Parents or primary caregivers of young people with disabilities 12-22 years old are invited to take part in a national research study by completing the National Family Support Survey, conducted by the FAST Project. Answers to the questions on the National Family Support Survey are confidential and will help the Administration on Developmental Disabilities, parent centers, and researchers understand the information and supports families need to prepare for moving into adulthood. This information may help to inform program development for youth with disabilities in the future. The survey is available in Spanish also.  Both Spanish and English versions are available online.  National Family Support Survey

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (formerly known as No Child Left Behind) is in the process of being reauthorized. The US Department of Education issued, A Blueprint for Reform: The Reauthorization for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in March 2010. The Statewide Parent Advocacy Network of New Jersey (SPAN), the Region 1 Technical Assistance Center for Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs), has adopted the following key principles that CPAC believes are worthy of consideration. We encourage parents, educators and community members to learn more about this important legislation which governs public education in the United States for students K-12.

The Federal Government is looking for written comments from parents, teachers and community organizations regarding the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

If you would like to submit your feedback and recommendations, please email powerineducation@gmail.com.  July 23, 2010 is the deadline for submission of recommendations.

If you have questions about the reauthorization of ESEA or would like to discuss it with a Parent Consultant, please contact CPAC at 1-800-445-2722.

Montville Public Schools and CPAC recently worked together to encourage and develop reading skills among students at Mohegan Elementary School. The Norwich Bulletin just featured the “Raising Readers Parent and Student Club.” Read the full article on the Norwich Bulletin website.

Connecticut Voices for Children has released a new report which suggests that Connecticut schools and districts are using practices to successfully reduce their reliance on out-of-school suspensions. The report explains that numerous strategies, including positive behavior supports, teaching social skills, mentoring, classroom management training for teachers, peer mediation, fostering student engagement, academic supports, detentions, restitution, parent meetings and other interventions, have been found effective in improving school discipline and avoiding out-of-school suspensions.

Read the full report for more information: Teaching Discipline: A Toolkit for Educators on Positive Alternatives to Out-of-School Suspensions.

The Connecticut State Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education, has selected 29 school districts to participate in the 2009-2010 CT Special Education Parent Survey.  The survey will be sent to parents of children receiving special education services in the selected districts and will be used to monitor progress in improving special education services in Connecticut.  All responses will be kept confidential.  Parent input is extremely important.

The following districts have been selected for this year’s survey:

• Barkhamsted School District
• Berlin School District
• Bloomfield School District
• Colebrook School District
• Connecticut Technical High School*
• Danbury School District*
• Deep River School District
• East Haven School District
• Essex School District
• Granby School District
• Ledyard School District
• Mansfield School District
• Milford School District*
• Montville School District
• Norwalk School District*
• Pomfret School District
• Portland School District
• Putnam School District
• Redding School District
• Regional School District 07
• Regional School District 09
• Somers School District
• Sprague School District
• Stratford School District*
• Thomaston School District
• Union School District
• Wallingford School District*
• Weston School District
• Westport School District

* These districts were randomly sampled.  Not all parents in these districts will receive surveys.

Completed surveys should be returned, in the stamped envelope provided to the Connecticut State Education Resource Center (SERC) located at 25 Industrial Park Road in Middletown, Connecticut 06457.

Any parent who has received the survey and has questions about it, should call Colleen Hayles, Educational Consultant, CT State Department of Education, at 860-713-6922 or email at colleen.hayles@ct.gov.  If you need assistance completing the survey, please call CPAC at  1-800-445-2722.

In 2007, the Connecticut Legislature passed a law limiting out-of-school suspensions to situations where they were necessary. This law was originally intended to go into effect in 2008. After two delays, the law is now set to be implemented on July 1, 2010. This week, the education committee killed a bill that wold have postponed the in-school suspension law – requiring that most suspensions be served in school – until July 2011.

Learn more by reading “Educators Argue to End In-School Suspension Law’s Delay, Enact School Reforms” by Amanda Falcone of the Hartford Courant and “Missing Out: Suspending Students from Connecticut Schools” by Taby Ali and Alexandra Dufresne, J.D. of Connecticut Voices for Children.

Goodwill Industries of Western CT has launched a new program that is part of a national mentoring program known as Goodwill GoodGuides. The program helps teens finish school and transition into productive careers through the guidance of trusted adults. Goodwill’s goal is to have 100 youth and 60 mentors in the program. For information about becoming a mentor, please call 203-571-5316.

For more information please read “Goodwill Announces New Youth Mentoring Program” published by the Hartford Courant or visit Goodwill Industries of Western CT’s website.

The Annual State Application for Federal Fiscal Year 2010 under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act as amended in 2004 is available for public inspection on the CT State Department of Education’s website.

The application contains assurances the State is in compliance with the IDEA Reauthorization of 2004 in order to remain eligible for federal financial assistance. The application also contains a description of the use of federal funds that the State receives from the Part B grant for administrative activities.

In addition, a revised Procedural Safeguards document is also included for public inspection.  The public inspection period is 60 days starting March 1, 2010.   The public comment period is 30 days from March 15, 2010, running until April 13, 2010.  Written comments may be directed to Attorney Theresa C. DeFrancis, Bureau of Special Education, Connecticut State Department of Education, P.O. Box 2219, Hartford, CT 06145. Any questions regarding the State Application may be directed to Attorney DeFrancis at 860-713-6933.

A Public Hearing will be held on the proposed revisions to the Procedural Safeguards document on April 8, 2010 from 10:00 am until 3:00 pm. The hearing will be held at 25 Industrial Park Road, Middletown, CT in Room MCR2 (the “Fishbowl”).

On February 10, 2010, the American Psychiatric Association proposed changes to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) which would include replacing “mental retardation” with “intellectual disability” and would fold Asperger’s Syndrome into the category of “autism spectrum disorders.”  These changes, if accepted, will appear in the DSM-V in May 2013.

The American Psychiatric Association will be accepting public comment on the proposed changes until April 20th online.

Read more about these changes here.

The Connecticut State Board of Education has received the revised state regulations for special education of students with disabilities at its regularly scheduled meeting which took place on February 3, 2010. The revised regulations align more closely with the federal special education law, IDEA. There have also been changes made regarding timelines for evaluation of students suspected of having a disability as well as the eligibility determination process for learning disabilities. The proposed revised regulations are available to view as well as a summary and analysis of the proposed changes. Please check back for information regarding when public comments will be heard.