Special EDition

              State Technical Assistance
Grant Awarded to
Special Education Services
Sandy Garrett, State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Oklahoma State Department of Education
Special Education Services
SPECIAL EDiittiion
It is the policy of the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, or disability in its programs or employment practices as required by
Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Civil rights compliance inquiries related to the OSDE may be directed to the
Affi rmative Action Offi cer, Room 111, 2500 North Lincoln Boulevard, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105-4599, telephone number (405) 522-4930; or, the United States Department of Education’s Assistant Secretary for Civil
Rights. Inquiries or concerns regarding compliance with Title IX by local school districts should be presented to the local school district Title IX coordinator.
This publication, printed by the State Department of Education Printing Services, is issued by the Oklahoma State Department of Education as authorized by 70 O.S. § 3-104. Seven hundred copies have been prepared using
IDEA-B federal funds at a cost of $1,075.42. Copies have been deposited with the Publications Clearinghouse of the Oklahoma Department of Libraries. December 2010.
Winter
Edition
2011
ARRA Money .............................................Page 2
NIMAS ........................................................Page 3
George B. Lewis Advocacy Award .............Page 4
PBIS ...........................................Pages 5, 6, 7, & 8
Budget Application and Workshops ............Page 9
OAAP Performance Level Descriptors .......Page 9
Response to Intervention ...........................Page 10
ARRA Expenditure Reporting Online .......Page 11
Calendar of Events.....................................Page 12
Ask Misty ..................................................Page 13
Meet the Staff ............................................Page 14
Part B Expenditure Reports ...................Page 15
The Oklahoma State Department of Educa-tion,
Special Education Services, was recently
awarded a state technical assistance grant by
the National Center to Improve the Recruitment
and Retention of Qualifi ed Personnel for Chil-dren
with Disabilities (Personnel Improvement
Center [PIC]) The PIC is a technical assistance
and dissemination project under a cooperative
agreement between the National Association
of State Directors of Special Education (NAS-DSE)
and the U.S. Department of Education,
Offi ce of Special Education Programs (OSEP).
As a technical assistance and dissemination
(TA and D) project, the PIC mission is to iden-tify,
disseminate and assist States in imple-menting
evidence-based practices to meet
the need for highly or fully qualifi ed special
education, early intervention and related ser-vices
personnel, including paraprofessionals.
The focus of the proposal is attracting, develop-ing
and supporting new and existing personnel
within the State of Oklahoma. A national expert
in the fi eld of human resources and school ad-ministration
will assist our state. The program
will focus assistance in the following areas a)
improving working conditions; b) developing
special education personnel-specifi c mentor-ing/
induction; and c) implementing administra-tive
supports. Technical assistance will include
on-site training, consisting of review and de-velopment
of plans and procedures for hir-ing
and supporting new and existing personnel.
This program will include the identifi cation of ap-propriate
research-based practices related to person-nel
practices and workplace environment that may
affect the identifi cation, hiring, and development of
special education-related personnel. For more infor-mation
on this program contact Ms. Letha Bauter,
State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG) Proj-ect
Coordinator, at (405) 521-2980, or by email at
<Letha_Bauter@sde.state.ok.us> or Ms. Susan El-lis,
SPDG Project Coordinator, at (405) 522-4365
or by email at <Susan_Ellis@sde.state.ok.us>.
2
ARRA Money- Spend Quickly
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 appropriated signifi cant
new funding for programs under Parts B and C of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA). The IDEA ARRA funds provided an unprecedented opportunity
for states, local educational agencies (LEAs), and early intervening services (EIS)
programs to implement innovative strategies to improve outcome for infants, toddlers,
children, and youth with disabilities while stimulating the economy.
