President Obama and Vice President Biden believe that our kids and our country can't afford four more years of neglect and indifference. At this defining moment in our history, America faces few more urgent challenges than preparing our children to compete in a global economy. The decisions our leaders make about education in the coming years will shape our future for generations to come. Obama and Biden are committed to meeting this challenge with the leadership and judgment that has been sorely lacking for the last eight years. Their vision for a 21st century education begins with demanding more reform and accountability, coupled with the resources needed to carry out that reform; asking parents to take responsibility for their children's success; and recruiting, retaining, and rewarding an army of new teachers to fill new successful schools that prepare our children for success in college and the workforce. The Obama-Biden plan will restore the promise of America's public education, and ensure that American children again lead the world in achievement, creativity and success. To read President Obama's entire Education agenda, click here

Obama Picks Chicagoan To Lead Education Department

President-elect Barack Obama announced Tuesday that Arne Duncan, the Chicago schools superintendent known for taking tough steps to improve the city's schools while maintaining respectful relations with teachers and their unions, was his choice as secretary of education. Duncan, 44, a Harvard graduate, has raised achievement in the third-largest U.S. school district and often faced the ticklish challenge of closing failing schools and replacing ineffective teachers, usually with improved results. Obama did not minimize the challenge facing Duncan. Two-thirds of all new jobs, he said, now require advanced training or higher education. "Unfortunately, when our high school dropout rate is one of the highest in the industrialized world, when a third of all fourth graders can't do basic math, when more and more Americans are getting priced out of attending college, we're falling far short of that goal," of educating Americans for a more competitive world. To read more, click here

Long-Term Academic Effects Of Child's ADHD May Extend To Siblings

The long-term academic problems that children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often experience may affect their siblings as well, according to an analysis partially funded by NIMH and published in the Journal of Health Economics. Jason Fletcher, Ph.D., of Yale University and Barbara Wolfe, Ph.D., of the University of Wisconsin-Madison explored how having ADHD or having a sibling with ADHD affects a person's short- and long-term education outcomes. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health-a school-based study of health-related behaviors of teens and their outcomes in young adulthood-Fletcher and Wolfe confirmed findings from a previous study that found ADHD affected the short-term educational achievements of children with ADHD. These children are more likely to repeat a grade and receive special education services, have lower grade point averages, experience more suspensions and expulsions, and complete fewer years of school than children without ADHD. The researchers then explored how ADHD may impact the family, and whether the siblings of children with ADHD are affected academically by their brother's or sister's ADHD symptoms. To read more, Click Here

Expecting Longer Lives: Down Syndrome Generation First to Outlive Parents

Like many people her age, Jennifer Holden wants to be on her own. But for the 20-year-old Springfield woman, crossing streets can be frightening. Keeping track of money is difficult. And fending for herself is challenging at times for a person who loves to read but has difficulty with novels above a fifth-grade level. "A stranger could set a trap on me," she says between bites of a cheeseburger at a Wendy's. "Kidnap me." Holden belongs to the first generation of people with Down syndrome who will probably outlive their parents. The life expectancy of people with Down syndrome has increased from about 25 years in 1983 to more than 50, thanks largely to medical advances. To read more - CLICK HERE

Toddlers' Focus On Mouths Rather Than On Eyes Is Predictor Of Autism Severity

Scientists at Yale School of Medicine have found that two-year-olds with autism looked significantly more at the mouths of others, and less at their eyes, than typically developing toddlers. This abnormality predicts the level of disability, according to study results published in the Archives of General Psychiatry. The research scientists involved in the study used eye-tracking technology to quantify the visual fixations of two-year-olds who watched caregivers approach them and engage in typical mother-child interactions, such as playing games like peek-a-boo. After the first few weeks of life, infants look in the eyes of others, setting processes of socialization in motion. In infancy and throughout life, the act of looking at the eyes of others is a window into people's feelings and thoughts and a powerful facilitator in shaping the formation of the social mind and brain. To read more, click here: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080926143751.htm

Age-Related Decline of ADHD Symptoms Disrupted by Middle School

Although symptoms of attention deficit/hyperactivity (ADHD) can last into adulthood, typically they decline as a child gets older. But a new study indicates that the stressful transition from elementary school to middle school complicates this pattern and may even disrupt it. The study, which analyzed data from the NIMH-funded Multimodal Treatment Study of ADHD (MTA), was published in the Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology.

Research has shown that ADHD symptoms, especially hyperactivity and impulsivity, tend to decline during a child’s adolescent years, although these symptoms do not necessarily disappear. Also, studies have indicated that simplifying and structuring a child’s environment and routine can impact ADHD symptoms. But when children enter middle school, their environment and routine change dramatically —they have multiple classes with multiple teachers; more homework, planning and organizational demands; and become more responsible for their own success.

Joshua M. Langberg, Ph.D., and Jeffery Epstein, Ph.D., of the University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Center, and colleagues analyzed data from 258 children in the MTA study who completed elementary school and went on to middle school while enrolled in the study. Using reports from the children’s parents and teachers, the researchers found that while ADHD symptoms lessened as the children aged, the transition to middle school interrupted this trend. Parents reported greater disruption in symptoms than teachers, likely because the impact of the transition may have been more evident at home, according to the researchers.

The researchers also found that children taking medication for their ADHD symptoms fared no better than those not taking medication during the transition. Langberg and colleagues suggest that while medication is highly effective in treating ADHD symptoms, it is unlikely to help a child develop the specific skills needed to succeed in middle school, such as time management, organization, planning, and study skills.

For comparison, Langberg and colleagues tracked the experience of a control group of children without ADHD, who transitioned into the same schools at the same time as the children enrolled in the MTA study. They found that the children without ADHD were less likely to experience the same level of distress or difficulty as the children with ADHD, as they entered middle school, according to parent and teacher ratings.

The study provides the first research data to support the assertion that the environmental changes associated with the transition to middle school can worsen a child’s ADHD symptoms or disrupt the typical pattern of decline.

U.S.D.E. Announces $2.4 Million in Grants to Improve Special Education Teacher Training Programs

The U.S. Department of Education today announced the award of $2.4 million in grants to 20 institutions in 15 states to help train highly qualified teachers of students with high incidence disabilities, such as learning disabilities, emotional disturbance and mental retardation.

The awards, made under the Special Education Preservice Training Improvement Grants Program, are meant to improve the quality of special education teacher preparation programs and ensure that graduates meet the highly qualified teacher requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

"We consistently hear from state, local and higher education officials that personnel preparation programs for special education teachers should be restructured or redesigned for graduates of these programs to meet the highly qualified teacher requirements in IDEA," said U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings.

The grants announced today cover the first year of what's expected to be five-year projects overseen by the Education Department's Office of Special Education Programs.
During that first year, the grant recipients will begin upgrading their teacher preparation programs with research-proven strategies designed to improve outcomes for children with high incidence disabilities.

They will also coordinate their efforts with the National Center to Enhance the Professional Development of School Personnel by using the center's Web-based training modules.
In addition, the money is to be used to:

Address the specialized needs of children with high incidence disabilities from diverse cultural and language backgrounds, including those with limited English proficiency.
Provide extended clinical learning opportunities, field experiences and mentoring opportunities in local schools.
Use field-based training opportunities in high-poverty communities and in schools not making adequate yearly progress under the No Child Left Behind Act.

Following is a list of the grant recipients. For more information, see http://www.ed.gov/programs/osepprep/index.html.

U.S. Department of Education
Office of Special Education Programs
Special Education Preservice Training Improvement Grants
CFDA No. 84.325T - (State, city, institution, project director, grant amount)

AL—Birmingham—University of Alabama-Birmingham, Renitta Goldman, $100,000.
CA—Chico—California State University, Chico, Teresa Davis, $146,661.
CA—Los Angeles—Loyola Marymount University, Teresa Jimenez, $122,265.
CO—Greeley—University of Northern Colorado, Harvey Rude, $99,932.
FL—Orlando—University of Central Florida, Mary Little, $110,744.
GA—Valdosta—Valdosta State University, Karla Hull, $142,875.
ID—Boise—Boise State University, Keith Allred, $149,990.
IL—Joliet—University of St. Francis, Srimani Chakravarthi, $100,832.
KS—Lawrence—University of Kansas Center for Research, Sean Smith, $117,904.
ME—Gorham—University of Southern Maine, Catherine Fallona, $127,543.
MD—College Park—University of Maryland, Phillip Burke, $113,176.
NC—Greensboro—North Carolina A&T University, Cathy Kea, $100,000.
NV—Las Vegas—University of Nevada, Kristin Sayeski, $149,253.
OH—Dayton—Wright State University, Catherine Keener, $100,000.
OH—New Concord—Muskingum College, Linda Morrow, $111,718.
TX—Odessa—University of Texas of the Permian Basin, Karen Smith, $139,102.
VA—Fairfax—George Mason University, Kelley Regan, $136,635.
VA—Harrisonburg—James Madison University, Cheryl Beverly, $119,759.
VA—Radford—Radford University, Elizabeth Altieri, $149,958.
VA—Richmond—Virginia Commonwealth University, Colleen Thoma, $109,810.

Total—$2,448,157.

Federal Report Shows Reading, Math Scores Up For 4th and 8th graders; Increases Seen in Teen Birth, Low Birth Weight

The nation’s fourth and eighth graders scored higher in reading and mathematics than they did during their last national assessment, according to the federal government’s latest annual statistical report on the well-being of the nation’s children. Not all the report’s findings were positive; there also were increases in the adolescent birth rate and the proportion of infants born at low birthweight.

These and other findings are described in America’s Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2008. The report is compiled by the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics, a working group of Federal agencies that collect, analyze, and report data on issues related to children and families, with partners in private research organizations. It serves as a report card on the status of the nation’s children and youth, presenting statistics compiled by a number of federal agencies in one convenient reference.

"In 2007, scores of fourth and eighth graders were higher in mathematics than in all previous assessments and higher in reading than in 2005," said Valena Plisko, associate commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, a part of the U.S. Department of Education.

This year’s report also saw an increase in low birthweight infants (less than 5 pounds 8 ounces). Low birthweight infants are at increased risk for infant death and such lifelong disabilities as blindness, deafness and cerebral palsy.

"This trend reflects an increase in the number of infants born prematurely, the largest category of low birthweight infants," said Duane Alexander, M.D., director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development at the National Institutes of Health. Although not all the reasons for the increase are known, infertility therapies, delayed childbearing and an increase in multiple births may be contributing factors.

The birth rate among adolescent girls ages 15 to 17 also increased, from 21 live births for every 1,000 girls in 2005, to 22 per 1,000 in 2006. This was the first increase in the past 15 years.

"It is critical that we continue monitoring this trend carefully," said Edward J. Sondik, PhD, director of the National Center for Health Statistics in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Compared with other teens their age, teen mothers are less likely to finish high school or to graduate from college. Infants born to teen mothers are more likely to be of low birthweight."

Among the favorable changes in the report were a decline in childhood deaths from injuries and a decrease in the percentage of eighth graders who smoked daily.
These and other findings on the nation’s children and youth are described in the report’s content areas:

Demographic Background
http://www.nichd.nih.gov/news/releases/june112008_childstats.cfm#DemographicBackground
Family and Social Environment
http://www.nichd.nih.gov/news/releases/june112008_childstats.cfm#FamilyandSocialEnvironment
Economic Circumstances
http://www.nichd.nih.gov/news/releases/june112008_childstats.cfm#EconomicCircumstances

Health Care
http://www.nichd.nih.gov/news/releases/june112008_childstats.cfm#HealthCare

Physical Environment and Safety
http://www.nichd.nih.gov/news/releases/june112008_childstats.cfm#PhysicalEnvironmentandSafety

Education http://www.nichd.nih.gov/news/releases/june112008_childstats.cfm#

Education Health
http://www.nichd.nih.gov/news/releases/june112008_childstats.cfm#Health

The Forum’s Web site at http://childstats.gov contains all data updates and detailed statistical information accompanying this year’s America’s Children in Brief report. As in previous years, not all statistics are collected on an annual basis and some data in the Brief may be unchanged from last year’s report.

Members of the public may access the report on-line at http://childstats.gov. Alternatively, members of the public also may obtain printed copies from the Health Resources and Services Administration, Information Center, P.O. Box 2910, Merrifield, VA 22116, by calling 1-888-Ask-HRSA (1-888-275-4772), or by e-mailing ask@hrsa.gov.

The Forum alternates publishing a detailed report, America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, with a summary version that highlights selected indicators. This year, the Forum is publishing America’s Children in Brief; it will publish the more detailed report in 2009.

The data tables and figures for all the indicators in this year’s brief are available at http://childstats.gov.

The NICHD sponsors research on development, before and after birth; maternal, child, and family health; reproductive biology and population issues; and medical rehabilitation. For more information, visit the Institute’s Web site at http://www.nichd.nih.gov/.

U.S. Department of Education Reports New Reading First Data From States Shows Impressive Gains in Reading Proficiency for Students with Disabilities

U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today announced new data from the states showing impressive gains for Reading First students. The achievement data submitted by state education agencies (SEAs) and compiled and analyzed by the Education Department's contractor, American Institutes for Research, showed improvement in nearly every grade and subgroup, including English language learners and students with disabilities.

Under No Child Left Behind, State educational agencies have received over $6 billion in Reading First grants. President Bush's proposed budget for FY 2009 includes $1 billion for Reading First. Last week, the House Appropriations Subcommittee for Labor, Health and Human Services and Education stripped funding for this important program from their 2009 funding bill.

"Reading First has done so much to crack the code on how to get kids to read," said Secretary Spellings. "It would be tragic to cut the nation's only reading program when so many policymakers and teachers know it's working to increase achievement."

Reading First builds on a solid foundation of scientifically based research and provides struggling students in the nation's highest need schools with the necessary resources to make significant progress in reading achievement. The new state data shows this emphasis on scientific research into reading is making a difference for all students:

In Grade 1, 44 of 50 SEAs reported increases in the percentage of students proficient in reading comprehension. Of these, 31 SEAs increased by five percentage points or more.
In Grade 2, 39 of 52 SEAs reported improvement. Of these, 19 SEAs increased by five percentage points or more.
In Grade 3, 27 of 35 SEAs reported improvement. Of these, 15 SEAs increased by five percentage points or more.

Thanks to Reading First, schools and teachers finally have the technical knowledge and the practical training to ensure every child, including English language learners and students with disabilities, gets the help he or she needs to excel in reading. Again, the state data demonstrates substantial improvements for these students with special needs:

English Language Learners:

In Grade 1, 28 of 37 SEAs reported increases in the percentage of students proficient in reading comprehension. Of these, 25 SEAs increased by five percentage points or more.
In Grade 2, 25 of 37 SEAs reported improvement in reading comprehension. Of these, 19 SEAs increased by five percentage points or more.
In Grade 3, 17 of 25 SEAs reported improvement. Of these, 12 SEAs increased by five percentage points or more.

Students with Disabilities:

In Grade 1, 34 of 44 SEAs reported increases in the percentage of students proficient in reading comprehension. Of these, 28 SEAs increased by five percentage points or more.
In Grade 2, 30 of 48 SEAs reported improvement. Of these, 20 SEAs increased by five percentage points or more.
In Grade 3, 25 of 32 SEAs reported improvement. Of these, 15 SEAs increased by five percentage points or more.

Reading First funds professional development, scientifically based instructional programs, materials, and strategies, valid and reliable screening, diagnostic and ongoing classroom assessments, and statewide accountability and leadership structures. Reading First is designed to help needy students in grades K-3, while Early Reading First helps preschool age children.

In April of this year, an IES Reading First Interim Impact Study did not find significant gains in comprehension by students in Reading First schools; however, that study measured Reading First schools against other schools in Reading First districts—schools that may have implemented the same reforms. A final report is expected in late 2008. The Reading First Advisory Committee, a group of experts who advise the Secretary on the Reading First program, convenes today to discuss questions they have about the IES study.

For more information on the state data, please visit: http://www.ed.gov/programs/readingfirst/performance.html

For a fact sheet on Reading First, visit : http://www.ed.gov/nclb/methods/reading/readingfirst.html

For more information about Reading First, please visit : http://www.ed.gov/programs/readingfirst/index.html

$4.37 Million in Grants Awarded for Training Highly Qualified Personnel in Special Education

The U.S. Department of Education today announced the award of $4.37 million in grants to universities in 14 states to help train doctoral, post-doctoral and other graduate students to work with children with disabilities. Under the Preparation of Leadership Program, the grants will help children with disabilities by training doctoral and post-doctoral students in early intervention, special education or related services. Some money will also be used to prepare master's degree students for special education administration and supervision. "We hope to build a corps of highly qualified personnel to help children with disabilities reach their academic potential," said U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. "Research has consistently suggested that there is a persistent need for additional special education and related services personnel who have been trained at the doctoral and post-doctoral levels. These experts can play a critical role in improving the quality of services for children with disabilities and their families."

To read more, click here:
http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2008/07/07012008b.html

Tune-Deaf People May Hear a Sour Note Unconsciously

Findings Could Help Scientists Study Consciousness

People with tune deafness aren’t able to tell when a musician accidentally strikes the wrong note in a song, but their brains know the difference. Researchers from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), part of the National Institutes of Health, have found that people with tune deafness, an auditory processing disorder in which a person with normal hearing has trouble distinguishing notes in a melody, are able to detect a wrong note unconsciously. The study is published in the June 11, 2008, issue of the online journal PLoS ONE.

Because tune deafness is a commonly occurring phenomenon that is largely inherited, the study of this disorder could enable scientists to use the tools of genetic research to better understand the differences between conscious and unconscious thought.

Neuroscientists have long been baffled by what separates the state of consciousness from unconsciousness. Other sensory disorders have been identified in which the brain perceives a stimulus outside of conscious awareness. However, because these disorders are typically caused by damage to the brain, there is an inconsistency in data from one patient to the next and researchers have difficulty finding a sufficient number of volunteer patients for clinical trials.

“The prevalence of tune deafness is surprisingly high—perhaps as much as 2 percent of the population is tune deaf—and it exists in an otherwise normal, uninjured brain,” said James F. Battey, Jr., M.D., Ph.D., director of the NIDCD. “These factors, combined with the fact that tune deafness is largely genetic in origin, now raises the possibility of using tune deafness as a new way to study consciousness.”

A person who is tune deaf is unable to perceive pitch, reproduce melodies, or identify deviations in a melody. According to geneticist Dennis Drayna, Ph.D., one of the study authors, not only is music not enjoyable for people with tune deafness, many of them don’t fully understand what music is. “For severely affected tune-deaf people, Yankee Doodle is no different than traffic noise in Manhattan. It’s fairly meaningless to them,” he said.

Dr. Drayna worked closely with neuroimaging scientist Allen Braun, M.D., and others in NIDCD’s Division of Intramural Research to randomly screen 1,218 individuals using an online version of the Distorted Tunes Test. The Distorted Tunes Test is a standardized survey that tests a person’s ability to identify whether or not a short melody is played correctly. (The online version, which was created by Dr. Drayna, can be found on the NIDCD Web site: www.nidcd.nih.gov/tunetest/.) The researchers then selected those volunteers who scored in the bottom 10 percent, screened them for hearing loss and other factors, and arrived at seven subjects with severe tune deafness who were otherwise medically normal and were willing to take part in the study. Ten healthy control subjects who performed normally on the Distorted Tunes Test also took part in the study.

Dr. Braun, Joseph McArdle, Ph.D., and others then used electroencephalography (EEG), a brain imaging technique that places electrodes around a person’s head and measures the electrical impulses of millions of neurons in the brain, to study these subjects further. The researchers measured the volunteers’ responses as they listened to an altered version of the Distorted Tunes Test in which the incorrect melodies had a single wrong note at the end. Volunteers listened to 102 familiar melodies, roughly half of which were correct, and half of which contained the errant last note. The researchers then sifted through the EEG data to isolate the brain’s response to a specific stimulus—in this case, the right or wrong note.

Of principal interest were two signals that brains normally generate when they are presented with a stimulus that doesn’t match what the brain expects to hear, such as the wrong note in a song. The first, the mismatch negativity (MMN), is a large negative signal that occurs roughly 200 milliseconds after the unexpected stimulus is heard; the second signal, the P300, is a large positive signal occurring roughly 300 milliseconds after the unexpected stimulus.

Because tune-deaf people consistently don’t recognize when a wrong note is played or sung, the researchers hypothesized that their brains would not generate the MMN or P300 signals, and as expected, this was true for the MMN signal. However, in the case of the P300 signal, tune-deaf volunteers were processing the wrong note in the same way as the normal participants, even though they weren’t consciously aware of the deviation. Other brain signals demonstrated that correct notes were being processed equally well for both tune-deaf and normal volunteers.

As for how a brain can register a wrong note without the person being aware of it, the researchers explain that the MMN and P300 signals are generated in different parts of the brain. The MMN is generated near the primary auditory cortex, in the brain’s temporal lobe, while the P300 is generated in the frontoparietal cortex, downstream from the auditory cortex. Normal brains process sounds in a series, with the frontal and parietal cortices receiving signals that have already been processed in the auditory cortex. In someone with tune deafness, however, the direct route for processing the wrong note may be disrupted, and signals are possibly being routed to the two regions through parallel pathways independent of each other. In this way, information about a wrong note may not be reaching the auditory cortex at all, while information reaching the frontoparietal cortex is not consciously perceived.

The researchers hope to conduct studies to better pinpoint the locations from which the MMN and P300 signals originate in the brain. In addition, the researchers will continue to pursue genetic studies on the causes of tune deafness which, if found, could help them and others grapple with the very puzzling notion of consciousness at the cellular and molecular level.

NIDCD supports and conducts research and research training on the normal and disordered processes of hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech and language and provides health information, based upon scientific discovery, to the public. For more information about NIDCD programs, see the Web site at www.nidcd.nih.gov.

U.S. Department of Education Offers Effective Early Childhood Language and Literacy Practices

The U.S. Department of Education's "Doing What Works" Web site recently added a feature that will empower educators and administrators with research-based strategies to help boost their early childhood language and literacy practices. This new feature brings online the recommendations outlined in five research reports previously released by the Department's Institute of Education Sciences (IES) on early childhood education.

The "Doing What Works" site, http://dww.ed.gov, offers a user-friendly interface to quickly locate teaching practices that have been found effective by IES, the Department's research arm, and similar organizations. In addition, it cites examples of possible ways, although not necessarily the only ways, teachers and designers of teaching materials may use this research to help students reach their academic potential.

"If we want every student reading on grade level by 2014, we must make sure that educators have access to information about best practices in early childhood literacy," said U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. "By sharing effective teaching practices, the Doing What Works website helps improve classroom instruction and give all children the chance to achieve their potential."

The content on Early Childhood Language and Literacy focuses on two recommended practice areas: develop phonological awareness skills; and utilize interactive and dialogic reading practices to improve language and literacy skills.

Content on the site is organized into three areas:

Learn what works - to help understand the research base behind the practices.
See how it works - providing examples of schools and classrooms engaged in those practices, including engaging videos.
Do what works - enabling users to gain access to examples of tools and templates in order to improve their practices.

Similar resources, in areas such as school restructuring and mathematics instruction, will added to the site in the near future.

The Department's Office of Planning, Evaluation & Policy Development leads the "Doing What Works" site. Other offices and programs within the Department also assist in the initiative.

U.S. Secretary of Education Announces Public Meetings to Discuss New Regulations for No Child Left Behind

U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings recently announced in the Federal Register a series of upcoming public meetings being held around the country to discuss the proposed changes to regulations for No Child Left Behind. The meetings will seek comments from the public on the proposed regulations at the following dates, times and locations:

Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Hilton Boston Back Bay Hotel
40 Dalton Street
Boston, Mass. 02115
Time: 9 a.m. - noon and 2 - 5 p.m. EDT
Meeting Room: Fenway Room
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Georgia Perimeter College, Dunwoody Campus
2101 Womack Road
Dunwoody, Ga. 30338
Time: 9 a.m. - noon and 2 - 5 p.m. EDT
Meeting Room: Auditorium, C1100, North Campus
Monday, May 19, 2008
Sheraton Kansas City Sports Complex Hotel
9103 East 39th Street
Kansas City, MO. 64133
Time: 9 a.m. - noon and 2 - 5 p.m. EDT
Meeting Room: Royal Ballroom
Thursday, May 22, 2008
W Hotel
1112 4th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
Time: 9 a.m. - noon and 2 - 5 p.m. EDT
Meeting Room: Great Room 1

According to the U.S. Department of Education, "the purpose of these proposed regulations is to build on the advancements states have made in accountability and assessment systems under No Child Left Behind in the past six years, while incorporating key feedback from the field into a more clear vision of what it takes to educate each and every student. Issuing regulations that strengthen Title I implementation will help bring about higher-quality assessments and stronger accountability for results, as well as provide parents with the information they need to make informed decisions about public school choice and Supplemental Educational Services." A copy of the proposed regulations (NPRM) is available at http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/reg/proposal/index.html.

The Department is accepting public comments on the NPRM through June 23, 2008. Comments must be submitted in writing to the Department in accordance with the instructions in the NPRM. We look forward to receiving your comments on these proposed regulations to ensure that they accomplish our intended objectives.

Individuals who wish to present comments during a public meeting should register at Special.Events@ed.gov, at least one week before the public meeting. Any meeting time that remains after the Web site registrations are processed will be made available on the day of the meeting. Individuals who have not registered on the Web site and who wish to present comments should do so at the on-site registration desk on the day of the meeting. We will process Web-site and on-site registrations on a first-come, first-served basis.

NIH REVEALS FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE PREMATURE INFANT SURVIVAL, DISABILITY

Based on observations of more than 4,000 infants, researchers in a National Institute of Health (NIH) newborn research network have identified several factors that influence an extremely low birth weight infant's chances for survival and disability. The findings offer new information to physicians and families considering the most appropriate treatment options for this category of infants.

Every day, physicians and new parents must struggle with the type of care to provide to extremely low birth weight infants, the smallest, most frail category of preterm infants. These infants are born in the 22nd through the 25th week of pregnancy -- far earlier than the 40 weeks of a full term pregnancy. Many die soon after birth, despite the best attempts to save them, including the most sophisticated newborn intensive care available. Some survive and reach adulthood, relatively unaffected. The rest will experience some degree of life long disability, ranging from minor hearing loss to blindness, to cerebral palsy, to profound intellectual disability.

The study authors referred to the issue of providing intensive care for extremely low birth weight infants. For example, physicians and family members may be reluctant to expose an infant to painful life support procedures if the infant is unlikely to survive. In such cases, they may opt for "comfort care," which provides for an infant's basic needs, but foregoes painful medical procedures. In deciding the kind of care to provide, specialists at intensive care facilities traditionally have relied heavily on an infant's gestational age -- the week of pregnancy a premature infant is born. Gestational age is known to play a large role in the infant's survival. For this reason, in many facilities, intensive care is likely to be routinely given to infants born in the 25th week of pregnancy, whereas infants born in the 22nd week may be more likely to receive comfort care.

The study authors noted, however, that it is often difficult to assess gestational age. Moreover, an estimate that is inaccurate by only a week could result in an infant receiving care that was not appropriate for his or her individual case. To identify other factors that influenced survival and disability risk, the study authors observed more than 4,000 extremely low birth weight infants in their network.

The researchers published their findings in the April 17 "New England Journal of Medicine". In addition to gestational age, factors influencing survival and risk of disability consisted of: whether the baby is male or female (sex); birthweight; whether the baby was a single baby, or one of two or more infants born; and whether the baby's mother was given medication during pregnancy to prompt the development of the baby's lungs. Known as antenatal steroids, these drugs are typically given to women in premature labor, or who are at known risk for giving birth prematurely.

Physicians and parents may access an online tool that generates statistics, based on the factors the researchers listed in their article, at <http://www.nichd.nih.gov/about/org/cdbpm/pp/prog_epbo/>. By specifying the baby's sex, weight, and information related to each of the variables listed above, physicians and family members can generate composite statistics on infant outcomes, based on the experiences of extremely low birthweight infants in the NICHD Neonatal Research Network study. The Web tool is not a substitute for a physician's careful assessment, but physicians and families may find the statistics it generates useful when considering the most appropriate care to provide an infant.

"Every individual is different, and no single tool can precisely predict a given baby's chances of survival or disability," said Duane Alexander, M.D., director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the NIH Institute that supports the Neonatal Research Network. "However, the researchers' findings, and the tool they developed, provide important information that physicians and family members can consult to help them make the most informed treatment decisions possible."

Additional funding for the study was provided by NIH's National Center for Research Resources.

The study involved only infants born at level III neonatal intensive care facilities. For this reason, the study findings may not apply to infants born at level I and level II facilities.

Level III facilities are the most advanced of neonatal care facilities. They offer the highly specialized medical care that extremely low birth weight infants need to survive. Most extremely low birth weight infants are born in level III facilities, as it is routine practice to rush women likely to give birth prematurely to level III facilities. However, in some cases, a woman may give birth before she can be brought to a level III facility. These infants are typically cared for at level I and II facilities until they are stable enough to transport to a level III facility.

To conduct their analysis, researchers in the NICHD Neonatal Research Network observed 4,446 infants born at 22-25 weeks' gestational age at hospitals around the United States, explained the NICHD co-author of the study, Rosemary Higgins, M.D., the program scientist for the NICHD Neonatal Research Network. Dr. Higgins explained that extremely low birthweight infants (those weighing less than 1,000 grams, or 2.2 pounds) make up about 1 percent of babies born in the United States each year, or roughly 40,000 babies a year.

Using standardized measures of mental development, vision, and hearing, the researchers assessed the health status of surviving infants when the infants were from 18 to 22 months corrected age -- the age they would have been, had they been born full term. Dr. Higgins said that 49 percent of the infants in the study had died, 21 percent lived and did not have a disability, while the remainder experienced some degree of disability.

After conducting mathematical analyses of all the infants' cases, the researchers determined that infants were more likely to survive -- and more likely to survive without disability -- if they were of older gestational age, their mothers had been given corticosteroids, if they were female, were single born rather than part of a multiple birth, and been of a higher birthweight.

"Many neonatal intensive care units base treatment decisions mainly on gestational age," said Dr. Higgins. "We found that it's much more accurate if the assessment is based on the combination of 5 factors, rather than just on gestational age."

Dr. Higgins added that it is often difficult to accurately estimate gestational age, and a preterm infant may be as much as a week or two younger, or older, than believed.

She noted that the researchers found that race appeared to play no role in subsequent survival or chances of disability.

She stressed that the study data could not be used to predict with certainty the outcome of individual cases.

"A lot of medicine is a judgment call," Dr. Higgins said. "We provided our data in the hope that it would be helpful for making the best judgments for a particular situation."

A video interview with Dr. Higgins in which she provides additional information about the study and the online tool is available at <http://www.nichd.nih.gov/news/resources/links/neonatal/>.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) -- The Nation's Medical Research Agency -- is comprised of 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit <www.nih.gov>.

U.S. Government Concedes First Vaccine-Autism Case

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the federal agency that oversees the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), recently conceded the first vaccine-autism case.

The unprecedented concession was filed on November 9, and sealed to protect the plaintiff's identify. It was obtained through individuals unrelated to the case. It was one of the first three cases chosen that alleged Thimerosal in childhood vaccines significantly contributed to a child developing autism.

The claim, one of 4,900 autism cases currently pending in Federal "Vaccine Court," was conceded by US Assistant Attorney General Peter Keisler and other Justice Department officials, on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services, the "defendant" in all Vaccine Court cases.

The child's claim against the government -- that mercury-containing vaccines were the cause of her autism -- was supposed to be one of three "test cases" for the thimerosal-autism theory currently under consideration by a three-member panel of Special Masters, the presiding justices in Federal Claims Court.

Gene for Brain Networks Tied to Autism

A gene that helps the brain make connections may underlie a significant number of autism cases, researchers in the United States reported on Tuesday. Disruptions in the gene, called contactin 4, stop the gene from working properly and appear to stop the brain from making proper networks, the researchers reported in the Journal of Medical Genetics. These disruptions, in which the child has either three copies of the gene or just one copy when two copies is normal, could account for up to 2.5 percent of autism cases, said Dr. Eli Hatchwell of Stony Brook University Medical Center in New York, who led the study. "That is a significant number," said Hatchwell. "Generally the mistake that people make is they are looking for one unifying cause for autism, and there is no such thing and there never will be," Hatchwell said in a telephone interview. He said his finding adds to the list of potential tests for autism, and perhaps treatments for a range of conditions known as autism spectrum disorders.

To read the entire article, CLICK HERE

Study Shows Variety of Approaches Help Children Overcome Auditory Processing and Language Problems

For children who struggle to learn language, the choice between various interventions may matter less than the intensity and format of the intervention, a new study sponsored by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) suggests. The study, led by Ronald B. Gillam, Ph.D., of Utah State University is online in the February 2008 Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. NIDCD is one of the National Institutes of Health.

The study compared four intervention strategies in children who have unusual difficulty understanding and using language, and found that all four methods resulted in significant, long-term improvements in the children’s language abilities. The aim of the study was to assess whether children who used commercially available language software program Fast ForWord-Language had greater improvement in language skills than children using other methods. This program was specifically designed to improve auditory processing deficits which may underlie some language impairments. Children who have auditory processing deficits can jumble the order of sounds that are heard in close sequence. Researchers believe that this deficit can interfere with vocabulary and grammar development.

“These results show that any of a number of intensive educational approaches can make a tremendous difference for children whose language and auditory processing skills are lagging,” says NIDCD director James F. Battey, Jr., M.D., Ph.D. “Even play with peers seemed to support the improvements the children in this study made.”

“We had a very positive outcome,” says Dr. Gillam. “Our results tell us that a variety of intensive interventions that we can provide kids will improve auditory processing and language learning.”

While most children are chattering easily by the time they are toddlers, about 7 percent struggle to speak, read and understand language despite having adequate hearing, intelligence and motor skills. Children with language impairment have trouble learning language or expressing their thoughts through language. They often have difficulty learning new vocabulary words or sentence structures, comprehending what’s said to them, holding conversations, or telling stories. These children tend to perform poorly on measures of auditory processing and standardized tests of language development. Many of these children are hindered academically throughout their formal education, explains Dr. Gillam.

To address auditory processing problems, a different group of language researchers developed the computer software package called Fast ForWord-Language several years ago. The program uses slow and exaggerated speech to improve a child’s ability to process spoken language. As children advance through the program, subsequent language exercises use gradually faster and less exaggerated speech.

Dr. Gillam’s team designed a study that would compare Fast ForWord-Language to three other interventions. He and colleagues at the University of Kansas, the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Texas at Dallas enrolled 216 children in the trial. All were between ages 6 and 9 and had been diagnosed with language impairment.

The children, from Northeast Kansas, Central Texas or North Texas, were randomly assigned to receive one of four possible interventions. In addition to Fast ForWord-Language, the trial included another computer-assisted language intervention, an individual language intervention with a speech-language pathologist, and a nonlanguage academic enrichment intervention that focused only on math, science and geography.

The other computer-assisted language intervention, which used Earobics and Laureate Learning Systems software, differed from Fast ForWord-Language in not using slow or exaggerated speech. Groups of children worked on the computer intervention exercises at their own pace wearing headphones and supervised by a speech-language pathologist.

Children assigned to the individual language intervention worked one-on-one with a speech-language pathologist for the duration of the trial. In their sessions, the children read picture books that contained a variety of age-appropriate vocabulary words.

In the academic enrichment intervention, children worked on educational computer games designed to teach math, science and geography. This intervention was delivered in the same way as the language-focused computer interventions. It served as a comparison group against which the researchers could measure the results of the language interventions.

All of the interventions were delivered in an intensive, six-week, summer program that also included day camp activities such as arts and crafts, outdoor games, board games and snack time. The children attended the program five days per week for three and a half hours per day. They practiced their assigned interventions for an hour and forty minutes each day. The children took a standard language test—the Comprehensive Test of Spoken Language— and completed a variety of auditory processing measures at the beginning and end of the program as well as three and six months afterward. The children in all four groups demonstrated statistically significant improvement on the auditory processing measures and the language measures immediately after their six-week program.

