Last month was recognized as Learning Disabilities, Dyslexia, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) month, and November is recognized to assist in raising awareness of the needs of children with learning and attention issues, to assure that no child falls through the cracks.
Category: Special Education
NCSC student report portal closes
The National Center and State Collaborative (NCSC) Reporting Portal permanently closes this Friday, Nov. 6 at 5 p.m. All Student Reports for the MEA Alternate Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy must be downloaded by that time. All registered test coordinators are required to make copies for schools, parents and sending districts, if applicable.
Notice of proposed rule and rule changes: Chapters 176 and 23
The Maine DOE is proposing a repeal and replace of Chapter 23, a regulation related to the collection of staff information and Chapter 176, a new rule related to Child Development Services (CDS).
Chapter 23: The Department is repealing the original regulation of 1979. This proposal replaces the original regulation and reflects that the collection of staff information is to be done within the data collection systems rather than via forms, and will include authorized and approved personnel (in addition to certified) paid by local school systems and private schools.
Chapter 176: This rule sets forth the process whereby the Child Development Services (CDS) State Intermediate Educational Unit (SIEU) establishes a roster of independent contractors for the provision of evaluations for children with disabilities from birth to age five, early intervention services for children with disabilities from birth to age two, and special education and related services for children with disabilities age three to five; and ensures the provision of services in accordance with the contracts developed with independent contractors selected from the roster. A public hearing for this proposed rule is scheduled for Nov. 9 at 1 – 2:30 p.m. in room 600 of the Cross State Office Building in Augusta.
Proposed rules and rule changes can be found here on the Department’s website. Any questions about these rulemakings can be addressed by the Department’s Jaci Holmes at 624-6669.
Office of Special Services offers math opportunity
The Maine DOE Office of Special Services is offering a training opportunity for elementary school math teachers focusing on improving math proficiency for students with disabilities. The application and specifics on the training project that will begin the summer of 2016 can be found here.
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Maine DOE implements fiscal risk assessment tool for SAUs receiving IDEA funds
Beginning with the FY 16 grant year, and due to the recent adoption of Uniform Guidance for federal grants (UG), Maine DOE Special Services has implemented a fiscal risk assessment tool for all Maine school administrative units (SAUs) receiving Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), PART B – 611 or 619 funds. The assessment calculates fiscal risk by assigning weighted numeric values to multiple measures impacting federal grant management resulting in a total risk value. Examples of measures used in the calculation of the total risk value include:
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Changes regarding the upcoming Special Education Child Count
School administrative units are advised to verify the “Special Education Students for Federal Count” report in Infinite Campus and ensure that all student records in ICSE are updated by Oct. 15 for accurate reporting of Part I of the Special Education Child Count (EF-S-05).
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Inclusion support for preschool children with disabilities
Children with disabilities and their families continue to face significant barriers to accessing inclusive high-quality early childhood programs, and too many preschool children with disabilities are only offered the option of receiving special education services in settings separate from their peers without disabilities.
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Annual notification of schoolwide program options
Schools that receive federal Title I funds, have poverty rates of at least 40 percent and have approved Title IA Schoolwide Plans are eligible to use their Title I funds – and funds from other sources – to develop “schoolwide programs.”
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Office of Special Services offers professional development opportunity
The Maine DOE Office of Special Services is offering a training opportunity for high school special education teachers focusing on the development of post-secondary transition plans that are compliant with State and federal regulations. The specifics on the training that begins this fall can be found here.
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Providing parents with procedural safeguards electronically
A new section of the Maine Unified Special Education Regulations Birth to Age Twenty (MUSER) permits school administrative units (SAUs) to send certain documents, including the procedural safeguards, to parents electronically with their written consent. See MUSER Section XIV.14 (p. 156).
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