on a variety of activities, including document review, strategic planning, improvement plan development, data analysis and review, professional development and training, curriculum review, evaluation and research activities, or other technical assistance that builds the capacity of the state to eliminate disproportionality and develop culturally responsive educational systems.
To download the application form, click here
FEATURED STATE WORK
NCCRESt
NCCRESt released
a report that details the work of two districts in
FEATURED DISTRICT WORK
NIUSI
NIUSI researchers spent three days in
FEATURED PRINCIPAL WORK
NIUSI-LEADSCAPE
25 principals gathered on the campus of the
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
Let us think of education as the means of developing our greatest abilities, because in each of us there is a private hope and dream which, fulfilled, can be translated into benefit for everyone and greater strength for our nation. -John F. Kennedy
FEATURED WEBSITE
www.agentk-12.org
Still looking for the perfect job this fall? www.Edweek.org, the home of Education Week and Teacher Magazine offers a very comprehensive education
job search engine, Agent K-12. It
provides services for employers and job seekers. Job seekers can join for free and create an account, upload their resume,
search postings, and apply for jobs electronically. Positions can be searched
by preferences such as grade level and location and include Superintendent,
Principal, Director and Teaching Jobs. Your preferences are saved and you are
notified when new positions are posted that fit your requirements.
One feature somewhat unique to this education job search engine is that it provides many resources for both employers and job seekers to help you find that perfect fit. Resources for job seekers included information about developing resumes and cover letters, advice and tips, recent studies, and Job Search Q&A, where you can ask for information about specific topics. There are also chats and blogs facilitated by professional individuals and organizations about specific topics.
DID YOU KNOW...
STATE PERFORMANCE PLAN ANALYSIS - INDICATORS 5, 9, & 10
NIUSI recently
undertook the task of analyzing data from all states and territories regarding
the placement of school-age students with disabilities in the least restrictive
environment. The information was drawn from the states’ Annual Progress Reports
(APR) which are required under the 2004 amendments to the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to detail the progress of each state is
making towards meeting the requirements of the statute in an effort to improve
outcomes for children and youth with disabilities.
NIUSI’s analysis
showed that across the nation an average of:
·
57% of all
students with disabilities are removed from the regular classroom less than 21%
of the time. Individual state data ranged from 18% to 95%.
·
14% of all
students with disabilities are removed more than 60% of the time from the
regular classroom. About half of the states reported that 10-20% of their
students fell in this category.
·
3% of all
students with disabilities are placed in separate schools, private or
residential placements, and hospitals. One state reported that as many as 27%
of their students were served in such settings.
NCCRESt recently
completed an analysis of the improvement activities states have undertaken to
eliminate ethnic disproportionality in special education that is due to
inappropriate identification. The information was also drawn from the State
Performance Plans (SPPs). Improvement activities most frequently identified
included providing professional development to educators in topic areas such as
inclusionary practices, response to intervention, positive behavior support,
IEP planning, differentiated instruction, co-teaching, etc. as well as
providing technical assistance and improving data collection and monitoring.
·
80% percent of
states reported activities intended to reduce disproportionality. Most states
are looking to professional development and technical assistance to address
this issue. Many are also engaging in improved data collection and monitoring,
examination and clarification of policies and procedures, and program
development.
·
44 states
reported consulting NCCRESt or using NCCRESt tools and products as part of
their improvement efforts.
UPCOMING EVENTS
NUISI LEGACY MEETING
October
28th-30th, 2007 NIUSI is hosting a working colloquium in
FOR FAMILIES
TIPS TO HELP YOUR CHILD BE SUCCESSFUL ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
Visit the school or if offered attend the open house before school begins. Meeting the school staff, their classroom teacher and peers, finding their classroom, and familiarizing themselves with their school will help students feel more comfortable as they transition into the school year.
Reread your child’s IEP. Doing
so will remind you and your student how much progress they have made, what
their goals are and what should be done to help them achieve those goals. If
necessary, discuss this and any special needs your child may have with their
classroom teacher(s).
Develop a daily routine.
Transitioning from a long summer vacation into the school year can be
difficult. Developing a before and after school routine and reviewing it before
school starts will make the transition as smooth as possible.
Establish a transportation routine. Will your child ride the bus? If so where will they be picked up and
dropped off? How will they get to and from the bus stop? Will they be walking
or riding a bike to school and back? If so what route will they take?
Establishing a transportation routine will insure your child gets to and from
school safely.
Talk to your child about school.
Before and after the first day and throughout the year talk to your student
about school. Open communication will allow your child to share how their
feeling and what can be done to make their year successful.
FOR STUDENTS
ANYTOWN HUMAN RELATIONS AND LEADERSHIP CAMP
How
about sending kids to a summer camp that can change their perspective instead
of working on their tans?
"Anytown
was established in
Anytown camps are located throughout the country, with sites found online for
