“So the small things came into their own: small acts of helping others, if one could; small ways of making one’s own life better: acts of love, acts of tea, acts of laughter. Clever people might laugh at such simplicity, but, she asked herself, what was their own solution?”

Alexander McCall Smith, The Good Husband of Zebra Drive

This Buzz focuses on resources and recent data that Parent Centers, community organizations, and social service agencies may find useful in planning their outreach to and services for populations that are at risk: namely, young children, students of color, Native communities, and students with disabilities.

What is being done–and what can we ourselves do–to support the most vulnerable children, youth, and adults?

Our best to you all,

The CPIR Team | Debra, Debi, Lisa, Jessica, and Myriam

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Young Children Exposed Prenatally to Substances
This new ECTA web page provides key research, policy, state guidance and examples, and evidence-based practices for supporting families and young children exposed prenatally to substances.

Intervening to Prevent a Dropout | Video
Research has shown that middle school is the key moment when, absent effective intervention, students can fall into the patterns that lead them to drop out during high school. Identifying the risk factors associated with students who drop out of high school is featured in this 6-minute video excerpt from FRONTLINE: “Middle School Moment.”

Federal Data and Resources on Restraint and Seclusion
This 12-page report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) discusses (a) how the Department of Education collects data on the use of restraint and seclusion, (b) what the Department’s data tell us about the use of restraint and seclusion in public schools, and (c) resources and initiatives at the federal level to address the use of restraint and seclusion. A 1-page Highlights is also available, as is an accessible PDF version.

Students Most at Risk of Getting Spanked at School Are Black or Disabled, Data Show
Nineteen states, the vast majority in the South, permit school personnel to strike students with belts, rulers, homemade wooden paddles, or bare hands in the name of discipline. Whether a student is actually at risk of physical punishment often depends on race, geography or disability status, according to a new analysis of 2013-14 federal education data by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Improving Federal Programs that Serve Tribes and Their Members: High Risk Issue
Concerns about ineffective federal administration of Indian education and health care programs and federal mismanagement of energy resources held in trust for tribes and their members have resulted in the designation of federal management of these programs as “high risk.” The link above takes you to the GAO report on this issue. There’s also a 2-minute video summary available, High Risk: Programs That Serve Tribes and Their Members.

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In Loving Memory..

With great sadness, we would like to share with you the May 27th passing of Caryn Pack Ivey, Director of the Michigan Alliance for Families and longtime and staunch advocate for children with disabilities. Caryn was a member of CPIR’s Stakeholders Advisory Group since its very beginning, and it’s impossible to express our deep appreciation for her steady-minded guidance and input over the years. Thank you, Caryn, truly. Godspeed.

Kanika Littleton, we are happy to report, will now serve as Director of the Michigan Alliance for Families and–we hope–will join us as an advisor in CPIR’s product development for the Parent Center network. Best wishes to you and the staff at Michigan Alliance.

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The CPIR hopes that you’ve found useful and relevant resources listed in this month’s Buzz from the Hub. Please feel free to write to the editor, Lisa Küpper, at lkupper@fhi360.org to suggest the types of resources you’d like to see in the future. CPIR is listening! Your input is extremely valuable to helping us to craft newsletters that support your work with families.

Debra, Debi, Myriam, Jessica, and Lisa
The CPIR Team

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Publication of this eNewsletter is made possible through Cooperative Agreement H328R130014 between OSEP and the Statewide Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN). The contents do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of Education, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government or by the Center for Parent Information and Resources.