The ARRA Guiding Principles were to:
• Spend funds quickly to save and create jobs. Districts are spending IDEA, Part
B ARRA funds in some of these ways:
New Teachers
Staffi ng for innovative programs
Tutors and paraprofessionals
Math and English specialists
Secondary Transition
Job Coaches
Purchases and contracted services
• Ensure transparency and accountability. Districts are successfully completing:
Budget application process
Permission for construction/remodeling
Monthly Reporting
ARRA Online Expenditure Reporting System
• Invest one-time funds thoughtfully to minimize the funding cliff. Districts are
spending IDEA, Part B ARRA funds in some of these ways:
Special Education Bus and/or retrofi tted bus
Transportation for secondary transition activities
Remedial/augmented programs (e.g., summer and after-school sessions, Math and
Engineering Clubs) Assistive technology
• Improve student achievement through school improvement and reform. Districts
have invested in innovative programs:
Secondary transition classes/programs “Cutting Edge” technology
Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS)
Response to Intervention (RtI)
Professional Development (e.g., professional study groups with stipends, speakers)
Under ARRA, the IDEA Part B ARRA funds were provided under three authorities,
$11.3 billion was available under Part B Grants to States; $400 million was available
under Part B Preschool Grants; and $500 billion was available under Part C Grants
for Infants and Families. The Oklahoma State Department of Education awarded 50
percent of the funds to LEAs on April 1, 2009. The second 50 percent was awarded
by September 30, 2009, and must be spent by September 30, 2011.
3
NIMAS
The Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE), Special Education Services, (SES), is excited
to be working with Oklahoma ABLE Tech, Oklahoma’s Assistive Technology Act Program, to provide
comprehensive, statewide National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS)-related
services to students with print disabilities who are being served under the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA).
NIMAS is a provision in the reauthorization of the IDEA 2004 (34 CFR § 300.172 and § 300.210).
NIMAS is designed to maximize access to the general education curriculum for blind or other print-disabled
children through the timely provision of accessible instructional materials created from NIMAS
source fi les, a uniform electronic (or digital) format for textbooks and related materials which is coded
in Extensible Markup Language (XML). XML provides a fl exible way to create common information
formats and share both the format and the data on the World Wide Web, intranets, and elsewhere.
According to the Oklahoma State Department of Education report for 2009-2010, the child count
of students with disabilities was 95,186 with 490 students categorized with a visual impairment, 23
who are deaf blind and over 40,719 with specifi c learning disabilities. Oklahoma public schools are
obligated to provide timely access to instructional materials and are to request accessible formats with
their textbook order. Oklahoma ABLE Tech will support LEA activities in effectively providing timely
accessible instructional materials for students with print disabilities and to improve student’s maximum
access to the curriculum at the same time as other students.
The agreement between the OSDE-SES and Oklahoma ABLE Tech provides specialized short-term
loans, training services and will serve as an Authorized User (AU) for LEAs. In order to expedite the
acquisition of alternate formats, LEAs would be able to request support from Oklahoma ABLE Tech.
Oklahoma ABLE Tech’s services being provided to Oklahoma LEAs include the following:
A. Provide assistive technologies (AT) to students being served under the IDEA. The AT will be
used for the purpose of device short-term loan (not to exceed 42 days). The purpose of device short-term
loan may be to assist in the decision making (“try before you buy”), to serve as a loaner while the
student is waiting for device repair or funding, to provide accommodation on a short-term basis, or for
professional development activities.
B. Oklahoma ABLE Tech is a designated Authorized User (AU) to assist with the coordination
of LEA requests to the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Center (NIMAC) and assist with
the coordination of materials through the AIM Center as well as coordinate the student’s assistive
technology needs.
C. Provide a minimum of four training opportunities on NIMAS implementation in Oklahoma and
ABLE Tech services. Additionally, provide training to teachers and other appropriate school personnel
on selected AT devices to increase effective utilization with students.
D. Promote NIMAS services, the short-term loan program and training opportunities to LEAs.
The goal is for the collaboration between the OSDE-SES and Oklahoma ABLE Tech to result in
an effective system of accessing instructional materials in alternate formats for students with print
disabilities.
