- OSEP UPDATES
- Resources from Parent Center HUB
- Juvenile Justice Initiative - Georgetown Law
- Resources from SPAN Parent Advocacy Network
- LEA Look Forward
- Compensatory Education & COVID Planning Training Video
- Resources on AJE's Website
- Upcoming Cafe for Parents of Children Ages 14+
- Act Early DC Parent Cafes
- AJE Upcoming Trainings
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OSEP UPDATES:
How Coaches Can Support Powerful Learning with Technology Blog Series
The Office of Educational Technology (OET), offers the “How Coaches Can Support Powerful Learning with Technology Blog Series” that explores three key themes to build a more equitable and resilient education system:
- Instruction that effectively and consistently leverages technology;
- Coaching that equips and empowers teachers with the professional learning needed to stimulate powerful digital learning for their students; and
- Systems that foster coaching for meaningful technology use in instruction.
The first blog is now available here.
OSEP will be releasing new guidance in the form of Q&As regarding the IEP under COVID/COVID recovery. Stay tuned for more information on this.
Back-to-School Resources from the IRIS Center
This newly revised IRIS Module reviews the major components of a comprehensive behavior management plan (including rules, procedures, and consequences) for elementary classrooms (a secondary version is coming soon!).
The module is a companion to Classroom Behavior Management (Part 1): Key Concepts and Foundational Practices, which provides the groundwork for setting up a classroom behavior management plan.
The IRIS module Parents: Supporting Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic has a new page about the return to in-person learning. Some of the topics covered include: worries about health and safety; possible behavior issues; separation anxiety; and nervousness about social situations.
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Resources from the Parent Center HUB
Resources for Parents and Community Members
The Kid Zone! Make learning to read a shared adventure!
The Kid Zone! is a place where parents can participate as their child builds literacy skills in a fun and interactive way. The site is especially targeted to support children who are finding learning to read a challenge. More info for families can also be found under the "Parents and Families" tab at the home page of the National Center for Improving Literacy.
10 Simple Grounding Techniques To Calm Anxiety
This article from Forbes describes what grounding techniques are and how they can be used to allay anxiety. It then describes 10 simple techniques anyone can use to dial back to calm.
Dealing with Adolescent Behavior Problems: Top Tips for Parents
There are many tips and tricks for how parents can deal with adolescent behavior problems. This article discusses general principles of parenting a child with behavior problems, tips for handling the 4 main types (ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder, autism, and conduct disovers), ways to reduce conflict, self-care, and suggestions for parents during the pandemic.
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The
is Now Open!
The Georgetown Juvenile Justice Clinic & Initiative and the National Juvenile Defender Center seek dedicated youth defenders and youth justice advocates to join the fight to end racial injustice in juvenile legal systems throughout the country!
Are you or do you know a youth defender or youth justice advocate ready to disrupt racism in the juvenile legal system?
Are you ready to enhance your racial justice advocacy skills in the courtroom, legislative advocacy, or community engagement?
If so, then apply to the ARJ program today!
ARJ is a nationally recognized program for youth defenders and youth justice advocates. With the training and support of the ARJ leadership team, our previous ambassadors have become racial justice leaders in their jurisdictions and have introduced legislation, successfully incorporated race into their litigation strategies, convened trainings to advance reform, designed college-bound pipeline programs for detained youth, and so much more!
The deadline to apply is November 15, 2021.
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Resources from SPAN Parent Advocacy Network:
Self-advocacy is a necessary life skill, and disclosing your disability is a form of self-advocacy. Youth and young adults should know when to disclose sensitive information like their disability. Because disclosing your disability is not an easy task but may be required for certain accommodations like enrolling in college and connecting with Disability Services.
One of the first exposures that young adults have in disclosing their disability is college enrollment. Neurohealth Arlington Heights offers services to people of all ages in psychological assessments and treatments. This webpage on their site describes what it means to contact Disability Services in College. Communicating and disclosing your disability in college is necessary because it is how one would receive accommodations. Read more and learn what rights you have under the American Disabilities Act (ADA).
Resources...
