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(2018, August) | Useful to Parent Centers for sharing with the families they serve, to better parental understanding of ESSA and their role in advocating for how it is implemented in their state. This 19-page Parents’ Guide to ESSA comes from the U.S. Department of Education with the stated purpose of helping parents understand the […]
(2019, April) | Useful to Parent Centers, educators, families, and school systems interested in how to initiate or expand school climate improvement activities. The Parent and Educator Guide to School Climate Resources, from the U.S. Department of Education, is intended to provide parents, teachers, administrators, and other interested parties with: a general understanding of school climate, […]
The OSEP Glossary of Spanish Translations of Common IDEA Terms went missing for a time, in the way that things inexplicably vanish from the Web, but we searched and found it and brought it back home! This 2nd edition of the glossary includes over 400 terms related to IDEA Parts B and C (the parts of IDEA that cover special education and early intervention services, respectively) and provides their Spanish translation. The terms were selected by experienced translators from Parent Centers and reviewed in focus groups of 90 parents/caregivers of children receiving services under IDEA. The families that participated came from a diversity of Spanish-speaking cultures, so that the glossary would “speak” across the rich variation of how Spanish is spoken around the world.
Two formats of the glossary are available (PDF and an online, searchable version). Read more about the glossary here and access the format of your choice.
(2018, December 20) | Useful to early interventionists, lead agencies, and Parent Centers on screening during evaluation of an infant or toddler for hearing loss or deafness. This Dear Colleague letter from OSEP responds to a question about the evaluation process for an infant or toddler suspected of being deaf or hard of hearing to determine […]
Link checked, January 2019 The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) at the U.S. Department of Education regularly provides guidance to the field on the nation’s special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). “Guidance” can take several forms: OSEP’s correspondence in response to questions received from the field; policy documents and letters […]
In March of this year the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District Re-1. In this decision, the court held that “to meet its substantive obligation under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a school must offer [a child] an IEP [individualized education program] reasonably calculated to enable a child to make progress appropriate in light of the child’s circumstances.”
What impact will this Supreme Court decision have on the implementation of IDEA? The U.S. Department of Education seeks to answer this question (and many others) in the Q&A document just released (December 7, 2017). It reviews the facts and findings of Endrew F., discusses how the Supreme Court decision clarifies the standard for determining FAPE and educational benefit to children with disabilities, and explores considerations for implementation.
(2017, March) | Useful to: Parents, educators, and policy makers seeking to establish safe and supportive learning environments. There is a growing evidence base on the relationship between positive learning environments, child development, and academic achievement. The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)’s second symposium highlights core principles related to creating and maintaining safe and […]
(2017, May) | Useful to: Policy makers working within the confines of, or striving to meet, the 1% cap for AA-AAAS On May 16, 2017, the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and the Office of State Support (OSS) jointly issued a memorandum to state assessment directors, state Title I directors, and state special education […]
July 2017 Looking for a one-stop list to the guidance and resource packages that came out of the U.S. Department of Education in 2016 (there were so many!)—and now in 2017? (For your easy identification, we’ve marked what’s new in 2017 with the word New!) Here you go! Our list is organized by topic, as follows: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity […]