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Navigating Excellence - Parent Center Assistance & Collaboration Team
Region A E-News |
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Inspirational Quote
"Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality." ~ Martin Luther King Jr.
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Message from Diana & Michele
 Each of our parent centers has a vision and a mission that includes building the capacity of families of and children with disabilities to be able to access the services they need to achieve their best outcomes, and each of our staff take action every day to reach that vision. NE-PACT is here to help you combine your vision with action and change the world for the children, youth and families we serve, so don't hesitate to contact us! (Emails are best).
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Featuring...
SPAN: RAISE Webinar on "Tips and Tricks for Creating Accessible Content": The RAISE Transition TA Center, housed at SPAN, hosted a webinar on "Tips and Tricks for Creating Accessible Content" on Tuesday, February 16, 2021. The webinar provided some of the basics for creating accessible content like: adding alt text to images, using good color contrast, creating a good heading system, and using descriptive hyperlinks. You can find the webinar recording and materials here.
AFC: AFC Testifies on Proposed School Safety Bill Package: On Thursday, February 18, AFC testified before the New York City Council Committee on Education in response to the school safety bills in support of proposed legislation regulating the New York City Police Department's response to students in emotional crisis within public schools, significantly limiting the use of handcuffs on students in emotional crisis, and expressing concern about the need for a new vision of school safety, beyond merely transferring the School Safety Division from the NYPD to the Department of Education. Read more here.
AJE: Police Reform Commission Town Hall: Police in Schools/Policing Youth: The Police Reform Commission's Police in Schools/Policing Youth Committee is hosting a town hall on Wednesday, February 24, 2021 from 5:30pm to 8:30pm EST. The Commission was created by an act of Council (Act 23-336) to make recommendations on police reform to the Council and the Mayor by April 1, 2021. The Police in Schools/Policing Youth Committee is specifically charged with addressing issues around police and security in schools, police interactions with youth in the community, and youth safety. They would love to hear thoughts and ideas from youth, parents, educators, and administrators on these topics. Read more here.
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Upcoming Events/Dates to Remember
Region A Drop-In Call: The next Region A Drop-In Call will take place on Tuesday, March 2, 10:00am - 12:00pm. Our regular calls take place on the first Tuesday of every month. Check your calendar invite for additional details. Join the call. Please let us know no later than Friday, February 26, if you have any agenda items.
COVID-19 Drop-In Calls: The next call will be on Tuesday, March 16, 10:00am - 11:15am. On these calls we will discuss what is happening in your state/territory/community, address any new developments, and identify any help you need that we can provide concerning COVID-19. Check your calendar invite for additional details. Join the call. OSEP: Listening Session with Acting Assistant Secretary David Cantrell: On Thursday, March 18, at 2:00pm ET/1:00pm CT/12:00pm MT/11:00am PT, there will be a listening session with David Cantrell, Deputy Director of the Office of Special Education Programs, and Acting Assistant Secretary in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. Join on your computer or mobile app. Or call in 202-991-0393 - Phone conference ID: 138 414 962# Save the Date: NEPACT Follow UP Forum: The NEPACT Follow Up Forum will take place on Tuesday, April 20th and Thursday, April 22nd from 1:00-3:00 p.m. We will hone in on new opportunities for parent centers and parents to be meaningfully engaged in the State Performance Plan/ Annual Performance Report/State Systemic Improvement Plan, and on the new Administration's priorities for early childhood and education. More information to follow. NJ Statewide Network for Cultural Competence (NJSNCC), 8th Annual Conference 2021: The NJSNCC virtual conference will take place on Monday, April 26th & Tuesday, April 27th from 12:00- 5:00pm. The theme of the conference is "Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers & Cultivating Cultural Competency with the Diverse Deaf, Deaf-Blind & Hard of Hearing Community". Register here. 2021 SPAN Parent Advocacy and Leadership Virtual Conference: SPAN will host this virtual conference about meaningful Parent Leadership across education, health, mental health, family support, human services, and child welfare systems. It will take place on Tuesday, May 11 and Thursday, May 13 from 1:00 to 4:30pm EST.
