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MPACT ENews
August 31, 2012
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Greetings!
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Did you miss an issue of the MPACT ENews? Delete it by mistake? Wish you could find a past article? Well you can! To view current and past issues of the MPACT ENews visit our website at http://ptimpact.org/News.aspx |
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Online Trainings offered through MPACT
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MPACT has just added another online training to our resources, Extended School Year is now available along with:
- Special Education: What I Need to Know
- IDEA Transition Requirements
- Transition to Post Secondary Experiences (Part 1 & 2)
- Connecting Goals to Coordinated Activities and Services for Transition
- Transition Resources - Disability Disclosure
- Soft Skills
You can access them by going to our Training page and clicking on Online Training, or CLICK HERE .
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MPACT Parent Mentor Program
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MPACT Parent Mentors are available to offer support and guidance to parents of children with disabilities throughout the IEP process. Parent Mentors are volunteers who receive 24 hours of initial training, ongoing monthly training, and technical assistance from MPACT staff with regard to special education law, the IEP process, conflict resolution, and effective communication. Their goal is to help parents build a collaborative partnership with the school district so their child may receive an appropriate education. To view the list of current MPACT Parent Mentors, go to http://ptimpact.org/Volunteer/MentorList.aspx.
If your school district has had a MPACT Parent Mentor in attendance at an IEP meeting, please take a moment to complete a brief online survey located at http://ptimpact.org/Surveys.aspx if you have not already done so. A separate survey should be completed for each mentor who has provided services to parents in your district. These surveys assist MPACT and DESE with identifying and addressing areas of success and improvement with the Parent Mentor Program.
For more information about MPACT or if you have questions regarding the status of a Parent Mentor, please contact MPACT by telephone at (800) 743-7634 or by e-mail at info@ptimpact.org. You can also view the MPACT website at http://www.ptimpact.org.
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Check out What's New!
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Save the Date! 4th Annual MPACT Transition Summit
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October 9, 2012 at the Truman Office Building in Jefferson City, MO.
Registration will begin at 9am, Session and Keynote Speaker 10am-4pm. Lunch will be provided.
The Summit is a one-day learning experience designed for students who have disabilities, special education transition personnel and student teams, family members, case managers, VR counselors, and Centers for Independent Living personnel. Summit sessions are focused on the preparation of youth for transition to post-secondary education, employment, independent living and community experiences.
Key Note Speaker: Tori Saylor
If you or anyone you know has AS, Tori's message will leave you curious, motivated, and with a heightened awareness. Just when you think that you know everything there is to know about the Autism Spectrum, what you learn may surprise you.
Topics to be covered include:
- Student-led IEPs
- Going to College
- Independent Living
- Assistive Technology
- Soft Skills, and much more!
To download the Registration and Conference Information CLICK HERE.
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Due Process and the Administrative Hearing Commission
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Recently enacted legislation, SB 595, changed the process for due process hearings. Beginning August 28, 2012, any due process complaint filed will no longer be held by a three person hearing panel. Instead, the cases will be heard by a single hearing commissioner employed by the Administrative Hearing Commission (AHC). Due process complaints will continue to be filed with the Office of Special Education at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
A Due Process complaint form reflecting this new process is now available on the Department website http://dese.mo.gov/se/compliance/complaint/ . The form includes a Due Process Checklist explaining the steps in the process.
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Proposed Changes to State Plan for Part C and Notice of Public Hearings
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The Office of Special Education, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, is proposing changes to the State regulations implementing Part C (birth to three years) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). These are the regulations that govern the First Steps Early Intervention Program. These regulations also include requirements for transition from Part C (First Steps) to Part B (Early Childhood Special Education), including Local Educational Agency (LEA) notification, timelines for the conference with the LEA, and required actions for late referrals to First Steps.
The proposed changes are available for inspection until October 29, 2012, in the Office of Special Education, Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 205 Jefferson Street, Jefferson City, MO 65102 during regular office hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The proposed changes are also available on the Office of Special Education website at: http://dese.mo.gov/se/stateplan/index.html . Numerous changes to content, abbreviations and formatting were made throughout the document. A chart identifying the content changes is also available at the above link.
