National Association of State Directors of Special Education

Team CNMI and NASDSE at the OSEP leadership conference highlighting the incredible progress made in improving special education outcomes for students with disabilities.

Doing a recorded webinar tomorrow on Assistive Technology with our partners at ATAP

The USDA, supported by NEA advocacy, expands access to free lunch and breakfast for all students.

‘An Amazing Victory’: Free School Meals for More Students | NEA The USDA, supported by NEA advocacy, expands access to free lunch and breakfast for all students.

What an incredible trip! These are the most dedicated and passionate people trying to improve outcomes for all students!!

Teachers are more stressed and burned out at work than other working adults. How can school and district leaders support them?
https://buff.ly/48g8nP2

3 Tips for School Leaders to Nurture Teachers' Well-Being Two experts in the mental health field share advice for how school leaders can mitigate teacher stress levels.

Spotlight on the Science of Reading for Students with Disabilities
This Spotlight will empower you with strategies to apply the science of reading to support students with learning differences and more.
https://buff.ly/3NMo1th

Our curriculum and instruction reporter recaps developments in reading policy and offers a look at what's ahead. Click to watch this video:
https://buff.ly/48VKNXR

How Reading Policy Evolved in 2023, And What's Ahead Education Week’s curriculum and instruction reporter recaps developments in reading policy in 2023, and offers a look at what's ahead.

PISA results show math performance declined globally amid COVID-19
Though the results echo trends highlighted in recent NAEP scores, the U.S. struggled less in math than other industrialized nations did. https://www.k12dive.com/news/PISA-2022-math-decline-covid-19/701519/

PISA results show math performance declined globally amid COVID-19 Though the results echo trends highlighted in recent NAEP scores, the U.S. struggled less in math than other industrialized nations did.

Why are so many rural kids saying ‘no thanks’?

MIT, Yale and other elite colleges are finally reaching out to rural students After a long history of neglect, a small group of selective universities has started to recruit in rural areas, where students are more likely to graduate from high school but less likely than their urban and suburban counterparts to go to college.

From a looming fiscal cliff to creative recruitment and retention strategies, here’s what stood out in the past year of our Staffed Up coverage. Staffed up examines school staffing best practices and solutions for teacher recruitment and retention. https://buff.ly/47pfqn8

4 key school staffing solution themes that emerged in 2023 From a looming fiscal cliff to creative recruitment and retention strategies, here’s what stood out in the past year of our Staffed Up coverage.

Teletherapy has become a reliable way for schools to extend the mental health safety net for their students. It can meet several needs at one go, chief among them the lack of qualified professionals to deal with counseling and therapy needs in schools. Use our new resource to help guide you through the logistics of setting up a program in your school.

Four Pillars of Effective Teletherapy in Schools: A Downloadable Guide Use our new resource to help guide you through the logistics of setting up a program in your school.

From a looming fiscal cliff to creative recruitment and retention strategies, here’s what stood out in the past year of our Staffed Up coverage. Staffed up examines school staffing best practices and solutions for teacher recruitment and retention.

4 key school staffing solution themes that emerged in 2023 From a looming fiscal cliff to creative recruitment and retention strategies, here’s what stood out in the past year of our Staffed Up coverage.

How School Leaders Can Build Emotional Intelligence
Attend this virtual event to discover what emotional intelligence is, why it’s valuable for school and district leaders, and how you can develop it. https://buff.ly/41M2jeK
Register Jan. 11, 2024
2:00 P.M. - 4:30 P.M. ET

Parents: New year, new opportunity to revisit homework habits! ☑️⬇️
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As students return to school, it's important to note that hospitalizations have risen for the seventh consecutive week. Here's what you should know: https://buff.ly/41K6cAF

Why hospitals in several states are reinstating mask requirements Amid a rise in COVID and flu cases and hospitalizations, several hospitals across the U.S. are reinstating mask requirements for staff and visitors.

Wishing you a ! #2024

As we transition into the New Year, it’s a great time to reemphasize the importance of successful secondary transition for students with disabilities transitioning to post-secondary opportunities.

Here’s a recap of transition blogs from 2023:

Successful Transitions for All | Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Blog Self-Determination This is the third blog in a series of blog posts on secondary transition from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS). Expect, Engage, and Empower: Successful Transitions for All! Blog Post #3 “No one rises to low expectations.” – Les Brown Decemb...

Accelerate’s tutoring grantees say identifying a point person and building sessions into the school day are key to scaling up tutoring.

8 lessons learned for sustaining impactful tutoring programs Accelerate's tutoring grantees say identifying a point person and building sessions into the school day are key to scaling up tutoring.

Many say it’s more work to be absent, so it’s easier to show up sick.

‘Days Off Just Aren’t an Option’: Why Teachers Don’t Use Their Sick Days Many say it’s more work to be absent, so it’s easier to show up sick.

The number of kindergartners in public school plunged during the pandemic. Concerned about the virus or wanting to avoid online school, hundreds of thousands of families delayed the start of school for their young children. Most have returned to schooling of some kind, but even three years after the pandemic school closures, kindergarten enrollment has continued to lag.

Many Kids Are Still Skipping Kindergarten. Some Parents Don’t See the Point Even three years after pandemic school closures, kindergarten enrollment has continued to lag.

The Idaho Department of Education workgroup tasked with revising the state’s special education manual will expand from five to 17 members. The first iteration of the workgroup included Idaho State’s Special Education Director, Chynna Hirasaki, below, two Special Education Support and Technical Education specialists, and two school psychologists who also serve as special education experts for the state. Hirasaki said the Department of Education plans to make an official response to the U.S. Office of Special Education Programs on Jan. 18.

Special education workgroup expanding to provide better representation Stakeholder comments are arriving at the Department of Education: “The special learning disability eligibility form is such a horrific nightmare.”

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wishes you a pleasant holiday season!

Fourth Annual EdPrepLab Policy Summit will focus on preparing and developing effective school leaders for school transformation. Next year's virtual summit in January by the Learning Policy Institute explores efforts that can help increase access to high-quality, comprehensive school leader preparation and development programs. Learn more https://buff.ly/41Fyb4J