In the News
New School Readiness Report 
Posted August 21, 2008
This new document from the National Center for Education Statistics reports findings on the school readiness of young children as reported by their parents and examines several other early learning topics such as developmental accomplishments and family activities.
New School Completion Report
Posted August 20, 2008
The National Center for Education Statistics recently released "Public School Graduates and Dropouts from the Common Core of Data: School Year 2005-06." The report presents the numbers of high school graduates receiving regular diplomas and those who dropped out in 2005-2006.
IRIS Re-Launches Online Dictionary
Posted July 23, 2008
The IRIS Center recently re-launched their online dictionary to include updated definitions for special education and disability terms and a new cross-referencing feature.
ITCA Parent Leadership Awards
Posted July 2, 2008
The Infant Toddler Coordinators Association (ITCA) is seeking nominations for their 2008 Parent Leadership Awards. Six regional awards are given in addition to one national award. Nominations must be submitted to the ITCA by October 1, 2008.
Governor's Report on Early Childhood
Posted July 1, 2008
The National Governors Association (NGA) recently released a report on the importance of developing public-private partnerships to promote the healthy development and school readiness of young children.
States Receive OSEP Determination Letters on Implementation of IDEA
Posted June 26, 2008
The federal Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) recently issued IDEA progress reports to state departments of education. Officially known as "U.S. Department of Education Determination Letters on State Implementation of the IDEA," the reports indicate if states met requirements of IDEA or need assistance or intervention to meet those requirements.
IDEA is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which provides public education to the nation's nearly 7 million children with disabilities. For funding accountability, states must show that they are meeting the education needs of children with disabilities.
Each state develops its own state performance plan, based on federal guidelines and then submits an annual performance report to OSEP telling how it met the targets of its plan. OSEP sends detailed progress reports to states in June, showing states where they need improvement. To view Minnesota’s determination letter, click here
. To find letters for other states, click here.
Bookshare.org Webinar: Ready, Set, Read!
Posted June 9, 2008
Bookshare.org is hosting a webinar on June 12th at 1pm Central Daylight Time (CDT) to provide an overview of their services for students with print disabilities. Bookshare.org is the world's largest online library of accessible media with over 38,000 titles.
New Inclusion Resource Guide
Posted May 7, 2008
The Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation has recently published a 14 page booklet: Paths to Inclusion: A Resource Guide for Fully Including Youth of ALL Abilities in Community Life. The guide is free and provides an overview of inclusion, examples of best practices, and links to helpful resources.
New IRIS Center Spanish Training Module
Posted May 5, 2008
Many of the IRIS Center's materials are available in Spanish, including a new module on early literacy: Vea Leer a Jane: Enseñándoles a Leer a Criaturas con Variadas Discapacidades (See Jane Read: Teaching Reading to Young Children of Varying Disabilities).
Tangible Steps Toward Tomorrow
Posted May 5, 2008
This new report from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation outlines steps for implementing culturally- and community-responsive early education programs.
Proposed Title I Regulations Released
Posted April 24, 2008
On April 22, 2008 the U.S. Department of Education released proposed regulations covering several aspects of Title I of the No Child Left Behind Act, including reporting of graduation rates and parental notification.
RTI Action Network launches a new Web site
Posted April 7, 2008
The National Center for Learning Disabilities has launched a new Web site from its Response to Intervention (RTI) initiative, the RTI Action Network. The site features content on implementing RTI from preschool to secondary; information for administrators, teachers, specialists, and families; unprecedented access to the nation’s top Researchers and experienced implementers; and numerous networking opportunities to talk to colleagues nationwide.
New Report from America's Promise ALLIANCE: Cities in Crisis
Posted April 3, 2008
A new report released by America's Promise Alliance finds that America's largest cities are struggling to keep students in school.
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Upcoming Conferences
2008: Sep
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
September
September 4-7, 2008
Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE) Conference in Indianapolis, IN.
September 22-24, 2008
ALLIANCE Leadership and Management Institute
San Diego, CA
September 25-27, 2008
13th Annual Conference on Advancing School Mental Health in Phoenix, AZ
October
October 27-30, 2008
Division for Early Childhood 24th Annual International Conference on Young Children with Special Needs & Their Families in Minneapolis, MN.
November
November 1-11, 2008
Opening Doors: A State of the Science Conference in Bethesda, MD on accessing services for children and youth with disabilities and special health care needs from traditionally underserved communities
November 13-15, 2008
CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) 20th Annual International Conference on AD/HD in Anaheim, CA
December
December 3-6, 2008
TASH 2008 Conference "Social Justice in the 21st Century" in Nashville, TN
December 8-10, 2008
OSEP National Early Childhood Conference in Washington, DC
March
March 22-25, 2009
Addressing Challenging Behavior: National Training Institute on Effective Practices: Supporting Young Children’s Social/Emotional Development in Clearwater Beach, FL
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The ALLIANCE site offers many PDF files for download, which require Adobe Reader to view.