The children showed even greater improvement when their language skills were tested again six months later. Even a subgroup of children with very poor auditory processing skills made improvements on the auditory processing tasks and the language measures. About 74 percent of children in the Fast ForWord-Language group made large improvements on the language measures. Sixty-three percent of children in the computer-assisted language intervention group made large improvements. Of those who worked with a speech-language pathologist, 80 percent made large gains, and in the general academic enrichment group, almost 69 percent made large gains. These gains are much larger than the improvements that have been reported in long-term studies of children who have received language therapy in public school settings.

The researchers were surprised that such a large percentage of the children who worked on the math, science and geography computer games improved their auditory processing and language skills. They speculate that all the children may have benefited from the opportunities to listen carefully, to decide on an appropriate response based on what they heard, and to practice language skills with each other. The recreation and play time built into each day of the six-week program gave the children the chance to form friendships with peers who were functioning at similar language levels.

The intensive delivery of the interventions—500 minutes per week—may also have benefited kids in every intervention group. In comparison, school systems typically offer speech-language pathology services to students with language impairment for 30 minutes twice per week.

“I urge speech-language pathologists to engage children with auditory processing problems and language impairments in activities in which they have to listen carefully, attend closely and respond quickly, and to do it in an intense manner,” says Dr. Gillam. “And clinicians should provide children with ample opportunity to converse, socialize and interact with kids at their same developmental level.”

The language intervention trial was also supported by a grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) to the Kansas Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Research Center at the University of Kansas. NICHD is also part of the National Institutes of Health.

The NIDCD supports and conducts research and research training on the normal and disordered processes of hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech and language and provides health information, based upon scientific discovery, to the public. For more information about NIDCD programs, see the Web site at www.nidcd.nih.gov.

THIN BONES SEEN IN BOYS WITH AUTISM AND AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

Results of an study by researchers from the National Institutes of Health and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center suggest that dairy-free diets and unconventional food preferences could put boys with autism and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at higher than normal risk for thinner, less dense bones when compared to a group of boys the same age who do not have autism. The study was published online in the "Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders".

The researchers believe that boys with autism and ASD are at risk for poor bone development for a number of reasons. These factors are lack of exercise, a reluctance to eat a varied diet, lack of vitamin D, digestive problems, and diets that exclude casein, a protein found in milk and milk products. Dairy products provide a significant source of calcium and vitamin D. Casein-free diets are a controversial treatment thought by some to lessen the symptoms of autism.

Funding for the study was provided by the NIH's National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and National Center for Research Resources. The research team that conducted the study was led by Mary L. Hediger, Ph.D., a biological anthropologist in NICHD's Division of Epidemiology, Statistics and Prevention Research.

"Our results suggest that children with autism and autism spectrum disorder may be at risk for calcium and vitamin D deficiencies," Dr. Hediger said. "Parents of these children may wish to include a dietitian in their children's health care team, to ensure that they receive a balanced diet."

Dr. Hediger stressed that the current study results need to be confirmed by larger studies. Until definitive information is available, however, it would be prudent for parents of children with autism and ASD to include a dietitian in their care, particularly if the children's diets do not include dairy products or they are not otherwise eating a balanced diet, she said.

Because girls are much less likely to have autism or ASD than are boys, the researchers were unable to enroll a sufficient number of girls within the short time frame of the study to allow them to draw firm conclusions. Dr. Hediger added that if a girl with autism or ASD is not eating diary products or eating a balanced diet, it would be prudent for a dietitian to be included in her health care team.

Autism is a complex brain disorder involving communication and social difficulties as well as repetitive behavior or narrow interests. Autism is often grouped with similar disorders, which are often referred to collectively as autism spectrum disorders. The underlying causes of autism and ASD are unclear. There is no cure for the disorders and treatments are limited.

When the boys were enrolled in the study, the researchers asked the boys' parents if the boys were taking over-the-counter or prescription medications, were taking any vitamin or mineral supplements, or were on a restricted diet.

During the study, researchers X-rayed the hands of 75 boys between the ages of 4 and 8 years old who had been diagnosed with autism or ASD. The researchers then measured the thickness of the bone located between the knuckle of the index finger and the wrist and compared its development to a standardized reference based on a group of boys without autism.

Dr. Hediger said that the research team measured cortical bone thickness. She added that this procedure was done as a substitute for a conventional bone scan, which measures bone density. Bone density is an indication of bones' mineral content. Less dense bones may indicate a risk of bone fracture.

The researchers used the measure of bone thickness because many of the boys were unable to remain still long enough for the conventional scan, which requires individuals to lie immobile for an extended period of time. To successfully complete the bone scan, many of the boys would have required sedation -- a step the researchers were reluctant to take for an early study.

The hand X-ray, Dr. Hediger explained, offers an approximate indication of bone density. She added, however, that because the researchers were unable to use a conventional bone scan, the results of the current study should be confirmed by additional studies using conventional bone scans.

The investigators found that the bones of the boys with autism were growing longer but were not thickening at a normal rate. During normal bone development, material from inside the bone is transferred to the outside of the bone, increasing thickness, while at the same time, the bones are also growing longer.

At 5 or 6 years of age, the bones of the autistic boys were significantly thinner than the bones of boys without autism and the difference in bone thickness became even greater at ages 7 and 8.

The bone thinning was particularly notable because the boys with autism and ASD were heavier than average and would therefore be expected to have thicker bones.

The researchers do not know for certain why the boys had thinner than normal bones. A possible explanation is lack of calcium and vitamin D in their diets. Dr. Hediger explained that a deficiency of these important nutrients in the boys' diets could result from a variety of causes. Many children with autism, she said, have aversions to certain foods. Some will insist on eating the same foods nearly every day, to the exclusion of other foods. So while they may consume enough calories to meet their needs -- or even more calories than they need -- they may lack certain nutrients, like calcium and vitamin D.

Other children with autism may have digestive problems which interfere with the absorption of nutrients. Moreover, many children with autism remain indoors because they require supervision during outdoor activity. Lack of exercise hinders proper bone development, she said. Similarly, if children remain indoors and are not exposed to sunlight, they may not make enough vitamin D, which is needed to process calcium into bones.

The boys in the study who were on a casein-free diet had the thinnest bones. In fact, the 9 boys who were on a casein-free diet had bones that were 20 percent thinner than normal for children their age. Boys who were not on a casein-free diet showed a 10 percent decrease in bone thickness when compared to boys with normal bone development.

The study authors wrote that bone development of children on casein-free diets should be monitored very carefully. They noted that studies of casein-free diets had not proven the diets to be effective in treating the symptoms of autism or ASD.

Only 9 boys on casein-free diets were available to participate in the study, Dr. Hediger said. When conducting a scientific study, it's easier to obtain statistically valid results by studying a larger number of individuals than with a smaller number of individuals. However, the dramatic difference in the boys' bone thickness when they were either on a casein-free diet or an unrestricted diet and when compared to normally developing bones strongly suggest that the bone thinning the researchers observed was statistically valid.

The researchers recommended that larger studies be conducted to confirm their results.

Until those studies can be conducted, Dr. Hediger offered the following advice: "Our study shows that it couldn't hurt -- and would probably help -- if parents of children with autism or autism spectrum disorder consulted with a dietitian during their children's routine medical care to make sure that their diets are balanced."

General information about autism and ASD is available from the NICHD's Web site, at <http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/autism/overview/index.cfm>.

National Institutes of Health Develops Down Syndrome Research Plan

The National Institutes of Health has developed a research plan to advance understanding of Down syndrome and speed development of new treatments for the condition, the most frequent genetic cause of mild to moderate mental retardation and associated medical problems. The plan sets research goals for the next 10 years that build upon earlier research advances fostered by the NIH.

"Through the years, the NIH research effort has led to increased understanding of Down syndrome," said Elias Zerhouni, M.D., director of the National Institutes of Health. "We are now poised to capitalize on these advances and improve the health of people with Down syndrome."

Down syndrome occurs in 1 out of every 800 births in the United States. Down syndrome most frequently results from an extra copy of chromosome 21 in the body's cells. In most cases, this extra chromosome comes from the mother. In some cases, forms of Down syndrome can result from just having an extra portion of chromosome 21. The chance of giving birth to a baby with Down syndrome increases as women age.

Infants with Down syndrome have certain characteristic physical features, such as short stature, distinctive facial features and are more likely to have health conditions like hearing loss, heart malformations, hypertension, digestive problems, and vision disorders. Although Down syndrome is the most common cause of mild to moderate intellectual disability, the condition occasionally is severe. People with Down syndrome are also much more likely to die from infections if left untreated.

The NIH's National Institute of Child Health and Human Development convened a working group of NIH scientists. Through a public comment process, the scientists listened to comments and suggestions from families of individuals with Down Syndrome, as well as from Down Syndrome research advocacy organizations. The NIH scientists then developed the research plan in collaboration with researchers in the national scientific community.
Among the research objectives identified as priorities over the next 10 years is the need for greater access to laboratory animals with the characteristics of Down syndrome.

The plan cites the need for increased research on the medical, cognitive, and behavioral conditions that occur in people with Down syndrome. These conditions include leukemia, heart disease, sleep apnea, seizure disorders, stomach disorders and mental health problems.

The working group also identified the need to study whether aging has a greater impact on mental processes in people with Down syndrome than in people who do not have Down syndrome. As adults, individuals with Down syndrome age prematurely and may experience dementia, memory loss or impaired judgment similar to that experienced by Alzheimer's disease patients.

The plan summarizes current research efforts by the various NIH institutes studying Down syndrome.

The National Institute of Child and Human Development (NICHD) has supported Down syndrome research since the institute was established in the 1960s. NICHD scientists have bred mice that help researchers study the intellectual disability and dementia that occurs in Down syndrome. The NICHD is currently studying specific genes and gene groups that may play a role in developing Down syndrome. Researchers are also studying the role that the age of the mother's egg plays in developing the disorder.

An NICHD-sponsored study is examining whether individuals with an additional complete copy of chromosome 21 differ as they age from people with only a portion of the extra chromosome. Another long-term study will examine the prevalence of dementia in adults with Down syndrome and whether certain medications, like hormone replacement therapy, slow the aging process in Down syndrome.

Other NICHD-supported projects include devising a weight loss program for adults with developmental disabilities, and a computer program to help children with Down syndrome learn.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is supporting studies of the genes that contribute to heart malformations found in Down syndrome patients. The NHLBI also is supporting investigations of the causes and potential treatments for obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder in which throat tissue blocks the airway during sleep, temporarily shutting off air to the lungs. Obstructive sleep apnea is common in Down syndrome children.

Children with Down syndrome are 10 to 15 times more likely than other children to develop leukemia. The National Cancer Institute is investigating various types of leukemia that affect children with Down syndrome.

Other NIH institutes continue to investigate additional aspects of Down syndrome. The National Institute on Aging is conducting research on ways to treat Alzheimer's disease in people with Down syndrome.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases is studying the significance of two genes recently found in a region of chromosome 21. These genes are involved in the development of the immune response against disease.

The National Institute of Mental Health is investigating rates and possible treatments for mental disorders found with Down syndrome. These include autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, and psychosis.

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is investigating how the brain is affected by Down syndrome. The intellectual disability seen in people with Down syndrome is caused when neurons die or do not function properly. One NINDS study is investigating the potential role of a specific gene called APP, for amyloid precursor protein. It is thought that disruption of the APP gene may kill neurons by interfering with a growth factor needed for neurons to survive. APP is believed to be related to Alzheimer's disease and may play a role in Down syndrome.

The research plan on Down syndrome "is intended to provide the NIH, and its member Institutes and Centers, with guidelines for prioritizing and coordinating future research related to Down syndrome," wrote the members of the NIH Down syndrome working group in the report.

The working group is moving forward to implement plan objectives. The plan's short- term objectives are expected to be accomplished within the next three years.

The report is available on the NICHD Web site at: http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/upload/NIH_Downsyndrome_plan.pdf

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation's Medical Research Agency — includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit: www.nih.gov.

Scientists Can Predict Psychotic Illness in up to 80 Percent of High-Risk Youth

The National Institute of Mental Health reported today that youth who are going to develop psychosis can be identified before their illness becomes full-blown 35 percent of the time if they meet widely accepted criteria for risk, but that figure rises to 65 to 80 percent if they have certain combinations of risk factors, the largest study of its kind has shown. Knowing what these combinations are can help scientists predict who is likely to develop the illnesses within two to three years with the same accuracy that other kinds of risk factors can predict major medical diseases, such as diabetes.

Plans for studies to confirm the results, a necessary step before the findings can be considered for use with patients in health-care settings, are underway.

The research was conducted in youth with a median age of 16 and was funded primarily by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health. Results were published in the January 7, 2008, issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry by lead researchers Tyrone D. Cannon, Ph.D., of the University of California Los Angeles, and Robert Heinssen, Ph.D., of NIMH, with colleagues from seven other research facilities.

The combinations of factors that predicted psychosis included:

deteriorating social functioning (for example, spending increasing amounts of time alone in one's room, doing nothing)
a family history of psychosis combined with recent decline in ability to function (such as a drop in grades not explained by other factors or an unexplained withdrawal from extracurricular school activities)
increase in unusual thoughts (such as thinking that strangers' conversations are about oneself)
increase in suspicion/paranoia (such as suspicion of being followed)
past or current drug abuse

"When teens have a dive in grades or drop out of the school band, and it happens against a backdrop of family history of schizophrenia and recent troubling changes in perception — like hearing nondistinct buzzing or crackling sounds, or seeing fleeting images that disappear with a second glance — more often than not it indicates that psychosis is fairly imminent," Cannon said.

If participants had an unrealistic belief that they were being followed, for example, but could be shown that their troubling thoughts were unfounded, the researchers considered them as having a risk factor, but not yet psychosis. But if the participants' sense of being followed became unshakable, despite evidence to the contrary, or became disabling, the researchers considered them as having crossed a threshold to psychosis.

Research shows that intervention during the early stages of psychosis improves outcomes, but it is not yet clear if even earlier intervention, before a psychotic illness develops, is effective.

"Having this more accurate ability to measure who's likely to develop psychosis will be a great asset. Identifying young people in need of intervention is crucial, but the results of this research can help us do more than that. It can eventually help us determine the most effective time to intervene," said NIMH Director Thomas R. Insel, M.D.

Researchers from the facilities that conducted the study used similar criteria and techniques to evaluate 291 high-risk youth, about three times as many as had been evaluated in any previous study of this kind. In addition to being smaller, earlier studies had used different criteria and measuring techniques from one another, which clouded the picture and resulted in only moderate accuracy in predicting psychotic illness.

In this study, a total of 35 percent of participants with at least one risk factor developed a psychotic illness within the 30-month study timeframe. However, when researchers broke the data down further, they found that the youth who had two or three additional risk factors developed psychosis at a rate of 68 to 80 percent, depending on which risk factors were combined.

A separate group of 134 healthy people with no known risk factors for psychosis served as a control group, for comparison. None of them developed a psychotic illness.

Researchers also found that the youth who progressed to a psychotic disorder tended to do so relatively quickly. Twenty-two percent developed psychosis within the first year of follow-up, an additional 11 percent by the end of the second year, and 3 percent more by two-and-a-half years (adding up to the total percentage of people — 35 percent — who developed psychosis in this study).

"The message here is that once we identify people as being high risk, we have a very good chance of knowing whether or not they're likely to develop a serious mental disorder like schizophrenia and that, if they do, it will happen fairly quickly. That's such a critical window of opportunity for getting them the help they need," said Heinssen.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) mission is to reduce the burden of mental and behavioral disorders through research on mind, brain, and behavior. More information is available at the NIMH website: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation's Medical Research Agency — includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

Reference:
Cannon TD, Cadenhead K, Cornblatt B, Woods SW, Addington J, Walker E, Seidman LJ, Perkins D, Tsuang M, McGlashan T, Heinssen R. Prediction of Psychosis in High Risk Youth: A Multi-Site Longitudinal Study in North America. Archives of General Psychiatry. January 7, 2008.

NIH Announces New Spanish Language Website on Neurological Disorders

Free, accurate information on many neurological disorders is now available on a new Spanish language website from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The website is available at: www.espanol.ninds.nih.gov

Health information featured on the new website includes publications on epilepsy, autism, as well as many other neurological disorders. The publications can be downloaded or ordered free of charge. The website also provides information on clinical studies, links to non-profit organizations that offer information and assistance on neurological disorders, and a contact form where people can submit questions on topics related to health and biomedical research.

Providing health information to the nation’s Spanish-speaking population is an important part of the NIH's outreach efforts, which support its mission to reduce the burden of neurological disease. According to the 2000 United States Census, 28.1 million people in the U.S. who are age 5 or older speak Spanish in their homes.

For more information about NIH and its programs, visit: www.nih.gov

Fever May Be Significant Clue to Autism Research and Treatment

Fever can temporarily unlock autism's grip on children, a finding that could shed light on the roots of the condition and perhaps provide clues for treatment, researchers reported on Monday. It appears that fever restores nerve cell communications in regions of the autistic brain, restoring a child's ability to interact and socialize during the fever, the study said.

"The results of this study are important because they show us that the autistic brain is plastic, or capable of altering current connections and forming new ones in response to different experiences or conditions," said Dr. Andrew Zimmerman, a pediatric neurologist at Baltimore's Kennedy Krieger Institute, who was one of the study authors.

The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, was based on 30 children with autism aged 2 to 18 who were observed during and after a fever of at least 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit. More than 80 percent of those with fever showed some improvements in behavior during it and 30 percent had dramatic improvements, the researchers said.

To read more about the study: CLICK HERE

Statement by the USDOE on the 2006 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) Results

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) today released the 2006 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). This assessment, focusing on students' reading comprehension and literacy, was administered to a random sampling of approximately 5,000 4th graders from across the United States. The results were then compared to students in more than 45 countries and subnational systems (e.g., Canadian provinces). The last PIRLS assessment was administered in 2001.

Following the release of the 2006 PIRLS results, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today made the following statement:

The results of this report indicate that our strong commitment to academic excellence is more important than ever.

Although our nation's 4th graders rank above the international average in reading performance on the PIRLS assessment, the U.S. score has not changed measurably from 2001. While we're seeing progress under No Child Left Behind, we can do better. If we want to sustain America's position as an economic power and innovative leader, our students must master the fundamentals.
PIRLS is just one piece of data we use to determine how our students compare with their international peers. U.S. educators and policymakers rely on other assessments, such as the National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP), to advise on student performance at multiple levels. In fact, I'm encouraged by recent NAEP results on 4th and 8th grade reading and math, particularly given the sample size tested in which approximately 700,000 students participated, as opposed to 5,000 U.S. students assessed under PIRLS.

Clearly, as the world becomes flatter, it's becoming more competitive. We need to do better than simply keep pace.

New Web Page Helps Users Identify Evidence-Based Programs

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has developed a new Web page to assist the public in identifying evidence-based programs and practices that can prevent and/or treat mental and substance use disorders. Debuting online today, A Guide to Evidence-Based Practices on the Web at www.samhsa.gov/ebpWebguide features 37 Web sites that contain information about specific evidence-based interventions or provide comprehensive reviews of research findings.

The Web Guide – a component of SAMHSA’s Science and Service Initiative - can be used by stakeholders throughout the behavioral health field to promote awareness of current intervention research and to increase the availability and implementation of evidence-based practices.

Users can browse the listings in the Web Guide by content area, age group, or treatment setting. Each listing includes the name of the organization sponsoring the Web site, a hyperlink to the actual Web site, a statement of the site’s purpose and intended audience(s), and key features, such as sources of evidence and review processes and information on resources needed to implement the evidence-based practices properly.

For more information, visit A Guide to Evidence-Based Practices (EBP) on the Web at www.samhsa.gov/ebpWebguide .

Brain Matures a Few Years Late in ADHD, But Follows Normal Pattern

In youth with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the brain matures in a normal pattern but is delayed three years in some regions, on average, compared to youth without the disorder, an imaging study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has revealed. The delay in ADHD was most prominent in regions at the front of the brain’s outer mantle (cortex), important for the ability to control thinking, attention and planning. Otherwise, both groups showed a similar back-to-front wave of brain maturation with different areas peaking in thickness at different times (see movie).

“Finding a normal pattern of cortex maturation, albeit delayed, in children with ADHD should be reassuring to families and could help to explain why many youth eventually seem to grow out of the disorder,” explained Philip Shaw, M.D., NIMH Child Psychiatry Branch, who led research team.

Previous brain imaging studies failed to detect the developmental lag because they focused on the size of the relatively large lobes of the brain. The sharp differences emerged only after a new image analysis technique allowed the researchers to pinpoint the thickening and thinning of thousands of cortex sites in hundreds of children and teens, with and without the disorder.

“If you’re just looking at the lobes, you have only four measures instead of 40,000,” explained Shaw. “You don’t pick up the focal, regional changes where this delay is most marked.”

Among 223 youth with ADHD, half of 40,000 cortex sites attained peak thickness at an average age of 10.5, compared to age 7.5 in a matched group of youth without the disorder.

Shaw, Judith Rapoport, M.D., of the NIMH Child Psychiatry Branch, Alan Evans, M.D., of McGill University, and colleagues report on their magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study during the week of November 12, 2007, in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The researchers scanned most of the 446 participants – ranging from preschoolers to young adults – at least twice at about three-year intervals. They focused on the age when cortex thickening during childhood gives way to thinning following puberty, as unused neural connections are pruned for optimal efficiency during the teen years.

In both ADHD and control groups, sensory processing and motor control areas at the back and top of the brain peaked in thickness earlier in childhood, while the frontal cortex areas responsible for higher-order executive control functions peaked later, during the teen years. These frontal areas support the ability to suppress inappropriate actions and thoughts, focus attention, remember things from moment to moment, work for reward, and control movement – functions often disturbed in people with ADHD.

Circuitry in the frontal and temporal (at the side of the brain) areas that integrate information from the sensory areas with the higher-order functions showed the greatest maturational delay in youth with ADHD. For example, one of the last areas to mature, the middle of the prefrontal cortex, lagged five years in those with the disorder.

The motor cortex emerged as the only area that matured faster than normal in the youth with ADHD, in contrast to the late-maturing frontal cortex areas that direct it. This mismatch might account for the restlessness and fidgety symptoms common among those with the disorder, the researchers suggested.

They also noted that the delayed pattern of maturation observed in ADHD is the opposite of that seen in other developmental brain disorders like autism, in which the volume of brain structures peak at a much earlier-than-normal age.

The findings support the theory that ADHD results from a delay in cortex maturation. In future studies, the researchers hope to find genetic underpinnings of the delay and ways of boosting processes of recovery from the disorder.

“Brain imaging is still not ready for use as a diagnostic tool in ADHD,” noted Shaw. “Although the delay in cortex development was marked, it could only be detected when a very large number of children with the disorder were included. It is not yet possible to detect such delay from the brain scans of just one individual. The diagnosis of ADHD remains clinical, based on taking a history from the child, the family and teachers.”

Also participating in the research were: Kristen Eskstrand, Wendy Sharp, Jonathan Blumenthal, Dede Greenstein, Liv Clasen, and Jay Giedd, M.D., NIMH.

Maturation of the brain, as reflected in the age at which a cortex area attains peak thickness, in ADHD (above) and normal development (below). Lighter areas are thinner, darker areas thicker. Light blue in the ADHD sequence corresponds to the same thickness as light purple in the normal development sequence. The darkest areas in the lower part of the brain, which are not associated with ADHD, had either already peaked in thickness by the start of the study, or, for statistical reasons, were not amenable to defining an age of peak cortex thickness. (see movie)

Pediatricians Urge Autism Screening

The country's leading pediatricians group is making its strongest push yet to have all children screened for autism twice by age 2, warning of symptoms such as babies who don't babble at 9 months and 1-year-olds who don't point to toys.

The advice is meant to help both parents and doctors spot autism sooner. There is no cure for the disorder, but experts say that early therapy can lessen its severity.

Symptoms to watch for and the call for early screening come in two new reports. They are being released by the American Academy of Pediatrics on Monday at its annual meeting in San Francisco and will appear in the November issue of the journal Pediatrics and on the group's Web site: http://www.aap.org/.
To read the entire article, visit: http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/oct07autism.htm

New York Loses Supreme Court Appeal

Supreme Court Splits on NY Special Ed Case, Leaving City Schools to Pay Private Tuition

On Monday, October 1, the Court heard Oral argument in New York Bd of Ed v. Tom F.

On Wednesday, October 10, the United States Supreme Court issued a decision in this case. Justice Kennedy, recused himself. The justices split 4-4, leaving intact a lower court's ruling in favor of former Viacom and MTV executive Tom Freston. Lower courts had ruled in favor of Freston against New York City's board of education, saying the city must pay for educating learning-disabled students in private schools, even when they don't first give the public school system a chance.

New York City's legal department said the decision detracts from schools' abilities to work with parents for the best possible educational outcomes for children with disabilities. Since the decision is not a precedent which would guide all U.S. public school districts, "we are hopeful that the Supreme Court will resolve this important issue in the near future," the city legal department said in a statement.

The favorable decision on behalf of the parents and child stands for families who live in the Second Circuit - Connecticut, New York, and Vermont. However, the failure of the Supreme Court to issue a definitive ruling on this issue means that the case has no precedential value beyond the 2nd Circuit. The decision is, in essence, a nullity, i.e., the case never went beyond the 2nd Circuit.

You can read the decision in Tom F. at:

http://www.wrightslaw.com/law/caselaw/ussupct.nyc.tomf.pdf

To read more about this landmark decision, visit:

Supreme Court Weighs Special Education Law

Does IDEA provide for public tuition reimbursement for private school when a child has not previously received special education from a public school?

The Supreme Court began its 2007 term by hearing arguments in a case that could affect the six million children who receive special education in the United States.

At issue is the nation's cornerstone special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA mandates public school systems to ensure a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) for special-needs children in their district.

In some cases, that means that if a public school does not have an adequate special education program for a student, the district will pay for that student to attend a private school that does.

The case before the Court, School Board of New York City vs. Tom F., asks whether taxpayers should pay to send a child with a disability to a private school if that child has not first tried a special education program offered by a public school.

The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) guarantees students with disabilities a "free appropriate public education." Tom Freston enrolled his son Gilbert in a private school for students with special needs, because the New York City school district was unable to establish an adequate "individualized education program." The school district reimbursed Freston for the private school tuition. After two years the school district offered to place Gilbert in another public school, but Freston chose to keep his son in private school and again sought tuition reimbursement from the district.

A U.S. district court ruled that the school district was not required by the IDEA to reimburse Freston, because Gilbert had never been enrolled in public school.

The case before the Court, School Board of New York City vs. Tom F., asks whether taxpayers should pay to send a disabled child to a private school if that child has not first tried a special education program offered by a public school.

The question before the Court is: Does the Individuals with Disabilities Act provide for public tuition reimbursement for private school when a child has not previously received special education from a public school?

To read more about this case, School Board of New York City vs. Tom F, visit:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/july-dec07/scotus_10-08.html

AHRQ and FDA to Collaborate in Largest Study Ever of Possible Heart Risks With ADHD Medications

Two U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agencies will collaborate in the most comprehensive study to date of prescription medications used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and the potential for increased risk of heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular problems.

Researchers supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will examine the clinical data of about 500,000 children and adults who have taken medications used to treat ADHD, to determine whether those drugs increase cardiovascular risks.

Because medications used to treat ADHD can increase heart rate and blood pressure, there are concerns about the drugs' potential to increase cardiac risks. It is also thought these risks may be different for adults and children, but more evidence is needed about the long-term effects of using ADHD medications.

The planned analysis follows an FDA-sponsored preliminary study that compiled information from large health care databases on prescription drug use, inpatient care, outpatient treatment, and health outcomes, including death. Based on that effort, researchers identified people who took ADHD drugs during a seven-year period ending in 2005. AHRQ, which sponsors research on clinical effectiveness and safety, will team with FDA to complete the analysis of the data.

"This study highlights one of AHRQ's most important missions: to collect and analyze, scientific evidence that will help patients, policymakers, and clinicians make the best possible decisions," said AHRQ Director Carolyn M. Clancy, M.D. "This partnership with the FDA is a great way to move closer to answering important clinical questions that affect children and adults who have ADHD."

"Case reports have described adverse cardiovascular events in adult and pediatric patients with certain underlying risk factors who receive drug treatment for ADHD, but it is unknown whether or not these events are causally related to treatment," said Gerald Dal Pan, M.D., director of FDA's Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology. "The goal of this study is to develop better information on this question."

The study will be coordinated by Vanderbilt University researchers on contract through AHRQ's Effective Health Care program. Data analysis will be performed by researchers at Vanderbilt, Kaiser Permanente of California, the HMO Research Network and i3 Drug Safety, as well as from FDA and AHRQ. The analysis will include all drugs currently marketed for treating ADHD. The study will analyze the risks of all the drugs as a whole, and risks of the drugs grouped by class.

The analysis will take about two years to complete. Results are expected to be important not only to patients, their families and health care providers, but also to government insurance programs. Medicaid, Medicare, and the State Children's Health Insurance Program provide reimbursement for drugs prescribed for ADHD. This information could also be used to inform product labeling, which is used by health care providers when making treatment decisions.

ADHD is a behavioral disorder that, in many patients, causes hyperactivity, and may have a significant impact on school performance and social functioning. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, ADHD affects approximately 3 percent to 5 percent of school-age children and about 4 percent of adults.

Use of ADHD drugs has increased in recent years among children and adults. A recent AHRQ analysis of medication expenditures found three ADHD drugs—Concerta, Strattera, and Adderall—ranked among the top five drugs prescribed for children ages 17 years and younger. About $1.3 billion was spent on those drugs in 2004, the study estimated. Adult use is also believed to be increasing.

In May 2006, based on a review of anecdotal reports of heart attack, stroke and sudden death among patients taking usual doses of ADHD medications, the FDA asked drug manufacturers to revise product labeling to reflect concerns about possible adverse events. Drug manufacturers have created patient Medication Guides for individual products to help patients understand risks.

FDA and AHRQ recommend that individuals using or being considered for treatment with ADHD drug products work with their physician or other health care professional to develop a treatment plan that includes a careful health history and evaluation of current health status, particularly for cardiovascular and psychiatric problems, including assessment for a family history of such problems.

For more information:
National Institute of Mental Health—ADHD page
www.nimh.nih.gov/healthinformation/adhdmenu.cfm

FDA News—ADHD Medications and Cardiovascular, Psychiatric Adverse Events
www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01568.html

AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program
www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov

Study Links Attention Problems to Early TV Viewing

Watching television more than two hours a day early in life can lead to attention problems later in adolescence, according to a study released on Tuesday. The roughly 40 percent increase in attention problems among heavy TV viewers was observed in both boys and girls, and was independent of whether a diagnosis of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder was made prior to adolescence. "Those who watched more than two hours, and particularly those who watched more than three hours, of television per day during childhood had above-average symptoms of attention problems in adolescence," Carl Landhuis of the University of Otago in Dunedin wrote in his report, published in the journal Pediatrics. To read the entire article, visit http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?alias=study-links-attention-pro&chanId=sa003&modsrc=reuters

Research on Neurofeedback Indicates Success with Some Children with ADHD

Training the brains of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) using a technique called neurofeedback can improve their behavior and reduce hyperactivity and impulsivity, according to a team of Swiss and German researchers. But the strategy doesn't work for every child and shouldn't be thought of as a replacement for drug treatment, Dr. Renate Drechsler of the University of Zurich, the study's lead author, told Reuters Health."Impaired control of attention is a core problem in ADHD," Drechsler explained via e-mail. "Neurofeedback is aimed at learning how to regulate cortical activation in order to induce better attentional control, and thereby improve a main symptom directly."

To read the entire article on how neurofeedback can help children with ADHD, visit: http://uk.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUKFLE26802220070822

Children Who Complete Intensive Early Childhood Program Show Gains in Adulthood

Greater College Attendance, Lower Crime and Depression

By the time they reached adulthood, graduates of an intensive early childhood education program for poor children showed higher educational attainment, lower rates of serious crime and incarceration, and lower rates of depressive symptoms than did non-participants in the program, reported researchers in a study funded in part by the National Institutes of Health.

The Child-Parent Centers (CPC) program in the Chicago Public School System provided intensive instruction in reading and math from pre-kindergarten through third grade, combined with frequent educational field trips. The children’s parents received job skills training, parenting skills training, educational classes and social services. They also volunteered in their children’s classrooms, assisted with field trips and attended parenting support groups. The CPC program is distinct from the federally funded Head Start program.

“These results strongly suggest that comprehensive early education programs can have benefits well into adult life,” said Duane Alexander, Director of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the NIH institute that funded the study. “A comparatively small investment early in life is associated with gains in education, economic standing, mental health, and other areas.”

The research team that conducted the study was led by University of Minnesota investigators Dr. Arthur J. Reynolds, professor at the Institute of Child Development, and Dr. Judy A. Temple, professor at the Humphrey Institute and Department of Applied Economics. The researchers followed the children from ages 3 or 4 through age 24 to assess the possible benefits of the CPC program in terms of the children’s educational achievement, need for remedial education, involvement with the child welfare and foster care system, economic status, involvement with the criminal justice system, health status and mental health. The study appears in the August Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

Dr. Reynolds and his coauthors followed a group of 1,539 low-income children in the Child-Parent Center (CPC) program, administered by the Chicago Public Schools in Chicago, Illinois. Roughly 1,000 children in the study were enrolled in the CPC program at ages 3 or 4 and 500 were enrolled in the comparison group, which was made up of children in alternative early childhood education programs. Children in the CPC group were matched to children in the comparison group of similar age and background. The study began following the children in 1985 and 1986. Families moved into and out of the area during the time the study took place, so not all children completed all components of the CPC program. The children in the study were 93 percent African American and 7 percent Hispanic.

Because the study did not assign children randomly to the two groups, it cannot conclusively prove that the CPC program caused the gains observed in its graduates. However, the study results strongly suggest that the program produced lasting benefits — even for children who completed only part of the program. By age 24, for example, children who participated only in the preschool program had lower rates of depression, lower rates of violent crime and incarceration, were more likely to attend 4 year colleges and were more likely to have health insurance than children who did not participate in the preschool program. However, graduates of both the preschool and school age components of the CPC program were more likely to attend college and to be employed full time, and less likely to receive public assistance or to have a disability than those who participated in other programs. Children who participated in only the school age component of the CPC program also showed benefits in adult life. By age 24, these children had lower rates of disability and were less likely to receive public assistance.

“Children who were enrolled in the CPC program were generally more socially engaged and educationally adept,” said Dr. Reynolds. “These benefits appear to be derived from early gains made in the CPC program on school readiness, achievement, and parental involvement in the children’s schooling.”

Established in 1967, the CPC program is currently federally funded through Title I of the No Child Left Behind Act and is still operating in Chicago. The program is implemented by certified teachers, has a low child-to-teacher ratio, and provides intensive parent involvement. Its curriculum includes structured field trips and class activities that emphasize oral and written communication, said Dr. Reynolds. The program also fosters early literacy through conventional classroom activities, in addition to story book reading and language games that help children recognize letters and understand the sounds for which they stand.

In addition to parenting classes, the CPC program offers high school equivalency classes, career development skills workshops, and other professional training.
“The program is an outreach to the parents as well,” said Dr. Reynolds. “In order to lift families out of poverty, attention is directed to the whole family.”

He noted that past research has shown that completing more schooling is linked with earning a higher income, a decreased involvement in criminal activity and even a decrease in rates of depression.

“Children who participated in this program had a greater recognition that more schooling is the way out of poverty,” he said. “The study is the first to show that large-scale established programs run by schools can have enduring effects into adulthood across a range of outcomes.”