The following webinar topics and dates sponsored by Oklahoma ABLE Tech and the Oklahoma State
Department of Education will be available for Oklahoma public schools:
(Continued on Page 16)
4
George B. Lewis Advocacy Award
Goes To Heather Hancock
We would like to congratulate our very own Ms. Heather Hancock, Administrative Assistant. Heather is
the 2010 recipient of the Oklahoma City Mayor’s Committee on Disability Concerns: George B. Lewis
Advocacy Award. The George B. Lewis Advocacy Award recognizes an Oklahoma City area resident
with a disability who has performed outstanding and notable feats to enhance the empowerment and/or
employment of individuals with disabilities by rising above his or her own disability and encouraging
others with disabilities to do the same. This individual displays these principles through community
involvement and in his or her area of employment. This individual has also promoted overcoming
social, attitudinal, and environmental barriers to enhance the lives of all persons with disabilities and
shown good citizenship in his or her everyday activities.
Heather is a member of the Down Syndrome Group of Central Oklahoma. She is on the board and
mentors new members to be on the board. Heather is also on the National Down Syndrome Congress
Board and is a Global Messenger who promotes awareness about Special Olympics. Heather competes
in Special Olympics each year in swimming, basketball, bowling, and bocce.
Heather is a very hard worker and wants to get things done. She is an Administrative Assistant at the
Oklahoma State Department of Education in Special Education Services. She also works hard to be
an advocate for other people with disabilities. Heather also visits different school sites and delivers
speeches to students and adults. She talks about her life and her experiences and how she works very
hard to overcome diffi cult situations. She tells people that they can do anything as long as you “Believe
that you can.”
Heather lives life to the fullest and lives by the Special Olympics Motto, “Let me win, but if I cannot
win, let me be brave in the attempt.” Congratulations again to Ms. Heather Hancock for all of her
achievements.
5
6
7
8
9
Budget Application/Approval Workshops
The Hands on Budget Application/Approval Workshops were a huge success this year! The Oklahoma State
Department of Education (OSDE), Special Education Services (SES) Finance Team provided hands-on training
for budget completion and approval. The trainings addressed funding of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA), Part B, including Projects 621, 622, 623, 624, 625, 641, 642 and 643 budget preparation
and application process, maintenance of effort (MOE), Time and Effort reporting, American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding principles, and expenditure reporting. By the end of the day, most attendees
left with an approved budget.
In an effort to make training more available to districts, the workshops were held in Woodward, Burns Flat,
Talihina, Atoka, Tulsa, and Oklahoma City. The OSDE-SES Finance Team facilitated more than 160 participants
during the workshops. As a result of the workshops, as of October 2010, the Finance Team has been able to
process and approve 186 budget applications. The OSDE-SES Finance Team strives to get the budgets approved
as soon possible so that districts can begin submitting expenditure reports. As of October 21, 2010, there were
225 certifi ed applications that had begun the approval process.
Each local educational agency (LEA) should check the “School District Reporting Site” often to review the status
of their budget. Please check the “View Notes” link where the budget application is uploaded for updates. Any
action taken while reviewing a budget application is recorded as a note under the “View Notes” link. Information
in this box will let you know if your application has been approved or if any corrective action needs to be taken
by the LEA.
All budgets that have not been submitted or certifi ed need to be uploaded as soon as possible. Remember, an
approved budget must be in place in order for an expenditure report to be paid. Therefore, having an approved
budget in place in a timely manner is an important monetary decision for each district. The due date for applications
to be uploaded was September 24, 2010.
The OAAP Portfolio is undergoing changes this year, based on fi ndings from Peer Review by the
United States Department of Education (USDE). The Peer Review process is a required review of
state assessment and accountability programs under No Child Left Behind. It provides an evalu-ation
of the quality of an assessment. All new assessments must go through Peer Review, as well
as any assessments in the state that have undergone revisions. The Peer Review process is to en-sure
that all assessments new or revised still meet the components of a valid and reliable assess-ment.
