The Office for Exceptional Children (OEC) announces the availability of registration for the 7^th Special Education Leadership Conference scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, October 1-2, 2013 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio. This year's conference theme is Achieving Balance: Leading Improvement for Children with Disabilities While Managing Compliance and the registration fee is $100. New this year is an optional Pre Conference focused on Managing Compliance on Monday, September 30, 2013 from 1:00 – 5:00 PM for a $25 registration fee. Also new this year - Wi-Fi will be available at the Convention Center! Click here to register.

Nationally-recognized keynote speakers and master session presenters include:

• Dr. Margaret McLaughlin, Immediate Past President of the Council for Exceptional Children and Associate Dean – College of Education, University of Maryland College Park – sponsored by ODE Office of Educational Reform
• Dr. Mary Little, Professor - University of Central Florida – Mathematics - sponsored by Math-U-See
• Dr. Jeanne Wanzek, Assistant Professor – Florida State University and recipient of CEC's 2013 Early Career Research Award – Reading - sponsored by OH CEC
• Dr. Nancy Marchand-Martella, Professor of Special Education at Eastern Washington University - Academic Remediation with focus on Reading, Writing, Spelling, and Math Interventions – sponsored by McGraw-Hill Education
• Dr. Elise Frattura, Associate Professor and Department Chairperson, Department of Exceptional Education, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee - Integrated Comprehensive Services
• Dr. Tim Lewis – Professor of Special Education, University of Missouri at Columbia - PBIS
• Dr. David Meichenbaum - Clinical Psychologist, Director of Consulting Services, Summit Educational Resources, Buffalo, New York - Behavior

ODE/OEC staff will provide state updates and share information on a variety of program and procedural topics including – the revised Special Education State Standards, Dispute Resolution, PARRC Accommodations Manual, PBIS, newstatewide initiativesand continuing projects. During these sessions participants can ask question about procedural issues and regulatory changes that effect local programs. Presentations by local educators, technical assistance providers and university faculty from across the state will highlight research and effective practices that have been proven to work.

Pre Conference - Monday, September 30, 2013 – 1:00 – 5:00 PM - Registration $25.
A Pre Conference developed for special education administrators focusing on legal topics will be held preceding the Conference on Monday, September 30, 2013 from 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM. Featured presenters are:

• Melinda Jacobs, Esq., an attorney in private practice who has worked in the field of special education law since 1985 and who is the Associate Publisher for Education and Disability Publications for LRP Publications, and
• Susan Hastings, Partner, Squire, Sanders L.L.P., who is experienced in the area of education law, representing boards of education throughout Ohio in the areas of collective bargaining, contracts, special education, student discipline, Public Records Act, Open Meetings laws, ethics and constitutional law.

Volunteer Opportunities
Click here for Information about volunteer opportunities.

Purchase Order Info
POs for either the Pre Conference/Conference/both should be made out to CETE-OSU and faxed to 614-292-3742 or mailed in care of Laurie Dotson to CETE, 1900 Kenny Road, Columbus, Ohio 43210.

The ODE-OEC, through its contract with the Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI), is pleased to announce a new Assistive Technology Internet Module (ATIM), titled "Overview of AT". Found at www.atinternetmodules.org, under the tab "AT Problem Solving Across the Lifespan", this module is a comprehensive review of assistive technology (AT), beginning with the definition of AT and continuing with laws that influence AT implementation. Readers will be exposed to the AT field through descriptions of AT devices and services. This module also covers the low-mid-high tech continuum of AT as well as standards of practice, professional growth opportunities in the area of AT and AT program and self-evaluation tools.

The Office for Exceptional Children announces the availability of a guidance document and a graphic on Graduation Pathways for Students with Disabilities (SWD).

Click here for the Graduation Pathways for SWD Guidance Document.

Click here for the SWD Graduation Pathways graphic.

Prior to the start of each school year, districts and community schools are required to conduct public hearings on how they intend to spend their Part B funds for special education. In addition to presenting a spending plan for these funds, the hearing must include an opportunity for public comments and input from program participants and parents regarding the usage of these funds. Schools must document that the meeting occurred and that it was adequately advertised in advance through news releases, flyers or other public communication.

To ensure Ohio complies with this federal requirement, districts and community schools must maintain and present the required documents for review by the ODE-OEC, or to a state auditor during the audit of a district. For additional information about this process or requirement, contact Naim Sanders at (614) 644-6083 or Naim.Sanders@education.ohio.gov.

The ODE-OEC, through its contract with the Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI), is pleased to announce the latest Assistive Technology (AT) Internet Module, "AT Supports and Services in the IEP".

Documenting AT in the individualized education program (IEP) is sometimes a daunting task. This module will describe ways that AT devices and services can be indicated in the IEP. Proper documentation of AT in the IEP ensures that students will receive the necessary AT and the corresponding services to enable them to access and participate in the school environment. View the module at www.atinternetmodules.org.

On November 20-22, 2013, OCALICON 2013, the nation's premier event in autism and disabilities, will take place at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Registration, now open at http://conference.ocali.org.