Improvement Following ADHD Treatment Sustained in Most Children

But Linked Problems Persist Into Adolescence — Major Follow-up Study

Most children treated in a variety of ways for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) showed sustained improvement after three years in a major follow-up study funded by the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Yet increased risk for behavioral problems, including delinquency and substance use, remained higher than normal.

The study followed-up children who had participated in the Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (MTA).

Initial advantages of medication management alone or in combination with behavioral treatment over purely behavioral or routine community care waned in the years after 14 months of controlled treatment ended. However, Peter Jensen, M.D., Columbia University, and colleagues emphasized that “it would be incorrect to conclude from these results that treatment makes no difference or is not worth pursuing.”

Their report is among four on the outcome of the MTA study published in the August, 2007 Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP).
“We were struck by the remarkable improvement in symptoms and functioning across all treatment groups,” explained Jensen.

After three years, 45-71 percent of the youth in the original treatment groups were taking medication. However, continuing medication treatment was no longer associated with better outcomes by the third year.

“Our results suggest that medication can make a long-term difference for some children if it’s continued with optimal intensity, and not started or added too late in a child’s clinical course,” added Jensen.

For the followup study, a multi-site research team evaluated, at ages 10-13, 485 children from the original MTA study (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/childhp/mtaqa.cfm), the first major randomized trial comparing different treatments for ADHD, published in l999. That study found that intensive medication management alone or in combination with behavioral therapy produced better outcomes than just behavioral therapy or usual community care.
Ratings from families and teachers favored the combination treatment, which allowed for somewhat lower medication doses. Also, the careful management of medication by MTA physicians produced better outcomes than medication provided through usual community care sources.

After the 14 months of assigned treatments ended, families were free to choose from treatments available in their communities.

To understand why the initial advantage of medication wore off, the researchers examined medication use patterns that emerged after formal treatment in the study ended. They found that children who had been assigned to intensive behavioral treatment were more likely to begin taking medication, while those who had been taking medication were more likely to stop. For example, among children originally in the behavioral treatment group, the incidence of high medication use increased from 14 to 45 percent.

In a secondary analysis of the data that searched for possible explanations for the findings, in the same issue of the JAACAP, researchers led by James Swanson, Ph.D., University of California at Irvine, reported finding substantial individual variability in responses to medication. They identified three groups of children with different patterns of response. One group, about a third of the children, showed a gradual, moderate improvement; a second group, about half of the children, showed larger initial improvement, which was sustained through the third year; a third group, about 14 percent of the children, responded well initially, but then deteriorated as symptoms returned during the second and third years. Swanson and colleagues suggested “trial withdrawals” for some children to determine if they still need to take medications.

Another report by Swanson and colleagues in the same issue of the JAACAP confirmed an earlier finding from the MTA study that taking medication slowed growth. A group of 65 children with ADHD who had never taken medication grew somewhat larger — about three-fourths of an inch and 6 pounds more, on average — than a group of 88 peers who stayed on medication over the three years. Growth rates normalized for the children on medication by the third year, but they had not made up for the earlier slowing in growth.

In a fourth article, Brooke Molina, Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh, and colleagues reported that, despite treatment, the children with ADHD showed significantly higher-than-normal rates of delinquency (27.1 percent vs. 7.4 percent) and substance use (17.4 percent vs. 7.8 percent) after three years. Earlier evidence of lower substance use rates among children who had received intensive behavioral therapy had lessened by the third year. “These findings underscore the point that ADHD treatment for one year does not prevent serious problems from emerging later,” noted Molina.

The follow-up of the MTA sample will continue as the participating children go through adolescence and enter adulthood

Wall Street Journal Raises Questions About Conspiracy and Corruption in NYS with Children with Disabilities

The Wall Street Journal reported this week on what appears to be widespread corruption at the New York State Education Department. This corruption targets children with disabilities. Dan Golden, the journalist making this report, cited sources inside the Office of State Review confirming that the State Review Officer, Paul Kelly, was ruling contrary to recommendations of his attorney staff in order to find in favor of school districts at the expense of children with disabilities. The article suggests that his relationship with Kate Surgalla, Kelly's paramour and a high ranking attorney with the Office of Counsel of the State Education Department, may be influencing his decisions. Kelly and Surgalla refused comment, according to Golden. The State Review Officer is required by law to be independent of the State Education Department and render impartial decisions on the special education cases that come before him.

"Golden has confirmed many of the facts that my office has been investigating over the last year in preparation for legal action against Mr. Kelly and the others involved in what I believe to be a conspiracy," Cuddy stated. Sources inside Kelly's office have been reporting to parents' attorneys across the State that the office has been compromised, and any voice of opposition to these shenanigans within Kelly's office is quickly stifled. Kelly's office has been determined to have turnover rate four times higher than other State Education Department offices, as individuals are pressured to leave when they speak out against Kelly's agenda. "Multiple attorneys in that office reported that they left because they felt that participating in Kelly's agenda would cause them to lose their licenses to practice law, and sources inside the office confirm that the agenda is ongoing despite expressed opposition within the office from Kelly's staff," Cuddy said.

Because of today's Wall Street Journal report, Cuddy has requested that New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo commence an immediate, full-scale investigation in order to determine whether there has been a criminal conspiracy to violate the civil rights of New York State's disabled children and their parents. "We can't allow evidence in Albany to be destroyed in shredders or wiped from computers. We cannot allow witnesses to these events to be coerced or intimidated into withholding information from investigatory authorities. My office is offering assistance to any current or former employee of the State Education Department who feels that they are being threatened or intimidated into participating in a cover-up. I am also concerned that the people of good conscience that participated in exposing this situation will be retaliated against. Steps must be taken to protect them as these issues move forward." Cuddy also bought this matter to the attention of the Office of the Inspector General of the United States Department of Education.

On July 20th, parents' lawyers from across the State met in New York City to discuss possible legal avenues to address the situation at the Office of State Review. As a result of Golden's article, these attorneys will meet again at 3:00 p.m. on the 25th to coordinate efforts in a legal action against the State Education Department and the individuals responsible. Cuddy concluded his letter to Cuomo, "As long as this situation is allowed to exist, no parent of a disabled child is being afforded due process in New York. The safety and the futures of disabled children are being put at risk. I urge your office to take immediate action to hold individuals accountable."

Ability to Listen to Two Things at Once Is Largely Inherited, Says Twin Study

Your ability to listen to a phone message in one ear while a friend is talking into your other ear—and comprehend what both are saying—is an important communication skill that’s heavily influenced by your genes, say researchers of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), one of the National Institutes of Health. The finding, published in the August 2007 issue of Human Genetics, may help researchers better understand a broad and complex group of disorders—called auditory processing disorders (APDs)—in which individuals with otherwise normal hearing ability have trouble making sense of the sounds around them.

“Our auditory system doesn’t end with our ears,” says James F. Battey, Jr., M.D., Ph.D., director of the NIDCD. “It also includes the part of our brain that helps us interpret the sounds we hear. This is the first study to show that people vary widely in their ability to process what they hear, and these differences are due largely to heredity.”

The term “auditory processing” refers to functions performed primarily by the brain that help a listener interpret sounds. Among other things, auditory processing enables us to tell the direction a sound is coming from, the timing and sequence of a sound, and whether a sound is a voice we need to listen to or background noise we should ignore. Most people don’t even realize they possess these skills, much less how adept they are at them. Auditory processing skills play a role in a child’s language acquisition and learning abilities, although the extent of that relationship is not well understood.

To determine if auditory processing skills are hereditary, NIDCD researchers studied identical and fraternal twins who attended a national twins festival in Twinsburg, OH, during the years 2002 through 2005. A total of 194 same-sex pairs of twins participated in the study (138 identical pairs and 56 fraternal pairs), representing ages 12 through 50. All twins received a DNA test to confirm whether they were identical or fraternal and a hearing test to make sure they had normal hearing.

Controversy Over MMR Vaccine & Autism is Revisited

Incidence of Autism in Britain Increases Dramatically as Controversy Over MMR Vaccine is Revisited

The number of children in Britain with autism is far higher than previously thought, according to dramatic new evidence by the country's leading experts in the field.
A study, as yet unpublished, shows that as many as one in 58 children may have some form of the condition. Seven academics at Cambridge University, six of them from its renowned Autism Research Centre, undertook the research by studying children at local primary schools. Two of the academics, leaders in their field, privately believe that the surprisingly high figure may be linked to the use of the controversial MMR vaccine. That view is rejected by the rest of the team, including its leader, the renowned autism expert, Professor Simon Baron-Cohen.

To read the entire article, visit : http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,,2121542,00.html

Secretary Spellings Announces $38.2 Million for 18 Grants to Reward Effective Teaching and Leadership

U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings this week announced the award of $38.2 million for 18 grants that will provide financial incentives to teachers and principals who improve student achievement and close achievement gaps in high-poverty schools. The grants may also be used to recruit effective teachers to those schools, particularly for hard-to-staff subjects like math, science and special education. The grants are projected to be funded for five years for a total of some $237.4 million.

"If we expect results for every child, as we do with No Child Left Behind, then we must support teachers who get the job done in America's toughest classrooms," Spellings said. "These grants will help encourage our most effective teachers and principals to work in challenging schools where they can make a real difference in the lives of young people."

Funded for the first time in 2006, the Teacher Incentive Fund program is President Bush's initiative to develop and implement performance-based teacher and principal compensation systems in high-need, disadvantaged schools, where at least 30 percent of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. The goals of the program are to improve student achievement by increasing the effectiveness of principals and teachers, and, at the same time, increase the number of effective teachers for minority and disadvantaged students. For more information about the Teacher Incentive Fund visit http://www.ed.gov/programs/teacherincentive/faq.html

Two Publications of Importance in the Field of Special Education Now Available

The Condition of Education
This is a congressionally mandated annual report that contains 48 indicators on conditions and trends in elementary, secondary, postsecondary, and adult education. This report measures the performance of U.S. students on national and international assessments; trends in public and private school enrollments; student-teacher ratios in public schools; trends in public school expenditures; federal grants and loans to undergraduate students; and the educational attainment of young adults, among other indicators.
The full text of the report is now available online at: http://nces.ed.gov

Highly Qualified Teachers and Special Education: Several State Approaches
http://projectforum.org/docs/HighlyQualifiedTeachersandSpecialEducation-SeveralStateApproaches.pdf
This Project Forum In-Brief Policy Analysis introduces the research on the importance that teacher quality has in student achievement and the legislative background for highly qualified special educators.

U.S. Department of Education Releases Two New Publications for Parents

In the first publication, titled: "Opening Doors: Technology and Communication Options for Children with Hearing Loss", parents of children with hearing loss can find helpful information and resources in a publication produced for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) by the Academy for Educational Development (AED). Opening Doors: Technology and Communication Options for Children with Hearing Loss provides background on early intervention, the use of technology and other support available to children and their families.

To learn more, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/products/opening_doors/index.html

The second publication, titled: "Learning Opportunities For Your Child Through Alternate Assessments" introduces parents to the "big ideas" contained in school improvement efforts under NCLB and IDEA, and provides them with the information they need to help ensure that their children can benefit from these efforts. The end of this booklet identifies suggested sources of additional information that parents can use to help their children benefit from the nationwide education reform and accountability efforts intended to ensure high expectations for all children.

To read this publication, visit: http://www.ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/learning/index.html

Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Parents of Children with Disabilities

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A Supreme Court decision on Monday gave parents of children with disabilities the right to go to court without a lawyer to challenge their public school district’s individualized plan for their child’s education.

The 7-to-2 decision involved an interpretation of the federal law that gives all children the right to a “free appropriate public education,” regardless of disability. Millions of children receive benefits under the law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Most federal appeals courts have ruled that when a dispute brings families and school districts into court, the parents cannot proceed without a lawyer.

Many parents, including the couple from Parma, Ohio, who brought this case, either cannot afford a lawyer or cannot find one. Increasingly, school districts have been bringing parents who seek to handle their own cases into court on charges of violating state statutes against the “unauthorized practice of law.”

To read the entire article on this landmark decision, visit: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/22/washington/22scotus.html?ref=education

New IDEA Part C Regulations Proposed by U.S. Department of Education

Proposed IDEA Part C Regulations Would Ease Burdens, Assure State Accountability to Help Infants, Toddlers with Disabilities

The U.S. Department of Education has proposed regulations to ease bureaucratic burdens, increase flexibility and assure accountability by states in helping prepare America's infants and toddlers with disabilities for success in school.

In proposed rules for Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to be published in the May 9 Federal Register, the department sought to ensure that states provide early intervention services to children birth through age 2 in a timely and effective manner.

"We believe this package will help promote excellence in the early intervention services that states provide to infants and toddlers with disabilities," said John H. Hager, assistant secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.

Part C is a $436 million program serving infants and toddlers through age 2 with developmental delays or who have diagnosed physical or mental conditions with high probabilities of resulting in developmental delays. At a state's discretion, children in that age range who are at risk of having substantial developmental delays may be eligible to receive services.

The proposed rules would:

RESTRUCTURE THE CURRENT REGULATIONS to follow the order and arrangement of the statute. This organization creates a freestanding document that will be helpful to parents, lead agencies, early intervention service providers, and the public -- both in reading the regulations, and in finding the direct link between a statutory requirement and the regulation related to that requirement.
INCREASE STATE FLEXIBILITY AND OPTIONS by incorporating new provisions from IDEA that permit mediation to be available to parents at any time -- even when a due process hearing is not requested -- and requiring that settlement agreements reached as a result of mediation be valid and enforceable in a court of law. States also would be given flexibility to offer parents of children ages 3 through 5 the option of continuing to receive Part C services (in lieu of providing those children a free appropriate public education under section 619 of the IDEA) and allowing states to serve those children for one, two or three years.
PROVIDE MUCH REQUESTED AND NEEDED CLARIFICATION ON COMPLEX PROVISIONS in such areas as confidentiality, the use of public and private insurance to pay for Part C services and state responsibilities for children with surgically implanted devices such as cochlear implants.
REDUCE BURDENS ON STATES by permitting states in most cases to provide assurances rather than supporting documentation in their applications. States would be permitted to use screening in addition to evaluations to determine whether a child is suspected of having a disability.
ENSURE STATE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR CHILD FIND AND PROVISION OF EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES by incorporating new provisions from the IDEA requiring that states have in place referral, public awareness or other child find policies for children under the age of 3 who are:
- (1) involved in a substantiated case of abuse and neglect
- (2) identified as affected by illegal substance abuse, or withdrawal symptoms resulting from prenatal drug exposure
- (3) homeless
- (4) in foster care
- (5) wards of the state
- (6) for states that choose to allow parents to continue early intervention services for children age 3 and older, children who experience a substantiated case of trauma due to exposure to family violence.
ALIGN THE PART C REGULATIONS, WHERE PRACTICAL, TO THE IDEA PART B REGULATIONS by minimizing the burden for lead agencies that are also state education agencies and encouraging a streamlined system of services for children with disabilities.

Comments on the proposed regulations are welcome and will be considered in the development of the final regulations. For information on submitting comments, see the Part C Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, posted at http://idea.ed.gov.

In addition, public hearings will be held at the following dates and locations: June 4, from 4 to 7:30 p.m., Portland, Ore.; June 6, from 4 to 7:30 p.m., Oklahoma City; June 11, from 4 to 7:30 p.m., Indianapolis; and June 14, from 3 to 7:30 p.m., Washington.

For more details on Part C and the IDEA in general, visit the Education Department's Web site at http://idea.ed.gov/explore/home.

Clarification on Response to Intervention (RTI) and Early Intervening Services (EIS) Released by U.S. Department of Education

The final regulations for the reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) were published in the Federal Register on August 14, 2006, and became effective on October 13, 2006. Since publication of the final regulations, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) in the U.S. Department of Education has received requests for clarification of some of these regulations. The final regulations incorporate new requirements regarding identifying children with specific learning disabilities (SLD) and early intervening services (EIS). With regard to identifying children with SLD, the regulations:

(1) allow a local educational agency (LEA) to consider a child’s response to scientific, research-based intervention as part of the SLD determination process
(2) allow States to use other alternative research-based procedures for determining whether a child has a SLD
(3) provide that States may not require the use of a severe discrepancy between intellectual ability and achievement to determine whether a child has a SLD
(4) require a public agency to use the State criteria in determining whether a child has a SLD and discuss the role that response to scientific research-based interventions plays in a comprehensive evaluation process.

To view current Q & A on Response to Intervention (RTI) and Early Intervening Services (EIS), visit:

http://idea.ed.gov/explore/view/p/%2Croot%2Cdynamic%2CQaCorner%2C8%2C

Reading First Achievement Data Demonstrate Dramatic Improvements in Reading Proficiency of America's Neediest Children

State-by-state data confirm that the scientifically based reading program is working

Washington, D.C. — This week, the U.S. Department of Education released new state-by-state data on the effectiveness of Reading First, indicating that students who receive instruction through the program achieve strong gains in reading proficiency. Another measure of the program's success since its launch in 2002, the state-by-state data demonstrate that Reading First is working to help our nation's neediest kindergarten through third-grade students significantly improve their reading skills.

"These results are yet another confirmation that Reading First is working on behalf of our children," said Deputy Assistant Secretary Amanda Farris, who oversees the program office responsible for the implementation of Reading First. "Reading First students and teachers are demonstrating tremendous progress in a remarkably short period of time. We rarely see this kind of success from a federal education program."

The state-reported data presented today reveal that students in Reading First schools largely demonstrated impressive gains in reading fluency and comprehension. Students enrolled in the program were assessed beginning in the 2003-2004 school year. Achievement data highlights include:

In Reading First schools, the percentage of 1st graders meeting or exceeding proficiency on Reading First fluency outcome measures increased by 14 percentage points (43% to 57%) from 2004 to 2006.
In Reading First schools, the percentage of 3rd graders meeting or exceeding proficiency on Reading First fluency outcome measures increased by 7 percentage points (36% to 43%) from 2004 to 2006.
On average, the 26 States with baseline data increased the percentage of students meeting or exceeding proficiency on fluency outcome measures by 16% for 1st graders, 14% for 2nd graders, and 15% for 3rd graders.
On average, the 26 States with baseline data increased the percentage of students meeting or exceeding proficiency on comprehension outcome measures by 15% for 1st graders, 6% for 2nd graders, and 12% for 3rd graders.

The data released today reinforce the positive indicators from the Reading First Implementation Evaluation interim report released in July 2006. According to the interim report, Reading First students receive on average 100 extra minutes per week of proven, research-based instruction from teachers, tutors and reading coaches. Moreover, the interim report found that Reading First staff received significantly more professional development than did Title I staff, and teachers in Reading First schools spent more time on reading instruction than teachers in non-Reading First Title I schools. Additionally, the Office of Management and Budget's Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) review of Reading First gave the program an "Effective" rating.

Established as part of theNo Child Left Behind Act signed into law by President Bush in 2002, Reading First supports high-quality research-based early reading instructional tools and assessments to help teachers improve student achievement. The program aligns with the goals of No Child Left Behind by providing resources to help children build a solid reading foundation and prepare them to read on grade-level by the end of the third grade.
Reading First is the largest federal reading initiative ever undertaken in the United States. As of the 2005/2006 school year, more than 5,600 schools in 1,600 districts nationwide have participated in Reading First. The program has served approximately 1.8 million students, and more than 100,000 teachers have benefited from its professional development.

For more information on the Reading First program, please visit: http://www.ed.gov/nclb/methods/reading/readingfirst.html

Reading First achievement data are available at:
http://www.ed.gov/programs/readingfirst/performance.html

Secretary Spellings Joins First Book and Scholastic Inc. to Launch 2007 Gulf Coast Summer Reading Initiative

Initiative to provide 500,000 free books for students, families and communities in hurricane-affected States

April 19, 2007: U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings yesterday visited Gulfview-Charles B. Murphy Elementary School in Kiln, Mississippi, to launch the 2007 Gulf Coast Summer Reading Initiative, a public-private partnership between the U.S. Department of Education, First Book, and Scholastic Inc. Building on the Gulf Coast Summer Reading Initiative established in 2006 by the U.S. Department of Education and First Book, the 2007 Gulf Coast Summer Reading Initiative, now also in partnership with Scholastic Inc., today renewed its efforts to distribute books to communities affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Speaking at a school assembly, Secretary Spellings announced that the Initiative will support the distribution of 500,000 new books this spring to help replenish schools, libraries, community organizations and homes in the five states most affected by the hurricanes of 2005. Secretary Spellings emphasized the importance of helping young students develop strong reading skills, and practicing those skills throughout the summer months. To kick off the Initiative and ensure students are sustained with reading opportunities throughout the summer, each student today was given a free, new book to take home.

"The 2007 Gulf Coast Summer Reading Initiative is the kind of partnership that has been so instrumental in helping the communities throughout this region get back on their feet and get books back into the hands of children," Secretary Spellings said. "I'm inspired by the perseverance of educators and students at Gulfview-Charles B. Murphy Elementary School and throughout the Gulf Coast region for their dedication to restoring our schools and ensuring our students achieve."

Secretary Spellings also sent a message today on behalf of First Lady Laura Bush, conveying her support for the Initiative and its efforts to help Hurricane-affected children develop and maintain a love for reading.

"These books are just some of the half-million volumes that will be distributed over the next few weeks through the 2007 Gulf Coast Summer Reading Initiative. I'd like to thank the Department of Education for storing and shipping the books, and educating communities about this Initiative. Thank you to Scholastic for your generous donation of children's favorite stories. And I'd especially like to thank First Book, which, through its Book Relief program, has distributed 3.6million books to Gulf Coast communities since fall 2005," said Mrs. Bush.

First Book is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to give children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their own first new books. The Gulf Coast Summer Reading Initiative was established in 2006 to support First Book's Book Relief program, whose aim is to provide five million books to communities directly impacted by the hurricanes of 2005. Including the distribution announced today, the U.S. Department of Education and First Book will have distributed over one million books to schools, community libraries and homes across the Gulf Coast through Book Relief.

First Book president Kyle Zimmer said, "The Gulf Coast Summer Reading Initiative provides a great opportunity to keep kids engaged in reading while they're not in school and also serves as a reminder to all of us that the children, families and schools in this region still need our support. Thanks to the generous donation of 500,000 books by Scholastic, and the support of the U.S. Department of Education, First Book is able to bring the joy of reading back into the lives of thousands of children who lost so much when Hurricanes Katrina, and Rita devastated their communities."

Scholastic Inc. is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books and a leader in educational technology and children's media. In addition to the books distributed at today's event, Scholastic also donated to each student a "Scholastic My Time: A Box for Comfort and Fun™" kit, which features age appropriate books, magazines and art therapy tools that can be used by parents, school officials and community members to help children overcome stress and anxiety caused by disasters or crisis situations.

"We are pleased to be working with First Book and the U.S. Department of Education to help the families and communities of the Gulf Coast support children whose lives were affected by the 2005 hurricane season," said Karen Proctor, vice president of community affairs at Scholastic. "Scholastic My Time is inspired by the understanding that kids who have lived through disasters often struggle to learn because of the stress of their situations. Our goal is to help parents guide their children through emotional recovery."

For more information on hurricane related support from the U.S. Department of Education, visit: http://hurricanehelpforschools.gov/030206-factsheet.html and http://hurricanehelpforschools.gov/summer-reading.html.

For more information on the Book Relief program visit: http://www.bookrelief.org/

Secretary Spellings Announces New Regulations

Allows states to count 2.0 percent of proficient and advanced scores on alternate assessment when measuring adequate yearly progress

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced new regulations under No Child Left Behind (NCLB) allowing states to test certain students with disabilities using an alternate assessment that more appropriately aligns with students' needs and yields more meaningful results for schools and parents. The new regulations provide states and schools with greater flexibility by allowing them to more accurately evaluate these students' academic progress and tailor instruction based on individual needs.

"Through No Child Left Behind, we're continuing to raise the bar and improve the way we educate and assess students with disabilities," Secretary Spellings said. "These students are capable of achieving high academic standards, and now states and schools can be better attuned to their needs. No Child Left Behind has put the needs of students with disabilities front and center, and this regulation helps continue to drive the field forward in developing better tests for students with disabilities."

Secretary Spellings also announced that the U.S. Department of Education will provide $21.1 million in grant funds for technical assistance as states develop new assessments for these students. Today, the Department also released written guidance to states on the implementation of the new regulations, offering recommendations on issues such as how students with disabilities can be appropriately identified for this assessment.

Under the new regulations just released, states may develop modified academic achievement standards based on grade-level content, and alternate assessments based on those standards, for students with disabilities who are capable of achieving high standards but may not reach grade level in the same timeframe as their peers. States may count proficient and advanced test scores on these alternate assessments for up to 2.0 percent of all students assessed when calculating adequate yearly progress (AYP) under NCLB. These regulations build on the flexibility provided for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, which allows states to count up to 1.0 percent of proficient and advanced assessment scores based on alternate achievement standards toward AYP calculation.

For more general information, visit:

http://www.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/nclb/fr040407-web.doc

For information specifically for parents on this issue, visit: http://www.ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/twopercent.html

March 21st Officially Recognized as World Down Syndrome Day

Down Syndrome International (DSI) has officially earmarked March 21 as World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD). The date was chosen to signify the uniqueness of Down syndrome in the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome and is used synonymously with Down syndrome.

Singapore was selected to launch the inaugural WDSD in 2006. The event, held at the CHIJ Secondary School in Toa Payoh, in the heartlands of Singapore was very successful and well attended. Many other organisations worldwide joined in the celebrations with events and activities in their respective countries.

This year the theme for March 21, 2007 is "Celebrating Diversity", to continue creating awareness about Down syndrome and promote acceptance of diversity.

All DSI members and related organizations worldwide are encouraged to observe the WDSD together with the community in an appropriate manner.

To read more, visit, http://www.worlddownsyndromeday.org/message.htm

Kennedy Krieger Institute Launches
First National Online Autism Registry

Kennedy Krieger Institute today announced the launch of the Interactive Autism Network (IAN) – the first national online autism registry – at www.IANproject.org. Parents are filled with questions about autism, and, unfortunately, researchers are still struggling with many of the same questions. IAN brings these two groups together in a way that’s never been done before, through an online registry, to find answers.

The network will collect valuable genealogical, environmental and treatment data from parents and will inform parents about local and national research studies. Many autism studies cannot be completed because researchers aren't able to enroll enough qualified participants.

"Parents are looking for a more direct way to get involved and speed up autism research, hoping for effective treatments and eventually a cure," Dr. Paul Law, director of IAN, said in a prepared statement. "IAN will fill that research gap for parents and researchers, transforming the face of autism research as we know it."

Designed to drive autism research forward more quickly and efficiently, IAN will facilitate the exploration of causes, treatments and the search for a possible cure to this puzzling disorder. The Kennedy Krieger project is spearheaded by the husband and wife research team of Drs. Paul and Kiely Law, physicians by training and parents of a 13-year-old son with autism. The IAN project will link researchers to parents, the people who know the most about their child, in two important ways:

Data Collection - Parents of children with autism will be engaged online, providing valuable genealogical, environmental and treatment data without having to leave their home or office. By the end of the year, IAN’s goal is to have the largest pool of family-provided data on autism, enabling researchers to explore hypotheses and search for parallels among affected children in ways that have not been previously possible.
Research Recruitment - IAN will match parents of children with autism with local and national IRB-approved research studies for which they are uniquely qualified. Each year, many autism studies are not completed because scientists cannot find enough qualified participants in a timely manner. By facilitating the process of research recruitment, IAN aims to remove this stumbling block.

For more information visit: http://www.kennedykrieger.org/kki_news.jsp?pid=6281

To read about the IAN Project, visit: http://www.ianproject.org/

EARLY CHILD CARE LINKED TO INCREASES IN VOCABULARY

SOME PROBLEM BEHAVIORS IN FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADES

The most recent analysis of a long-term NIH-funded study found that children who received higher quality child care before entering kindergarten had better vocabulary scores in the fifth grade than did children who received lower quality care.

The study authors also found that the more time children spent in center-based care before kindergarten, the more likely their sixth grade teachers were to report such problem behaviors as "gets in many fights," "disobedient at school," and "argues a lot."

However, the researchers cautioned that the increase in vocabulary and problem behaviors was small, and that parenting quality was a much more important predictor of child development than was type, quantity, or quality, of child care.

The study appears in the March/April 2007, issue of "Child Development".

Jay Belsky, Ph.D., Director of the Institute for the Study of Children, Families and Social Issues and Professor of Psychology at Birkbeck University of London, was the first author of the current article.

The 1,364 children in the analysis had been tracked since birth as part of the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, the largest, longest running, and most comprehensive study of child care in the United States. Families were recruited through hospital visits to mothers shortly after the birth of a child in 1991 in 10 locations in the U.S. The children studied were not a representative sample of children in the U.S. population.

During the study, researchers measured the quality, quantity and type of child care the children received from birth until they were 54 months old. Child care was defined as care by anyone other than the child's mother that was regularly scheduled for at least 10 hours per week. This included care by fathers, grandparents and other relatives.

The researchers then evaluated the children's academic achievement, cognitive (intellectual) functioning from kindergarten through fifth grade and social development through sixth grade. Other factors, such as parenting quality and the quality of classroom instruction, were also measured. These other factors were taken into account when examining the association between early child care and children's subsequent development. The study tracked children's experience in child care. It was not designed to determine cause and effect and so could not demonstrate conclusively whether or not a given aspect of the child care experience had a particular effect.

For more information about the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, visit: <http://www.nichd.nih.gov/research/supported/seccyd.cfm>.

In the current analysis, the researchers evaluated whether developmental characteristics that had been observed between kindergarten and 3rd grade were still present in fifth or sixth grade and if any new patterns had arisen.

An evaluation of the children in fifth grade showed that the children who had higher quality child care continued to show better vocabulary scores, a correlation that was seen previously from kindergarten to third grade. Vocabulary was assessed using the Picture Vocabulary subtest of the "Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery -- Revised", which measures children's ability to name objects depicted in a series of pictures.

The researchers found that the correlation between high quality care and better vocabulary scores continued regardless of the amount of time the child had spent in child care or the type of care. The researchers wrote that this finding was consistent with other evidence indicating that children with greater early exposure to adult language were themselves more likely to score higher on measures of language development. However, child care quality was not associated with improved reading skills after 54 months of age.

The researchers also found that, as in the earlier grades, children with more experience in child care centers continued to show, through sixth grade, a greater frequency of what the researchers termed teacher-reported externalizing problem behavior. These behaviors were listed on "The Child Behavior Checklist Teacher Report Form", which consisted of 100 problem behaviors.

Using this report form, teachers were asked to rate the child on items such as: child demands a lot of attention; argues a lot; bragging and boasting; cruelty, bullying or meanness to others; destroys things belonging to others; disobedient at school; gets into many fights; lying or cheating; screams a lot.

Children who had been in center care in early childhood were more likely to score higher on teacher reports of aggression and disobedience. This was true regardless of the quality of the center-based care they received.

The researchers emphasized that the children's behavior was within the normal range and were not considered clinically disordered.

It would not be possible to go into a classroom and with no additional information, pick out which children had been in center care, Dr. Belsky explained.

The study authors suggested that the correlation between center care and problem behaviors could be due to the fact that center-based child care providers often lack the training, as well as the time, to address behavior problems. For example, center-based child care providers may not be able to provide sufficient adult attention or guidance to address problems that may emerge when groups of young children are together, such as how to resolve conflicts over toys or activities.

Dr. James Griffin, the NICHD Science Officer for the Study, noted that the persistence of these findings demonstrates the importance of longitudinal research studies that follow children from infancy onwards.
"These findings add to the growing body of research showing that the quality and type of child care a child experiences early in life can have a lasting impact on their development" said Dr. Griffin.

The authors stressed the importance of continuing to follow the children's development in high school to see if the effects shown in the current paper persisted.

The Power of Strategy Instruction

NICHCY's Evidence for Education looks at the research foundations for strategy instruction and some of the most well-known approaches to teaching strategies.

Strategy Instruction is a powerful student-centered approach to teaching that is backed by years of quality research. In fact, strategic approaches to learning new concepts and skills are often what separate good learners from poor ones. Considering that many students with disabilities struggle with developing strategies for learning and remembering on their own, a parent or teacher skilled in introducing this process can make a world of difference.

Strategy instruction supplies students with the same tools and techniques that efficient learners use to understand and learn new material or skills. With continued guidance and ample opportunities for practice, students learn to integrate new information with what they already know, in a way that makes sense--making it easier for them to recall the information or skill at a later time, even in a different situation or setting.

Not only does an impressive body of research exist with respect to strategy instruction, but that library of knowledge is also extremely broad and has direct and immediate application to practice in almost every area of the educational curriculum.

The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities has just released its first edition of Evidence for Education, which looks exclusively at the research foundations for strategy instruction and some of the most well-known approaches to teaching strategies. Download your copy at: http://research.nichcy.org/strategy_instruction1.asp

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month

Brain Injury: As Diverse As We Are is the theme for the 2007 Brain Injury Awareness Month campaign, which is dedicated to helping the public learn more about brain injury, and to improving the lives of those individuals living with brain injury and their family and caregivers.

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) contribute to a substantial number of deaths and permanent disability each year. CDC estimates that at least 5.3 million Americans—about 2% of the U.S. population—currently have a long-term or lifelong need for help to perform activities of daily living due to TBI. Each year in this country, at least 1.4 million persons sustain a TBI. Lifetime costs of TBI totaled $60 billion in 2000—this includes direct medical and indirect costs such as lost productivity.

In recognition of Brain Injury Awareness Month and in response to this important public health problem, the Brain Injury Association of America, through the support of the Centers for Disease Control, is offering educational kits about living with brain injury.

To read about how to obtain these educational kits, as well as learn more information on brain injuries, visit: http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/Spotlight/BIAM.htm

Mice get smarter with drug; Down syndrome researchers see promise in PTZ, or pentylenetetrazole

Lab mice with the mental retardation of Down syndrome got smarter after being fed a drug that strengthened brain circuits involved in learning and memory.

After receiving once-daily doses of pentylenetetrazole, or PTZ, for 17 days, the mice could recognize objects and navigate mazes as well as normal mice did, researchers said. The improvements lasted up to two months after the drug was discontinued, according to the report in the journal Nature Neuroscience.

Scientists said the study opened a promising avenue for research in a field that had seen little success.

"These mice are essentially restored to normal, which I haven't seen before," said David Patterson, a Down syndrome researcher at the University of Denver, who was not involved in the study. "And the treatment seems to be long-lasting, which is a pretty surprising observation all by itself."

To read the entire article, visit
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/medicine/la-sci-down26feb26,1,6272157.story?coll=la-health-medicine

Another related article: http://dsresearch.stanford.edu/community/

FDA Directs ADHD Drug Manufacturers to Notify Patients about Cardiovascular Adverse Events and Psychiatric Adverse Events

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today directed the manufacturers of all drug products approved for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) to develop Patient Medication Guides to alert patients to possible cardiovascular risks and risks of adverse psychiatric symptoms associated with the medicines, and to advise them of precautions that can be taken.

"Medicines approved for the treatment of ADHD have real benefits for many patients but they may have serious risks as well," said Steven Galson, M.D., Director, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). "In our ongoing commitment to strengthen drug safety, FDA is working closely with manufacturers of all ADHD medicines to include important information in the product labeling and in developing new Patient Medication Guides to better inform doctors and patients about these concerns."

Patient Medication Guides are handouts given to patients, families and caregivers when a medicine is dispensed. The guides contain FDA-approved patient information that could help prevent serious adverse events. Patients being treated with ADHD products should read the information before taking the medication and talk to their doctors if they have any questions or concerns.

ADHD is a condition that affects approximately 3 percent to 7 percent of school-aged children and approximately 4 percent of adults. The three main symptoms are inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. People with ADHD may have difficulty in school, troubled relationships with family and peers, and low self-esteem.

An FDA review of reports of serious cardiovascular adverse events in patients taking usual doses of ADHD products revealed reports of sudden death in patients with underlying serious heart problems or defects, and reports of stroke and heart attack in adults with certain risk factors.