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Non-Profit Management Resources
Developing an Organizational Action Plan: The Community Toolbox has a useful section on developing an organizational action plan that includes a narrative, checklist, examples, tools, and a powerpoint presentation. Check it out.
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Family-Centered Services Resources
Getting Feedback from Constituents: One important way to provide more family-centered services that meet the needs of the families you serve is by getting feedback from your constituents. Check out this section of the Community Toolbox that includes a narrative, checklist, and a powerpoint presentation.
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Youth-Centered Services Resources
Youth Advisory Councils: Check out this webinar about creating and sustaining a youth advisory council to engage authentic youth voices.
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Staff Development Resources
CentersConnect: The Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR) is proud to introduce a new tool for Parent Center leaders and staff to help you collaborate, learn, communicate and share. CentersConnect is a collection of "Spaces" on a variety of topics of high interest to parent center professionals. Here you can network, share information and content, discuss timely topics, keep each other informed, and undertake collaborative projects. Three Spaces have already been created and posted for you: NEW and Not So NEW Directors, Performance Measures Collection, and Transition to Adult Life. New "spaces" are under development and will follow soon. Spaces are created based on topics identified by Parent Centers so let us know what you'd like to see on CentersConnect. The site is private and designed only for Parent Center professionals, so registration is required. Sign up and join a "space" today. If you have any issues registering, questions about CentersConnect, or ideas for new Spaces, please email Myriam Alizo at malizo@spanadvocacy.org.
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Absenteeism
Are Students Present and Accounted For? An Examination of state Attendance Policies During the COVID-19 Pandemic: This report discusses how the coronavirus pandemic impacted attendance data. It presents a summary of state attendance guidance developed since spring 2020, and examines the extent to which recent state guidance guarantees the availability of consistent, reliable data taken on a daily basis. |
Bi-lingual/LEP
Measuring Classroom Quality Through a Dual Language Learner Lens: A new tool offers key insights on how to support DLLs' cultural and linguistic needs in early childhood classrooms. Learn more.
Addendum to Fact Sheet: Providing Services to English Learners During the COVID-19 Outbreak: This January 18, 2021 addendum outlines State educational agencies' (SEAs') responsibilities regarding select topics related to English learners (ELs) during the national emergency caused by the novel Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the 2020-2021 school year in a Q&A format. It is an addendum to a May 18, 2020 fact sheet on the same topic.
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Bullying
Bullying and Youth with Special Healthcare Needs: Check out these resources and tip sheet on bullying and children and youth with disabilities and special healthcare needs. |
Child Welfare
How the Child Welfare System Works: This factsheet provides a brief overview of the purposes and functions of the child welfare system. Child welfare systems typically receive and investigate reports of possible child abuse and neglect; provide servicers to families that need assistance in the safety and care of their children; arrange for children to live with relatives or with foster families when they are not safe at home; and arrange for reunification, adoption, or other permanent family connections for children and youth leaving foster care. A flowchart illustrates how cases typically move through the child welfare system. |
Choice/Charter Schools/Voucher Programs
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Cultural Competence
Disparities in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Services and Supports: There is emerging evidence that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities from underserved populations experience even greater disparities in access to, quality of, and outcomes of the services and supports they receive across the life span. The purpose of the Disparities Resource Guide Series is to assist Development Disabilities Councils (DD Councils), University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs), and Protection and Advocacy Programs (P&As) to address disparities experienced by identified populations of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families; and Implement changes in policy and practice to mitigate and reduce such disparities. Available in Spanish and English.
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Data
Collecting and Analyzing Data: The Community Toolbox has a useful section on collecting and analyzing data with an overview, checklist, examples and powerpoint presentation.
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Discipline & Positive Behavior Supports
Climate Coaches vs. Police: The LA school district will replace on-campus officers with climate coaches and ban use of pepper spray on students. Learn more.
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Dropout Prevention
Dropout Prevention in the Time of COVID: Students on the path toward dropping out of high school often exhibit signals that they are at risk well before they stop engaging in school. As school closures due to COVID-19 separate students from structured routines and educational supports, the number of disengaged students may continue to grow. Educators should be aware of and look for signs of disengagement and act to maximize engagement and supports for at-risk students during COVID. Read more.