As an outcome of the Peer Review on Oklahoma’s OAAP Portfolio, the Oklahoma State
Department of Education (OSDE) is required by the USDE to set Performance Level Descrip-tors
(PLDs) for every grade and subject assessed by the OAAP Portfolio. PLDs are aligned to
a domain of content standards and describe the overall performance on a set of tasks. They de-fi
ne distinct levels of achievement that identify progress in learning from one level to another; in
Oklahoma, these levels are advanced, profi cient, limited knowledge, and unsatisfactory. PLDs pro-vide
a clear link to the content standards for the grade in which the student is enrolled, as well
as defi ne the expectations of the student at each grade level for every subject. Grade-level con-tent
may be reduced in complexity, yet progress in learning from one level to another is evident.
PLDs were developed by committees of special and general educators from across the
state. Trainings to provide information on the PLDs were held in October and November.
OAAP Portfolio Performance Level Descriptors
10
Oklahoma Response to Intervention
(RtI) Update
The Oklahoma State Department of Education’s (OSDE) efforts to provide guidance to Oklahoma
schools on effective implementation of RtI continue to move forward.
In May 2010, the OSDE concluded the second full school year of the RtI Pilot Schools Program which
provides intensive assistance to the 21 participating school sites. These schools receive training, materials,
and technical support throughout the school year. The goal of the fi ve-year pilot program is to develop
model sites that can assist other schools with RtI implementation.
The RtI Advisory Committee continue to meet at least monthly to discuss strategies for providing RtI
implementation guidance to school districts. The committee consists of personnel from various OSDE
offi ces including: Curriculum, High School Reform, Reading First, Title I Reading, Early Childhood,
and Special Education Services. Also on the committee are representatives from higher education
and the Mid-Continent Comprehensive Center (MC3). The Committee has completed the OSDE’s RtI
Guidance Document and it has been disseminated to all school districts.
An RtI Summer Institute was held July 7-9, 2010, and an RtI Web site has been developed in order to
disseminate information and guidance about RtI.
Oklahoma is one of eight states selected by the National Center on Response to Intervention to receive
intensive support through guidance, resources, and feedback. The long-term goal is to help our State
build capacity to assist local school districts in implementing RtI.
The OSDE is also developing a comprehensive plan to provide information and training opportunities
for interested schools on effective RtI implementation which will include: The development of a RtI
Implementation Guide, online training, and a RtI Blog.
For more information regarding RtI, please feel free to contact Ms. Christa Knight, Project Coordinator,
Monitoring and RtI, at (405) 521-6137.
11
ARRA Expenditure Reporting System
Online System
The end of the FY 2009-2010 school year completed a full year of expenditures for the American Recovery
Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Each local educational agency (LEA) is required to close out their FY2010 ex-penditures
for Project 622 (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [IDEA], B Flow-Through ARRA), 643
(IDEA, B Preschool ARRA), and 624 (Early Intervening Services).
The ARRA Expenditure Reporting system is accessed through the School District Reporting Site (SDRS) portal
at <www.sde.state.ok.us>. The link needed to complete the closeout process is ARRA Expenditure Reporting.
Click on the link of the ARRA project that the district wishes to access. Please select the 2010 application as
the system is confi gured to only accept closeout for FY10 (2009-2010). Click the Payments button. The next
screen is the Payment Summary Screen. Prior to performing closeout, please review the sections on the Pay-ment
Summary Screen.
The Remaining Balance of Expenditure Reports or Claims section shows how much of the ARRA project
amount that is still available to the LEA. This amount will be the carryover for FY11. Please compare this bal-ance
with the LEA’s records to ensure that the totals match. It is very important that the LEA’s ending balance
match the system as this can help identify errors that may have occurred while submitting a claim. Performing
this step before closeout can help identify claims that may not have been submitted or received by the Okla-homa
State Department of Education (OSDE). It is also important to note that if a claim has not been received
or paid, the district must contact the appropriate OSDE staff member for assistance.