Another FDA review of ADHD medicines revealed a slight increased risk (about 1 per 1,000) for drug-related psychiatric adverse events, such as hearing voices, becoming suspicious for no reason, or becoming manic, even in patients who did not have previous psychiatric problems.

FDA recommends that children, adolescents, or adults who are being considered for treatment with ADHD drug products work with their physician or other health care professional to develop a treatment plan that includes a careful health history and evaluation of current status, particularly for cardiovascular and psychiatric problems (including assessment for a family history of such problems).

As part of the Agency’s ongoing regulatory activity, in May 2006 the FDA directed manufacturers of these products to revise product labeling for doctors to reflect concerns about adverse cardiovascular and psychiatric events. These changes were based on recommendations from the FDA Pediatric Advisory Committee and the Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee. To help patients understand these risks, an additional part of this revised labeling process is the creation of a Patient Medication Guide for each individual product.

The medicines that are the focus of the revised labeling and new Patient Medication Guides include the following 15 products:

Adderall (mixed salts of a single entity amphetamine product) Tablets
Adderall XR (mixed salts of a single entity amphetamine product) Extended-Release Capsules
Concerta (methylphenidate hydrochloride) Extended-Release Tablets
Daytrana (methylphenidate) Transdermal System
Desoxyn (methamphetamine HCl) Tablets
Dexedrine (dextroamphetamine sulfate) Spansule Capsules and Tablets
Focalin (dexmethylphenidate hydrochloride) Tablets
Focalin XR (dexmethylphenidate hydrochloride) Extended-Release Capsules
Metadate CD (methylphenidate hydrochloride) Extended-Release Capsules
Methylin (methylphenidate hydrochloride) Oral Solution
Methylin (methylphenidate hydrochloride) Chewable Tablets
Ritalin (methylphenidate hydrochloride) Tablets
Ritalin SR (methylphenidate hydrochloride) Sustained-Release Tablets
Ritalin LA (methylphenidate hydrochloride) Extended-Release Capsules
Strattera (atomoxetine HCl) Capsules

The draft Patient Medication Guides for each product can be found at http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/ADHD/default.htm. For more information please visit www.fda.gov.

AUTISM-LIKE DISORDER 'REVERSIBLE'

The symptoms of a severe brain disorder similar to autism, which affects around 10,000 UK children, could be reversed, scientists believe.

A team at Edinburgh University made symptoms of Rett syndrome disappear in mice by activating a single gene, the magazine Science reports.

The condition, which mainly affects girls, was previously thought to be irrevocable.

It can leave children mute and with multiple disabilities.

Rett syndrome is a complex neurological disorder. Although present at birth, it becomes more evident during the second year of a child's life.

Many have difficulty walking and have breathing irregularities including hyperventilation, breath-holding and air swallowing.

Treatment hope

The scientists hope their discovery will encourage further research aimed at discovering a treatment for the syndrome.

The research focused on the behaviour of the MECP2 gene that causes the condition to develop.

When the gene was activated in mice which had been born with MECP2 switched off, disease symptoms such as breathing and mobility problems stopped.

Within a few weeks the affected mice were largely indistinguishable from their healthy counterparts.

Researcher Dr Stuart Cobb said: "This breakthrough provides a small piece of hope for sufferers.

"It had been thought the disorder was caused by abnormal development - but activating the MECP2 gene, even in adulthood, proved to be effective in reversing neurological symptoms.

"Analysing the communication between nerves in the brain, we discovered that abnormal signalling is also rectified when MECP2 gene is switched back on.

"The results really were quite astonishing and completely unexpected."

The scientists are hopeful that future therapies could override the faulty MECP2 or counter the action of proteins abnormally expressed by the culprit gene.

Chris James, director of Rett Syndrome Association UK which helped fund the study, said: "This is a very significant step on the road for future therapeutic approaches to Rett syndrome and, whilst the work in this area is still at an early stage, it will give hope to those families affected."

CDC Releases New Data on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) from Multiple Communities in the United States

Majority of Children with ASDs in the Areas Studied had Developmental Concerns Before Age Three

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported findings today from the first and largest summary of prevalence data from multiple U.S. communities participating in an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) surveillance project. The results showed an average of 6.7 children out of 1,000 had an ASD in the six communities assessed in 2000, and an average of 6.6 children out of 1,000 having an ASD in the 14 communities included in the 2002 study. All children in the studies were eight years old because previous research has shown that most children with an ASD have been identified by this age for services.

For decades, the best estimate for the prevalence of autism was four to five per 10,000 children. More recent studies from multiple countries using current diagnostic criteria conducted with different methods have indicated that there is a range of ASD prevalence between 1 in 500 children and 1 in 166 children. The CDC studies provide information on the occurrence of ASDs in fourteen communities in the United States.

"Our estimates are becoming better and more consistent, though we can't yet tell if there is a true increase in ASDs or if the changes are the result of our better studies," said CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding. "We do know, however, that these disorders are affecting too many children."

Overall, the 2000 study found ASD rates ranged from one in 222 children to one in 101 eight-year old children in the six communities studied.

The 2002 study found ASD rates ranging from one in 303 to one in 94 among eight-year old children. The average finding of 6.6 and 6.7 per 1,000 eight-year-olds translates to approximately one in 150 children in these communities. This is consistent with the upper end of prevalence estimates from previously published studies, with some of the communities having an estimate higher than those previously reported in U.S. studies.

ASDs are developmental disabilities and are defined by considerable impairments in social interaction and communication and the presence of unusual behaviors and interests. They can be diagnosed as early as 18 months and last throughout a person's life. ASDs include autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder - not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS, including atypical autism), and Asperger syndrome.

The 2000 study included approximately 4.5 percent of U.S. eight-year-old children born in 1992 from six states - Arizona, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, South Carolina and West Virginia. A total of 1,252 eight-year olds were identified as having an ASD.

The 2002 study included approximately 10 percent of U.S. eight-year-old children born in 1994 from 14 states - Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin. A total of 2,685 eight-year-olds were identified as having an ASD.

"It is extremely difficult to accurately estimate the number of children who have an ASD," said Dr. Marshalyn Yeargin-Allsopp, chief of CDC's autism program. "Medical records often do not provide such information, and identification is often made by schools or education specialists.

The data reported today by the Autism and Development Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network was designed to provide more consistent and reliable estimates."

"It's important to note that these studies don't provide a national estimate, but that they do confirm that ASDs in the areas surveyed are more common in these communities studied than previously thought," said Yeargin-Allsopp. "We need to continue efforts to monitor the prevalence of ASDs and to improve our understanding of these disorders. Good estimates of how many children in a community may have an ASD will also help school and health officials in their planning and intervention efforts."

The purpose of CDC's ADDM project was to develop a system for better understanding the size and characteristics of the population of children with an ASD.

In addition to trying to measure the number of children with an ASD, the studies also looked at when parents and others first noted signs of developmental concerns in their children. The 2000 and 2002 studies found 51 percent to 88 percent of children with ASDs had documented developmental concerns before the age of three. Half of the children were diagnosed with an ASD when they were between four and one half and five and one half years old. The most commonly documented concerns were in language development, followed by social development.

"We don't know the causes of ASDs, but we do know that if we can identify autism and other developmental problems in children early, they can begin receiving appropriate interventions sooner," said Yeargin-Allsopp. "It is important for parents, health care professionals and childcare providers to recognize developmental milestones such as smiling, pointing and waving bye-bye. It's also important that health care professionals give children routine developmental and autism-specific screenings."

While these studies did not investigate the causes of ASDs, CDC's Centers for Autism and Development Disabilities Research and Epidemiology (CADDRE) Network is doing a multi-state study to help identify factors that may put children at risk for ASDs and other developmental disabilities.

The ADDM Network project is being conducted by CDC, University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of Arizona at Tucson, University of Arkansas, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Johns Hopkins University, Washington University in St. Louis, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Newark, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Medical University of South Carolina, University of Utah, Marshall University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Six sites participated in the 2000 project, and an additional eight were added for the 2002 project.

CDC also has a public awareness campaign titled, "Learn the Signs. Act Early" designed to increase the awareness of child development by educating parents, health care professionals and childcare providers on the importance of tracking a child's social and emotional development, including the potential early warning signs of autism and other developmental disabilities. To learn more about the "Learn the Signs. Act Early," visit www.cdc.gov/actearly.

For more information on CDC's work on autism, please visit www.cdc.gov/autism.

New Report: Bilingual Infant/Toddler Environments: Supporting Language & Learning in Our Youngest Children

The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities has reported that Robert Stechuk, Susan Burns and Sharon Yanadian, with support from the Academy for Educational Development, have created a new resource to assist programs in their development of effective practices for infants and toddlers exposed to more than one language. Terms are defined and “research-to-practice” information is highlighted. While some of the suggestions are specific to Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Programs, most have broad applicability to any program serving very young children.

To read the entire report, visit:

http://www.aed.org/ToolsandPublications/upload/BITE_web1106.pdf

SCIENTISTS DISCOVER HOW MATERNAL SMOKING CAN CAUSE CLEFT LIP AND PALATE

Scientists supported by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), part of the National Institutes of Health, report that women who smoke during pregnancy and carry a fetus whose DNA lacks both copies of a gene involved in detoxifying cigarette smoke substantially increase their baby's chances of being born with a cleft lip and/or palate.

According to the scientists, about a quarter of babies of European ancestry and possibly up to 60 percent of those of Asian ancestry lack both copies of the gene called GSTT1. Based on their data, published in the January issue of the "American Journal of Human Genetics", the scientists calculated that if a pregnant woman smokes 15 cigarettes or more per day, the chances of her GSTT1-lacking fetus developing a cleft increase nearly 20 fold. Globally, about 12 million women each year smoke through their pregnancies.

Dr. Jeff Murray, a scientist at the University of Iowa and senior author of the study, noted that parents who are considering having a child and need added motivation for the mother to quit smoking might one day be tested to determine their GSTT1 status. Because the fetus inherits its genes from both mother and father, the test would determine the likelihood of the baby developing without the GSTT1 gene to detoxify the cigarette smoke.

"A test that indicates the GSTT1 gene is present certainly would not eliminate a baby's risk of a cleft because many other genetic and environmental factors can be involved." said Murray. "But the opposite result would give the mother one more compelling reason to quit smoking for her own health and for the sake of her child."

In the United States, about one in every 750 babies is born with isolated, also called nonsyndromic, cleft lip and/or palate. The condition is correctable but typically requires several surgeries. Families often undergo tremendous emotional and economic hardship during the process, and children frequently require many other services, including complex dental care and speech therapy.

According to Murray, researchers have built a strong statistical case over the past several years that pregnant women who smoke put their unborn babies at greater risk of developing a cleft. The data raised two related questions. "Do genetic variations in the mother influence her own metabolism of the cigarette smoke and its byproducts, thus setting in motion developmental changes that cause the cleft in the fetus? Or do genetic variations in the fetus itself compromise its ability to metabolize the cigarette smoke and cause the cleft?" said Dr. Min Shi, now a scientist at NIH's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and a lead author of the paper.

To find the answers, Murray's group teamed with colleagues in Denmark to perform a large, complex, and possibly first-of-its-kind international study. The group first assembled a list of 16 genes of interest, each of which encode proteins that plug into various pathways in the body involved in detoxifying dangerous chemicals. "We picked genes that previous evidence shows either are directly involved in cigarette smoke toxicity or are major players in general toxicity management in people," said Dr. Kaare Christensen, a scientist at the University of Southern Denmark in Odense and an author on the paper.

"These genes tend to be quite variable from person to person in their precise DNA structure, or spelling," Christensen added. "We wanted to see if any of these variations might adversely affect a person's ability to break down the toxic products of cigarette smoke."

Christiansen and his colleagues then turned to their existing database of kids with clefts, their parents, and siblings. In all, the scientists analyzed 5,000 DNA samples from both continents -- including 1,244 from children born with clefts. Importantly, the families in Denmark and Iowa provided the opportunity to independently confirm the findings in two distinct populations.

In addition, they had free public access to the NIDCR-funded COGENE project, a comprehensive online database of genes expressed throughout the various stages of development. Working closely with Dr. Mike Lovett at Washington University in St. Louis, one of COGENE's founders, the database proved especially helpful because cleft lip and/or palate occurs during the first 5-to-12 weeks of development. This meant the scientists had to be sure not only that their genes of interest are expressed during this vital period but are switched on in fetal craniofactial structures. If the genes met both criteria, the investigators said they hoped their subsequent data might point them to a gene-environment interaction.

As reported, the scientists determined from their analyses that the mother provides the toxic environmental exposure, which then can be greatly amplified by the genetics of the fetus to produce the cleft. This marks the first time a gene-environment interaction in clefting has been documented at a molecular level. The data also point the way for future studies to define the specific molecular chain of events that lead to the cleft, vital information to understand and hopefully one day prevent the process.

While sifting through the data, the researchers took particular note of the GSTT gene and its contribution to clefting. The gene encodes one of the body's approximately 20 different glutathione S-transferase enzymes. These enzymes collectively play roles in common detoxification processes, ranging from chemically altering drugs and industrial chemicals to detoxifying polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, a key component of cigarette smoke.

The scientists found that pregnant women who smoked and also carried fetuses that lacked the GSTT1 enzyme were much more likely to give birth to a baby with a cleft. This finding was true in Iowa and Denmark, and they noted in the COGENE database that the gene is highly expressed in developing craniofacial structures. "It may be that be that the lip and palate can form normally without GSTT1," said Murray. "But if the chemicals in cigarette smoke challenge the normal development of these structures, fetuses that lack the gene are at a distinct disadvantage."

Murray and his collaborators continue their genetic analyses. "We now have data from about 350 genes on this cohort of families," he said. "It's certainly a more complicated analysis to perform, but we're working our way through it and hope to have some very interesting data in the months ahead."

The article is titled "Orofacial Cleft Risk is Increased with Maternal Smoking and Specific Detoxification-Gene Variants," and is published in the January 2007 issue of the "American Journal of Human Genetics". The authors are Min Shi, Kaare Christensen, Clarice R. Weinberg, Paul Romitti, Lise Bathum, Anthony Lozada, Richard W. Morris, Michael Lovett, and Jeffrey C.Murray.

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) <http://www.nidcr.nih.gov> is the nation's leading funder of research on oral, dental, and craniofacial health.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) -- "The Nation's Medical Research Agency" -- includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit <http://www.nih.gov>.

GENE DISCOVERED FOR FORM OF BRITTLE BONE DISEASE

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have discovered that a previously unexplained fatal form of Osteogenesis Imperfecta -- a disorder that weakens bones and which may cause frequent fractures -- results from a genetic defect in a protein involved in the production of collagen.

The study appears in the December 28 "New England Journal of Medicine".

The affected gene contains the information for cartilage associated protein, or CRTAP. The function of CRTAP is not well understood, but it is known to be part of a complex of proteins involved in the chemical transformation of collagen from simple protein "chains" into its final form.

The well-known forms of Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) result from a defect in the genes for type I collagen, which serves as a kind of molecular scaffolding that holds together bone, tendons, skin and other tissues. The collagen defects result from dominant mutations, requiring only one copy of a mutant gene to cause bone disease. The NIH researchers discovered that mutations in the CRTAP gene accounted for a recessive form of the disorder -- requiring two copies of the affected gene to show a particular trait.

The NIH team was led by Joan Marini, M.D., Ph.D., Chief of NIH's Bone and Extracellular Matrix Branch and was assisted by colleagues at other institutions.

"This discovery provides a basis for counseling families that have lost a child to this previously unexplained form of Osteogenesis Imperfecta," said Duane Alexander, Director of the NIH institute that conducted the study, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. "It also offers insight into a crucial step needed in the formation of bone and other tissues."

There are several known forms of OI, which vary in severity. In the most severe forms, infants may die at or shortly after birth. In other forms, individuals may lead a relatively normal life, but have bones that fracture easily. In still other cases, affected individuals may have only a slightly increased risk for bone fracture. Additional information about OI is available from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, at <http://www.niams.nih.gov/bone/oi.htm>.

Dr. Marini explained that from 10 to 15 percent of OI patients do not have a mutation in one of the collagen genes known to cause the disorder. She noted that researchers couldn't explain these cases, and began searching for possible causes.

"The hypothesis was that there must be one or more recessive genes causing something that looked like OI," she said.

The first clue came when colleagues Roy Morello Ph.D., and Brendan Lee, M.D., Ph.D. also authors of the current paper, developed a laboratory mouse that lacked functional copies of CRTAP. The researchers developed the mouse to understand the function of the CRTAP protein, which Dr. Morello had isolated earlier. The mice had deformed brittle bones. Next, Drs. Morello and Lee studied a family with an unexplained form of OI, learning that a partially functioning copy of the CRTAP gene accounted for a moderate form of the disease, designated type VII OI.

After learning of Dr. Morello and Dr. Lee's findings, Dr. Marini and her coworkers examined tissue samples from three patients in Dr. Marini's NIH laboratory. The patients had all died during their first year of life and the cause for their disorder was unknown. Dr. Marini had stored the samples, one for nearly 15 years, in hopes that a cause would eventually be discovered. The three patients had symptoms unlike other OI patients. For example, the children all had small heads. Most OI patients have proportionally larger heads. Moreover, the sclerae, or "whites" of the infants' eyes were white in coloration; in most OI patients, the sclerae are blue.

Dr. Marini and her colleagues tested samples from the three infants and learned that their CRTAP genes were nonfunctional and the infants completely lacked the CRTAP protein. In the two sets of parents who were available for genetic testing, each parent carried one mutant CRTAP gene and one normal CRTAP gene, the classical pattern of recessive inheritance. Dr. Marini added that, on the basis of her samples, the mutation did not appear to be confined to a particular ethnic group.

OI is an uncommon disorder which occurs in 1 out of 15,000 to 20,000 births, Dr. Marini said. About one fourth of the known collagen mutations are lethal. She estimated that the recessive form of OI that she and her coworkers described in the current paper might occur in 2-3 percent of lethal OI cases.

Although there is no treatment for the disorder, the finding does allow OI experts to test families who have lost a child to OI for the presence of the recessive CRTAP gene. Couples who have lost a child to this form of OI could be apprised of their risk for conceiving another child with the disorder. Similarly, siblings of children affected by the recessive CRTAP gene can also be counseled about their likelihood of carrying the gene. The researchers have already tested the siblings of the infant who died 15 years ago. Dr. Marini said that she and her colleagues are investigating whether additional forms of OI might be caused by other recessive genes.

Dr. Marini said that the discovery of CRTAP's involvement with OI is exciting to researchers in the bone and genetics fields because it opens a new and unanticipated field of bone biology related to osteoporosis. She explained that the NIH team is now working to understand the role of this collagen-modification complex in normal bone development. Since CRTAP protein occurs elsewhere in the body, it may play an important role in the development of other tissues, Dr. Marini added.

Medical professionals interested in referring patients to NIH to be tested for the new OI type as well as the classical types of OI may consult the Web site of the NICHD's OI program at <http://www.oiprogram.nichd.nih.gov/>.

Combating Autism Act of 2006

President George W. Bush signed the Combating Autism Act of 2006 on December 19, 2006. The Combating Autism Act was passed by the House on Wednesday, December 6, by a voice vote. The following day, the Senate approved the bill by unanimous consent.

The Combating Autism Act authorizes nearly $1 billion over the next five years to combat autism, increasing federal spending on autism by at least 50%. The bill includes provisions relating to the diagnosis and treatment of persons with Autism Spectrum Disorders, and expands and intensifies biomedical research on autism, including an essential focus on possible environmental causes.

The following detail shows the planned spending over the next 5 years:

$ 405 million for discretionary research, collection and storage of data, and a strategic plan for autism research.
$ 185 million for Autism Centers of Excellence
$ 45 million for Centers of Excellence in Environmental Health and Autism
$ 75 million for Centers of Excellence in Autism Spectrum Disorder Epidemiology. ($15 million for fiscal year 2007, plus such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2008-2011, which we can assume will be no less than $15 million per year.)
$ 210 million for autism education, early detection, and intervention, including $ 45 million specifically authorized for interventions.

For more information about the act: Click Here

Brain’s Fear Center Shrinks in Autism’s Most Severely Socially-Impaired

Well Siblings Share Some of the Same Behavioral, Neural Features

The brain’s fear hub likely becomes abnormally small in the most severely socially impaired males with autism spectrum disorders, researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and National Institute on Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) have discovered. Teens and young men who were slowest at distinguishing emotional from neutral expressions and gazed at eyes least indicators of social impairment had a smaller than normal amygdala, an almond-shaped danger-detector deep in the brain. The researchers also linked such amygdala shrinkage to impaired nonverbal social behavior in early childhood. (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/healthinformation/autismmenu.cfm)

The new findings suggest that social fear in autism may initially trigger a hyperactive, abnormally enlarged amygdala, which eventually gives way to a toxic adaptation that kills amygdala cells and shrinks the structure, propose Richard Davidson, Ph.D., and colleagues at the University of Wisconsin, who report on their magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study in the December 2006 Archives of General Psychiatry.

In a related study, another research team led by Davidson found that well siblings of people with autism share some of the same differences in amygdala volume, and in the way they look at faces and activate social/emotional brain circuitry, particularly an area critical for face processing.

“Together, these results provide the first evidence linking objective measures of social impairment and amygdala structure and related brain function in autism,” explained Davidson. “Finding many of the same differences, albeit more moderate, in well siblings helps to confirm that autism is likely the most severe expression of a broad spectrum of genetically-influenced characteristics.”

While SOME people with minimal expression of these traits might be perceived as aloof or loners, those at the more severe end of the spectrum are unable to engage in give-and-take interactions and fail to develop age-appropriate peer relationships. Notably, they shy away from looking at eyes. Davidson’s research team had reported last year linked such eye-gazing with hyperactivation of their fear hub. Yet different studies have found the amygdala in autism to be variously enlarged, shrunken or even normal in size.

Davidson, Kim Dalton and colleagues suspected that these seemingly inconsistent findings resulted from the wide variability of the autism spectrum, which masked amygdala changes that a clearer picture would emerge if the length and severity of hypersensitivity to social interactions were factored in. They brought to bear eye-tracking and other measures of facial emotion processing in combination with MRI to find out if degree of non-verbal social impairment might predict amygdala volume in 49 males, aged 8-25, including 25 with autism spectrum disorders.

Those in the autism group who had a small amygdala were significantly slower at identifying happy, angry, or sad facial expressions and spent the least time looking at eyes relative to other facial regions. Autistic subjects with the smallest amygdalae took 40 percent longer than those with the largest fear hubs to recognize such emotional facial expressions, and those with the largest amygdalae spent about four times longer looking at eyes than those with the smallest. Eye fixation did not correlate with amygdala volume among 24 control subjects. The size of the amygdala increased early in autism group subjects with normal eye fixation, while it increased little in those with low eye fixation. Moreover, autism group subjects with small amygdalae had the most non-verbal social impairment as children.

The researchers suggest that the amygdala in autism fits a model in which a brain structure adapts to chronic stress in this case, fear of people by first becoming hyperactive, but over time succumbing to a process of toxic cell death and atrophy, as has been proposed occurs in the hippocampus for some forms of depression. Children with autism who are least hypersensitive to interaction with people would thus show slower amygdala shrinkage while those who were most hypersensitive would begin to show amygdala changes early in life. Such amygdala adaptations likely affect most people with autism by adulthood, according to the researchers. However, they caution that these changes do not explain all autistic behavior, but account for slightly more than half of the variability in nonverbal social impairment.

In the related study, published online in Biological Psychiatry, October 24, 2006, Davidson, Kim Dalton, Ph.D. and colleagues at the University of Wisconsin employed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) as well as many of the same measures used in the above study in 21 subjects with autism, 12 siblings and 19 healthy controls. Notably, they found that unaffected siblings of people with autism showed a similar pattern of smaller amygdalae, and decreased eye fixation as their autistic siblings when looking at faces.

However, while the autism group showed reduced activation of a face-processing area, the fusiform gyrus, on both sides of their brains while performing a face-processing task, the well siblings showed this difference only on the right side. This suggested an “intermediate pattern” that the well siblings were using circuitry similar to healthy controls, but with some slight changes reminiscent of their autistic siblings, but not as pervasive.

Similarly, eye fixation time did not predict amygdala activation in the well siblings as it did in their autistic relatives. This suggested that looking at faces did not boost activation of emotion-related circuitry in the well siblings. Looking at eyes may not be a negative experience for them, again suggesting an intermediate pattern. Nonetheless, their amygdalae were about the same size as those in the autism group.

The findings of both studies, taken together, suggest that measures such as eye gazing time may prove useful in clarifying the relationship between genes, brain and behavior in the autism spectrum, say the researchers.

Also participating in the Archives of General Psychiatry study were: Kim Dalton, Ph.D., Tom Johnstone, Ph.D., Micah Long, Emelia McAuliff, Terrence Oakes, Ph.D., Andrew Alexander, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin.

Also participating in the Biological Psychiatry study were: Brendon Nacewicz, Andrew Alexander, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin.

The Archives study was also funded by NARSAD. The Biological Psychiatry study was also funded by NARSAD and NAAR.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) mission is to reduce the burden of mental and behavioral disorders through research on mind, brain, and behavior.More information is available at the NIMH website, http://www.nimh.nih.gov .

The National Institutes of Health (NIH): The Nation's Medical Research Agency includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

SIDS Infants Show Abnormalities In Brain Area Controlling Breathing, Heart Rate

Serotonin-Using Brain Cells Implicated In Abnormalities

Infants who die of sudden infant death syndrome have abnormalities in the brainstem, a part of the brain that helps control heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, temperature and arousal, report researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health. The finding is the strongest evidence to date suggesting that innate differences in a specific part of the brain may place some infants at increased risk for SIDS.

The abnormalities appeared to affect the brainstem’s ability to use and recycle serotonin, a brain chemical which also is used in a number of other brain areas and plays a role in communications between brain cells. Serotonin is most well known for its role in regulating mood, but it also plays a role in regulating vital functions like breathing and blood pressure.

The study appears in the November 1, 2006 Journal of the American Medical Association and was conducted by researchers in the laboratory of Hannah Kinney, M.D., at Children’s Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School as well as other institutions.

“This finding lends credence to the view that SIDS risk may greatly increase when an underlying predisposition combines with an environmental risk — such as sleeping face down — at a developmentally sensitive time in early life,” said Duane Alexander, M.D., Director of the NIH’s National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

SIDS is the sudden and unexpected death of an infant under 1 year of age, which cannot be explained after a complete autopsy, an investigation of the scene and circumstances of the death, and a review of the medical history of the infant and his or her family. Typically, the infant is found dead after having been put to sleep and shows no signs of having suffered.

In previous studies, researchers have hypothesized that abnormalities in the brainstem may make an infant susceptible to situations in which they re-breathe their own exhaled breath, depriving them of oxygen. This hypothesis holds that certain infants may not be able to detect high carbon dioxide or low oxygen levels during sleep, and do not wake up.

To conduct the current study, researchers examined tissue from the brainstems of 31 infants who died of SIDS and 10 infants who died of other causes. The tissue was provided by the office of the chief medical examiner in San Diego, California, and was collected from infants who died between 1997 and 2005.

The lower brainstem helps control such basic functions as breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and arousal. The researchers found that brainstems from SIDS infants contained more neurons (brain or nerve cells) that manufacture and use serotonin than did the brainstems of the control infants, explained the study’s first author, David Paterson, PhD, a researcher at Children’s Hospital in Boston.

Serotonin belongs to a class of molecules known as neurotransmitters, which serve to relay messages between neurons. Neurons release neurotransmitters, which fit into special sites, or receptors, on surrounding neurons, somewhat like a key fits into a lock. Once in place, the neurotransmitter either promotes or hinders electrical activity in the receiving neuron — next in line in a particular brain circuit — causing it to release its neurotransmitters, which either excite or inhibit still more neurons, and so on.

Although the brainstem tissue from the SIDS infants contained more serotonin-using neurons, these serotonin-using neurons appeared to contain fewer receptors for serotonin than did the brainstems of control infants. Dr. Paterson noted that there are at least 14 different subtypes of serotonin receptor. In their study, the researchers tested the infants’ brainstem tissue for a serotonin receptor known as “subtype 1A.”

Tissue from both the SIDS infants and the control infants contained roughly equal amounts of a key brain protein, serotonin transporter protein. This protein recycles serotonin, collecting the neurotransmitter from the surrounding spaces outside the neuron and transporting it back into the neuron so it can be used again. Dr. Paterson explained, however, that because the SIDS infants had proportionately more serotonin-using neurons than did the control infants, they would also be expected to have more serotonin transporter protein. So even though they had equal amounts of serotonin transporter protein, the levels were nevertheless reduced — relative to the increased number of serotonin-using neurons — and, for this reason, unlikely to meet the needs of these cells.

Dr. Paterson added that from the observations in this study it was not possible to determine how much serotonin the infants’ brainstems contained when the infants were alive. He noted, however, that the pattern of abnormalities — more serotonin neurons, an apparent reduction of serotonin 1A receptors, and insufficient serotonin transporter — suggested that the level of serotonin in the brainstems of SIDS infants was abnormal.

“Our hypothesis right now is that we’re seeing a compensation mechanism,” Dr. Paterson said. “If you have more serotonin neurons, it may be because you have less serotonin and more neurons are recruited to produce and use serotonin to correct this deficiency.”

The researchers also found that male SIDS infants had fewer serotonin receptors than did either female SIDS infants or control infants. The finding may provide insight into why SIDS affects roughly twice as many males as females.

“These findings provide evidence that SIDS is not a mystery but a disorder that we can investigate with scientific methods, and some day, may be able to identify and treat,” said Dr. Hannah Kinney, the senior author of the paper.

A large body of research has shown that placing an infant to sleep on his or her stomach greatly increases the risk of SIDS. The NICHD-sponsored Back to Sleep campaign urges parents and caregivers to place infants to sleep on their backs, to reduce SIDS risk. The campaign has reduced the number of SIDS deaths by about half since it began in 1994. The campaign also cautions against other practices that increase the risk of SIDS, such as soft bedding, smoking during pregnancy, and smoking around a baby after birth.

Despite the fact that the Back to Sleep Campaign recommendations had been widely distributed by the time the study began, a large proportion of the SIDS cases in the study by Drs. Paterson, Kinney and their coworkers were correlated with known SIDS risk factors: 15 (48 percent) were found sleeping on their stomachs, 9 (29 percent) were found face down, and 7 (23 percent) were sharing a bed, at the time of death.

“The majority (65 percent) of the SIDS cases in this data set, however, were sleeping prone or on their side at the time of death, indicating the need for continued public health messages on safe sleeping practices, the study authors wrote.”

Information and free materials on ways parents and caregivers can reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome are available on the Back to Sleep Campaign Web site at http://www.nichd.nih.gov.

Additional information about the search for ways to identify infants most at risk for SIDS in the accompanying backgrounder, “Searching For Those At Greatest Risk For SIDS,” at http://www.nichd.nih.gov/news/releases/sids_serotonin_backgrounder.cfm.

GENE LINKED TO AUTISM IN FAMILIES WITH MORE THAN ONE AFFECTED CHILD

A version of a gene has been linked to autism in families that have more than one child with the disorder. Inheriting two copies of this version more than doubled a child's risk of developing an autism spectrum disorder, scientists supported by the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) National Institute on Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) have discovered. In a large sample totaling 1,231 cases, they traced the connection to a tiny variation in the part of the gene that turns it on and off. People with autism spectrum disorders were more likely than others to have inherited this version, which cuts gene expression by half, likely impairing development of parts of the brain implicated in the disorder, report Drs. Daniel Campbell, Pat Levitt, Vanderbilt Kennedy Center at Vanderbilt University, and colleagues, online during the week of the October 16, 2006 in the "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences."

"This common gene variant likely predisposes for autism in combination with other genes and environmental factors," said Levitt. "It exerts the strongest effect detected thus far among autism candidate genes."

Autism is one of the most heritable mental disorders. If one identical twin has it, so will the other in nearly 9 out of 10 cases. If one sibling has the disorder, the other siblings run a 35-fold greater-than-normal risk of having it. Still, scientists have so far had only mixed success in identifying the genes involved.

While most previous studies had focused on genes expressed in the brain, Levitt's team saw a clue in the fact that some people with autism also have gastrointestinal, immunological or neurological symptoms in addition to behavioral impairments. They focused on a gene that affects such peripheral functions as well as the development of the cortex and cerebellum, brain areas disturbed in autism. Moreover, it is located in a suspect area of chromosome 7 that has been previously linked to autism spectrum disorders.

This MET receptor tyrosine kinase gene codes for a protein that relays signals that turn on a cell's internal machinery and is known to play a key role in both normal and abnormal development, such as cancer metastases (hence its name). Levitt's group and others had earlier found that impairing the receptor's signaling interferes with neuron migration and disrupts neuronal growth in the cortex and similarly shrinks the cerebellum -- abnormalities also seen in autism.

To explore this possible connection, the researchers looked for associations between the brain disorder and nine markers in the MET gene, sites where letters in the genetic code vary among individuals. They tested two samples: the first, 204 families, including 26 with more than one child with autism spectrum disorders, the second, 539 families, including 452 with such multiple affected children.

One marker, the C version, emerged as over-transmitted at "highly significant" levels in people with autism spectrum disorders in both samples. Moreover, this association held only for families with more than one affected child and was strongest in a sub-sample of those with more narrowly-defined autism. The C version was significantly less prevalent in a group of 189 unrelated controls than in the individuals with autism or their parents.

In cell culture tests, the researchers determined that the C version is weak at making the MET receptor protein, resulting in a two-fold reduction in gene expression compared to the other common G version of the gene, with presumably adverse consequences on brain development.

Inheriting two copies of the C version boosted risk for autism spectrum disorders 2.26-fold, while inheriting one copy of C and one of G increased risk 1.54-fold.

"Since autism likely involves complex interactions between many different genes and other factors, common genetic predisposing factors are likely more influential in families with multiple affected members," explained Levitt. "Some cases in families with only one affected member more likely stem from rarer genetic glitches or other sporatic events. Hence, finding the link with the MET gene variant only in the former 'multiplex' families strengthens its candidacy."

The researchers propose that in some individuals with autism spectrum disorders who also develop digestive and immune system or non-specific neurological problems, the MET gene variant might play a role in impairing both brain and peripheral organ development.

"We know that autism is the most heritable of neuropsychiatric disorders, but, thus far, we have not identified genes that consistently are associated with this developmental brain disease," said NIMH Director Thomas Insel, M.D. "This new finding is an important clue, which if replicated in an independent sample, will take us closer to understanding the genetic basis of autism."

Also participating in the study were: Daniel Campbell, James Sutcliffe, Philip Ebert, Vanderbilt University; Roberto Militerni, Carmela Bravaccio, University of Naples (Italy); Simona Trillo, Associazione Anni Verdi; Maurizio Elia, Oasi Maria SS; Cindy Schneider, Center for Autism Research and Education; Raun Melmed, Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center; Roberto Sacco, Antonio Persico, University Campus Bio-Medico and Fondazione Santa Lucia.

The research was also supported by The Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE), Cure Autism Now, the Marino Autism Research Institute, Telethon-Italy, National Alliance for Autism Research, Foundation Jerome Lejeune, and NARSAD. For more information about autism spectrum disorders visit:

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/healthinformation/autismmenu.cfm.

Identification of Specific Learning Disabilities

Changes Under IDEA 2004

The reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was signed into law on Dec. 3, 2004, by President George W. Bush. The provisions of the act became effective on July 1, 2005, with the exception of some of the elements pertaining to the definition of a “highly qualified teacher” that took effect upon the signing of the act. The final regulations were published on Aug. 14, 2006.

This document was prepared by the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) in the U.S. Department of Education that covers a variety of high-interest topics and brings together the regulatory requirements related to those topics to support constituents in preparing to implement the new regulations. It addresses significant changes from preexisting regulations to the final regulatory requirements regarding the identification of specific learning disabilities.