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Early Childhood/Early Intervention
COVID Relief Package Includes Some Relief for Child Care Providers: State lead agencies should respond to the urgent needs providers and parents have raised throughout the pandemic to get the dollars out as quickly as possible. This article outlines some steps states can take to maximize the impact of funds.
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Education Reform/ESSA
A Parent and Educator Guide to School Climate Resources, US ED OESE, April 2019: The purpose of the Guide is to provide general information about the concept of school climate improvement, suggestions for leading an effective school climate improvement effort, and additional resources for those interested in more information. Check out the guide. |
Equity
Why a System Level Approach is Needed to Counter Racism Within the Education System: The death of George Floyd, along with racial inequities exacerbated by the global coronavirus pandemic, pushed racial justice issues to the forefront of our conversations in 2020. While the harmful impacts of racism on the lives and opportunities of Black, Indigenous, and people of color are well-known, racism persists in the everyday practices and policies of our organizations and institutions, including our education system. Here are just some of the effects of systemic racism within education.
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Foster Care
Foster Youth Deserve a Seat at the Table (Represent Magazine, Winter 2021): This is a youth in foster care written story. Outsiders make most of the decisions about foster youth's lives. It's time for better representation. Read the article.
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Health
 Adolescent Health Initiative: Empowering Youth in Health Care: Empowering youth to actively participate in their health care leads to more preventive visits and lifelong engagement in their health and well-being. Health care professionals can implement programs and practices to develop adolescents into knowledgeable and engaged health care consumers. Additionally, health care professionals can improve the quality of their care by centering the values and opinions of the young people they serve. The following resources can help you along the way. Check them out. |
Homelessness
Homeless Students under COVID and Loss of Support: Finding students, funding, and supports in a pandemic environment. Learn more.
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IDEA/Special Education
How Designing Accessible Curriculum for all Can Help Make Online Learning More Equitable: Whatever the fate of online learning, the past months have exposed some glaring disparities in access to education and technology, while families with children who have disabilities and special needs experienced significant challenges even when technology was available. Consequently, many parents have been left feeling helpless, guilty and defeated by their inability to simulate school at home. Read more. |
Immigrant Issues
Biden Executive Actions on Racial Equity Are Important First Steps: Wade Henderson, interim president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights released the following statement in response to executive actions to begin remedying racial inequities signed today by President Joe Biden: "With these first steps, President Biden has started on a meaningful path to address systemic racial injustice in crucial areas. While these executive actions are significant, make no mistake, much more work remains to be done...". Read more. |
Inclusion
Inclusive Schools Network: This instrument is designed to provide schools with a self-assessment instrument to guide a review of current practices regarding inclusive education. Inclusive education is synonymous with the requirements for the provision of education and related services in the least restrictive environment. Parents and parent groups can use this assessment to begin the conversation about needs to increase inclusion. Check it out. |
Juvenile Delinquency/Juvenile Justice
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LGBTQ
LGBTQ Equality is a Unifying Issue for Our Nation, Equality Act Reintroduced in Congress: Human Rights Campaign responded to the re-introduction of the Equality Act - federal legislation that would guarantee explicit, permanent protections for LGBTQ people under our nation's existing civil rights laws. The legislation would provide clear, and permanent protections under federal law for all Americans in vital areas of life, like housing, access to public spaces, credit, education, jury service and federally-funded programs. Read more here. |
Mental Health
What Student Age Groups Are Most Vulnerable to Pandemic-Related Trauma? Closing in on a year of the pandemic, many students have experienced illness and the deaths of loved ones, ongoing family financial and housing instability, and disconnection from school and friends. While these toxic stressors can take their toll on all children, a new study published in JAMA Network Open suggests young adolescents may be the most vulnerable to long-term problems as a result. Learn more.
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Military Families & Youth
Virtual retreats: Therapeutic retreats for military families, veterans and active duty troops move to virtual and now to safer in-person retreats. Read more.