Michael McSheehan will present at OCALICON Preconference Workshop

On Tuesday, November 19, 2013 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Michael McSheehan will present a Workshop on Promoting Membership, Participation, And Learning for Students with Low-Incidence Disabilities in the General Education Classroom. The fee for the Workshop only is $150 or $65 for the Workshop Plus registration for OCALICON 2013.

Additional information on the Workshop and about Michael McSheehan is available by clicking here for the Preconference flyer.

2013-2014 is the final year for the Ohio Master Network Initiatives in Education (OMNIE) Project to address the availability of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) for Ohio schools. Open SLP positions may be posted on the OMNIE Web Recruiting System at no charge. This system aids in tracking available positions in the state. To post an opening, contact Nada Allender, OMNIE Project Coordinator (nada@ameritech.net ) or visit www.omnie.org and select "Employment Opportunities."

The OMNIE Project is the collaborative endeavor of dedicated individuals who have undertaken a leadership role in identifying issues necessary to ensure the education, recruitment, and retention of qualified speech-language pathologists in Ohio schools. The OMNIE Project is sponsored and supported by the ODE and collaborates with the Ohio Board of Speech Pathology & Audiology (OBSLPA), the Ohio Speech Language and Hearing Association (OSLHA), the Ohio School Speech Pathology Educational Audiology Coalition (OSSPEAC).

Ohio children with autism and their families now will have access to needed services thanks to policy changes Governor John R. Kasich announced for state employee health insurance, health insurance sold in the private market and health insurance sold through the upcoming federally managed health insurance exchange.
For more information, please review the announcement from the Governor's office: http://governor.ohio.gov/Portals/0/12.21.12 Ohio%27s new autism policies will provide needed services for kids.pdf

A guidance document specific to students with disabilities and the Third Grade Reading Guarantee is posted on Ohio Department of Education's Third Grade Reading Guarantee webpage.

Recent legislation strengthened the longstanding Third Grade Guarantee (TGRG) to give a greater emphasis to reading instruction and intervention in the early grades. Through this initiative, school districts and community schools will diagnose reading deficiencies in all students at grades kindergarten through three, including students with disabilities who have an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Students not reading at grade level will now receive reading improvement and monitoring plans and intensive reading interventions.

This guidance document outlines the minimum requirements of this new law as they related to students with disabilities. Districts are encouraged to do whatever is necessary above and beyond the law's minimum requirements to ensure their students are reading at grade level.

ODE also created a section on its website to serve as a collection of resources for administrators, educators, and parents. Additional resources will be added as they become available. To view the resources including the October 29th guidance document, Students with Disabilities and the Third Grade Reading Guarantee, go to the TGRG page at this link: 
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?Page=3&TopicRelationID=5&ContentID=129423 or www.education.ohio.gov and keyword search “Third Grade Reading Guarantee.” 

Please be sure check ODE's TGRG webpage frequently for the most current TGRG updates.

If you have TGRG general questions, please don't hesitate to send them to thirdgradeguarantee@educaton.ohio.gov. If you have questions about students with disabilities and the TGRG, please feel free to contact Molly Fender at molly.fender@education.ohio.gov.

Milestones' 10th Annual Autism Spectrum Disorder Conference is a 2-day event held on Wednesday and Thursday, June 19-20, 2013 at the I-X Center in Cleveland, Ohio. More than 1,000 attendees from 15 states, 77 school districts, and 11 county boards are expected. Enrollment deadline is May 24, 2013. For more information, contact Debbie Hoberman at 216-464-7600, ext.111, or dshoberman@milestones.org or visit milestones.org.

OCALI (Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence) is pleased to announce the latest Autism Internet Module (AIM), "Comprehensive Program Planning" available at: http://www.autisminternetmodules.org. Content is free and available 24/7.

Comprehensive Program Planning (CPP) is a process that encourages parents and professionals to work collaboratively to address the multi-faceted needs of children with an autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This module will take teams through the CPP process and empower them to develop individualized intervention plans based upon student strengths and challenges, which can then be implemented throughout the school day across all school settings.

Certificates of attendance for professional development hours are optional, but available for a nominal fee.

The Employment First Advisory Committee invites participation in the Employment First Local Leaders Professional Development Planning Team selection process.

The second edition of the monthly Employment First Update highlights the Advisory Committee’s Local Leaders Professional Development Planning Teams and the upcoming Employment First Conference. An application to apply to be part of the Local Leaders selection process is available for download at www.ohioemploymentfirst.org.

Please contact Kristen Helling, DODD Employment First Project Manager, at Kristen.Helling@dodd.ohio.gov with any questions.

The National Center on UDL is pleased to announce a new resource for the field developed by the Ohio Center on Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI) in collaboration with the IDEA Partnership. This free slide presentation provides an overview of how students with disabilities (who need intensive supports) can be served in an educational environment that has integrated the principles of UDL.

To access it directly, go to http://www.slideshare.net/NCUDL/udl-ocaly