IDEA Regulations

1. Add procedures for identifying children with specific learning disabilities.

A State must adopt, consistent with 34 CFR 300.309, criteria for determining whether a child has a specific learning disability as defined in 34 CFR 300.8(c)(10). In addition, the criteria adopted by the State:

Must not require the use of a severe discrepancy between intellectual ability and achievement for determining whether a child has a specific learning disability, as defined in 34 CFR 300.8(c)(10)
Must permit the use of a process based on the child’s response to scientific, research-based intervention
May permit the use of other alternative research-based procedures for determining whether a child has a specific learning disability, as defined in 34 CFR 300.8(c)(10).

A public agency must use the State criteria adopted pursuant to 34 CFR 300.307(a) in determining whether a child has a specific learning disability.
[34 CFR 300.307] [20 U.S.C. 1221e-3; 1401(30); 1414(b)(6)]

2. Require additional group members.

The determination of whether a child suspected of having a specific learning disability is a child with a disability as defined in 34 CFR 300.8, must be made by the child’s parents and a team of qualified professionals, which must include:

The child’s regular teacher; or if the child does not have a regular teacher, a regular classroom teacher qualified to teach a child of his or her age; or for a child of less than school age, an individual qualified by the State educational agency (SEA) to teach a child of his or her age
At least one person qualified to conduct individual diagnostic examinations of children, such as a school psychologist, speech-language pathologist, or remedial reading teacher. [34 CFR 300.308] [20 U.S.C. 1221e-3; 1401(30); 1414(b)(6)]

3. Add criteria for determining the existence of a specific learning disability.

The group described in 34 CFR 300.306 may determine that a child has a specific learning disability, as defined in 34 CFR 300.8(c)(10), if:

The child does not achieve adequately for the child’s age or to meet State-approved grade-level standards in one or more of the following areas, when provided with learning experiences and instruction appropriate for the child’s age or State-approved grade–level standards:
- Oral expression.
- Listening comprehension.
- Written expression.
- Basic reading skills.
- Reading fluency skills.
- Reading comprehension.
- Mathematics calculation.
- Mathematics problem solving.
The child does not make sufficient progress to meet age or State-approved grade-level standards in one or more of the areas identified in 34 CFR 300.309(a)(1) when using a process based on the child’s response to scientific, research-based intervention; or the child exhibits a pattern of strengths and weaknesses in performance, achievement, or both, relative to age, State-approved grade-level standards, or intellectual development, that is determined by the group to be relevant to the identification of a specific learning disability, using appropriate assessments, consistent with 34 CFR 300.304 and 300.305; and the group determines that its findings under 34 CFR 300.309(a)(1) and (2) are not
primarily the result of:
- A visual, hearing, or motor disability
- Mental retardation
- Emotional disturbance
- Cultural factors
- Environmental or economic disadvantage
- Limited English proficiency.

To ensure that underachievement in a child suspected of having a specific learning disability is not due to lack of appropriate instruction in reading or math, the group must consider, as part of the evaluation described in 34 CFR 300.304 through 300.306:

Data that demonstrate that prior to, or as a part of, the referral process, the child was provided appropriate instruction in regular education settings, delivered by qualified personnel
Data-based documentation of repeated assessments of achievement at reasonable
intervals, reflecting formal assessment of student progress during instruction, which was provided to the child’s parents.

The public agency must promptly request parental consent to evaluate the child to determine if the child needs special education and related services, and must adhere to the timeframes described in 34 CFR 300.301 and 300.303, unless extended by mutual written agreement of the child’s parents and a group of qualified professionals, as described in 34 CFR 300.306(a)(1):

If, prior to a referral, a child has not made adequate progress after an appropriate period of time when provided instruction, as described in 34 CFR 300.309(b)(1) and (b)(2)
Whenever a child is referred for an evaluation.
[34 CFR 300.309] [20 U.S.C. 1221e-3; 1401(30); 1414(b)(6)]

4. Describe the required observation.

The public agency must ensure that the child is observed in the child’s learning environment (including the regular classroom setting) to document the child’s academic performance and behavior in the areas of difficulty.

The group described in 34 CFR 300.306(a)(1), in determining whether a child has a specific learning disability, must decide to:

Use information from an observation in routine classroom instruction and monitoring of the child’s performance that was done before the child was referred for an evaluation
Have at least one member of the group described in 34 CFR 300.306(a)(1) conduct an observation of the child’s academic performance in the regular classroom after the child has been referred for an evaluation and parental consent, consistent with 34 CFR 300.300(a), is obtained.

In the case of a child of less than school age or out of school, a group member must observe the child in an environment appropriate for a child of that age. [34 CFR 300.310] [20 U.S.C. 1221e-3; 1401(30); 1414(b)(6)]

5. Specify documentation required for the eligibility determination.

For a child suspected of having a specific learning disability, the documentation of the determination of eligibility, as required in 34 CFR 300.306(a)(2), must contain a statement of:

Whether the child has a specific learning disability
The basis for making the determination, including an assurance that the determination has been made in accordance with 34 CFR 300.306(c)(1)
The relevant behavior, if any, noted during the observation of the child and the
relationship of that behavior to the child’s academic functioning
The educationally relevant medical findings, if any
Whether the child does not achieve adequately for the child’s age or to meet State-
approved grade-level standards consistent with 34 CFR 300.309(a)(1); and the child does not make sufficient progress to meet age or State-approved grade-level standards consistent with 34 CFR 300.309(a)(2)(i); or the child exhibits a pattern of strengths and weaknesses in performance, achievement, or both, relative to age, State-approved grade level standards or intellectual development consistent with 34 CFR 300.309(a)(2)(i); or the child exhibits a pattern of strengths and weaknesses in performance, achievement, or both, relative to age, State-approved grade-level standards or intellectual development consistent with 34 CFR 300.309(a)(2)(ii)
The determination of the group concerning the effects of a visual, hearing, or motor
disability; mental retardation; emotional disturbance; cultural factors; environmental or economic disadvantage; or limited English proficiency on the child’s achievement level
If the child has participated in a process that assesses the child’s response to scientific, research-based intervention:
- The instructional strategies used and the student-centered data collected
- The documentation that the child’s parents were notified about: (1) the State’s policies regarding the amount and nature of student performance data that would be collected and the general education services that would be provided; (2) strategies for increasing the child’s rate of learning; and (3) the parents’ right to request an evaluation.

Each group member must certify in writing whether the report reflects the member’s conclusion. If it does not reflect the member’s conclusion, the group member must submit a separate statement presenting the member’s conclusions.
[34 CFR 300.311] [20 U.S.C. 1221e-3; 1401(30); 1414(b)(6)]

National Institute of Health Reports Preschoolers with ADHD Improve with Low Doses of Medication

The first long-term, large-scale study designed to determine the safety and effectiveness of treating preschoolers who have attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with methylphenidate (Ritalin) has found that overall, low doses of this medication are effective and safe. However, the study found that children this age are more sensitive than older children to the medication's side effects and therefore should be closely monitored. The 70-week, six-site study was funded by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and was described in several articles in the November 2006 issue of the "Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry."

"The Preschool ADHD Treatment Study, or PATS, provides us with the best information to date about treating very young children diagnosed with ADHD," said NIMH Director Thomas R. Insel, MD. "The results show that preschoolers may benefit from low doses of medication when it is closely monitored, but the positive effects are less evident and side-effects are somewhat greater than previous reports in older children."

Methylphenidate is the most commonly prescribed medication to treat children diagnosed with ADHD. But its use for children younger than 6 years has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. And until PATS, very few studies -- and no large-scale ones -- have been conducted to collect reliable, consistent data to help guide practitioners treating preschoolers with ADHD.

The 303 preschoolers enrolled in the study ranged in age from 3 to 5 years. The children and their parents participated in a pre-trial, 10-week behavioral therapy and training course. Only those children with the most extreme ADHD symptoms who did not improve after the behavioral therapy course and whose parents agreed to have them treated with medication were included in the medication study. In the first part of the medication study, the children took a range of doses from a very low amount of 3.75 mg daily of methylphenidate, administered in three equal doses, up to 22.5 mg/day. By comparison, doses for school-aged children usually range from 15 to 50 mg total daily.

The study then compared the effectiveness of methylphenidate to placebo. It found that the children taking methylphenidate had a more marked reduction of their ADHD symptoms compared to children taking a placebo, and that different children responded best to different doses.

"The best dose to reduce ADHD symptoms varied substantially among the children, but the average across the whole group was as low as 14 mg per day," said lead author Laurence Greenhill, M.D., of Columbia University/New York State Psychiatric Institute. "Preschoolers with ADHD may need only a low dose of methylphenidate initially, but they may need to take a higher dose later on to maintain the drug's effectiveness."

To ensure the safety of the very young children involved, the study was governed by a strict set of ethical standards and additional review boards. The children's health was monitored carefully and repeatedly throughout the study's duration. Their parents were repeatedly consulted for consent prior to every step of the program. The researchers also reviewed the teacher ratings of the children who attended preschool at various stages in the study.

Similar to 1999 results found in NIMH's Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD MTA study: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/childhp/mtaqa.cfm , and other studies on school-aged children, the medication did appear to slow the preschoolers' growth rates. Throughout the duration of the study, the children grew about half an inch less in height and weighed about 3 pounds less than expected, based on average growth rates established prior to the study.

Currently, no data exist that track long-term growth rate changes among preschoolers with ADHD who are medicated with methylphenidate. However, a five-year-long follow-up study is underway to track the children's physical, cognitive, and behavioral development, as well as health care services the family is using to care for the child. Those data will be available in two to three years.

Finally, 89 percent of the children tolerated the drug well, but 11 percent -- about 1 in 10 children -- had to drop out of the study as a result of intolerable side effects. For example, while some children lost weight, weight loss of 10 percent or more of the child's baseline weight was considered a severe enough side effect for the investigators to discontinue the medication. Other side effects included insomnia, loss of appetite, mood disturbances such as feeling nervous or worried, and skin-picking behaviors. Despite concerns that stimulants may increase blood pressure or pulse, any changes seen in the children's blood pressure or pulse were minimal.

"The study shows that preschoolers with severe ADHD symptoms can benefit from the medication, but doctors should weigh that benefit against the potential for these very young children to be more sensitive than older children to the medication's side effects, and monitor use closely," concluded Dr. Greenhill.

PATS was conducted by researchers at Columbia/New York State Psychiatric Institute, Duke University, Johns Hopkins University, New York University, the University of California Los Angeles, and the University of California Irvine, in collaboration with NIMH staff under a cooperative agreement.

CDC Launches Multi-state Study on Autism: $5.9 Million Awarded to Five Sites

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is initiating a multi-state collaborative study to help identify factors that may put children at risk for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and other developmental disabilities. Approximately 2,700 children, ages 2 to 5, and their parents will be part of this study.

CDC has awarded a total of $5.9 million to five sites - Kaiser Foundation Research Institute in California, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the University of Pennsylvania. These sites make up the Centers for Autism and Developmental Disabilities Research and Epidemiology (CADDRE) Network. CDC will also be participating in the study, and will include children and their parents from the metropolitan Atlanta area.

“We hope this national study will help us learn more about the characteristics of children with ASDs, factors associated with developmental delays, and how genes and the environment may affect child development,” said Dr. José F. Cordero, assistant surgeon general and director of CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities.

In this five-year study, The National CADDRE Study: Child Development and Autism, a number of factors will be studied for their potential association with ASDs, including:

infections or abnormal responses to infections in the child, mother or father
genetic factors in the child, mother and father
mother's reproductive history
abnormal hormone function in the child, mother or father
gastrointestinal problems in the child
family history of medical and developmental problems
smoking, alcohol and drug use in pregnancy
parent’s occupation and other socio-demographic factors.

The information will be obtained by conducting interviews and exams, reviewing medical records, collecting cheek swabs, and blood and hair sampling.

“By conducting the study in six different geographic areas across the country with diverse populations and by identifying children from multiple sources in each community, we hope to have a study sample that more closely represents children with ASDs, other developmental problems, and typical development across the country,” added Cordero.

The CADDRE Network was established following the Children’s Health Act of 2000 that directed CDC to establish regional centers of excellence for ASD and other developmental disabilities.

ASDs are lifelong developmental disabilities characterized by repetitive behaviors and social and communication problems. ASD includes autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder - not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS, including atypical autism), and Asperger syndrome. People with ASD have significant impairments in social and communication skills, and unusual behaviors or interests. Many people with ASD also have unusual ways of learning, paying attention, or reacting to different sensations. ASD can be diagnosed as early as 18 months and lasts throughout a person's life. For information on CDC’s work on autism, please visit www.cdc.gov/autism.

New Web Site for Child Health and Human Development

Need information on reading disability? Want to know how much calcium is in a serving of broccoli? Trying to find out how to apply for a research grant to study spinal cord development in zebrafish? Check out http://www.nichd.nih.gov.

The component of the National Institutes of Health that conducts and supports research on human development, medical rehabilitation, and the health of children, adults, families, and communities, launched its redesigned Web site. The new National Institute of Child Health and Human Development site provides easy access to information for patients, the general public, scientists, and the news media.

"The new site provides fast and easy access to a wide array of information, from child health, to developmental disorders, to women's health, to basic and clinical research," said Duane Alexander, M.D., director of the NICHD. "This site is useful not only to people who need health information; it's also a tool for scientists who need research
information"

Since its creation by Congress in 1962, the NICHD's diverse mission has encompassed research across the life span. The Institute's research portfolio includes development before and after birth; maternal, child, and family health; reproductive biology and population issues; and medical rehabilitation. NICHD research has led to advances enabling millions of people in this country and around the world to lead healthier lives.

The NICHD's new site has undergone major changes in content, navigational features, and design. One premier feature is an A to Z topics list, which offers information on health conditions, disorders, programs, and topics. Reflective of the NICHD's mission, these topics span the gamut, from autism, to endometriosis, to gestational diabetes,
to reading disabilities. The site also links to corresponding NICHD publications and materials.

Moreover, users will find links to clinical trials (research studies involving volunteers) and to the Institute's public education campaigns: "Back to Sleep" (reducing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome), "Milk Matters" (the importance of getting enough calcium during the preteen and teen years), and "Media Smart Youth" (teaches young people
to evaluate media messages about nutrition and physical activity).

Scientific researchers coming to the NICHD Web site will find extensive information on the Institute's research components and supported projects. Through a directory that is searchable by research specialty, researchers and potential grantees will now be able to find program staff and scientists who share their research interests. Scientists seeking financial support for their own research projects or training will be able to access information tailored for their level of familiarity with the federal funding process or to the current stage of their research career.

The redesigned Web site also provides members of the news media with convenient access to current and past news releases, science advances, as well as media resources, such as video and audio clips. In addition, the site also offers help to reporters seeking to arrange interviews with NICHD scientists and officials.

"As an Institute with a broad mission, we attract diverse audiences to our Web site," Dr. Alexander said. "This new design helps each of our audiences quickly access information that meets their needs."

The redesigned site was unveiled at the Institute's September 11, 2006, meeting of the NICHD's National Advisory Child Health and Human Development Council.

New National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Research Program Launches Autism Trials

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has launched three major clinical studies on autism at its research program on the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland. These studies are the first products of a new, integrated focus on autism generated in response to reported increases in autism prevalence and valid opportunities for progress. Initial studies will define the characteristics of different subtypes of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and explore possible new treatments.

One study will define differences—both biological and behavioral—in autistic children with diverse developmental histories. Increasingly, scientists are considering the likelihood of "autisms," that is, multiple disorders that comprise autism. These studies seek to better define the subtypes within autism. Children with regressive autism appear to develop normal language and social skills but then lose these with the onset of autism before age 3. Non-regressive autism, the more common form of the disorder, begins early in life, possibly before birth, with evidence of subtle deficits throughout development. Children with these two forms of autism will be compared with those who have other developmental disorders, including various forms of developmental delay, as well as children with typical development. In addition, researchers will study a subset of the children in this study to investigate environmental factors that may trigger symptoms of autism.

In another study, NIMH researchers will examine the use of the antibiotic minocycline to measure its usefulness in treating regressive autism. Past research suggests that autism may be linked with changes in the immune response that cause inflammation in the brain. Minocycline has known anti-inflammatory effects and has been shown to be helpful in other brain disorders such as Huntington's disease.

The third study seeks to address the widespread but unproven theory that autism may be treated successfully by chelation therapy, which seeks to remove heavy metals from the blood. Chelation is more commonly used to treat lead toxicity, but currently, many families seek the treatment to try to remove mercury and other metals from their autistic children's blood. This practice is based on the belief that many cases of autism were caused by exposure to thimerosol, a mercury-based preservative previously used in childhood vaccines.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, since 2001, all vaccines recommended for children 6 years of age and younger have contained either no thimerosal or only trace amounts, with the exception of inactivated flu vaccine, which is manufactured in formulations both containing and free of thimerosal. Thimerosal-free influenza vaccine licensed for use in children six to 23 months of age is available in limited supply. Additionally, new pediatric vaccines that have received licensure do not contain thimerosal.

Regardless, many families continue to turn to chelation as a therapy for autism. NIMH will conduct a controlled study to test the efficacy and safety of chelation for children with autism spectrum disorders. However, the chelation also can remove essential mineral nutrients, such as calcium, iron, and zinc.

"Because chelation therapy is not specific for mercury alone, it is important to conduct a systematic, controlled trial to determine whether or not chelation therapy is beneficial or potentially harmful to children with autism," says Susan Swedo, M.D., who leads the branch on pediatric behavioral research in the NIMH Division of Intramural Research Programs, where the autism studies are being conducted.

Autism is a mental disorder that arises in early childhood and is characterized by delays in development of social and communication skills, as well as restricted interests and repetitive behaviors. Autism has a variety of presentations, and may represent several different diseases. It is part of a larger group of disorders, often referred to as autism spectrum disorders or ASDs, that also includes Asperger's syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder. Developing better screening or diagnostic tools and finding effective treatments depend on gaining more information about these various disorders and subtypes, which currently are reported to affect 2-6 out of every 1000 children.

The NIMH Intramural Research Program is committed to conducting reliable and unbiased clinical research to improve human health. Each of the proposed studies has undergone a rigorous review process to ensure the quality and safety of the research. To learn more about this process or to find general information on clinical trials, please visit http://ClinicalTrials.gov.

Community Based Meetings on IDEA to Learn About the New Regulations and Provide You Resources and Supports

Secretary Margaret Spellings announced the release of the Part B Final Regulations implementing the 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). These regulations were published in the Federal Register on Aug. 14, 2006.

To provide the public with an overview of the regulations, OSERS will be hosting a series of community-based public meetings. These public meetings will serve two major purposes. First, the meetings will provide the public with an opportunity to learn about the major concepts and principle changes in the new regulations. Second, the meetings will serve as a mechanism for the public to learn about and obtain some of the many resources and supports available from OSERS to assist in the implementation of these regulations. These resources and supports include a dedicated Web site which contains an array of information on the Part B regulations, with much more to come, as well as video tapes, topical briefs, a list of OSERS-supported technical assistance centers, and a list of conferences and other meetings in which information on the implementation of the regulations will be available.

Each meeting will begin with a reception at which Assistant Secretary Hager and Director Posny will be available to meet with the attendees on an informal basis. The reception will be followed by a presentation about the regulations, which will include a taped welcome from Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, information about the regulations and the Web site, as well as an opportunity to ask questions about the regulations and OSERS' implementation plans.

A list of the meetings sites, and available information on the locations and times that have been finalized appears below. Please check regularly for updates on meeting locations and times as they become available.

Charlotte, NC
Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2006
Tampa, FL
Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2006
Philadelphia, PA
Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2006
Seattle, WA
Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2006
Minneapolis, MN
Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2006
Dallas, TX
Thursday, Nov. 2, 2006
Denver, CO
Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2006
Sacramento, CA
Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2006

Check OSERS for meeting schedule and updates - CLICK HERE

U.S. Department of Education Releases Results of State Plans for Highly Qualified Teachers in Every Classroom

The U.S. Department of Education today released initial peer review feedback and related information on revised comprehensive state plans for ensuring that all public elementary and secondary school students are taught by highly qualified teachers. Based on the analysis of a 31-member team of experts, the Department determined that the vast majority of states made serious efforts to develop plans for having experienced, well-trained educators in classrooms, particularly in low-performing, disadvantaged schools. A handful of state plans did not address any required elements, and those states will undergo strict monitoring to come into compliance.

"Every child deserves a highly qualified teacher, regardless of his or her family's income or neighborhood. Good teachers are the key to bringing every child up to grade level in reading and math by 2014. I asked states to show us how they plan to give students in their schools qualified instructors and I was encouraged by their feedback. Many states took this very seriously, recognizing that good teachers make all the difference in whether or not our children succeed in their studies," said U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings.

To read the entire article from the U.S. Department of Education, visit
http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2006/08/08162006a.html

Study by NIH Provides Evidence that Autism Affects Functioning of Entire Brain

Previous View Held Autism Limited to Communication, Social Behavior, and Reasoning

A recent study provides evidence that autism affects the functioning of virtually the entire brain, and is not limited to the brain areas involved with social interactions, communication behaviors, and reasoning abilities, as had been previously thought. The study, conducted by scientists in a research network supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), found that autism also affects a broad array of skills and abilities, including those involved with sensory perception, movement, and memory.

The findings, appearing in the August "Child Neuropsychology", strongly suggest that autism is a disorder in which the various parts of the brain have difficulty working together to accomplish complex tasks.

The study was conducted by researchers in the Collaborative Program of Excellence in Autism (CPEA), a research network funded by two components of the NIH, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

"These findings suggest that further understanding of autism will likely come not from the study of factors affecting one brain area or system, but from studying factors affecting many systems," said the director of NICHD, Duane Alexander, M.D.

People with autism tend to display 3 characteristic behaviors, which are the basis of the diagnosis of autism, explained the study's senior author, Nancy Minshew, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. These behaviors involve difficulty interacting socially, problems with verbal and non-verbal
communications, and repetitive behaviors or narrow, obsessive interests. Traditionally, Dr. Minshew said, researchers studying autism have concentrated on these behavioral areas.

Within the last 20 years, however, researchers began studying other aspects of thinking and brain functioning in autism, discovering that people with autism have difficulty in many other areas, including balance, movement, memory, and visual perception skills.

In the current study, Dr. Minshew and her colleagues administered a comprehensive array of neuropsychological tests to a group of children with autism. The researchers tested 56 autistic children, and compared their responses to those of 56 children who did not have autism. The children with autism were classified as having higher functioning autism
-- an I.Q. of 80 or above, and the ability to speak, read, and write. All of the children in the study ranged in age from 8 to 15 years. The purpose of the test array, Dr. Minshew said, was to determine whether there were any patterns in mental functioning unique to autism.

"We set out to find commonalities across a broad range of measures, so that we could make inferences about what's going on in the brain," Dr. Minshew said.

The researchers found that, across the entire series of tests, the children with autism performed as well as -- and in some instances even better than -- the other children on measures of basic functioning. Uniformly, however, they had trouble with complex tasks.

For example, regarding visual and spatial skills, the children with autism were very good at finding small objects in a cluttered visual field, on tasks like finding Waldo in the "Where's Waldo" picture books series. However, when asked to perform a complex task, like telling the difference between the faces of similar looking people, they had great difficulty.

Although their memory for the detail in a story was phenomenal, the children with autism had great difficulty comprehending the story. Many were highly proficient at spelling and had a good command of grammar, but had difficulty understanding complex figures of speech, like idioms and metaphors.

"We see this with our patients," Dr. Minshew said. "If you use an expression like 'hop to it,' a child with autism may literally hop."

Other complex tasks were also difficult for them. The children with autism either had poor handwriting, or wrote very slowly. Many had difficulty tying their shoes and with using scissors.

"These findings show that you can't compartmentalize autism under three basic areas," Dr. Minshew said. "It's much more complex than that."

Dr. Minshew explained that the major implication of the finding is that when seeking to understand autism, researchers need to look for a cause or causes that affect multiple brain areas, rather than limiting their search to brain areas dealing with the three characteristic behaviors involving social interactions, communication, and repetitive behaviors or obsessive interests.

"Our paper strongly suggests that autism is not primarily a disorder of social interaction, but a global disorder affecting how the brain processes the information it receives -- especially when the information becomes complicated."

In previous research with an imaging technology known as functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI, Dr. Minshew and her coworkers determined that adults with autism have abnormalities in the neurological wiring through which brain areas communicate. In those
studies, the researchers found that people with autism had difficulty performing certain complex tasks that involved brain areas working together. (This research is described in previous releases, Previous Release 1 , and Previous Release 2 .)

Dr. Minshew said that such abnormalities in brain circuitry provide the most likely explanation for why the children with autism in the current study have difficulty with complex tasks that require coordination among brain regions but do well on tasks that require only one region of the brain at a time.

The researchers undertook the current study as a follow up to an earlier study they did of adults with autism. The researchers studied children to determine if the features of autism were consistent throughout life, or changed as people with autism grow older. For the most part, the current study revealed that both adults and children with autism experience the same kinds of difficulties with complex tasks.

One difference is that adults with autism appear to score higher on tests involving sensory interpretation than do children with autism. Such tests would involve identifying a number traced on a finger tip, or identifying an object placed in one's hand without looking at it. Dr.
Minshew said that as people with autism grow older, they may have less
sensory difficulty than they did as children.

Still, adults with autism fare much worse on tests of complex language and reasoning than do other adults. This gap in complex language and reasoning ability between the two groups is not as pronounced when children with autism are compared to other children. This is because children's brains have not yet developed these skills, Dr. Minshew said. However, the gap widens with time. As typical children get older, they develop these higher order language and reasoning skills while adolescents and adults with autism do not.

CONTACT: Robert Bock or Marianne Glass Miller, 301-496-5133, bockr@mail.nih.gov

Questions and Answers about Deafness and Hearing Impairments in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act

Cari M. Dominguez, Chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), has announced that the EEOC has just published a question-and-answer (Q&A) publication on the application of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to job applicants and employees who are deaf or who have hearing impairments . Chair Dominguez stated, "One goal of this fact sheet is to counter the myth that individuals with some level of hearing loss are generally less competent, less productive, or would require more attention and supervision than their peers who do not have hearing loss,"

NAPCSE is fortunate to be able to bring this document to you in its entirety on our website.

Read The Entire Questions and Answer Publication

Brain Changes Mirror Symptoms in ADHD

The severity of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in youth appears to be reflected in their brain structure, recent NIMH-supported brain imaging studies are finding. In one study, researchers found that the front part of the brain's memory hub, the hippocampus, tended to be enlarged in ADHD, particularly in children with fewer symptoms. They suggest that such changes might develop as a compensatory response that helps the child cope with the impatience and stimulus-seeking problems of the disorder.

The researchers also found that parts of an emotion-processing hub, the amygdala, were smaller in children with the disorder. The diminished size had a significant and positive correlation with severity of ADHD symptoms. In those with the disorder, researchers also observed poor connections between the amygdala and the pre-frontal cortex, which could contribute to problems with impulse control and goal-directed behaviors.

Drs. Kerstin Plessen and Bradley Peterson (Columbia University; New York State Psychiatric Institute; University of Bergen, Norway; and Pennsylvania State University) and colleagues used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to scan 51 children and adolescents with ADHD and 63 healthy peers in the study, reported in the July 3, 2006, issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.

In another recent MRI study, NIMH intramural researchers found that parts of the brain's outer layer that controls attention is thinner in youth with ADHD and remains thin in those with less improvement, perhaps contributing to their impaired recovery. However, in teens who showed improvement, the cortex thickened on the right side, suggesting how brain changes may help explain improvements in coping with ADHD, report Drs. Philip Shaw and Judith Rapoport, NIMH Child Psychiatry Branch, and colleagues.

The 3-5 percent of school-age children with ADHD tend to be constantly impulsive, and inattentive. The disorder is thought to stem from brain circuit abnormalities. Symptoms improve in as many as a third or more of children with the disorder by their late teens. Yet, while previous NIMH imaging studies had shown that most parts of the brain are relatively smaller in ADHD, they did not look at how these differences might be related to clinical outcome.

To study this, researchers scanned the brains of 163 children with ADHD and 166 healthy controls, averaging about 9 years old. They re-scanned about 60 percent of each group again about 5.7 years later.

The ADHD group initially had a thinner cortex, most prominently in frontal areas that control attention and motor activity. These changes turned out to be much greater in patients who showed less improvement at follow-up, about six years later. In children with the best outcomes, an area of the cortex associated with attention (right parietal cortex) had increased thickness and resembled that of healthy peers by follow-up.

"The apparent normalization of cortical thickness in the better outcome youth may reflect a persistence of neural connections that provides an extended period for the sculpting of complex brain circuits supporting attention," suggested Shaw.

Despite the promise of the new findings, MRI brain scans are still an experimental research tool and cannot yet be used to diagnose or predict outcomes for individuals with ADHD, cautioned Shaw.

Source: NIMH Child Psychiatry Branch

Shaw P, Lerch J, Greenstein D, Sharp W, Clasen L, Evans A, Giedd J, Castellanos FX, Rapoport J. Longitudinal mapping of cortical thickness and clinical outcome in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2006
May;63(5):540-9.

Plessen KJ, Bansal R, Zhu H, Whiteman R, Amat J, Quackenbush GA, Martin L, Durkin K, Blair C, Royal J, Hugdahl K, Peterson BS. Hippocampus and Amygdala Morphology in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2006 Jul;63(7):795-807.

National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) Published

The Final Regulations for the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) were published yesterday, July 19, 2006 in Part III of the Federal Register. For your convenience, NICHCY has posted what appeared in the Federal Register on its Website, at: http://www.nichcy.org/reauth/NIMAS-FinalRegs.pdf

The NIMAS guides the production and electronic distribution of digital versions of textbooks and other instructional materials so they can be more easily converted to accessible formats, including Braille and text-to-speech. If you'd like to learn more about NIMAS, here are two resources that will launch you right into the heart of the matter.

The TA Center on NIMAS.
http://nimas.cast.org/
The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has funded two national centers to further develop and implement the NIMAS. Visit the link above to delve into the what, how, where, and when of NIMAS and what it means for children with disabilities.

From the Federal Government
http://www.nichcy.org/reauth/tb-accessibility.pdf
This document, entitled National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard, is one in a series on IDEA 2004 prepared by the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) in the U.S. Department of Education. This document identifies new provisions within IDEA 2004 regarding NIMAS.

RESEARCHERS GAIN INSIGHT INTO WHY BRAIN AREAS FAIL TO WORK TOGETHER IN AUTISM

Basis For Why People With Autism Think In Pictures

July 12, 2006 Researchers have found in two studies that autism may involve a lack of connections and coordination in separate areas of the brain.

In people with autism, the brain areas that perform complex analysis appear less likely to work together during problem solving tasks than in people who do not have the disorder, report researchers working in a network funded by the National Institutes of Health. The researchers found that communications between these higher-order centers in the brains of people with autism appear to be directly related to the thickness of the anatomical connections between them.

In a separate report, the same research team found that, in people with autism, brain areas normally associated with visual tasks also appear to be active during language-related tasks, providing evidence to explain a bias towards visual thinking common in autism.

"These findings provide support to a new theory that views autism as a failure of brain regions to communicate with each other," said Duane Alexander, M.D., Director of NIH's National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. "The findings may one day provide the basis for improved treatments for autism that stimulate communication between brain areas."

The studies and the theory are the work of Marcel Just, Ph.D., D.O. Hebb Professor of Psychology at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Nancy Minshew, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and their colleagues.

The research was conducted by the Collaborative Program of Excellence in Autism, a research network funded by the NICHD and the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

People with autism often have difficulty communicating and interacting socially with other people. The saying "unable to see the forest for the trees" describes how people with autism frequently excel at details, yet struggle to comprehend the larger picture. For example, some children with autism may become spelling bee champions, but have difficulty understanding the meaning of a sentence or a story.

An earlier finding by these researchers described how a group of people with autism tended to use parts of the brain typically associated with processing shapes to remember letters of the alphabet. A news release detailing that finding appears at http://www.nichd.nih.gov/new/releases/final_autism.cfm.

Participants with autism in both current studies had normal I.Q. There were no significant differences between the participants with and without autism in age or I.Q.

The first of the two new studies recently was published online in the journal "Cerebral Cortex". In that study, the researchers used a brain imaging technique known as functional magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, to view the brains of people with autism as well as a comparison group of people who do not have autism. All of the study participants were asked to complete the "Tower of London" test. The task involves moving three balls into a specified arrangement in an array of three receptacles. The "Tower of London" is used to gauge the functioning of the prefrontal cortex.

This brain area, located in the front, upper part of the brain, deals with strategic planning and problem-solving. The prefrontal cortex is the executive area of the brain, in which decision making, judgment, and impulse control reside.

A little further back is the parietal cortex, which controls high-level visual thinking and visual imagery, supporting the visual aspects of the problem-solving. Both the prefrontal and parietal cortex play a critical part in performing the "Tower of London" test.

In the normal participants, the prefrontal cortex and the parietal cortex tended to function in synchrony (increasing and decreasing their activity at the same time) while solving the Tower of London task. This suggests that the two brain areas were working together to solve the problem.

In the participants with autism, however, the two brain areas, prefrontal and parietal, were less likely to function in synchrony while working on the task.

The researchers made another discovery, for the first time finding a relationship between this lower level of synchrony and the properties of some of the neurological "cables" or white matter fiber tracts that connect brain areas.

White matter consists of fibers that, like cabling, connect brain areas. The largest of the white matter tracts is known as the corpus callosum, which allows communication between the two hemispheres (halves) of the brain.

"The size of the corpus callosum was smaller in the group with autism, suggesting that inter-regional brain cabling is disrupted in autism," Dr. Just said.

In essence, the extent to which the two key brain areas (prefrontal and parietal) of the autistic participants worked in synchrony was correlated with the size of the corpus callosum. The smaller the corpus callosum, the less likely the two areas were to function in synchrony. In the normal participants, however, the size of the corpus callosum did not appear to be correlated with the ability of the two areas to work in synchrony.

"This finding provides strong evidence that autism is a disorder involving the biological connections and the coordination of processing between brain areas," Dr. Just said.

He added, however, that the thickness, or extent, of connections between brain areas may not be the basis for the disorder. Although the neurological connections between the prefrontal cortex appear to be reduced in autism, the brains of people with autism have thicker connections between certain brain regions within each hemisphere.

"At this point, we can say that autism appears to be a disorder of abnormal neurological and informational connections of the brain, but we can't yet explain the nature of that abnormality," Dr. Just said.

In the second study, published online in the journal "Brain", the researchers examined the extent to which brain areas involved in language interact with brain regions that process images. Dr. Just explained that earlier studies, as well as anecdotal accounts, suggest that people with autism rely more heavily on visual and spatial areas of the brain than do other people.

In this study, the researchers used fMRI to examine brain functioning in participants with autism and in normal participants during a true-false test involving reading sentences with low imagery content and high imagery content. A typical low imagery sentence consisted of constructions like "Addition, subtraction, and multiplication are all math skills." A high imagery sentence, "The number eight when rotated 90 degrees looks like a pair of eyeglasses," would first activate left prefrontal brain areas involved with language, and then would involve parietal areas dealing with vision and imagery as the study participant mentally manipulated the number eight.

As the researchers expected, the visual brain areas of the normal participants were active only when evaluating sentences with imagery content. In contrast, the visual centers in the brains of participants with autism were active when evaluating both high imagery and low imagery sentences.

"The heavy reliance on visualization in people with autism may be an adaptation to compensate for a diminished ability to call on prefrontal regions of the brain," Dr. Just said.

The second study also confirmed the observations in the first study -- that the prefrontal and parietal brain regions of the cortex in people with autism were less likely to work in synchrony than were the brains of normal volunteers. The second study also confirmed that the extent to which the two parts of the cortex could work together was correlated with the size of the corpus callosum that connected them.

Dr. Just and his colleagues are conducting additional studies to ascertain the nature of the abnormality of the connections in the brains of people with autism.

This NIH News Release is available online at:

http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/jul2006/nichd-12.htm.