Before adopting any proposed changes necessary to comply with Part C of the Act, the state must hold hearings for public review and comment on the proposed changes to regulations. Two public hearings on these proposed changes will be held by webinar during October 2012. The webinar dates, times, and access links are listed below:
Proposed State Plan Changes for Part C - 1st Public Hearing
Wednesday October 10, 2012, 1:00-3:00 p.m. -- http://dese.mo.gov/webinar/Webinar10-10-12-SE.htm
Proposed State Plan Changes for Part C - 2nd Public Hearing
Tuesday October 16, 2012, 1:00-3:00 p.m. -- http://dese.mo.gov/webinar/Webinar10-16-12-SE.htm
Written public comments on the proposed changes in state regulations may be submitted during the webinars or through the following methods until close of business on October 29, 2012.
Mail: Office of Special Education, Attn: Pam Schroeder
P.O. Box 480, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0480
Email: Idea.Comments@dese.mo.gov, Attn: Pam Schroeder, Part C State Plan Comments
Fax: Attn: Pam Schroeder, (573) 526-4404 |
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DESE Discipline Webinar
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This webinar focuses on the legal requirements under IDEA for disciplining students with disabilities. A new training video detailing the process that must be followed as well as the factors that must be considered by school staff when disciplining students with disabilities is shared along with resources for parents and districts. This is followed by a live question and answer session.
Parents, Advocates, School Administrators, Directors of Special Education, Special Education Process Coordinators, Special and General Education Teachers, and School Resource Officers should view this webinar.
Presented by Nancy Thomas, Assistant Director, Special Education Compliance; Julie Bower, Special Education Compliance Supervisor; and Jennifer McKenzie, Compliance Consultant, Heart of MO RPDC.
If you experience trouble during the webinar, first read through our help guide, and if assistance is still needed, call (573) 751-5739.
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Partners in Policymaking Application
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Partners in Policymaking (Partners) is an innovative national model of leadership training designed for adults with developmental disabilities and parents of young children with developmental disabilities. The program teaches leadership skills and the process of developing positive partnerships with elected officials, school personnel and other individuals who make policy decisions about services that you and/or your family use.
Partners is about systems change -- creating, working towards, and achieving a vision of shared values about people with disabilities. It is based on the belief that the most effective and enduring public policy decisions are made by the people who need and use services in partnership with elected officials and other policymakers. It is about becoming confident in oneself, competent in knowledge and information received, and comfortable in sharing the life experiences and expertise one brings to the program.
2013 Partners Application
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Many school districts are working to help students with autism and other special needs make the transition from high school to college or the workforce. Programs include those that place students with disabilities in internships, offer lessons in life and work skills or encourage them to pursue a college education. "Nationally, there's been a huge shift in the mindset of colleges and universities, as well as high schools and junior high schools. The expectations are being raised, and that's great," said Barbara Becker-Cottrill, who leads a program at Marshall University in West Virginia.
To read the story CLICK HERE.
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Program Offers Assistive-Tech Grant for Children with Disabilities
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The AbleGamers Foundation, an organization that helps provide access to digital entertainment for individuals with disabilities, is launching a new program to provide one-time grants for video-gaming equipment for children up to 15 years old. "We are thrilled to be enabling children with disabilities by providing assistive technology through this grant," said Mark Barlet, president and founder of the organization. Wired.com/Geek Dad blog
To read more
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Free MPACT Trainings
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MPACT trainings are provided free of charge to parents of children with disabilities. To sign up for an upcoming training, follow the links below, then click on the 'SIGNUP' button located next to the training name. Fill in your name, email address, phone number, the name ofthe training you wish to attend and the date it is being offered.
While registering for a training is not mandatory it does ensure that the trainer has an adequate amount of handouts. This also allows MPACT to contact you should a training need to be cancelled or rescheduled. To view a comprehensive list of all trainings provided by MPACT go to http://ptimpact.org/Training/Training.aspx.
Please be sure to double check the website training pages for any updates or changes to trainings offered.
Steps to Success Series:
Effectively Communicating Your Child's Needs 10/11/12 St. Louis
Understand the IFSP Process
IDEA Boot Camp (Special Education Law, Understanding the IEP Process, Disagreement Resolution)
09/27/12 St. Louis
Understanding the IEP Process
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Question? Comments? Suggestions? Send them to info@ptimpact.org or
contact the MPACT State Office at 1-800-743-7634. |
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