When the LEA verifi es that the remaining balance matches the LEA’s totals, click the View Summary Expendi-ture
Report button. Once the LEA has reviewed all expenditure reports, the reports match the totals of the LEA’s
records and all reports show a status of Approved, the LEA is ready to closeout the ARRA project. Please click
the Closeout button.
The LEA will be given three options for closing out the FY10 ARRA project. Option 1 is not available for the
Special Education IDEA Projects: 622, 624, and 643. Option 2 allows the LEA to take the remaining ARRA
project balance and make budget applications for FY11. Any district that has a remaining balance will be re-quired
to submit a budget application for FY11 before expenditures can be made.
Option 3 allows the district to release all remaining ARRA project funds to the OSDE. If the LEA has a minimal
amount of funds remaining in the ARRA project that cannot be budgeted (i.e., $0.04), or would no longer like
to participate in the ARRA project, this option will release any unexpended ARRA project funds to the OSDE
and closeout the LEA’s ARRA project with a zero balance. Please note: this option will release the LEA from
further participation in that specifi c ARRA project, and the LEA will no longer have access to those ARRA
project funds.
If the LEA has expended all funds in an ARRA project, the LEA is still required to complete closeout. Please
choose any of the options above and continue the closeout process. Only the LEA superintendent has access
to the certifi cation button. Please note that once the superintendent has certifi ed that FY10 is complete for the
LEA, no further activity under FY10 can be performed and the closeout process cannot be reversed. Please
complete this process as soon as possible, in order to submit current ARRA expenditure reports online.
If any errors occur while trying to perform closeout on the ARRA projects, please contact the Special Education
Finance Team: Ms. Pam Kimery, Project Coordinator, (405) 522-3246, or <Pam_Kimery@sde.state.ok.us>.
For step-by-step directions for closing IDEA, B ARRA, please go to the OSDE Web site, click on ARRA Stimu-lus
Federal Funding, IDEA, B Special Education FY10 Closeout procedures.
12
Calendar of Events
Calendar of Events
Special Education Master Teacher Program
Accommodations and Modifi cations Researched Based Interventions
Thursday, December 9, 2010 Thursday, December 9, 2010
Wednesday, January 19, 2011 Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Improving Math Content Area Skills – Part 2 Multiple Disabilities
Thursday, December 9, 2010 Thursday, December 9, 2010
Wednesday, January 19, 2011 Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Watch for information upcoming regarding our Special Education Master Teacher
Summer Institute
Information can be found on the Oklahoma State Department of Education Web site at
<www.sde.state.ok.us>.
Individualized Education Program (IEP)
Basic Training Workshops
These half-day videoconference trainings will offer special education teachers,
administrators, and related service providers information regarding effective team
meetings, parent participation, transition, and compliance with the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Registration information can be found on the Oklahoma State Department Web site at
<www.sde.state.ok.us>.
Upcoming dates: December 13, 2010; January 31, 2011; February 28, 2011; and
March 28, 2011. (All are on Monday)
13
What’s Up at the OSDE-SES?
Let Us Help * Ask Misty!
Dear Misty,
A parent of a child with Autism contacted me last week by phone to request
grades from her son’s teacher as soon as possible. She said that her son will be
enrolling in a private school next week, and she wants to take advantage of the
new special education scholarship as soon as possible. This is the fi rst time she
has mentioned anything about withdrawing her son from our school district.