The Condition of Education 2006

Efforts to monitor the progress of U.S. education and respond to its opportunities and challenges depend on reliable, accurate, and timely data. To provide such data, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) each year submits to Congress the mandated report, The Condition of Education. This year’s report presents indicators of important developments and trends in American education. Recurrent themes underscored by the indicators include participation and persistence in education, student performance and other outcomes, the environment for learning, and resources for education. In addition, this year’s volume contains a special analysis that presents key findings of several recent international assessments that examine the achievement of U.S. students in reading, mathematics, and science and the literacy of adults relative to the performance of their peers in other countries. This analysis is particularly timely given the concern for the competitiveness of the United States.

The current state of American education shows both promises and challenges. Progress on national assessments in reading and science achievement is uneven or static, while mathematics performance has risen. International assessments of students’ and adults’ performance in reading, mathematics, and science also present a mixed picture: 4th-graders’ math and science scores are static or losing ground relative to students in other countries, while 8th-graders’ scores show improvement. Certain family risk factors, such as poverty or the language spoken in the home, present challenges to students’ educational progress and achievement. The indicators in this report underscore the importance of schooling for individuals and society, from early childhood reading to continuing adult education.

To read the Condition of Education 2006, visit: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2006071

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities Introduces Extensive Resources for Special Education Professionals and Parents on Transition Planning

Just launched! This five-part suite of resources looks closely at and connects you with a wide range of transition materials

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), transition planning from school to adult life begins, at the latest, during high school. In fact, transition planning is required, by law, to start once a student reaches 16 years of age, or younger, if appropriate. This transition planning becomes formalized as part of the student's Individualized Education Program (IEP). The IEP is a written document listing, among other things, the special educational services that the child will receive. The IEP is developed by a team that includes the child's parents and school staff.

Transition services are intended to prepare students to make the transition from the world of school to the world of adulthood. In planning what type of transition services a student needs to prepare for adulthood, the IEP team considers areas such as postsecondary education or vocational training, employment, independent living, and community participation.

The transition services themselves are a coordinated set of activities that are based on the student's needs and that take into account his or her preferences and interests. The resources NICHCY has created will help you learn more about transition ---what the law requires, what information a typical transition plan contains, how transition plans are developed, and so on. Because transition is such an enormous topic, NICHCY has organized the information as a "suite" of pages that break the topic down into some of its distinct aspects. More pages may be added to the suite in the future. At the moment, the Transition Suite consists of:

Transition 101
Transition Resources for Parents
Transition Resources for Students
Transition Resources for Professionals
Transition and Specific Disabilities

To learn more about these transition resources visit: ttp://www.nichcy.org/resources/transition101.asp

"Certificate of Completion" Email Hoax Regarding Graduation Requirements and the No Child Left Behind Act

May 25, 2006, U.S. Department of Education Deputy Press Secretary Chad Colby today released the following statement regarding a hoax e-mail being circulated:

False statements regarding graduation requirements and the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) are being circulated via e-mail. These e-mails are inaccurate, could lead to misunderstanding, and need to be corrected.

The hoax e-mails contain numerous inaccuracies, including the relationship between state graduation requirements and No Child Left Behind, the ability to receive federal loans, and descriptions of state law and schools in Indiana and Illinois.

Each state sets its own requirements for high school diplomas, General Educational Development tests (GED) and "Certificates of Completion." NCLB does not change those state definitions, but does require, for NCLB purposes, that states calculate a graduation rate that is based on a "regular high school diploma." In practice, this means that a GED or "Certificate of Completion" does not count positively in the graduation rate calculation.

Similarly, most colleges and most trade schools require a high school diploma or its equivalent for entrance, so anyone holding a certificate of completion would need to go back and complete the necessary academic requirements to get a diploma before they can apply for admission to the school, and apply for federal student aid. This requirement existed before the No Child Left Behind Act.

In addition, according to Indiana officials, there are several inaccuracies about Indiana in the e-mails. For example, there is not a Lake Ridge Elementary School in that state, nor did any Indiana high school issue 82 "Certificates of Course Completion." Rather, according to the Indiana Department of Education, the maximum number of such certificates issued last year was 29, in a high school with 385 graduates. According to Indiana education officials, a GED, a certificate of completion, a certificate of course completion, or a certificate by any other name does not terminate a person's right to pursue a high school diploma under Indiana law. There are similar inaccuracies about Illinois.

The e-mails also include the erroneous claim that NCLB was "revised" in 2004. In fact, NCLB was enacted on January 8, 2002, and is not scheduled for reauthorization until 2007.

For additional information about the No Child Left Behind Act and other education initiatives, please visit the Department's Web site at http://www.ed.gov.

For additional information, the general public may also call 1-800-USA-LEARN (872-5327).

New Parent Guide Created Explaining the Special Education Process Under IDEA 2004

May 9th, 2006: The National Dissemination Center of Children with Disabilities notified NAPCSE to inform us of a new IDEA Parent Guide available from the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD). This guide takes you through the special education process - a process that is the same regardless of a child's particular difficulties or disabilities.

Within the guide, special emphasis is placed on the category of specific learning disability. The guide includes parent perspectives, terms you'll find helpful to know, and practical materials for parents such as Checklists, Sample Letters, Charts, and Questions to Ask.

Find the IDEA Parent Guide online at: http://www.ncld.org/content/view/902/456086/

New National Web Site Devoted to Mental Health of Children, Youth and Families

The Child, Adolescent, and Family Branch of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has developed a new web website devoted to providing information about the mental health of children, youth and families. Calling it Systems of Care, it is a coordinated network of community-based services and supports that are organized to meet the challenges of children and youth with serious mental health needs and their families. Families and youth work in partnership with public and private organizations to design mental health services and supports that are effective, that build on the strengths of individuals, and that address each person's cultural and linguistic needs. Systems of Care seeks to help children, youth and families function better at home, in school, in the community and throughout life.

Systems of Care is not a program — it is a philosophy of how care should be delivered. Systems of Care is an approach to services that recognizes the importance of family, school and community, and seeks to promote the full potential of every child and youth by addressing their physical, emotional, intellectual, cultural and social needs.

For more information about Systems of Care, visit:
http://www.systemsofcare.samhsa.gov/

U.S. Department of Education Offers States New Resource for Teaching and Assessing Students with Disabilities

"Tool Kit" a collaborative effort between Elementary/Secondary, Special Ed Offices

April 25, 2006: In keeping with the goal of ensuring that all students achieve to high standards, the U.S. Department of Education today announced the availability of a new tool kit to help states fully implement the accountability provisions of No Child Left Behind for students with disabilities.

The "Tool Kit on Teaching and Assessing Students with Disabilities" was released by John H. Hager, assistant secretary of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, and Henry Johnson, assistant secretary of the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, during the annual legislative conference of the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO).

U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings said the resource would help states address the needs of more of their students in meeting the high expectations prompted by No Child Left Behind.

"Under No Child Left Behind, our nation has committed to providing every single child with a quality education," Spellings said. "No Child Left Behind works in concert with the reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to ensure that schools are held accountable for the educational results of all their students. Given the appropriate supports and services, the expectation is that students with disabilities can achieve to high standards. Already, we are seeing results as the longstanding achievement gap finally begins to close."

A collaborative effort of OSERS and OESE, the Tool Kit is a publication that provides up-to-date guidance on assessing the achievement and progress of students with disabilities.

It also includes a set of technical assistance products that offer practical, research-based approaches to the challenges schools are facing in the areas of assessment, instruction, behavioral interventions, and use of accommodations for students with disabilities.

In addition, the Tool Kit offers information about research now under way to further expand educators' knowledge in this area.

The Tool Kit is being disseminated to the state leadership so that they can share these materials with those in their states who have responsibility for improving teaching and assessment of all students. The Tool Kit is also accessible through ed.gov at www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/reports.html.

Summer Camps for Children with Disabilities (Updated 2006)

This is an updated 2006 guide created by the National Dissemination Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities to some directories and listings of summer camps. Some resources identify camps available to all children and some are especially for children who have disabilities.

It is also likely that your community has summer camps or recreational opportunities available, that you probably won't find listed in these directories! To find out what's available in your community, consult these local sources of information--local school district office of special education, local parks or recreation departments, religious organizations, fellow parents, and community groups.

Camp List for Children with Cancer
The Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation
National Office
P.O. Box 498
Kensington, MD 20895-0498
(800) 366-2223; (301) 962-3520
E-mail: info@candlelighters.org
Web: www.candlelighters.org/supportcamps.stm

Camps for Children with Spina Bifida
Spina Bifida Association of America
4590 MacArthur Boulevard, N.W., Suite 250
Washington, D.C. 20007-4226
(800) 621-3141; (202) 944-3285
E-mail: sbaa@sbaa.org
Web: www.sbaa.org

Camps 2006: A Directory of Camps and Summer Programs for Children and Youth with Special Needs and Disabilities in the Metro New York Area
Resources for Children with Special Needs
Publications/Department B
116 E. 16th Street, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10003
(212) 677-4650
E-mail: info@resourcesnyc.org
Web: www.resourcesnyc.org
$33.00 including shipping and handling (available in English & Spanish)

Discover Camp: Considerations for Sending your Child with a Disability to Camp for the First Time
National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD)
1640 W. Roosevelt Road
Chicago, IL 60608-6904
800-900-8086
Email: ncpad@uic.edu
Web: www.ncpad.org/get/discover/index.html or
www.ncaonline.org/discover/

Easter Seals Camping and Recreation List
Easter Seals-National Office
230 West Monroe Street, Suite 1800
Chicago, IL 60606
(800) 221-6827; (312) 726-6200 (Voice)
(312) 726-4258 (TTY)
E-mail: info@easterseals.com
Web: www.easterseals.com/site/PageServer?pagename=ntl_directory_camprec

Guide to Summer Camps and Summer Schools
2006-2007 (30th Edition)
Porter Sargent Publishers, Inc., c/o IDS
400 Bedford Street, Suite 322
Manchester, NH 03101
(800) 342-7470
E-mail: info@portersargent.com
Web: www.portersargent.com/SummerCamps_SummerSchools.htm
$45.00 hard-cover; $27.00 soft-cover (plus shipping and handling)

National Camp Association, Inc.
610 Fifth Avenue
P.O. Box 5371
New York, NY 10185
(800) 966-CAMP (2267); (212) 645-0653
E-mail: info@summercamp.org
Web: www.summercamp.org
(CampQuest, an on-line camp selection guide, is available on the NCA web site.)

Summer Opportunities for Kids & Teenagers 2006
Thomson Peterson's
Princeton Pike Corporate Center
2000 Lenox Drive
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648
(800) 338-3282
E-mail: info@petersons.com
Web: e-catalog.thomsonlearning.com/326
$30 (plus shipping and handling)

Web Sites

American Camp Association
www.campparents.org
Association of Independent Camps: Summer Camp Directory & Resource
www.independentcamps.com/intercamp
Brave Kids: Camps and Resources for Children with Chronic, Life-Threatening Illnesses or Disabilities
www.bravekids.org
The Camp & Conference Homepage
www.camping.org
Camp Channel
www.campchannel.com/docs/campsearch.html
Camps for Children with Diabetes
www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/camps
The CampPage Guide to Summer Camps
www.camppage.com
CampResource.com: Special Needs Camps
www.campresource.com/camps/spec_needs_camps.cfm
Camp Search: The Search Engine for Camps
www.campsearch.com/
Children’s Hemiplegia and Stroke Association (CHASA)
www.chasa.org/summercamps.htm
Children's Oncology Camping Association
www.coca-intl.org
Diabetes Camping Association: Diabetes Camp Directory—U.S. Camps
www.diabetescamps.org/uscamps.php
Discover Camp: Considerations for Sending your Child with a Disability to Camp for the First Time
www.ncpad.org/get/discover/index.html
Grown-Up Camps
www.grownupcamps.com
Kids' Camps
www.kidscamps.com
My Summer Camps
www.mysummercamps.com
National Center on Physical Activity & Disability (NCPAD) Fun & Leisure: Camp Resources
www.ncpad.org/fun/fact_sheet.php?sheet=88&view=all
Special Needs Camps
www.mysummercamps.com/camps/Special_Needs_Camps/index.html
Summer Camps for Amputees and Children with Limb Differences
www.amputee-coalition.org/fact_sheets/Kidscamps.html
Summer Camps for Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
http://clerccenter.gallaudet.edu/InfoToGo/142.html
Summer Camps for Kids with Learning and Attention Problems
www.schwablearning.org/camp/index.asp
Summer Camp Search
summercamps.com/cgi-bin/summercamps/search.cgi
Thomson & Peterson's Listing of Special Needs Summer Programs
www.petersons.com/summerop/select/t004se.asp

States Use Loophole in NCLB to Omit Almost 2 Million Test Scores of Minority Students

According to recent research by the Associated Press (AP), schools aren't counting the test scores of nearly 1.9 million students when they report progress by racial groups. Overall, the AP found that about 1 in every 14 test scores aren't being counted under the law's racial categories.

Minority students are seven times as likely to have their scores excluded as white students. Less than 2 percent of white children's scores aren't being counted as a separate category. In contrast, Hispanics and blacks have roughly 10 percent of their scores excluded. More than one-third of Asian scores and nearly half of American Indian scores aren't broken out, AP found.

Students whose tests aren't being counted in required categories also include Hispanics in California who don't speak English well, blacks in the Chicago suburbs, American Indians in the Northwest and special education students in Virginia.

What appears to be happening is that States are helping public schools escape potential penalties by getting around the No Child Left Behind law's requirement that students of all races must show annual academic progress.

To read more visit: States Omitting Minority Test Scores and States Omit Minorities' School Scores

FDA Approves First ADHD Patch For Children

The FDA on Thursday approved the first skin patch to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children.

The patch called Daytrana, designed to be worn for 9 hours, contains methylphenidate, which has been shown to help children with ADHD. It is the same stimulant that is in Ritalin. The patch is made by Noven Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Miami.
To read more on this, see the article

New Research Center Focusing on Students with Disabilities Now Available

The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities has launched a new Research Center, designed to connect you with the research evidence on a wide range of educational practices. The Research Center is located at:
http://research.nichcy.org

While you're there, visit the brand-new Research-to-Practice database, where studies are placed in context and practical examples of the research in action are given. The NICHCY Research-to-Practice Database is designed to be an accessible, efficient, and practical tool to support academic and behavioral interventions for children with special needs. It was developed with the thoughtful input from all those involved with the education of children with disabilities – parents, teachers, local and state level education administrators, Technical Assistance and Dissemination Centers, researchers, and policy makers. To learn more about the Research-to-Practice database, visit
http://research.nichcy.org/default.asp

FDA Approves Emsam (Selegiline) as First Drug Patch for Depression

Lowest Dose can be used without Restrictions Required of MAOI
Class of Depression Drugs

The Food and Drug Administration today approved Emsam (selegiline), the first skin (transdermal) patch for use in treating major depression. The once a day patch works by delivering selegiline, a monoamine oxidase inhibitor or MAOI, through the skin and into the bloodstream. At its lowest strength, Emsam can be used without the dietary restrictions that are needed for all oral MAO inhibitors that are approved for treating major depression.

"Emsam provides a significant advance because at least in its lowest dose patients can use the drug without the usual dietary restrictions associated with these types of drugs known as MAO inhibitors,“ said Dr. Steven Galson, Director for the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

Major depressive disorder is a common psychiatric condition in the U.S. population. Symptoms of depression include general emotional dejection, withdrawal and restlessness that interfere with daily functioning, such as loss of interest in usual activities; significant change in weight and/or appetite; insomnia; increased fatigue; feelings of guilt or worthlessness; slowed thinking or impaired concentration; and a suicide attempt or suicidal ideation.

MAO inhibitors usually require specific dietary restrictions because when combined with certain foods they can cause a sudden, large increase in blood pressure, or “hypertensive crisis”. A hypertensive crisis can lead to a stroke and death. Symptoms of a hypertensive crisis include sudden onset of severe headache, nausea, stiff neck, a fast heartbeat or a change in the way your heart beats (palpitations), sweating, and confusion. Patients who have these symptoms should get medical care right away.

The lowest dose of the MAOI patch, which delivers 6 milligrams (mg) of the medication over a 24 hour period, can be used without such dietary restrictions.

The Emsam patch will be made available in three sizes that deliver 6, 9, or 12 mg of selegiline per 24 hours. The patch is a matrix containing three layers consisting of a backing, and adhesive drug layer, and a release liner that is placed against the skin.

Emsam has been shown safe and effective for treatment of major depressive disorder in two 6-8 week studies and also in a longer-term study of patients. The data for EMSAM 6mg/24hr support the recommendation that a modified diet is not required at this dose. Patients are advised to change the patch once a day. The more limited data available for EMSAM 9mg/24hr and 12mg/24hr do not rule out food effects so that patients receiving these higher doses should follow dietary restrictions that advise them to avoid certain foods or beverages. This includes foods and beverages such as aged cheese and wine.

The only common side effect of Emsam detected in placebo-controlled trials was a mild skin reaction where the patch is placed. There may be mild redness at the site when a patch is removed. If the redness does not go away within several hours after removing the patch or if irritation or itching continues, patients are advised to contact their doctor.

Another side effect that was seen less commonly was light-headedness related to a drop in blood pressure.

The manufacturer and distributor of this new product have planned an educational campaign for patients and prescribers to ensure that advice on dietary modifications for the higher patch strengths is adhered to. They plan to conduct both patient and health care provider surveys to assess the effectiveness of the educational campaign. The manufacturer and distributor will also closely track reports of adverse events, and follow-up on those that might represent hypertensive crises, to further ensure the safe use of this product.

Although the effects of heat on the patch are not known, the drug labeling advises health care professionals and patients about the possible effects of direct heat applied to the Emsam patch. Direct heat may result in an increased amount of the drug absorbed from the patch. Patients should avoid exposing the patch to heating pads, electric blankets, heat lamps, saunas, hot tubs, or prolonged sunlight.

Like all approved antidepressants, this product carries a warning of increased suicidality in children and adolescents.

EMSAM was developed by Somerset Pharmaceuticals, Inc. In December 2004, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Somerset entered into an agreement that provides Bristol-Myers Squibb with distribution rights to market EMSAM after approval in the United States. Selegiline was initially approved in capsule form for use in Parkinson's Disease.

Bipartisan Commission to Take a "Hard Independent Look" at No Child Left Behind

Due to the controversial issues,numerous complaints, and varied concerns from administrators, teachers, and parents about President Bush's No Child Left Behind (NCLB) education reform plan, a bipartisan commission is being created to take a "hard, independent look" at the law's goals, promises, and conflicts. According to a 77-page report from the National Conference of State Legislatures, "Under N.C.L.B., the federal government's role has become excessively intrusive in the day-to-day operations of public education."

On Tuesday, February 21, 2006, the Commission to do this "hard independent look" on NCLB will be announced. This Commission will visit various cities throughout the United States holding public hearings and roundtables. The Commission will continue its work over the next several months, ending in September 2006 in Washington D.C. The members of the Commission will then be charged with making recommendations to the Legislative branch of government (Congress) prior to the expected renewal date of NCLB in 2007.

For more information on this issue, visit:

http://www.ncsl.org/programs/press/grasscatcher.htm,

or http://www.4csba.org/2-24%20nclb%20article.htm, or http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2006-02-13-education-panel_x.htm

FDA Approves First Ever Inhaled Insulin Combination Product for Treatment of Diabetes

January 27, 2006
There is a new, potential alternative for many of the more than 5 million Americans who take insulin injections, with the Food and Drug Administration's approval today of the first ever inhaled insulin. Exubera, an inhaled powder form of recombinant human insulin (rDNA) for the treatment of adult patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, is the first new insulin delivery option introduced since the discovery of insulin in the 1920s.

"Until today, patients with diabetes who need insulin to manage their disease had only one way to treat their condition," said Dr. Steven Galson, Director, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, FDA. "It is our hope that the availability of inhaled insulin will offer patients more options to better control their blood sugars."

Diabetes is a disease that affects the amount of insulin and sugar in your body. Exubera is a human form of insulin and as such, lowers blood sugar concentrations by allowing the blood sugar to be taken up by cells as a source of fuel. Exubera is a powdered form of insulin that is able to be inhaled into the lungs through the patient's mouth using a specially designed inhaler.

There are two major types of diabetes — type 1 and type 2. People with type 1 diabetes produce virtually no insulin. In type 2, the most common form of the disease, the body does not produce enough insulin or effectively use insulin. If people with diabetes do not properly control their blood sugar levels, serious complications including heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, and nerve damage may develop.

The safety and efficacy of Exubera have been studied in approximately 2500 adult patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. In clinical studies, Exubera reached peak insulin concentration more quickly than some insulins, called regular insulin, administered by an injection. Peak insulin levels were achieved at 49 minutes (range 30 to 90 minutes) with Exubera inhaled insulin compared to 105 minutes (range 60 to 240 minutes) with regular insulin, respectively. In type 1 diabetes, inhaled insulin may be added to longer acting insulins as a replacement for short-acting insulin taken with meals. In type 2 diabetes, inhaled insulin may be used alone, along with oral (non-insulin) pills that control blood sugar, or with longer acting insulins.

Exubera prescriptions will be accompanied by a Medication Guide containing FDA-approved information written especially for patients. Pharmacists are required to distribute Medication Guides with products FDA has determined are important to health, and patient adherence to directions for use is crucial to the product's effectiveness. Patients are advised to read the entire Medication Guide and talk to their healthcare provider if they have further questions.

Like any insulin product, low blood sugar is a side effect of Exubera and patients should carefully monitor their blood sugars regularly. Other side effects associated with Exubera therapy seen in clinical trials included cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, and dry mouth.

Exubera is not to be used if you smoke or if you recently quit smoking (within the last 6 months). Exubera is not recommended in patients with asthma, bronchitis, or emphysema. Baseline tests for lung function are recommended before beginning treatment and are recommended to be repeated every 6 to 12 months thereafter.

While Exubera has been extensively studied for safety, the sponsor has committed to performing long-term studies to confirm the continued safety of Exubera after it is marketed and to examine more thoroughly the issue of the efficacy and safety of Exubera in patients with underlying lung disease.

Exubera is manufactured by Pfizer Inc., NY, NY.

No Child Left Behind and School Performance Data Available for All 50 U.S. States

The U.S. federal government has created a "No Child Left Behind State-by-State Implementation Guide." To learn how your State is doing un NCLB, visit

http://edworkforce.house.gov/issues/109th/education/nclb/state.htm#SchoolResults

Also, parents, students, teachers, and school officials in all 50 states now can find out how their local schools are performing by visiting a new national website - SchoolMatters.com.

SchoolMatters.com offers parents and teachers immediate access to information about the performance and demographic makeup of their local schools, neighboring schools and districts, and the entire state.

Teachers can use this information as a diagnostic tool to identify areas in need of improvement, as well as identify other schools from which to learn effective practices. The website also provides valuable comparative tools and benchmarks to monitor relative progress of local schools and districts within the state.

Center for Rural Education Established at U.S. Department of Education

December 16, 2005

Tucson, Ariz. — The U.S. Department of Education today announced the creation of the Center for Rural Education to address challenges facing rural schools and named former U.S. Commissioner of Education William L. Smith as its director.

Housed within the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) and working in tandem with the Secretary's Task Force for Rural Education, the center will serve as an information resource for policymakers at the local, state, and federal levels.

Beto Gonzalez, acting assistant secretary for the Education Department's Office of Vocational and Adult Education, made the announcement in remarks to a national meeting of the Council of Chief State School Officers in Tucson, Ariz.

Gonzalez also chairs the department's Rural Education Task Force, which met this week in Washington to discuss efforts to promote excellence in rural education through the No Child Left Behind Act.

In a statement from Washington, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings hailed the creation of the new center and said, "I believe that every child, including those who attend a rural school, deserves the benefit of a quality education promised under No Child Left Behind."

"I am committed to addressing the needs of our students, educators, and parents in rural America," the secretary said. "This new center will take a leadership role in advancing the cause of rural education."

The center's director, William Smith, was the last U.S. commissioner of education in the former Office of Education, located in the former Department of Health, Education and Welfare, before it became a separate department in 1980.

Since that time, Smith has served in various management roles within the Education Department.

The U.S. Department of Education estimates that nearly 42 percent of the nation's public schools are in rural communities or small towns.

A primary goal of the center will be to update The Condition of Education in Rural Schools, a report last released by the U.S. Department of Education in 1994. The center will also host a series of focus groups and forums to highlight issues facing rural education.

The Office of Vocational and Adult Education in which the center will be located has a long history of helping rural America. For years, the office has included liaison staff to the National FFA Organization, formerly known as the Future Farmers of America.

The No Child Left Behind Act is the bipartisan landmark education reform law designed to change the culture of America's schools by closing the achievement gap, offering more flexibility to states, giving parents more information and options and teaching students based on what works. Under the law's strong accountability provisions, states must describe how they will close the achievement gap and make sure all students, including those with disabilities, achieve academically.

More information about the Center for Rural Education is available at: http://www.ed.gov/nclb/freedom/local/rural/index.html.

To Raise Achievement of Students with Disabilities, Greater Flexibility Available for States, Schools Proposed Regulations to be Published in Federal Register

December 14, 2005

From the U.S. Department of Education

COLUMBIA, Md. -- U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today announced proposed regulations to enhance the ability of schools and states to more effectively measure the achievement of America's students with disabilities.

With No Child Left Behind, parents, teachers, and the federal government committed to closing the achievement gap by 2014 for all children including students with disabilities. Ensuring that all students can read and do math on grade level remains a top priority.

Speaking to more than 100 policymakers and educators at Guilford Elementary School in Columbia, Md., Secretary Spellings said, "We're committed to using the best research to make sure students with disabilities are learning and taking tests that are meaningful to them."

The proposed rules to be published in Thursday's Federal Register are designed to meet the needs of students with disabilities who may not reach grade level within the same time frame as their peers, but who can make significant strides, given the right instruction.

Following is the prepared text of Secretary Spellings' remarks.

SECRETARY SPELLINGS: Thank you. You're lucky to have Nancy Grasmick as your superintendent in Maryland. She began her career in Baltimore as a teacher working with deaf students, and she's been a leader on special education issues in the policy arena as well. She's been a powerful voice for higher standards and accountability for results for all students.

Before I begin, let me say, tomorrow we'll have the chance to see history unfold before our eyes in Iraq. Millions of men and women—ordinary Iraqis—will show extraordinary courage as they take their place at polls all across the country. The people of Iraq will come together to defy terror and elect a parliamentary government. And they will be sending a powerful message of hope throughout the Middle East.

It's an honor to be here today at Guilford Elementary School with my deputy secretary, Ray Simon. I want to thank Principal Varlack for sharing her school with us today. I get asked all the time to point to places that are closing the achievement gap and proving we can leave no child behind. And this school is getting the job done for all students, including students with disabilities. The percentage of students here with disabilities meeting state standards in reading has increased by 17 points since just 2003. And the gap between all students and students with disabilities is shrinking in reading.

Just a few years ago, this school was falling short of standards. But you made improvements under No Child Left Behind. And today, you're a shining example for schools across the country. You're proving every child can learn with a quality education.

The key is setting high expectations for all students. And for parents like Catriona Johnson that makes all the difference. I met with Catriona and a group of other parents of students with disabilities earlier today. Catriona's son has autism, but his teachers here at Guilford saw his potential. And they worked with his mom to give him the support and instruction he needed.

As many of us know, it wasn't always like this for parents of students with disabilities. When I was in school—and it wasn't all that long ago—many states still had policies excluding students with disabilities from public schools. In 1970, schools in this country only educated one in five students with disabilities.

That all started to change when Congress passed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act in 1975. Last month, we celebrated the 30th anniversary of this law, which is now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA. It guarantees students with disabilities access to a free and appropriate public education. More than two decades after Brown v. Board of Education opened the schoolhouse to students of all races, this law opened our schools to students with disabilities.

As a result, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of students with disabilities graduating from high school and taking challenging courses. Today, virtually all these students take the full range of academic classes. That includes classes in English, math, social studies, science, and more. In fact, about one out of every five high school students with a disability is learning a foreign language.

We've come a long way in the last 30 years. But before No Child Left Behind, we still often underestimated what students with disabilities could learn. Many were victims of what President Bush calls the "soft bigotry of low expectations." We held them to lower standards, and we didn't hold ourselves accountable for their success.

Today, we know the vast majority of students with disabilities can achieve grade-level standards. And thanks to No Child Left Behind, we are holding ourselves accountable for making sure they do. For the first time ever, we as a nation have made a commitment to close the achievement gap by 2014 and ensure all students can read and do math on grade level.

That's why we're asking states to annually assess students and then break down the results by student groups so we can be sure all students, including students with disabilities, are getting ahead. For example, in the 2003-04 school year, about 95 percent of students with disabilities participated in state reading assessments.

As a result, we now have a laser-like focus on helping these students. Special education is no longer a peripheral issue. IDEA and NCLB have put the needs of students with disabilities front and center. We've torn down the final barrier between special and general education. And now every one in the system has a stake in ensuring students with disabilities achieve high standards.

At the same time, we know not all students learn the same way. And we want to give states the flexibility to design assessments that match the needs of their students. We're committed to using the best research to make sure students with disabilities are learning and taking tests that are meaningful to them.

As you know, No Child Left Behind already allows students with the most significant cognitive disabilities—about 1 percent of all students—to take alternate assessments. Further research suggests that an additional 2 percent of students should be assessed with modified standards. These are students who can achieve high standards but may not reach grade level in the same time frame as their peers, even with the best instruction.

Last spring, I announced the Department would work with states to help them establish more appropriate assessments for these students. And 31 states, including Maryland, Tennessee, and North Dakota, signed up to implement this policy for this school year.

Today, we are taking the next step forward by releasing proposed regulations on how states can implement this new policy long term. These regulations provide guidance on how states can identify these students and modify grade-level standards for them. We have published the proposed regulations in the Federal Register, and I want to invite you all to comment on them. We want your input.

I want to thank my assistant secretary for elementary and secondary education, Henry Johnson, and my assistant secretary for special education and rehabilitative services, John Hager, for being here today and for working together to develop this policy.

We're providing states with a technical assistance packet today on raising achievement for students with disabilities. It includes information on how NCLB and IDEA work together for students. And in the next few months, we'll also be releasing more material and information on teaching and assessing students with disabilities. At its heart, this policy is all about improving the way we educate and assess children with disabilities. It's a smarter, more sophisticated way of serving their needs.

Since taking office in January, I've been traveling around the country talking with parents, educators, and policymakers about how No Child Left Behind is working and what needs to work better. And wherever I go, I hear the same three questions: How can we do a better job assessing and serving students with disabilities? What's the best way to measure and enhance the progress of students new to the English language? And how can we reward schools for improving from year to year?

I promised to work with folks like you to address these issues in a sensible, workable way that makes raising student achievement our top priority. We're open to new ideas, just so long as we all stick to what I call the bright lines of the law—annually assessing students, disaggregating data, and closing the achievement gap by 2014. And we've taken some important steps forward together.

For example, last month, I announced a new pilot program where states can apply to use growth models to measure the progress students and schools make from year to year. And we've been working with the nation's top researchers to study the best way to educate and assess students new to the English language as well as students with disabilities.

With all these measures, our focus has been on helping students who in the past have been left behind. And states like Maryland, Massachusetts, Kansas, North Dakota, and Tennessee have been leading the way by shining the light on strategies that work for students with disabilities.

I want to thank Tennessee Commissioner of Education Lana Seivers for being here along with North Dakota special educator director Bob Rutten. They understand that ensuring students with disabilities learn is everybody's issue.

Last year, over 90 percent of districts in North Dakota made adequate yearly progress targets for students with disabilities. And in Tennessee, the percentage of elementary and middle school students with disabilities meeting state standards in reading increased by 15 points. These states have used the best research to ensure all students are included in the general curriculum and annual assessments. I like to say, "What gets measured gets done."

We're seeing the hard work pay off across the country. The latest nation's education report card showed students with disabilities are making gains at every level in both reading and math. And they're catching up to their peers, particularly in reading. As I like to say, "In God we trust—all others bring data." And with this data, we can see we're moving in the right direction. Scores are rising. And the achievement gap is closing. In other words, No Child Left Behind is working, and we must stick with it.

For folks like Lana Seivers, this isn't just a policy issue. It's a family issue. Her son has a disability. And for the last three decades, she's been fighting to raise standards for students with disabilities as a teacher, as an administrator, as a policymaker, and as a mom.

And thanks to No Child Left Behind, the conversation has finally shifted from "can these students learn" to "how can we make sure they learn." For the first time ever, we're demanding results. It's a national priority. And it's the right thing to do for parents and students across this country.

Thank you.

School Safety Report Released
School Violence Rate at Lowest Level Since 1992

November 23, 2005:

Violent crime rates in the nation's schools, unchanged between 2002 and 2003, remained at about half those recorded in 1992, according to a new report released today by the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Justice.

The report, Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2005, said the rate of violent crime victims in schools declined from 48 per thousand students in 1992 to 28 per thousand in 2003. In 2003, students ages 12 to 18 were victims of about 740,000 violent crimes and 1.2 million crimes of theft at school, according to the report. Seven percent of students in that age range reported that they had been bullied. Twenty-nine percent of high school students reported that drugs were made available to them on school property, and 9 percent of students were threatened or injured with a weapon on school property.

Indicators is the eighth in a series of annual reports produced by the Education Department's National Center for Education Statistics, within the Institute of Education Sciences, and the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics. Issued each fall, the reports present the most recent data available on school crime and student and staff safety.

The report indicates that students are twice as likely to be victims of serious violence away from school. In 2003, there were 12 such crimes per 1,000 students away from school and six crimes per 1,000 students at school. In the 2002-03 school year, there were 15 student homicides and 8 student suicides in the nation's schools, figures that translate to less than one homicide or suicide per million students.

Other highlights of the joint report:

The rate of in-school thefts declined from 95 per 1,000 students in 1992 to 45 per 1,000 in 2003. The rate of thefts away from school also declined, from 68 per 1,000 students in 1992 to 28 per 1,000 in 2003.
The proportion of students ages 12 to 18 who reported they skipped school or extracurricular activities or avoided specific places in school because they were fearful decreased from 7 percent in 1999 to 5 percent in 2003.
The proportion of students who reported that schools lock entrance or exit doors during the day out of concern for student safety increased from 38 percent to 53 percent between 1999 and 2003.
In 2003, 5 percent of students ages 12 to 18 reported being victimized at school during the previous six months: 4 percent reported theft, while 1 percent said they were victims of a violent crime.
In 2003, 21 percent of students between 12 and 18 reported that street gangs were present at their school during the previous six months.
In 2003, 33 percent of high school students reported having been in a fight anywhere, and 13 percent said they had been in a fight on school property during the preceding 12 months.
In 2003, students in urban schools were twice as likely as students in rural and suburban schools to fear being attacked at school or on the way to and from school.

The complete text of the report is available online at: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2006001 . Copies can be ordered by calling 1-877-4ED-Pubs (TTY/TDD 1-877-576-7734), by email at edpubs@inet.ed.gov , or online at www.edpubs.org/webstore/Content/search.asp.

U.S. Supreme Court Rules Against Parents in Burden of Proof Case Under The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

Yesterday, an important U.S. Supreme Court Decision was handed down regarding special education and the the procedural rights of parents. In the case Schaffer v. Weast, the question presented to the Court was:

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, when parents of a disabled child and a local school district reach an impasse over the child's individualized education program, either side has a right to bring the dispute to an administrative hearing officer for resolution. At the hearing, which side has the burden of proof - the parents or the school district?

Oral arguments in Schaffer v. Weast were made on October 5, 2005. The decision was handed down on November 14, 2005.

O’CONNOR, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which STEVENS, SCALIA, KENNEDY, SOUTER, and THOMAS, J., joined. STEVENS, J., filed a concurring opinion. GINSBURG, J., and BRAYER, J., filed dissenting opinions.ROBERTS, C. J., took no part in the consideration or decision of the case.

