Curriculum & Instruction

• Educators developing strategies for teaching students with autism
  Some educators who are faced with increasing numbers of students with autism in special-education and general-education classrooms say using assistive technology that reinforces visual -- rather than verbal -- skills and ties visual cues to the written word may be helpful. Other strategies districts should consider include better training for non-special-education teachers, access to evidence-based resources, support teams and partnerships between schools and parents. eSchool News (11/1)

• Minnesota school finds success with gifted and talented program
  A growing gifted and talented education program at Minnesota's Prairie Elementary School addresses the needs of students who are gifted by providing in-classroom support as well as enrichment programs in and out of school. The program favors "clustering" -- offering classroom support to teachers whose students have met certain achievement standards -- over pulling students out of class for specialized instruction. Teachers are also offered training on how to recognize students who may be gifted. Daily Globe (Worthington, Minn.) (10/31)

• Nashville, Tenn., works on inclusion for students with special needs
  Schools in Nashville, Tenn., are transitioning their 8,200 students with special needs into mainstream classes. The students are largely educated with their peers and are offered some special instructional time away from the class. The district has hired additional teachers and trained educators on how to "mesh general-education and special-education initiatives together to benefit all students," an official said. Some parents are praising the move to inclusion, while others are concerned it might not work for all children. The Tennessean (Nashville) (11/2)

Educational Leadership

• Texas may link teacher-training programs to student achievement
  A proposed rating system in Texas is aimed at holding teacher-training programs accountable for their graduates' success in the classroom. Given preliminary approval by the State Board for Educator Certification, the rules would use student achievement to help determine which programs are producing the most -- and least -- effective teachers. Final approval could occur in February. Houston Chronicle (11/1)

• Wisconsin should look west for teacher-pay reform model
  Wisconsin can use Denver's ProComp plan as a model as the state considers making changes to long-held policies on the way teachers are compensated, writes education columnist Alan J. Borsuk in this opinion article. While tying teacher pay to student achievement is still barred by Wisconsin state law, he writes that the Denver pay plan has led to more teacher collaboration, an increase in test scores and a greater willingness by teachers to go to high-needs schools. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (10/31)

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Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by CEC SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• Departmentalizing may help young students with special needs (Harvard Education Letter)

• Inclusion classes provide benefits to students in Tennessee district (The Knoxville News-Sentinel (Tenn.))

• N.J. high school adds life-skills program to special education (Tri-Town News (Freehold, N.J.))

• Experts: Simple technology is often best for students with special needs (eSchool News)

• School uses RTI to identify students who need specialized instruction (Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber (Wash.))

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

Technology Trends

• Program uses peripheral vision to help students in special education
  A Utah district is testing a software program designed to better teach students how to read faster and with better comprehension, using peripheral vision to read more than one word at a time and engage both sides of their brain at once. While some experts remain skeptical, one teacher says she has found success using the eyeQ software with her fifth-graders, particularly building confidence among English-language learners and students in special education. "If they see these big chunks of text, they're not going to be overwhelmed," she said. The Salt Lake Tribune (Utah) (10/31)

• County will offer touch-screen voting for people with disabilities
  People with disabilities in Missouri's Greene County will have access to a touch-screen voting machine when voting in Tuesday's elections. The machine will serve voters whose disabilities make it difficult or impossible for them to fill out ballots on the county's optical-scan machines. Springfield News-Leader (Mo.) (10/31)

Policy News

• Mass. districts to pay private tuition for students in special education
  In two special-education cases, a state board ruled that two Massachusetts school districts must allow two students with special needs to attend out-of-district private schools. Likely to cost between $30,000 and $100,000 per year, the tuition for each student to attend a private program will be paid by the districts and subsidized in part by the state and federal government. State data from similar cases have shown that the board often rules in favor of the schools. The Patriot Ledger (Quincy, Mass.) (10/31)

• Report: Colleges are inconsistent on disability accommodations
  A recent report by the federal Government Accountability Office shows that while nearly 11% of college students have disabilities, the ability of the nation's universities and colleges to accommodate them is inconsistent. In their report, federal investigators suggest that the government take a more active role in supporting and standardizing university efforts to make facilities more accessible. Disability Scoop (10/30)

• Other News

• Pennsylvania budgets $820 million for curb-ramp improvements to meet ADA
  Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (11/1)

Eye on Exceptionalities

• Students of all abilities benefit from cross-school program
  A program in a California school district is pairing students from two adjoining schools -- one of which serves students with disabilities -- for structured before-school activities. In its second year, the Circle of Friends program presents an opportunity for students with disabilities to spend time in an inclusive setting at school and allows the students who are not disabled to develop an understanding and awareness about people with disabilities. The Record (Stockton, Calif.) (11/1)

CEC Spotlight

• Get free weekly policy updates from CEC
  Now more than ever, special educators need to keep up with what's happening in Washington, D.C. With CEC's Policy Insider newsletter, the latest developments in special- and gifted-education policy are delivered straight to your inbox weekly. This publication is available to both CEC members and nonmembers. Find out more.

• Great supervision resource for teachers and administrators
  "Supervising Paraeducators in Educational Settings: A Team Approach" is a valuable tool for teachers, administrators and other professionals working with paraeducators that focuses on effective communication and management strategies. When working in a true team environment, the students become the ultimate winners. Find out more.

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SmartQuote

Accept the challenges so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory." --George S. Patton Jr., World War II general