How to Self-Advocate as a College Student with a Learning Disability: https://neurohealthah.com/blog/self-advocacy-for-learning-disabled-college-students-guide//
Subscribe to SPAN’s YouTube channel: SPAN Parent Advocacy Network
Link to SPAN’s website: www.spanadvocacy.org
Link to SPAN’s Youth in the Know Resource Page: Youth in the Know
We’re here for you! Call SPAN if you need assistance: 1-800-654-7726
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Special Education Resource Hub Now Updated: What Families Need to Know for the 2021-22 School Year
OSSE has updated the online Special Education Resource Hub to provide students and their families with information and answers to common questions. The Hub shares information about what to expect this school year, how parents and families can best support their students, and more. The Special Education Resource Hub is available in English and Spanish and can be found at:
bit.ly/SPEDResourceHub!
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Compensatory Education & COVID Recovery Planning
Do you need help preparing for conversations with schools about recovery planning and missed services?
AJE hosted a training event to help DC families understand and apply DC and Federal law & guidance around compensatory education, missed services, and recovery planning so that they can effectively advocate for their children.
Here is a recording of that training:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BadEsZqprZk&t=90s
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Resources on AJE's Website
Our website www.aje-dc.org is a great resource for families. Be sure to visit our blog for new resources like what's shared here:
Are you a DCPS parent who wants more information about your child’s self-contained classroom? DCPS’ guides are a good place to start to learn more so you can make well-informed decisions. Click here for DCPS' guides and to find out more about self-contained classrooms.
Have you seen the letter we signed on to with the Washington Lawyers Committee? Are you interested in advocating for more broad virtual options during COVID-19? Click here to see a form letter and resources around this topic.
Understanding various COVID-related concepts can be hard enough for the average student, but for learners with multiple disabilities or Deaf-Blindness, it can be a significantly more involved process. While it is challenging to teach students with disabilities to model new behavior in a short time, it is certainly possible and achievable. Click here to find resources for families and educators of Deaf-Blind students.
AJE is happy to share this new widget from the Center for Dignity in Healthy for People with Disabilities! The Center has created a new widget on their website, which generates the date on which a person is eligible to receive their COVID Booster vaccine. The tool can be found at: https://centerfordignity.com/booster-shot-date/
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Parent Cafe for Parents of Children Transition-Aged (Ages 14+)
Join our AJE Parent Ambassadors, leaders in the community, to talk in a safe-space with other parents about the five protected factors (resilience, relationships, support, knowledge, and communication) and how they can help you to get your children with disabilities ready for their future careers. For more information about the upcoming cafe see below. Click here to register.
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Act Early DC Parent Cafes for Parents of Children
Join DDC, Act Early DC, DC Autism Parents, AJE, and East River Family Strengthening Collaborative to talk in a safe-space with other parents about the five protected factors (resilience, relationships, support, knowledge, and communication) and how they can help you to get re-adjusted to your new normal. For more information about the upcoming cafes see below.
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AJE Upcoming Trainings:
Just a few updates from AJE - we have two really good Lunch & Learn Events coming up. See below for more information.
On Monday, Oct 4th, Strong Start (OSSE) will be joining us to talk about their shift to a primary service provider model. Please join us if you are a parent that is interested in understanding what the shift means or if you work with families with young children who have disabilities or special health care needs. Click here to register.
On Monday, Oct 25th, we have a Lunch & Learn with Tzedek - What Education Attorneys and Advocates need to know to serve low-income families struggling with debt. A conversation with Tzedek about debt and disability, covering Debt Collection, SSI/SSDI, Student Loan Relief, and more - including when to refer clients to Tzedek for additional support. Click here to register.
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ABOUT AJE:
Advocates for Justice and Education is the federally designated Parent Training and Information Center and the Health Information Center for DC. AJE seeks to empower families, youth, and the community to be effective advocates to ensure that children and youth, particularly those who have special needs, receive access to appropriate education and health services.
Our passion is empowering families by equipping parents and students with disabilities with the tools they need to be their own advocates.
Have questions? We are here to educate, advocate and empower. Contact us today!
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