In a 6-2 decision, the Court held that there was no reason to depart from the ordinary legal rule that the person filing suit carries the burden of proof....The burden of proof in an administrative hearing challenging an IEP is properly placed upon the party seeking relief.

Summarizing the case, the Court wrote:

To ensure disabled children a “free appropriate public education,” 20 U. S. C. A. §1400(d)(1)(A), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA or Act) requires school districts to create an “individualized education program” (IEP) for each disabled child, §1414(d), and authorizes parents challenging their child’s IEP to request an “impartial due process hearing,” §1415(f), but does not specify which party bears the burden of persuasion at that hearing.

After an IDEA hearing initiated by petitioners, the Administrative Law Judge held that they bore the burden of persuasion and ruled in favor of respondents. The District Court reversed, concluding that the burden of persuasion is on the school district. The Fourth Circuit reversed the District Court, concluding that petitioners had offered no persuasive reason to depart from the normal rule of allocating the burden to the party seeking relief. Held: The burden of persuasion in an administrative hearing challenging an IEP is properly placed upon the party seeking relief, whether that is the disabled child or the school district. Pp. 6–12.(a)

Because IDEA is silent on the allocation of the burden of persuasion, this Court begins with the ordinary default rule that plaintiffs bear the burden regarding the essential aspects of their claims. Although the ordinary rule admits of exceptions, decisions that place the entire burden of persuasion on the opposing party at the outset of a proceeding—as petitioners urge the Court to do here—are extremely rare. Absent some reason to believe that Congress intended otherwise, the Court will conclude that the burden of persuasion lies where it usually falls, upon the party seeking relief. Pp. 6–8.

(b) Petitioners’ arguments for departing from the ordinary default rule are rejected. Petitioners’ assertion that putting the burden of persuasion on school districts will help ensure that children receive a free appropriate public education is unavailing. Assigning the burden to schools might encourage them to put more resources into preparing IEPs and presenting their evidence, but IDEA is silent about whether marginal dollars should be allocated to litigation and administrative expenditures or to educational services. There is reason to believe that a great deal is already spent on IDEA administration, and Congress has repeatedly amended the Act to reduce its administrative and litigation-related costs. The Act also does not support petitioners’ conclusion, in effect, that every IEP should be assumed to be invalid until the school district demonstrates that it is not. Petitioners’ most plausible argument—that ordinary fairness requires that a litigant not have the burden of establishing facts peculiarly within the knowledge of his adversary, United States v. New York, N. H. & H. R. Co., 355 U. S. 253, 256, n. 5—fails because IDEA gives parents a number of procedural protections that ensure that they are not left without a realistic chance to access evidence or without an expert to match the government. 377 F. 3d 449, affirmed.

Disagreeing with the majority, Justice Ginsburg and Justice Breyer wrote dissenting opinions. Justice Ginsburg felt that requesting parents to fulfill the burden of proof standard would be unfair. In her dissenting opinion she stated, “policy considerations, convenience, and fairness” call for assigning the burden of proof to the school district in this case.... “the school district is . . . in a far better position to demonstrate that it has fulfilled [its statutory] obligation than the disabled student’s parents are in to show that the school district has failed to do so.”

To read the entire U.S. Supreme Court decision, visit: http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/05pdf/04-698.pdf

Special Education:
Ensuring Excellence for All Students

Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Time: 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM ET

This November marks 30 years since Congress enacted the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (Public Law 94-142). Today, thanks to this law, which became the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, the majority of children with disabilities are being educated in their neighborhood schools and in regular classrooms alongside their non-disabled peers; high school graduation rates and employment rates among youth with disabilities have increased dramatically; and post-secondary enrollments among individuals with disabilities continue to rise.

The November broadcast of Special Education: Ensuring Excellence for All Students, will showcase successful inclusion programs in schools, profile research-based, early identification and intervention initiatives to identify academic and behavioral problems in young children, and will include a panel of educators, policymakers, community leaders and parents exploring key issues such as:

How is NCLB helping ensure the academic progress of children with disabilities?
What are the key provisions of the reauthorized IDEA legislation and does it impact those involved with the special education process?
What do parents need to know about early intervention for children suspected of having a disability and what challenges do these students and their families face?
How have schools made it easier for parents to navigate the system as they create an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for their student with a disability?
How can students with disabilities be successfully integrated into general education classrooms?
What is Positive Behavior Supports and what difference is it making in schools?
For more information on where you can view Special Education: Ensuring Excellence for All Students, visit: http://www.ed.gov/news/av/video/edtv/index.html

Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study (SEELS) Data Available

The Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study (SEELS) is a study of school-age students funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) in the U.S. Department of Education and is part of the national assessment of the 1997 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 97). From Year 2000 to 2006, SEELS is documenting the school experiences of a national sample of students as they move from elementary to middle school and from middle to high school. One important feature of SEELS is that it does not look at students' educational, social, vocational, and personal development at a single point in time. Rather, it is designed to assess change in these areas over time.

SEELS is being conducted to help policymakers and other interested people understand what is happening with students who are receiving or have received special education services. This will help us know how students who receive special education services are doing, what services schools are providing to students and families, and to what extent special education is helping students and families. Because this study uses a nationally representative student sample, SEELS will provide an important national picture of special education.

Like all the studies associated with OSEP's national assessment of IDEA, SEELS is intended to be a national resource for teachers, parents, advocates, policymakers, and researchers. The data includes parent interviews, direct assessments, school background, teacher surveys and school program surveys. SEELS data cover a wide range of topics, including student and household characteristics, students' functional skills, parental involvement/expectations, school experiences, academic achievement, classroom instruction, social skills, self concept, assessment, accommodations and much more.

To learn more about the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study (SEELS), visit http://www.seels.net/

FDA Issues Public Health Advisory on Strattera (Atomoxetine) for Attention Deficit Disorder

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today is issuing a Public Health Advisory to alert physicians of reports of suicidal thinking in children and adolescents associated with Strattera, a drug approved to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). FDA has also directed Eli Lilly and Company, manufacturer of Strattera, to develop a Medication Guide for patients and caregivers.

FDA is advising health care providers and caregivers that children and adolescents being treated with Strattera should be closely monitored for clinical worsening, as well as agitation, irritability, suicidal thinking or behaviors, and unusual changes in behavior, especially during the initial few months of therapy or when the dose is changed (either increased or decreased). Patients and caregivers who have concerns or questions about these symptoms should contact their healthcare provider.

"FDA's action today is another example of the agency acting swiftly to alert the public to significant drug safety information needed to use a drug in a safe manner," said Dr. Steven Galson, Director for the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, FDA.

Today's actions follow a review and analysis of 12 clinical trials conducted in children with ADHD and one trial in children with enuresis (bedwetting) that identified an increased risk of suicidal thinking for Strattera. There was one suicide attempt by a patient who received Strattera among the approximately 2,200 patients in the trial. As part of a larger evaluation of psychiatric drugs and suicidality, FDA had requested that the manufacturer conduct a review of its database and clinical trials, which included more than 2200 patients--1350 patients receiving Strattera (atomoxetine) and 851 receiving a placebo. The analysis showed that 0.4% of children treated with Strattera reported suicidal thinking compared to no cases in children treated with the placebo.

Strattera, manufactured by Eli Lilly, has been on the market since 2002 and has been used in more than two million patients.

Health care professionals are encouraged to report any unexpected adverse events associated with Strattera directly to Eli Lilly, Indianapolis, Ind. at 1-800-LillyRx or to the FDA MedWatch program at 1-800-FDA-1088; by FAX at 1-800-FDA-0178; by mail to MedWatch, Food and Drug Administration, HFD-410, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD, 20857-9787; or online at www.fda.gov/medwatch/report.htm.

House Approves Castle Bill to Improve Head Start Early Childhood Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives today approved a bill to introduce greater competition into the federal Head Start early childhood program and use it to strengthen school readiness, increase the role of states and local communities in Head Start, and protect children and taxpayers against the abuse and mismanagement of federal Head Start funds. The bill, the School Readiness Act (H.R. 2123), also restores hiring protections that had been stripped from faith-based organizations choosing to participate in the early childhood program.

“Today the House voted to strengthen and improve the Head Start program on behalf of the nearly one million children enrolled in Head Start each year,” said Education & the Workforce Committee Chairman John Boehner (R-OH). “The bill will increase competition for Head Start grants, increase the role of states and local communities, and help ensure Head Start funds are used for their intended purpose: preparing disadvantaged children for kindergarten.”

"We all can agree on the need for Head Start and its successes. We must also recognize that Head Start can produce even greater results for children,” said Education Reform Subcommittee Chairman Mike Castle (R-DE), author of the School Readiness Act. “Students who attend Head Start programs do start school more prepared than those with similar backgrounds that do not attend Head Start. However, Head Start students continue to enter kindergarten well below national norms in school readiness. By moving to close this school readiness gap, this bill will improve results for almost a million Head Start students across the nation."

The School Readiness Act will strengthen the academic components of Head Start and remove barriers that hinder coordination between Head Start and successful state-run early childhood initiatives – major priorities for President George W. Bush. The bill will also emphasize competition, as recommended this year by the independent Government Accountability Office (GAO), to improve program quality and combat financial mismanagement.

Some highlights of the School Readiness Act include:

More competition. Local Head Start operators identified as having one deficiency or more during the five-year lives of their federal grants will be required to compete against other potential grantees when their grants come up for renewal. Under current laws and regulations, such recompetition is too limited, the independent GAO has found. The U.S. Secretary of Health & Human Services, who oversees the Head Start program, will retain the right to terminate a Head Start grant at any time during the five-year grant cycle. Grantees that meet all requirements will be designated as “priority” grantees.
Improved disclosure and transparency of Head Start. The bill will require all Head Start grantees to make available to the public an annual report detailing how money was spent, the sources from which funds were received, and how the agency has performed in terms of meeting the requirements of the law. An independent financial audit will also be required annually.
Greater role for states. In order to qualify to receive a federal Head Start grant, organizations will be required to have objectives in place for improving school readiness that are aligned with state-developed K-12 academic content standards. In order to be considered “priority” grantees, organizations entrusted with federal Head Start funds will be required to utilize curricula that are aligned with state-developed K-12 academic content standards and based in proven scientific research. Grantees that fail to meet this standard will be required to compete with other potential grantees and will face the possibility of losing their federal grants.
Greater role for local school districts. In order to be considered “priority” grantees, organizations entrusted with federal Head Start funds will be required to demonstrate active partnerships with local educational agencies (local school districts) serving the same communities to facilitate smooth transitions to kindergarten for their students. Grantees that fail to meet this standard will be required to compete with other potential grantees and will face the possibility of losing their federal grants.
Better safeguards against financial abuse. Head Start operators will be required to meet a range of financial disclosure requirements as a condition of receiving and keeping their federal Head Start grants. Grantees will have to be overseen by a local governance board that provides direction and actively oversees all program activities, and will be required to document that they have strong fiscal controls in place, including the employment of a well-qualified chief financial officer with a history of successful management of a public or private organization. Grantees will also have to maintain administrative costs that do not exceed 15 percent of total program costs.
Improved teacher quality. In order to be considered “priority” grantees, organizations entrusted with federal Head Start funds will be required to have a teaching staff of at least 50 percent with AA degrees. Grantees that fail to meet this standard will be required to compete with other potential grantees and will face the possibility of losing their federal grants. The percentage of Head Start staff nationwide required to have BA degrees will be increased to 50 percent.
No new testing. Like its 2003 counterpart, the School Readiness Act contains no new testing provisions. The legislation will strengthen the academic components of Head Start without adding additional tests or assessments.
Improved school readiness. The bill will emphasize “what works” in preparing disadvantaged children for school. It will strengthen Head Start’s academic standards by emphasizing cognitive development and the results of scientifically-based research in topics critical to children’s school readiness (including language, pre-reading, pre-mathematics, and English language acquisition). The changes would be similar to those adopted with strong bipartisan support for President Bush’s Reading First and Early Reading First initiatives, established in the No Child Left Behind Act for K-12 education.

During consideration of the School Readiness Act, the House adopted an amendment offered by Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA) to protect the civil liberties of faith-based providers by clarifying that these institutions are not required to relinquish their Civil Rights Act hiring protections when they participate in the federal Head Start program. The historic civil rights law explicitly protects the rights of religious organizations to take religion into account in their hiring practices, and former Democratic President Bill Clinton signed four laws explicitly allowing faith-based groups to staff on a religious basis when they receive federal funds.

“Now, more than ever before, we are seeing first hand the good work these groups are doing in my region of the country. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, faith-based organizations were among the first to reach out a hand in service to those impacted by the disaster,” said Boustany. “It is critical that faith-based organizations that are willing to serve their communities by participating in federal programs are not forced to give up who they are to participate.”

“Our nation’s Head Start students deserve to be served by the very best organizations willing to lend a helping hand,” said Boehner. “By restoring hiring protections for faith-based providers, the School Readiness Act ensures quality programs aren’t forced to choose between relinquishing their identities or being shut out of the program all together.”

CONTACT: Alexa Marrero or Kevin Smith
Telephone: (202) 225-4527

Connecticut Sues Over No Child Left Behind Law

HARTFORD, Conn. (Aug. 23), the state of Connecticut filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Hartford against the federal government over the No Child Left Behind Act. They are the first state to do so since the law's enactment in 2002. Connecticut makes the claim that the Bush administration has not provided enough money to pay for new testing and programs, and accused the Bush administration of being "rigid, arbitrary and capricious" in the enforcement of its signature education law.....and is seeking relief from a requirement that it scrap its own testing program in favor of one the state says will not help children but will cost millions. The lawsuit requests a judge to declare that state and local funds cannot be used to meet the goals of the law.

To read more about this very controversial issue visit:

http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20050822133209990001&_ccc=4&cid=842

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/23/nyregion/23child.html

It should be noted that as of this News Alert, no formal response to the lawsuit has been issued by the U.S. Department of Education. However, in April of 2005, Acting Director of Public Affairs DJ Nordquist released the following statement regarding action by Connecticut's attorney general on the state's intent to file a lawsuit on the No Child Left Behind Act:

"The President and Secretary Spellings believe that all children can learn and that schools and districts should be held accountable for the academic achievement of every child. That's why it is very disappointing that officials in Connecticut are spending their time hiring lawyers while Connecticut's students are suffering from one of the largest achievement gaps in the nation?according to Connecticut's own Mastery Test, Hispanic and African American eighth-graders are as high as 40 percentage points behind their white counterparts.
"No Child Left Behind simply asks states to set their own levels of achievement and to measure all students annually to ensure that each and every one?regardless of skin color, sex or where a student lives?is learning. The basis for the state's lawsuit appears to rest on a flawed 'cost study' of the No Child Left Behind Act that creates inflated projections built upon questionable estimates and misallocation of costs.
"This is a sad day for students of Connecticut. Connecticut has received over $750 million in No Child Left Behind federal funds since the law was signed. Instead of addressing the issue at hand, the state has chosen to attack a law that is designed to assist the students most in need and those whom these funds directly help."

U.S. Census Bureau Releases Data Report on Families and Disabilities

July 29, 2005--Newly released Census 2000 data showed that approximately 20.9 million American families had at least one member with a disability and that they differed in important ways from other families. Disability can be measured in a variety of ways, as described in the first section of the census report. The remainder of the report presents estimates of disability prevalence in American families using the measures available from Census 2000, discusses the general economic wellbeing of families with members with a disability, and examines differences across demographic groups and geographical regions. It is based on data from the Census 2000 long form, which includes all the questions on the short form plus additional detailed questions relating to the social, economic, and housing characteristics of each individual and household.2 Estimates in this report are limited to families and people in families. To view the report in its entirety, visit:

http://www.census.gov/prod/2005pubs/censr-23.pdf

Students With Disabilities Making Great Strides, New Study Finds

Data reflect successful experiences and achievements of special education students moving into early adulthood

FOR RELEASE: July 28, 2005

Students with disabilities have made significant progress in their transition to adulthood during the past 25 years with lower dropout rates, an increase in postsecondary enrollment and a higher rate of gainful employment after leaving high school, according to a new report released today by the U.S. Department of Education. The report is available at http://www.nlts2.org.

The National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2) documents the experiences of a national sample of students over several years as they moved from secondary school into adult roles. The NLTS2 report shows that the incidence of students with disabilities completing high school rather than dropping out increased by 17 percentage points between 1987 and 2003.

During the same period, their postsecondary education participation more than doubled to 32 percent. In 2003, 70 percent of students with disabilities who had been out of school for up to two years had paying jobs, compared to only 55 percent in 1987.

"These accomplishments show the benefits of accountability and high academic standards among all students, including those with disabilities," said U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. "As we focus increasingly on high school students, these findings square nicely with the goals of No Child Left Behind, such as closing the achievement gap and insisting that all students be given the quality education they so deserve."

NLTS2 began in 2001, and is a follow-up to the first National Longitudinal Transition Study conducted from 1985 through 1993, in which the experiences of the first "cohort" of students were analyzed. NLTS2 reports on a second cohort of young people, 12,000 students nationwide who were ages 13-16 at the start of the study. Information will be collected over 10 years from parents, students and schools, and will provide a national picture of the experiences and achievements of young people as they transition into early adulthood.

The study also shows that the following progress has been made in special education:

Core Academics Improved—Cohort2 high school students with disabilities were much more likely than their cohort1 counterparts to take core academic courses, including mathematics, science, social studies and a foreign language.
Grades Were Higher—Regarding academic performance, more than half of cohort2 students with disabilities received above-average grades, representing a shift from students receiving mostly Cs to more students receiving mostly As or Bs, as reported by teachers.
Age and Grade-Level Match Improved—The proportion of students who were at the typical age for their grade level increased from one-third to more than one-half between 1987 and 2001. As being older than the typical age for a grade level has been shown to be a powerful predictor of disabled students dropping out of school, this indicator signals positive outcomes for youths with disabilities in their efforts to finish high school.
More Support—By 2001, half of 15- to 17-year-old students with disabilities were receiving related or support services from or through their schools, compared with less than one-third of students in 1987.

The study was funded by the Department's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and focuses on a wide range of important topics for students with disabilities, such as high school coursework, extracurricular activities, academic performance, postsecondary education and training, employment, independent living and community participation.

Spellings Hails New National Report Card Results
Today's News "Proof That No Child Left Behind Is Working"

July 14, 2005--U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings released the following statement regarding the 2004 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Long-Term Trends in Academic Progress, also known as the Nation's Report Card. This particular NAEP long-term trend assessment has been administered using the same exact test in reading and mathematics for over 30 years:

The results from the newest Report Card are in and the news is outstanding. Three years ago, our country made a commitment that no child would be left behind. Today's Report Card is proof that No Child Left Behind is working-it is helping to raise the achievement of young students of every race and from every type of family background. And the achievement gap that has persisted for decades in the younger years between minorities and whites has shrunk to its smallest size in history.

More than half of the progress in reading for 9-year olds during the Report Card's entire history has been made in the last five years. It is not a coincidence that progress accelerated so dramatically during this time period. The results are a tribute to students, teachers, parents, principals, school administrators, and state and national policymakers.

So I am pleased with today's results, but in no way completely satisfied. We are at the beginning of the journey and certainly have room for improvement, particularly at the high school level. We must support older students with the same can-do attitude that helped their younger brothers and sisters.

Changing the direction of America's schools is like turning the Queen Mary, a large ship whose captain can't change course on a dime. The goal requires a lot of time and effort, but we are beginning to turn our own Queen Mary around. I know we can continue to do it together-teachers, principals, parents-so that all children receive the quality education a nation such as ours is capable of providing. Full results of the Long-Term Trend NAEP can be found at: www.nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard

The 411 on Disability Disclosure: A Workbook for Youth with Disabilities

The 411 on Disability Disclosure: A Workbook for Youth with Disabilities, published by the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth), is designed for youth and adults working with them to learn about disability disclosure. This workbook is free of charge and helps young people make informed decisions about whether or not to disclose their disability and understand how that decision may impact their education, employment, and social lives. Based on the premise that disclosure is a very personal decision, the Workbook helps young people think about and practice disclosing their disability.

To download the entire 411 on Disability Disclosure Guidebook in PDF* (99 pages/397KB) visit: http://www.ncwd-youth.info/assets/guides/411/411_Disability_Disclosure_complete.pdf

or to read the guide in MS Word (85 pages) visit
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/assets/guides/411/411_Disability_Disclosure_complete.doc

*Please note: This is a large document, download time will be longer for users with slower connections.

Again, this workbook is free.

The workbook does not tell a young people what to do. Rather, it helps them make informed decisions about disclosing their disability, decisions that will affect their educational, employment, and social lives.

MS Word versions of the 411 on Disability Disclosure Workbook are designed specifically for those visitors using screen readers and/or braille translators. Phrases such as "pullout" and "sidebar" will be used throughout the Word documents to give readers with low vision and/or blindness a better understanding of how the text is laid out in the PDF version (with complete graphics). In addition, tables and charts within the documents will be reformatted for clarity.

Units and Activities

Unit 1: Self-DeterminationÉthe BIG Picture
Activities: "Just what do you know about yourself and your disability?," "Self-Determined Short-Term Goals"

Unit 2: DisclosureÉ what is it and why is it so important?
Activity: Describe your disability-related needs, and your abilities and skills

Unit 3: Weighing the Advantages and Disadvantages of Disclosure
Activities: "Discuss Scenarios," "Famous People Matching"

Unit 4: Rights and Responsibilities Under the Law
Activities: "Defining Your Disability," "Recognizing Discrimination," "Small Group Poster Activity," "Identifying Adult Service Providers & Eligibility Criteria"
Appendices: "Basic Facts about the Americans with Disabilities Act," "Summary of Legislation"

Unit 5: Accommodations
Activities: "The Job Accommodation Network (JAN)," "Situations and Solutions at School and at Work"

Unit 6: Postsecondary DisclosureÉWhy, When, What, to Whom, and How?
Activities: "Course for Disclosure Examples," "Exploring Disability Support Services," "My Practice Script"

Unit 7: Disclosure on the JobÉWhy, When, What, to Whom, and How?
Activities: "Course for Disclosure Examples," "My Practice Script," "Visit your local One-Stop Career Center,"

Unit 8: Disclosure in Social and Community SettingÉWhy, When, What, to Whom, and How?
Activities: "Course for Disclosure Examples," "My Practice Script"

Disclosure Glossary

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The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) assists state and local workforce development systems to better serve youth with disabilities. The NCWD/Youth, created in late 2001, is composed of partners with expertise in disability, education, employment, and workforce development issues. Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), the NCWD/Youth is housed at the Institute for Educational Leadership.

Education Department Seeking Comment on Draft Regulations for Implementing Special Education Law

Web-based, unofficial copy displayed for parents, teachers and others in advance of public meetings; Official version expected to be published in Federal Register next week

The U.S. Department of Education today announced proposed regulations to implement the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 and invited public comment. Passed late last year by Congress, the act updates the statute that provides special education services for America's 6.8 million children and youth with disabilities.

"The revised law aligns IDEA with No Child Left Behind," said John Hager, assistant secretary of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS). "Today, NCLB and the IDEA are partners in serving our nation's children with disabilities, their parents and their schools."

Changes in the law require a new set of regulations to guide states in implementing IDEA 2004. The official copy of these proposed regulations will be published in the Federal Register within a few days. So that citizens will have as much time as possible to review the proposed regulations, the Department is posting an unofficial copy on its Web site at http://www.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/idea2004.html.

Using that link, the public can also view the dates and locations for a series of public meetings where comments on the proposed regulations may be provided to OSERS. Information on submitting written comments on the proposed regulations can also be found using that link.

"Having feedback on the draft regulations from parents, teachers, students, state officials, and other interested persons is critical for us," said Troy Justesen, acting director of the Office of Special Education Programs. "We want the final regulations to reflect the dialogue we've been having with the public since the

President signed the law last December."

Following are some of the highlights of the draft rules.

Reorganization of the Regulations. The proposed regulations are reorganized to follow the general order and structure of the statute. This will be helpful to parents, schools, and the public both in reading the regulations, and in finding the direct link between a given statutory requirement and the regulation related to that requirement.
Highly Qualified Special Education Teachers. The proposed regulations clarify that the highly qualified special education teacher requirements apply only to public school teachers.
Children with Disabilities Enrolled by Their Parents in Private School. The proposed regulations incorporate the statutory change that the school district in which the child's private school is located, as opposed to the school district where the child resides, is responsible for child find and services for these children.
Identification of Children with Specific Learning Disabilities. The proposed regulations lay out parameters for identifying students with specific learning disabilities and encourage the use of high quality instruction and response to that instruction as a part of the evaluation process.
Discipline Procedures. The proposed regulations closely follow the language in the statute.
Resolution of Disputes at the Local Level. The proposed regulations encourage cooperative resolution of disputes between the complainant and the school district when the complaint is about an individual child.
Due Process Procedures. The proposed regulations closely follow the language of the statute.
Parent Consent. The proposed regulations clarify that a public agency is not required to pursue an initial evaluation of a child if the parent does not give consent.
State Responsibility to Supervise Districts. The proposed regulations make clear that the State is responsible for monitoring and enforcing the implementation of the IDEA in its local school districts.

Draft IDEA Regulations are Available

This just in from from the National Dissemination Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities:

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Secretary Spellings have signed the proposed regulations to implement the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA). This follows a concerted effort by many in OSERS to review the old and new law, receive public comments, and draft the proposed regulations.

So that members of the public will have as much time as possible to review the proposed regulations, the Department has posted an unofficial copy on its Web site at : www.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/idea2004.html

Using that link, members of the public can also view the dates and locations for a series of public meetings where comments on the proposed regulations will be received by OSERS. Information on submitting written comments on the proposed regulations can also be found using that link.

Mental Illness Exacts Heavy Toll, Beginning in Youth

June 6, 2005: Researchers supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) have found that half of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14, and that despite effective treatments, there are long delays Ñ sometimes decades Ñ between first onset of symptoms and when people seek and receive treatment. The study also reveals that an untreated mental disorder can lead to a more severe, more difficult to treat illness, and to the development of co-occurring mental illnesses.

The landmark study is described in four papers that document the prevalence and severity of specific mental disorders. The papers provide significant new data on the impairment Ñ such as days lost from work Ñ caused by specific disorders, including mood, anxiety, and substance abuse disorders. These measures will allow researchers to determine the degree of disability and the economic burden caused by mental illness, as well as trends over time.

The papers are reported in the June 6 issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry by Ronald Kessler, Ph.D., and colleagues. The study was a collaborative project between Harvard University, the University of Michigan, and the NIMH Intramural Research Program.

This study, called the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R), is a household survey of 9,282 English-speaking respondents, age 18 and older. It is an expanded replication of the 1990 National Comorbidity Survey, which was the first to estimate the prevalence of mental disorders (using modern psychiatric standards) in a nationally representative sample. The expansion includes detailed measures that will significantly improve estimates of the severity and persistence of mental disorders, and the degree to which they impair individuals and families, and burden employers and the U.S. economy.

These studies confirm a growing understanding about the nature of mental illness across the lifespan, says Thomas Insel, M.D., Director of the National Institute of Mental Health. There are many important messages from this study, but perhaps none as important as the recognition that mental disorders are the chronic disorders of young people in the U.S.

Prevalence and Age-of-Onset of Mental Disorders
Unlike most disabling physical diseases, mental illness begins very early in life. Half of all lifetime cases begin by age 14; three quarters have begun by age 24. Thus, mental disorders are really the chronic diseases of the young. For example, anxiety disorders often begin in late childhood, mood disorders in late adolescence, and substance abuse in the early 20Õs. Unlike heart disease or most cancers, young people with mental disorders suffer disability when they are in the prime of life, when they would normally be the most productive.

The risk of mental disorders is substantially lower among people who have matured out of the high-risk age range. Prevalence increases from the youngest group (age 18-29) to the next-oldest age group (age 30-44) and then declines, sometimes substantially, in the oldest group (age 60 +). Females have higher rates of mood and anxiety disorders. Males have higher rates of substance use disorders and impulse disorders.

The survey found that in the U.S., mental disorders are quite common; 26 percent of the general population reported that they had symptoms sufficient for diagnosing a mental disorder during the past 12 months. However, many of these cases are mild or will resolve without formal interventions.

It is likely, however, that the prevalence rates in this paper are underestimated, because the sample was drawn from listings of households and did not include homeless and institutionalized (nursing homes, group homes) populations. In addition, the study did not assess some rare and clinically complex psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and autism, because a household survey is not the most efficient study design to identify and evaluate those disorders.

Failure and Delay in Initial Treatment Contact
The study documents the long delays between the onset of a mental disorder and the first treatment contact, as well as the accumulated burden and hazards of untreated mental disorders.

These pervasive delays in getting treatment tend to occur for nearly all mental disorders, though they vary according to specific diagnostic categories. The median delay across disorders is nearly a decade; the longest delays are 20-23 years, for social phobia and separation anxiety disorders. This is possibly due to the relatively early age of onset and fears of therapy that involve social interactions.

Shorter delays between onset of disorder and treatment seeking Ñ still a protracted 6-8 years Ñ are seen for mood disorders, and are likely attributable to public awareness campaigns, the marketing of newer therapies directly to consumers, and expanded insurance coverage.

While approximately 80 percent of all people in the U.S. with a mental disorder eventually seek treatment, there are public health implications from such long delays in treatment. Untreated psychiatric disorders can lead to more frequent and more severe episodes, and are more likely to become resistant to treatment. In addition, early-onset mental disorders that are left untreated are associated with school failure, teenage childbearing, unstable employment, early marriage, and marital instability and violence.

The pattern appears to be that the earlier in life the disorder begins, the slower an individual is to seek therapy, and the more persistent the illness, said Dr. Kessler, a professor of health care policy at Harvard Medical School. ItÕs unfortunate that those who most need treatment are the least likely to get it.

Treating cases early could prevent enormous disability, before the illness becomes more severe, and before co-occurring mental illnesses develop, which only become more difficult to treat as they accumulate, according to the researchers.

Severity and Comorbidity of Mental Disorders
The second paper reports that even though mental disorders are widespread throughout the population, the main burden of illness is concentrated in those with a severe disorder Ñ about 6 percent. A serious disorder involves a substantial limitation in daily activities or work disability, or a suicide attempt with serious lethal intent, or psychosis. The serious group reported a mean of 88.3 days Ñ nearly 3 months of the year Ñ when they were unable to carry out their normal daily activities.

Unfortunately, say the researchers, individuals with one mental disorder are at a high risk for also having a second one (comorbidity). Nearly half (45 percent) of those with one mental disorder met criteria for two or more disorders, with severity strongly related to comorbidity. This finding supports the suggestion by a growing portion of researchers that the boundaries between some diagnostic categories may be less discrete than previously believed.

Use of Mental Health Services
The study indicates that the U.S. mental health care system is not keeping up with the needs of consumers and that improvements are needed to speed initiation of treatment as well as enhance the quality and duration of treatment. For instance, over a 12-month period, 60 percent of those with a mental disorder got no treatment at all.

The good news is that the proportion of people who reported 12-month mental health service use is higher now Ñ at 17 percent Ñ than a decade ago in the baseline NCS survey, at 13 percent. The expansion was mainly in the general medical sector, with more primary care physicians providing psychiatric services.

People with mental or substance abuse disorders were more likely to get treatment from a primary care physician/nurse or other general medical doctor (22.8 percent), or from a non-psychiatrist mental health specialist (16 percent), such as a psychologist, social worker, or counselor, than from a psychiatrist (12 percent), though the survey did show that the adequacy of treatment Ñ measured by number of visits Ñ is best when provided by mental health practitioners. About 9.7 percent sought help from a counselor or spiritual advisor outside of a mental health setting; and 6.9 percent used a complementary-alternative source, such as a chiropractor or self-help group. This held true even for those with severe mood disorders. Traditionally underserved groups, such as the elderly, racial/ethnic minorities and those with low income or without insurance, had the greatest unmet need for treatment.

Future and Ongoing Efforts
The NIMH epidemiological research portfolio contains several related projects that are focused on mental disorders among adolescents and ethnic subgroups. These include 1) an arm of the NCS-R that is studying 10,000 youths; 2) the National Study of African American Life, with 6,000 participants; and 3) the National Study of Latino and Asian Americans, with 5,000 participants. Each of these, like the NCS-R, will provide information on diagnosis, medications, disability/impairment, and service use, drawing from nationally based samples.

An international perspective on these findings is also becoming available, as the study is part of a global initiative on the epidemiology of mental disorders in 28 countries, coordinated through the World Health Organization.

Edward J. Kame'enui Named Department's First Commissioner for Special Education Research

Washington DC--Edward J. Kame'enui, an international authority on learning problems and special education, has been named the nation's first commissioner for special education research. He will lead the National Center for Special Education Research, a newly established office within the Institute of Education Sciences (IES)Ñthe research, evaluation and statistical arm of the U.S. Department of Education. The center was established by Congress in the 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

"We are so pleased to have someone with Ed Kame'enui's background and considerable skills fill this key position," said Grover "Russ" Whitehurst, IES director. "In establishing this center, Congress charged us with sponsoring research to expand knowledge and understanding of students with disabilities in order to improve their education results, and Ed is uniquely qualified to lead that effort."

A native of Hawaii, Kame'enui began his special education career in 1971 as a teacher and houseparent at a Wisconsin residential treatment center for children identified with serious emotional and behavioral problems. He comes to IES from the University of Oregon, where he has been a faculty member for the past 17 years. In the mid-1980s, Kame'enui was a professor of special education at Purdue University, and he served one year as a research specialist and project officer in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services in the U.S. Department of Education.

Kame'enui earned a bachelor of arts degree at Pacific University in Oregon and a master's degree and Ph.D., both in special education, at the University of Oregon. He is a widely traveled lecturer on reading and learning disabilities, the author or coauthor of more than a dozen textbooks and more than 100 scholarly articles and book chapters.

The National Center for Special Education Research is one of four centers within IES, an independent arm of the U.S. Department of Education, established by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002. The other three centers are the National Center for Education Research, the National Center for Education Statistics, and the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance.

The new National Center for Special Education Research will sponsor rigorous research aimed at improving education results and services for students with disabilities, and will evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Spellings Announces New Special Education Guidelines, Details Workable, "Common-Sense" Policy to Help States Implement No Child Left Behind

Guidelines reflect the latest scientific research to help students with disabilities
States continue to be accountable for results of all students

U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings has announced the details of a new No Child Left Behind policy designed to help states better assist students with disabilities, and pledged to continue working with states to ensure they have the flexibility needed to raise student achievement. The guidelines follow up on the Secretary's announcement last month to chief state school officers that she would provide states with additional alternatives and flexibility to implement No Child Left Behind.

The new guidelines reflect the latest scientific research that shows 2 percent of students with academic disabilities can make progress toward grade-level standards when they receive high-quality instruction and modified assessments. Under the new flexibility option announced today, eligible states may adjust their state-set progress goals to reflect the need for modified assessments; this is a separate policy from the current regulation that allows up to 1 percent of all students being tested (those with the most significant cognitive disabilities) to take an alternate assessment.

"There is a new equation at the Department of Education: the 'bright-line' principles of No Child Left Behind, such as annual testing and reporting of subgroup data, plus student achievement and a narrowing of the achievement gap, plus overall sound state education policies, equals a new, common-sense approach to implementation of the law. Today's special education guidance is the first example of this new approach," Secretary Spellings said.

"Under this policy, to be made final under a new rule, students with academic disabilities will be allowed to take tests that are specifically geared toward their abilities, as long as the state is working to best serve those students by providing rigorous research-based training for teachers, improving assessments and organizing collaboration between special education and classroom teachers," Secretary Spellings continued. "If you stand up for the kids and provide better instruction and assessment, we will stand by you.

"Recent research from the National Institutes of Health indicates clearly that good instruction actually improves how the student learns. New evidence-based instructional programs geared toward the needs of individual children are opening educational doors for students who never before had a chance to succeed academically. Recent advances in medical interventions also hold considerable promise for many of our students with the most significant disabilities."

