OSEP Releases Two New Fast Facts: Part B Educational Environments and Part B Personnel

By the Office of Special Education Programs

The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has released two new Fast Facts:  (1) OSEP Fast Facts: Educational Environments of Children with Disabilities Served under IDEA Part B Section 619 and (2) OSEP Fast Facts: Part B Personnel.

These Fast Facts spotlight OSEP’s Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 618 data on personnel and educational environments of children with disabilities in early childhood settings. They are packed with visualizations that help make IDEA 618 data easy to interpret and share.

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Voices From the Field: Interview with Lise Fox

Lise Fox

Lise Fox, Ph.D., is a professor and chair in the Department of Child and Family Studies at the College of Behavioral and Community Sciences of the University of South Florida. She is the Principal Investigator of the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations, funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). She is involved in research and national technical assistance projects related to early childhood programs and practices. Her research is focused on practical approaches for the inclusion of young children with problem behavior in community settings and individualized interventions for addressing young children’s challenging behavior

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Secondary Transition to Postsecondary Services

This is the ninth blog in a series of blog posts on secondary transition from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS).

Successful Transitions for All -- Blog Image - Secondary Transition to Postsecondary Services

Expect, Engage, and Empower: Successful Transitions for All!
Blog Post #9

Secondary transition includes when a student exits secondary school and enters postsecondary education and/or employment.

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Services Before High School Graduation

This is the eighth blog in a series of blog posts on secondary transition from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS).

: Blog Series: Post 08. Successful Transitions for All. Expect, Engage, Empower. Services Before High School Graduation.

Expect, Engage, and Empower: Successful Transitions for All!
Blog Post #8

Students with disabilities and their families may find the journey of transition planning to be a nerve-wracking and intimidating process because there are many uncertainties. Families may also be concerned about the support their students with disabilities will still need and receive after exiting high school. However, with thoughtful, intentional transition planning and access to transition services, including pre-employment transition services, students with disabilities can gain before leaving high school the knowledge and self-advocacy skills necessary to lead successful and meaningful careers and adult lives!

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20 Years After the 2004 Reauthorization of the IDEA

By Glenna Wright-Gallo, OSERS Assistant Secretary

Official photo of OSERS Assistant Secretary Glenna Wright-GalloToday marks the 20th anniversary of the 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

At the U.S. Department of Education and within the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), we celebrate the law’s evolution from merely ensuring basic school access to championing inclusive practices across all age groups over the past two decades. However, we must commit to continuing this change for the next two decades and beyond.

I challenge us to take this milestone as an opportunity to build upon our achievements, identify opportunities for continued improvement, and chart an ambitious course for the future.

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Education Department Releases Guidance to Better Support Students’ Behavioral Needs

Cover - Using Functional Behavioral Assessments to Create Supportive Learning EnvironmentsFunctional Behavioral Assessment Guidance Intended to Reduce Exclusionary Discipline and Better Support and Respond to Student Behavior

The U.S. Department of Education released guidance, today, to help schools and early childhood programs better support students’ behavioral needs.

The “Using Functional Behavioral Assessments to Create Supportive Learning Environments” guidance focuses on evidence-based practices to support students, with or without disabilities, whose behavior interferes with learning.

“Historically, there’s been an overreliance on exclusionary discipline practices, and this remains a top concern for educators, families, and the Department,” said Glenna Wright-Gallo, assistant secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS). “This Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) guidance is rooted in evidence-based practices to support all students, regardless of disability status. It is one step toward getting needed, practical tools into the hands of every educator so they can more effectively meet the needs of all students.”

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OSEP Awards Nearly $19 Million To Help States Expand Personnel Development Efforts to Improve Results for Children with Disabilities

By the Office of Special Education Programs

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Nov. 13, 2024) — The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) in the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced it awarded $18.8 million in Fiscal Year 2024 to four state educational agencies the State Personnel Development Grants (SPDG) program.

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Creating and Living a Self-Determined Life

October was Down Syndrome Awareness Month

A daughter and her mom pose together while out hiking.

Wren and mom Kristin take a photo while out hiking.

By: Kristin Jones

When I was 12 weeks pregnant and 39 years old, we found out that Wren was going to be born with Down syndrome. As is the case for most families, this news was a surprise to us, but for me there was a lot more to process.

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RSA Success Story: Entrepreneurship Through the VR and AIVRS Programs

By: Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation

In a February 2024 Dear Colleague Letter, Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) Commissioner Danté Allen prioritized elevating community expectations for competitive integrated employment by showcasing success stories of individuals with disabilities who receive services from RSA Programs. View the six-part series at RSA Success Stories.

Amanda Freeman stands in front of a billboard with a photograph of her, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde logo, and the following text: How many must go missing before you start to listen? Stop Human Trafficking #MMIPThrough a collaborative partnership between Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) and the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, funded by an American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services (AIVRS) grant, Tribal member Amanda Freeman is following her dream of owning her own photography business.

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Voices From the Field: Interview with Rebecca Davis

Supporting Early Childhood

Rebecca Davis

Rebecca Davis is an Education Program Specialist within the Office of Special Education Programs on the Early Childhood and Parent Program Team. Rebecca was an early childhood special education teacher and then went on to complete her PhD in Special Education from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2021. Her research interests focus on investigating early childhood environments, training and coaching natural communication partners to use evidence-based practices, and supporting families of children with disabilities.

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