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Native American
On Monday, February 22, the NCAI (National Congress of American Indians) will kick off its 2021 Executive Council Winter Session (ECWS) with the 19th State of Indian Nation (SOIN) address. The SOIN will be broadcasted virtually beginning at 2:30pm EST. Read more here. |
| Parent/Family Engagement (and Youth!)
What Parenting and Leadership Have in Common: Former US President Dwight D. Eisenhower defined leadership as being the "art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it." Doesn't this apply as much to parenting as it does to leadership? Read more.
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| Poverty
Annual Update of the US DHHS Poverty Guidelines: This notice provides an update of the US Department of Health and Human services poverty guidelines to account for last calendar year's increase in prices as measured by the Consumer Price Index.
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| Remote Learning/School Reopening
CDC's Operational Strategy for K-12 Schools through Phased Mitigation (Updated February 12, 2021): The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Department of Education (ED) are providing recommendations and considerations based on the most recent scientific evidence to support school and district leaders and educators in meeting these ever evolving, significant challenges. Consistent implementation and mitigation strategies during all school-related activities is critical for reopening schools - and keeping them open.
COVID-19 Handbook, Volume 1: Strategies for Safely Reopening Elementary and Secondary Schools, U.S. Department of Education, February 2021. Practical examples and roadmaps to provide educators and staff with the tools they need to implement CDC's recommended safe practices for in-person learning. The Handbook provides strategies and identifies ways to promote equity for communities of color and people with disabilities/chronic conditions who have borne a disproportionate burden of illness and serious outcomes from COVID-19 and supports the education community with implementation guidance, strategies, and considerations to help reopen schools safely.
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Social-Emotional Learning
The Effects of Absenteeism on Cognitive and Social-Emotional Outcomes: Lessons for COVID-19: In March 2020, most schools in the United States closed their doors and transitioned to distance learning in an effort to contain COVID-19. During the transition a significant number of students did not fully engage in these learning opportunities due to resource or other constraints. An urgent question for schools around the nation is how much did the pandemic impact student academic and social-emotional development.
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Technology
5 Design Techniques That Will Increase the Lifespan of Your Nonprofit's Website: If 2020 taught us anything, it was how crucial it is for us to be able to think on our feet. In a year when suddenly everyone had to work from home, businesses and organizations required an up-to-date website to stay relevant. Learn more.
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Transition to Adult Life/Youth
A Family Toolkit: Pediatric to Adult Health Care Transition: A webinar held on 10/27/2020 discussed Got Transition's Family Toolkit, which was developed for families to use during the transition from pediatric to adult health care. The webinar reviews helpful resources and provides insight from a mother of a transition-aged young adult. Check it out.
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Trauma & Toxic Stress
Past Trauma May Hurt Your Future Health: This brief article in Harvard Women's Health Watch gives a good overview of how past trauma(s) impact your current and future health and shares some relevant resources.
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ABOUT THE REGION A PARENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER
The Navigating Excellence-Parent Assistance and Collaboration Team (NE-PACT), the Region A Technical Assistance Center, provides technical assistance to federally-funded parent centers -- Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) and Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs) -  located in the states of CT-AFCAMP, CT-CPAC, DC-AJE, DE-PIC, MD-PPMD, ME-MPF, MA-FCSN, NH-PIC, NJ-SPAN, NJ-ASCF, NY-AFC, NY-CIDA, NY-LIAC, NY-UWS, NY-Starbridge, NY-INCLUDEnyc, NY-Sinergia, NY-PNWNY, PA-HUNE, PA- ME, PA-PEAL, PR-APNI, RI-RIPIN, VI-DRVI and VT-VFN. These Parent Centers are independent non-profit organizations. We also provide support to emerging parent centers and parent organizations serving families of children with or at risk of being identified as having disabilities. In addition, we work with early intervention and education agencies (local, state and federal level) seeking information regarding best practices in involving parents of children with disabilities in systems improvement.
The center activities are specifically designed to:
- Enhance the capacity of parent centers to provide effective services to families of children with special needs and to work effectively with their states to improve special education and early intervention systems; and,
- Facilitate their connections to the larger technical assistance network that supports research-based training, including educating parents about effective practices that improve results for children with disabilities. For more information click here.
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