January 29, 2025 | Issue 165 (View newsletter as webpage) Para leer este boletín en Español, haga clic aquí

Important News

Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Schools: New Guidelines Issued by NJ DOE and Resources from COPAA

On January 22, the NJ Department of Education added new guidance to its website with suggested protocols for schools if an ICE agent seeks to come onto school grounds or access school records. This includes getting the agent's information and any documents that authorize them access to the school, and immediately contacting the superintendent, and more.

For coverage from NJ Patch on the NJ Dept. of Ed. guidelines, including reactions from immigrants rights groups, click here.

Concurrently, The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) has released an updated Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Schools page on their website with information and resource links for both parents and educators across all states.

Know Your Rights (KYR) Immigrant Digital Resources Released

Two nonprofit organizations have recently released digital "Know Your Rights" resources for immigrants.

The NJ Alliance for Immigrant Justice (NJAIJ) has released a new webpage as part of their "Know Your Rights" campaign, which includes "KYR" cards, a Training Calendar and Catalog, a Find an Attorney resource and more.

Similarly, the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC), has developed a Know Your Rights (KYR) app. This app can read your rights out loud to an ICE or law enforcement agent and send a message to an emergency contact. It also includes other resources, such as the ability to look up a consulate and a sample family preparedness plan. The app is available in 16 languages and is currently available for iPhones and will soon be ready for Android phones. To learn more about the app and download it, click here.

January is Kawasaki Disease Awareness Month

January is Kawasaki Disease Awareness Month and January 26 was Kawasaki Disease Awareness Day.

Kawasaki disease (KD), or Kawasaki syndrome, is a severe illness characterized by inflammation of blood vessels throughout the body that primarily affects young children and infants.

KD is the leading cause of acquired heart disease in U.S. children, but with effective treatment, only a small percentage of KD patients have lasting coronary artery damage.

Kawasaki disease symptoms usually appear in three phases. Because there is no specific test for KD, doctors make a clinical diagnosis based on a set of symptoms and physical findings.

To learn more, click here.

Resources

Share Your Experience with Family Cost Share for Early Intervention Services - Virtually

After successfully completing our in-person Early Intervention Focus Groups, we’re excited to extend the opportunity for parents to share their feedback in virtual sessions! These Focus Groups, funded by the NJ Department of Health, aim to hear directly from families of young children about their experiences with the Family Cost Share for early intervention services to gain valuable insights into the challenges families face, their unmet needs, and suggestions for improving service delivery.

The virtual focus groups are scheduled for January 31st and February 5th and will be offered in English and Spanish. Please take a look at the attached flyers for more details. Spots are limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Families participating in the Family Cost Share program are encouraged to apply, and one family member per household is eligible to participate.

A $125 stipend will be provided to attendees. Don’t miss this opportunity to make your voice heard!

To participate, click here.

OSEP Releases Two New Fast Facts

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) released two new Fast Facts:

(1) OSEP Fast Fact: Educational Environments of Children with Disabilities Served under IDEA Part B Section 619 and

(2) OSEP Fast Fact: Part B Personnel.

These Fast Facts spotlight their IDEA 618 data on personnel and educational environments of children with disabilities in early childhood (3-5 years) settings. They are packed with visualizations that help make IDEA 618 data easy to interpret and share.

Upcoming Events

SPAN offers a variety of learning opportunities for families and the professionals who work with them.

Highlighted Event This Week

SEPAG Resource Clinic

Wednesday, February 12

7:00 PM ET

Online

Are you a parent/caregiver or school staff member looking for assistance for your Special Education Parent Advisory Group (SEPAG)?

This clinic is for you!

Attend a clinic to connect with a member of the SPAN START EPSD team and receive strategies, tips and resources to help.

To register, click here.

See all of SPAN's upcoming events with details and registration links here

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Preparing for Emergencies

Read our latest youth blog post, “Preparing for Emergencies,” to learn simple steps to stay safe, make a plan, and handle unexpected situations with confidence.

To access the post, click here.

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