What are the guidelines for us to assist the parent and child in obtaining the
scholarship? Teresa, Special Education Coordinator
Dear Teresa,
The student is eligible for the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship for Students
with Disabilities, (House Bill 3393), if the student has spent the prior school
year in attendance at a public school in the state, which is defi ned by law as be-ing
enrolled in and reported by the public school for funding purposes during
the preceding school year. (October 1 Special Education Child Count and First
Quarter Statistical Report)
The timeline for implementation of the scholarship is as follows: 1) The parent
or legal guardian must obtain acceptance for admission to the private school, and
notify the public school in writing at least 60 days prior to the date of the fi rst
scholarship payment. 2) Within 10 business days of receipt by the public school
district of the parental request, the State Department of Education must receive
from the public school a request form for a determination of the calculation of
the maximum scholarship amount, 3) The State Department of Education must
provide the calculation of the maximum amount of the scholarship to the public
school in writing within 15 business days of the receipt of the request, and, 4)
The parent shall be notifi ed of the maximum amount of the scholarship in writ-ing
in a timely manner, not to exceed 30 business days from the request. More
information can be found on the Web site at: sde.state.ok.us by clicking on the
site index and going to “L” or “S” for the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship.
14
Meet the Staff Update
Carole Tomlin - Finance Coordinator Susan Ellis - SPDG Project Coordinator
What is your favorite color? Green What is your favorite color? Yellow
What do you like to do in your spare ti me? Who is your favorite sports team?
I like to sew when I have spare ti me. OU and OSU; one son plays football for OSU
and another son plays baseball for OU.
Nathan Skaggs - Administrati ve Assistant Misty Haas – Monitoring Coordinator
What is your favorite color? Green What is your favorite color? Purple
Who is your favorite sports team? OU What do you like to do in your spare
ti me? Sports, Music, My children, and I love
to laugh!
Alisha Olden- SPDG Technical Assistance Craig Walker-Monitoring Coordinator
Coordinator Favorite Color: Yellow
Favorite Color: Red What do you like to do in your spare
What do you like to do in your spare ti me? ti me? Renovate historic homes.
Watch football and UFC, shopping, and
spending ti me with my family.
15
Part B Expenditure Reports
Submission of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA),
Part B Expenditure Reports
It is important to submit a timely, accurate expenditure reports for all federal funds, so your local
educational agency (LEA) will receive a prompt reimbursement. The American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act (ARRA) expenditure reports should be completed within the same month (e.g., January
1 – January 31). No ARRA expenditure reports should cross months (e.g., January 15 – February). Due
dates for all ARRA expenditure reporting are as follows:
•Tuesday, December 14, 2010
•Tuesday, January 25, 2011
•Tuesday, February 22, 2011
•Tuesday, March 22, 2011
•Tuesday, April 19, 2011
•Tuesday, May, 17, 2011
•Tuesday, June 21, 2011
All ARRA funds must be encumbered by June 30, 2011, and claimed by August 1, 2011. Expenditure
reports submitted that cross months cannot be approved. All expenditure reports for FY2011 are due
by August 1, 2011. If ARRA funds have not been used within a given calendar month, please do not
submit a zero balance report. This will allow the special education fi nance team more time to approve
budgets for those districts that have expended funds.
Regular IDEA, Part B expenditure reports CAN be fi led across months. These reports can be submitted
at your leisure, including all funds used within that fi scal year. These reports need to be submitted
before August 1, 2011. If regular funds have not been used within a given calendar month please do
not submit a zero balance report. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Ms. Pam Kimery,
Project Coordinator, at (405) 522-3246.
NIMAS (continuted from Page 3)
16
Topic: “Oklahoma ABLE Tech presents Accessible Instructional Materials, NIMAS, and Assistive
Technology,” Thursday, November 4, 2010, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Topic: “ABLE Tech Assistive Technology Services for Students,” Wednesday, November 17, 2010,
3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Topic: “Oklahoma ABLE Tech presents Accessible Instructional Materials, NIMAS, and Assistive
Technology,” Wednesday, February 9, 2011, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Topic: “ABLE Tech Assistive Technology Services for Students,” Tuesday, April 5, 2011, 3:30 p.m.
to 4:30 p.m.