The new guidelines outline the process for how eligible states can implement this new policy in the short term until the Department issues final regulations on the policy.

Short-Term Options

States that meet the eligibility guidelines can adjust their 2005-06 school year state-set progress goals (Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP) for students with disabilities, based on the 2004-05 school year assessments. This option applies only to schools or districts that did not make AYP based solely on the scores of its students with disabilities subgroup. Eligible states that currently assess students based on modified achievement standards will be able to use those assessments for AYP calculations this year. Only states that intend to develop modified achievement standards and assessments are eligible for short-term flexibility.

The eligibility guidelines include:

Each state must meet Title I and IDEA requirements that are directly related to achievement and instruction for the full range of students with disabilities, including:

Statewide participation rates for students with disabilities, for purposes of measuring AYP, must be at or above 95 percent;
Appropriate accommodations must be available for students with disabilities
Alternate assessments in reading/language arts and mathematics must be available for students with disabilities who are unable to participate in the regular assessment, even with accommodations, and results from those assessments must be reported
The state's subgroup size for students with disabilities must be equal to that of other student groups.
Each state would request to amend their accountability plan and provide details on their actions taken to raise achievement for students with disabilities, and evidence that such efforts are improving student achievement.

Long Term Policy

The Department is working on a regulation to implement the new policy and will release a notice of proposed rulemaking to seek comments from local school districts, parents and others before finalizing a regulation.
The goal of the regulations is to:

Ensure that states hold these students to challenging, though modified, achievement standards that enable them to approach, and even meet, grade-level standards;
Ensure access to the general curriculum to ensure students are taught to the same high standards;
Measure progress with high-quality alternate assessments so parents are confident that their students are learning and achieving;
Provide guidance and training to Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams to identify these students properly
Provide professional development to regular and special education teachers.
States must continue meeting the requirements of NCLB related to students with disabilities.

To increase the state's ability to provide rigorous assessment, instruction, and accountability for students with disabilities, the Department of Education will direct $14 million to improve assessments, help teachers with instruction, and conduct research for students with disabilities who are held to alternate and modified achievement standards in 2005. Additional funds will be directed in 2006.

No Child Left Behind is the bipartisan landmark education reform law designed to change the culture of America's schools by closing the achievement gap among groups of students, offering more flexibility to states, giving parents more options and teaching students based on what works. Under the law's strong accountability provisions, states must describe how they will close the achievement gap and make sure all students, including those with disabilities, achieve academically.

More information about the new policy and the No Child Left Behind Act is available at www.ed.gov.

School Readiness Act of 2005 (H.R. 2123)
House Education Committee Leaders Introduce Bill to Reform and Reauthorize Head Start Program

May, 2005--WASHINGTON, D.C. Ð House education committee leaders introduced legislation that would introduce greater competition into the federal Head Start early childhood program and use it to strengthen school readiness, increase the role of states and local communities in Head Start, and protect children and taxpayers against the abuse and mismanagement of federal Head Start funds.

The bill, the School Readiness Act of 2005 (H.R. 2123), will strengthen the academic components of Head Start and remove barriers that hinder coordination between Head Start and successful state-run early childhood initiatives Ð major priorities for President George W. Bush. The bill will reauthorize the Head Start program for five years.

The bill comes on the heels of a widely-publicized report by the independent Government Accountability Office (GAO) that warned the financial control system in Head Start is flawed and failing to prevent multi-million dollar financial abuses that cheat poor children, taxpayers, and law-abiding Head Start operators. The independent GAO report, released March 18, 2005 , found that financial management weaknesses in Head Start are resulting in diminished services for disadvantaged children, and recommended that the federal government take steps to recompete grants that are currently awarded to poorly performing grantees.

This legislation will increase competition for Head Start grants, increase the role of states and local communities, and help to ensure federal Head Start funds are used for their intended purpose: preparing disadvantaged children for kindergarten, said House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Boehner (R-OH). We want to make sure the many quality Head Start operators around the country are supported, and the bad apples are replaced with good ones worthy of the children they serve.

The goal of Head Start is to provide children a solid foundation that will prepare them for success in school and later in life, a goal we kept in mind while drafting the Act. The legislation we introduced today emphasizes that every child, regardless of their economic status, should have the best chance possible to thrive. We believe this legislation offers a variety of provisions that will help Head Start programs across the nation become exemplary programs with proven results in both helping students to learn and grow and in the administration of the programs. I think what we have here is a program that we all can feel confident will achieve the goals it sets out to achieve, said Education Reform Subcommittee Chairman, Mike Castle (R-DE).

IMPROVED STATE AND LOCAL COORDINATION IN ALL 50 STATES

This bill takes a different approach to the state coordination issue than we took two years ago Ð an approach that will enable us to strengthen collaboration among Head Start and state and local early childhood initiatives in all 50 states, Boehner noted, comparing the 2003 and 2005 versions of the School Readiness Act. I appreciate the input weÕve received this time from members on both sides of the aisle. While important differences remain between Republicans and Democrats, I believe the dialogue has resulted in a better bill.

MORE COMPETITION, MORE SAFEGUARDS AGAINST FINANCIAL ABUSE Ð AND NO NEW TESTING

Some highlights of the School Readiness Act of 2005 include:

More competition. Local Head Start operators identified as having one deficiency or more during the five-year lives of their federal grants will be required to compete against other potential grantees when their grants come up for renewal. Under current laws and regulations, such recompetition is too limited, the independent GAO has found. The U.S. Secretary of Health & Human Services, who oversees the Head Start program, will retain the right to terminate a Head Start grant at any time during the five-year grant cycle. Grantees that meet all requirements will be designated as priority grantees.

Improved disclosure and transparency of Head Start. The bill will require all Head Start grantees to make available to the public an annual report detailing how money was spent, the sources from which funds were received, and how the agency has performed in terms of meeting the requirements of the law. An independent financial audit will also be required annually.

Greater role for states. In order to qualify to receive a federal Head Start grant, organizations will be required to have objectives in place for improving school readiness that are aligned with state-developed K-12 academic content standards. In order to be considered priority grantees, organizations entrusted with federal Head Start funds will be required to utilize curricula that are aligned with state-developed K-12 academic content standards and based in proven scientific research. Grantees that fail to meet this standard will be required to compete with other potential grantees and will face the possibility of losing their federal grants.

Greater role for local school districts. In order to be considered priority grantees, organizations entrusted with federal Head Start funds will be required to demonstrate active partnerships with local educational agencies (local school districts) serving the same communities to facilitate smooth transitions to kindergarten for their students. Grantees that fail to meet this standard will be required to compete with other potential grantees and will face the possibility of losing their federal grants.

Better safeguards against financial abuse. Head Start operators will be required to meet a range of financial disclosure requirements as a condition of receiving and keeping their federal Head Start grants. Grantees will have to be overseen by a local governance board that provides direction and actively oversees all program activities, and will be required to document that they have strong fiscal controls in place, including the employment of a well-qualified chief financial officer with a history of successful management of a public or private organization. Grantees will also have to maintain administrative costs that do not exceed 15 percent of total program costs.

Improved teacher quality. In order to be considered priority grantees, organizations entrusted with federal Head Start funds will be required to have a teaching staff of at least 50 percent with AA degrees. Grantees that fail to meet this standard will be required to compete with other potential grantees and will face the possibility of losing their federal grants. The percentage of Head Start staff nationwide required to have BA degrees will be increased to 50 percent.

No new testing. Like its 2003 counterpart, the School Readiness Act contains no new testing provisions. The legislation will strengthen the academic components of Head Start without adding additional tests or assessments.

Improved school readiness. The bill will emphasize what works in preparing disadvantaged children for school. It will strengthen Head StartÕs academic standards by emphasizing cognitive development and the results of scientifically-based research in topics critical to childrenÕs school readiness (including language, pre-reading, pre-mathematics, and English language acquisition). The changes would be similar to those adopted with strong bipartisan support for President BushÕs Reading First and Early Reading First initiatives, established in the No Child Left Behind Act for K-12 education.

BOEHNER COMMITTED TO ADDING FAITH-BASED HIRING PROTECTIONS ON HOUSE FLOOR

Boehner also said he is committed to adding language to the bill that will ensure faith-based organizations can compete for federal Head Start grants without surrendering their constitutionally-protected right to take religion into account in their hiring practices. Committee Republicans have fought to restore this right for faith-based organizations in other federal laws such as the Workforce Investment Act and are committed to doing the same in Head Start, Boehner said.

The faith-based hiring issue is an incredibly important issue that deserves an affirmative debate on the House floor. I look forward to that debate, and I look forward to winning, Boehner sai

Successful Head Start Programs Highlight Possibilities for Early Childhood Education Reform

WASHINGTON, D.C.(April 14, 2005) Ð Testifying today before the House Subcommittee on Education Reform, representatives of high quality Head Start early childhood programs described the strategies that have made them successful and outlined additional steps that could be taken at the federal level to make the program even stronger. With Congress preparing to strengthen and reauthorize the Head Start program this year, todayÕs hearing offered valuable insight into what factors make up effective Head Start programs, and what weaknesses may prevent the program from reaching its full potential.

For the better part of two years, this committee has been making the case that Head Start is a good program that can be made stronger. Since 1965, the Head Start program has provided comprehensive health, developmental, and educational services to disadvantaged three and four-year olds. Head Start involves parents and communities in helping prepare needy children to succeed in school and beyond, said Subcommittee Chairman Mike Castle (R-DE).

Yet despite the many success stories in the program Ð and there are many Ð we have also heard troubling stories about program weaknesses, continued Castle. The GAO recently released a report that warned the financial control system in the federal Head Start early childhood program is flawed and failing to prevent multi-million dollar financial abuses that cheat poor children, taxpayers, and law-abiding Head Start operators.

During a hearing held by the Education and the Workforce Committee on April 5, the independent GAO testified on the findings of its recent report on weaknesses in the financial oversight structure for the Head Start program. Among the recommendations highlighted by the GAO report was a call for increased competition to help weed out poorly performing programs and ensure disadvantaged children and families have access to high quality programs and services.

Witnesses before the subcommittee outlined additional steps that could help to strengthen Head Start, including strategies for improved coordination and integration of Head Start and other state and local pre-school and early childhood programs. Committee leaders have recognized program integration as a key goal for enhancing services available to low-income children and their families.

Education and the Workforce Committee leaders have identified a number of characteristics common among exemplary programs. These characteristics, displayed by the witnesses at todayÕs hearing, should be the rule for Head Start and not the exception, Republicans noted. Exemplary programs should demonstrate success in multiple facets of their program, including strong parent involvement; success in improving child outcomes across all developmental domains; a language-rich learning environment; well-qualified staff and administrators; an engaged and well trained board of directors; clean financial audits and program reviews; and, full program enrollment. Additionally, exemplary programs should secure community involvement and support, and when possible, integrate Head Start with pre-kindergarten and other early learning programs within the community.

On March 30, 2005, Education and the Workforce Committee leaders unveiled a new website seeking input from parents, teachers, and advocates for early childhood education on how to strengthen and improve the Head Start early childhood program. The web-based survey also invites the public to share stories about exceptional Head Start programs and what has made them so effective. The Head Start survey is available on the Education and the Workforce Committee website at http://edworkforce.house.gov.

Secretary Spellings Announces More Workable, "Common Sense" Approach To Implement No Child Left Behind Law

U.S. Department of Education April 7th, 2005 - Secretary Spellings Announces More Workable, "Common Sense" Approach To Implement No Child Left Behind Law

Under a new approach to implementing the "No Child Left Behind" law, states will have additional alternatives and flexibility if they can show they are raising student achievement and closing the achievement gap, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced today. Secretary Spellings made the announcement during a meeting with the nation's state education chiefs and other education leaders at George Washington's Mount Vernon estate near Washington, D.C.

Secretary Spellings said the new guidelines, "Raising Achievement: A New Path for No Child Left Behind", are a comprehensive approach to implementing the law and she reiterated that "the bright lines of the statute" -- such as annual testing to determine student achievement, reporting results by student subgroups and highly qualified teachers -- are not up for negotiation.

"We have learned a lot over the last three years as our infant law has matured, and these past three years have helped us be smarter about how this law is working in the schools," Secretary Spellings said. "These new guidelines show us the way forward given what we've learned. They focus on results for all students, the fundamental mission of the "No Child Left Behind Act."

"States that show results and follow the principles of 'No Child Left Behind' will be eligible for new tools to help them meet the law's goals of getting every child to grade level by 2013-14. It's a shared responsibility.

"Think of this new policy as an equation: the principles of the law, such as annual testing and reporting of subgroup data, plus student achievement and a narrowing of the achievement gap, plus overall sound state education policies, equals a new, common sense approach to implementation of 'No Child Left Behind.'

"In other words, it is the results that truly matter, not the bureaucratic way that you get there. That's just common sense, sometimes lost in the halls of the government."

"Raising Achievement: A New Path" includes the four key principles of "No Child Left Behind":

Ensuring students are learning: Raising overall achievement and closing the achievement gap;
Making the school system accountable: Including all students in all schools and districts in the state; ensuring all students are part of a state's accountability system and are tested in reading and math in grades three through eight and once in high school by the 2005-06 school year;providing data on student achievement by subgroup;
Ensuring information is accessible and parents have options: Informing parents in a timely manner about the quality of their child's school and their school choice options, identifying schools and districts that need to improve, developing a dynamic list of after-school tutors, encouraging public school choice and the creation of charter schools and creating easily accessible and understandable school and district report cards
Improving teacher quality: Providing parents and the public with accurate information on the quality of their local teaching force, implementing a rigorous system for ensuring teachers are highly qualified and making aggressive efforts to ensure all children are taught by highly qualified teachers.

"This is a comprehensive approach to the implementation of this law," Secretary Spellings said. "States seeking additional flexibility will get credit for the work they have done to reform their education systems as a whole.
"States that understand this new way of doing things will be gratified. It makes sense, plain and simple. Others looking for excuses to simply take the federal funds, ignore the intent of the law and have minimal results to show for their millions upon millions in federal funds will think otherwise and be disappointed."

Secretary Spellings announced that the first example of this "workable, sensible approach" would be to apply the latest scientific research and allow states to use modified assessments for their students with persistent academic disabilities who need more time and instruction to make substantial progress toward grade-level achievement. These scores will be limited to 2 percent of all students for accountability purposes; this is a separate policy from the current regulation that allows up to 1 percent of all students being tested (those with the most significant cognitive disabilities) to take an alternate assessment.

"This new approach recognizes that these children should not all be treated alike. By relying on the most current and accurate information on how children learn and how to best serve their academic needs, this new policy focuses on children. They continue to be included in the accountability system because we know that otherwise, they risk being ignored, as was often the case before 'No Child Left Behind.'"

Secretary Spellings also announced that she was directing an additional $14 million in immediate support for these students and that the Department would provide states with a comprehensive tool kit to help them identify and assess students with disabilities.

"It's you -- the educators out in the states -- who are closing the achievement gap. You're demanding more and getting more. You're refusing to accept old excuses for poor performance. Thanks to your leadership, we are seeing significant educational improvement on a national scale. And as we continue to watch this law grow and mature, we will address other concerns raised by educators -- again, as long as the children are learning."

"No Child Left Behind" is the bipartisan landmark education reform law designed to change the culture of America's schools by closing the achievement gap among groups of students, offering more flexibility to states, giving parents more options and teaching students based on what works. Under the law's strong accountability provisions, states must describe how they will close the achievement gap and make sure all students, including those with disabilities, achieve academically.

More information about this announcement, including the Secretary's speech and fact sheets on the new policy and the "No Child Left Behind Act" is available at http://www.ed.gov.

Education Committee Unveils Head Start Reform Website; Committee Seeking Public Input on Quality Head Start Programs & Strategies for Success

WASHINGTON, D.C. Ð Leaders of the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce unveiled a new website seeking input from parents, teachers, and advocates for early childhood education on how to strengthen and improve the Head Start early childhood program, including stories about exceptional Head Start programs, and what has made them so effective. This year, Congress is expected to renew and reauthorize the Head Start program by increasing program accountability and helping to close the school readiness gap between Head Start children and their peers. The Head Start survey can be found on the Education and the Workforce Committee website at http://edworkforce.house.gov.

As Congress prepares to reauthorize the Head Start program, a primary goal will be to protect the many quality Head Start programs providing effective early childhood services to disadvantaged children across the country, said Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Boehner (R-OH). The new Head Start survey invites public comment on exceptional Head Start programs that are leading by example, and seeks input on how the program as a whole can be made stronger.

As we work to improve a program that has already provided so many children with a jump start in life, we must figure out what works and what doesnÕt. This informal survey will enable the entire education community -- parents, teachers, students, administrators and other organizations -- to participate in the reauthorization process, said Education Reform Subcommittee Chairman Mike Castle (R-DE). Good ideas become great ideas when we collaborate with each other and really brainstorm outside the box on how to improve the program so more disadvantaged students are able to benefit from this critical program.

The new Head Start survey is similar to a web-based outreach effort used by the Education and the Workforce Committee during reauthorization of the nationÕs special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. That effort resulted in thousands of public comments and suggestions, many of which were included in the bipartisan special education reform legislation signed into law by President Bush in December 2004. Committee leaders are hopeful for similar success with the Head Start survey, which will serve as an important outlet to learn more about effective Head Start programs and the strategies that have made them successful.

For more information on efforts to strengthen and renew the Head Start early childhood program, please visit the Education and the Workforce Committee website at http://edworkforce.house.gov/issues/109th/education/headstart/headstart.htm.

Landmark Study Yields First-Ever Data on Distance Education in Elementary and Secondary Schools

From The U. S. Department of Education (March 2, 2005)

Eighty percent of public school districts said that offering courses not available at their schools is one of the most important reasons for having distance education, according to a new report that provides the first national data on distance learning in public K-12 schools. In addition, half cited distance learning as very important in making advanced placement or college-level courses available to all students.

"Distance Education Courses for Public Elementary and Secondary School Students: 2002Ð03," released today by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), showed that one-third (36 percent) of public school districts and 9 percent of public schools had students enrolled in distance education courses in 2002Ð03.

In this study, distance education refers to courses taken for credit and offered to elementary and secondary school students in a district where the teacher and student are in different locations.

"Distance education in high school is gaining popularity across the nation," said Susan Patrick, director of the Department's Office of Educational Technology. "As the report shows, distance education is more prevalent in rural districts, where distance learning may be the students' only available option. And districts that already have students enrolled in distance education courses indicated that they have plans to increase these offerings."

Other key findings from the survey include:

A greater proportion of large districts than medium or small districts had students enrolled in distance education courses (50 vs. 32 and 37 percent, respectively). In addition, a greater proportion of districts located in rural areas than in suburban or urban areas indicated that they had students enrolled in distance education courses (46 compared with 28 and 23 percent, respectively).
The percentage of schools with students enrolled in distance education courses varied substantially by the instructional level of the school. Overall, 38 percent of public high schools offered distance education courses, compared with 20 percent of combined or ungraded schools, 4 percent of middle or junior high schools, and fewer than 1 percent of elementary schools.
In 2002Ð03, there were an estimated 328,000 enrollments in distance education courses among students regularly enrolled in public school districts. Students enrolled in multiple courses were counted for each course taken. Thus, enrollments may include duplicated counts of students.
Of the total enrollments in distance education courses, 68 percent were in high schools, 29 percent were in combined or ungraded schools, 2 percent were in middle or junior high schools, and 1 percent were in elementary schools.
There were an estimated 45,300 enrollments in Advanced Placement or college-level courses offered through distance education in 2002Ð03. This represents 14 percent of the total enrollments in distance education.
The proportion of all distance education enrollments that are in Advanced Placement or college-level distance education courses is greater in small districts compared to medium or large districts (24 vs. 10 and 7 percent, respectively).
When asked which technology was used to deliver the greatest number of distance education courses, 49 percent of districts selected two-way interactive video, more than any other technology.
Of those districts with students enrolled in distance education courses in 2002Ð03, about half (48 percent) had students enrolled in distance education courses delivered by a postsecondary institution. Thirty-four percent of districts had students enrolled in distance education courses delivered by another local school district, or schools in other districts, within their state.
Those districts with students already enrolled in distance education courses were also very likely to have plans for expanding their distance education courses in the future. Seventy-two percent of districts with students enrolled in distance education courses planned to expand their distance education courses in the future. Costs were cited as a major factor, more often than any other factor, as preventing districts from expanding their distance education courses.
Thirty-six percent of districts that were planning to expand their distance education courses selected course development and/or purchasing costs as a major factor preventing their expansion.

The findings in the report are organized under: distance education for public school students; technologies used for delivering distance education courses; entities delivering distance education courses; reasons for having distance education courses; and future expansion of distance education courses. Questionnaires for the survey on which the report is based were mailed to a representative sample of 2,305 public school districts in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The full text of Distance Education Courses for Public Elementary and Secondary School Students: 2002Ð03 is available online at http://www.nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2005010. A copy of the report can be ordered by calling toll free 1-877-4ED-Pubs (1-877-433-7827) (TTY/TDD 1-877-576-7734); via e-mail at edpubs@inet.ed.gov; or via the Internet at http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.php.

States Returned More Than $66 Million in Unused Federal Education Funds to Treasury in 2004, Government Figures Show

WASHINGTON , D.C. Ð States collectively returned more than $66 million in unused federal education funds to the U.S. Treasury last year instead of spending it on students and schools, and they still have access to more than $6 billion in unused federal education funds dating back as far as the Clinton administration, official federal statistics show. Much of the returned money could have been used to implement federal laws such as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

The figures are among the highlights of an analysis of U.S. Department of Education data released today by the House Committee on Education & the Workforce Committee, chaired by Rep. John Boehner (R-OH).

As President Bush releases his budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year, itÕs only appropriate that we look back at how the money Congress has already appropriated has been used Ð or not used Ð over the past five years, said Boehner, who noted K-12 education funding will have increased by 51% since 2001 if the PresidentÕs FY 2006 Budget is enacted.

Among the findings released this month:

States collectively returned more than $66 million in unused federal education funds to the U.S. Treasury in 2004. Non-competitive Formula funds for initiatives such as Title I aid to disadvantaged students and IDEA accounted for approximately $42,199,680 of the returned funds. Discretionary funds awarded to states, local school districts and schools on a competitive basis accounted for $24,049,951.

As of January 7, 2005, states collectively had access to more than $6 billion in unexpended federal education funds appropriated for their use in FYs 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003. States had more than $325 million in unexpended funds originally appropriated under President Clinton (FYs 2000, 2001).

The total amount of federal education money unused by states is increasing, not decreasing. As of January 6, 2004, states had approximately $5.75 billion in unused federal education funds. As of last month, the total was $6.05 billion Ð an increase of more than $295 million.

Public Meetings on IDEA 2004--Share Your Perspectives

February, 2005

The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), at the U.S. Department of Education, is holding a series of public meetings to seek input and suggestions for developing regulations based on the new law, The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act Ô2004 (IDEA 2004). The schedule for the meetings is:

#2: Columbus, OH, Thursday, February 3, 2005
From 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM and from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM at the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Address: Ohio State University, School of Education, 384 Arps Hall, 1945 North High Street, Columbus, OH 43210.

#3, Boston, MA, Monday, February 7, 2005
From 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM and from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM at the Sheraton Boston Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts. Address: Sheraton Boston Hotel, Prudential Center, 39 Dalton Street, Boston, MA 02199.

#4, San Diego, CA, Friday, February 11, 2005
From 1:00 PM to 5:30 PM and from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM at the Lindbergh Schweitzer Elementary School in San Diego, California. Address: San Diego City Schools, Lindbergh Schweitzer Elementary School, Schweitzer Campus, 6911 Balboa Avenue, San Diego, CA 92111.

#5, Atlanta, GA, Tuesday, February 15, 2005
From 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM and from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM at Frederick Douglass High School in Atlanta, Georgia. Address: Atlanta Public Schools, Frederick Douglass High School, 225 Hamilton E. Holmes Drive, N.W., Atlanta, GA 30318.

#6, Laramie, WY, Friday, February 18, 2005
From 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM and from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM at the University of Wyoming. Address: University of Wyoming at Laramie, Wyoming Union, 2nd Floor, Laramie, WY 82071.

#7, Washington, DC, Thursday, February 24, 2005
From 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM and from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Academy for Educational Development. Address: Academy for Educational Development, Academy Hall, 1825 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20009.

Individuals can register to comment at the door on a first-come first-served basis. Registered individuals will have two to five minutes to comment, depending upon the number of individuals registered. OSERS' intent is to ensure that all who wish to provide public comment have the opportunity to do so.

Individuals can provide oral and written comments at the meetings; written comments that accompany oral remarks are optional.

Written comments or suggestions can also be submitted electronically to comments@ed.gov or mailed to Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Potomac Center Plaza, Room 5126, Washington, D.C., 20202-2641 by February 28, 2005.

Questions can be directed to OSERSÕ main number, 202.245.7468, or, if a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) is needed, individuals may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1.800.877.8339.

A second series of meetings will be held in the spring and summer of 2005 to provide the public an opportunity to comment on proposed regulations developed to implement the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA). Exact cities and locations will be announced as that information becomes available.

NAPCSE thanks the National Dissemination Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities for providing the information for this News Alert

U.S. Department of Education Seeks IDEA Comments

January 13, 2005: The U.S. Department of Education is soliciting comments from the public and intends to hold informal public meetings before preparing regulations governing the recently enacted Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004. The announcement was issued in the December 29 th Federal Register. Comments from the public on rules governing the new IDEA are due to the Education Department by February 28, 2005.

A schedule for the meetings was not announced, but the Federal Register notice indicated that the meetings would be held during the first few months of 2005 to seek comments and recommendations for developing regulations, as needed. The meetings are planned for Atlanta, GA; Newark, DE; Boston, MA; Columbus, OH; San Diego, CA; Laramie, WY; and Washington, D.C. Notification of specific dates and locations of the meetings will be published in the Federal Register.

The Federal Register notice can be found at http://tinyurl.com/57xwl

A summary of the new IDEA law is available at http://tinyurl.com/3rxvc.

U.S. Department Of Education Releases National Education Technology Plan: Next steps lead to a new golden age in American education

January 7, 2005--American education is being bolstered by the increasing use of educational technology, greater accountability, and growing new partnerships between tech-savvy students and teachers, according to a report released today by the U.S. Department of Education.

Toward a New Golden Age in American Education: How the Internet, the Law and Today's Students are Revolutionizing Expectation, focuses on signs of progress in core subjects, benefits from reforms stimulated by the bipartisan No Child Left Behind Act, and the success of innovative new approaches to learning through advances in educational technology. It also profiles today's students and includes a sampling of the views and recommendations of more than 200,000 students in all 50 states, which is consistent with the president's management agenda for government to be more customer-oriented.

"There is a new fervor in American education and a new creativity that's being driven in part by this generation of tech-savvy students," said U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige. "We are already seeing some remarkable results, and I believe this trend bodes well for the future of our country. As the report noted, America's students are our ultimate constituents, and we need to listen to them."

Paige added that teachers are transforming what can be done in schools by using technology to access primary sources, exposing students to a variety of perspectives, and enhancing students' overall learning experience through multimedia, simulations and interactive software.

At the same time, teachers, principals and administrators are able to better track student achievement and adjust instruction more effectively to individual needs.

The report includes Paige's vision and recommendations for a National Education Technology Plan, based on input received from educators and technology experts across the country.

According to the report, the technology that has so dramatically changed the world outside our schools is now changing the learning and teaching environment within them. This change is driven by an increasingly competitive global economy and the students themselves, who are "born and comfortable in the age of the Internet."

In many states, the explosive growth of online instruction and virtual schools is already complementing traditional instruction with high quality courses tailored to the needs of individual students, the report said. At least 15 states provide some form of virtual schooling to supplement regular classes or provide for special needs, and about 25 percent of all K-12 public schools now offer some form of e-learning or virtual school instruction.

The report includes numerous details of successful initiatives and partnerships developed at the state level by school districts and by individual schools. It concludes with a series of recommendations for enhancing the use and benefits of new technologies, and places them within the context of long-term, systemic transformation, covering such issues as leadership, management, teacher training and funding.

"As these encouraging trends develop and expand over the next decade, facilitated and supported by our ongoing investment in educational technology..." the report said, "...we may be well on our way to a new golden age in American education."

The full text of the National Education Technology Plan is available at www.ed.gov/technology/plan.

Jones Announces Resignation As General Counsel

December 16, 2004

Department of Education General Counsel Brian W. Jones has announced his resignation from the Bush administration, following more than three years' service as the top legal adviser and a key policy adviser to Secretary Paige on all education issues, including the implementation of the No Child Left Behind education reforms.

In a letter to President Bush, Jones wrote: "Because of your vision and Secretary Paige's clear voice and steady hand, the education establishment in this country has been inalterably changed for the good. Accountability, sound research and parental options are today no longer empty slogans, but rather watchwords of genuine reform.

"Most gratifying of all is that your reforms have reoriented the focus of public education. No longer does the circumstance of a child's birth and social environment determine his or her educational destiny. You have sought to eliminate the achievement gap root and branch and have given the nation's parents and educators the tools they need to get the job done."

Secretary Paige praised Jones for his leadership and steady guidance the past three years.

"Brian Jones has been an integral part of our team, working hard to keep the president's charge that each and every child in our great nation receive a quality education," Secretary Paige said. "His leadership, counsel and guidance have been crucial during this historic era at the Department of Education and for our nation's schools and their students."

Regarding Secretary Paige, Jones said: "I have the greatest admiration and respect for the secretary. His passion for quality education, commitment to personal integrity and leadership by example have taught me so much. I am grateful beyond words for the opportunity to have served President Bush and the children of our great country under his leadership."

President Bush nominated Jones to be the Department's general counsel on April 30, 2001. The United States Senate confirmed Jones on Sept. 14, 2001.

Prior to his appointment as general counsel, Jones was an attorney in private practice with the San Francisco law firm of Curiale Dellaverson Hirschfeld Kelly & Kraemer, LLP, where he handled employment litigation services and employment and education law counseling and training to public and private employers. Prior to this, he served as deputy legal affairs secretary to California Gov. Pete Wilson and as counsel to the United States Senate Judiciary Committee. Jones also is a past president of the Center for New Black Leadership, a national public-policy think tank.

Jones earned a bachelor of science degree in business administration with a major in finance from Georgetown University and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of California at Los Angeles School of Law.

John H. Hager Assumes Duties as Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services

December 8, 2004

December 6, 2004. John H. Hager, a former lieutenant governor of Virginia, has been sworn in as assistant secretary for the U.S. Education Department's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS). The Senate confirmed Hager for the post before its Thanksgiving recess.

In his new position, Hager will lead the office that administers federal special education programs for America's 6.8 million children and youth with disabilities. His office also promotes employment opportunities for adults with disabilities and sponsors research to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities of all ages. Hager's service career has included numerous leadership roles with a number of disability organizations.

"I'm looking forward to working with the secretary and my staff at OSERS on matters crucial to education and people with disabilities," Hager said. "With the recent updates to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Assistive Technology Act, we have valuable new opportunities to make a difference in the lives of the people we serve."

Before assuming his current duties, Hager held executive-level jobs in both the public and private sectors.

He was elected lieutenant governor of Virginia and served from 1998 to 2002 with then-Gov. James Gilmore. Under Gov. Gilmore, Hager chaired the Virginia Disability Commission, identifying ways to help improve the lives of people with disabilities.

He remained in state government with the election of current Gov. Mark Warner, serving as Virginia's director of homeland security until President Bush announced in May his intent to nominate Hager as U.S. assistant secretary of education for OSERS.

Before entering public office, Hager rose through the ranks to become executive vice president of American Tobacco Co. After a near-fatal bout with polio, Hager rebuilt his life and career, retiring as senior vice president when the corporation was sold in 1994.

Hager earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University, an M.B.A. from Harvard University and holds honorary degrees from Averett College in Danville, Va., Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, Va., and the University of Northern Virginia in Manassas.

He is a military veteran who served in the Army and Army Reserves and attained the rank of captain. A life-long athlete, Hager has competed in numerous wheelchair races. He and his wife, Margaret, have two grown sons, Jack and Henry.

President Bush Signs Special Education Reform Bill

December 4, 2004

WASHINGTON , D.C. Ð President George W. Bush today signed into law a bipartisan bill revamping the nationÕs special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), setting in motion important changes that will help teachers, parents, and schools ensure every student with a disability receives a quality education. The new law is the second major bipartisan overhaul of American education policy to be completed during President BushÕs first term in office, building on the No Child Left Behind Act signed by the President in January 2002.

The new law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (H.R. 1350), is based on legislation authored by House Education Reform Subcommittee Chairman Mike Castle (R-DE) that passed the House in 2003 with bipartisan support. The culmination of more than two years of work in Congress on IDEA reauthorization, it includes reforms recommended in 2002 by President BushÕs special education commission, as well as key elements of the IDEA reauthorization bill passed by the Senate in 2004.

This new law is a bright light that demonstrates both parties can work together and achieve real change to improve the lives of Americans, said Castle. Today we are making sure children with disabilities are given access to an education that maximizes their unique abilities and provides them with the tools to be successful, productive members of our communities. But we cannot stop here; we must continue to work to improve education for all children, so we ensure each child has access to a quality education.

Democrats and Republicans were able to work together during President BushÕs first term to deliver not one, but two major revisions to federal education law, said Rep. John Boehner (R-OH), who chaired the House-Senate negotiations that produced the final bill. ThereÕs a lot more left to do, particularly in terms of ensuring low-income parents have the same choices other parents have in choosing schools for their children. But this new law is a major bipartisan step forward that will make a positive difference for teachers, parents, and children with special needs.

The new special education law will:

Ensure school safety and reasonable discipline;

Give local schools more flexibility and greater control;

Move away from compliance with burdensome regulations and costly litigation, and reduce the paperwork burden on teachers; and

Expand choices and give parents more control over their childrenÕs education.

[This] law's passage offers a refreshing example of adults pushing across party lines and back at interest group pressures, and working together to change the status quo and improve educational opportunities for our most vulnerable children, wrote Sara Mead, a policy analyst with the Progressive Policy InstituteÕs 21st Century Schools Project, in the December 2, 2004 edition of the Education Gadfly, the weekly education reform bulletin published by the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation. The bulletin can be found online at http://www.edexcellence.net/foundation/gadfly/index.cfm.

A full summary of the new special education law and other related information can be found online at the House Education and the Workforce Committee majority website at http://edworkforce.house.gov/issues/108th/education/idea/idea.php.

Bipartisan House-Senate Conference Approves Final Special Education Bill

November 17, 2004

November 17, 2004-WASHINGTON , D.C. Ð A bipartisan House-Senate conference committee today approved a final special education reform bill that will reauthorize the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and set in motion important reforms that will help teachers, parents, and schools ensure every student with disabilities receives a quality education. The bipartisan agreement is based on legislation authored by House Education Reform Subcommittee Chairman Mike Castle (R-DE) that passed the House in 2003 with bipartisan support. The measure includes reforms recommended in 2002 by President BushÕs special education commission, as well as key elements of the IDEA reauthorization bill passed by the Senate in 2004.

This bipartisan agreement is an across-the-board win for teachers, parents, and students with special needs, said House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Boehner (R-OH), who chaired the conference committee. In No Child Left Behind, we put a system in place to ensure students with disabilities, and all students, are getting access to the education they deserve. In this bill, weÕre making sure the rules help special education teachers and parents get the most out of that system, instead of making it harder for them.

For more than two years weÕve been working with parents, teachers, and advocates across the nation to improve special education for students in all public schools, said Rep. Castle. This legislation demonstrates a commitment to ensuring that students with disabilities receive a quality education, and the tools they need to successfully accomplish their goals.

In July of 2002, President BushÕs Commission on Excellence in Special Education released a final report outlining principles for special education reform. The report emphasized paperwork reduction for teachers, early intervention, parental choice, and academic results for students. It also emphasized the need to change the IDEA law to make it less focused on compliance with cumbersome and bureaucratic rules, and more focused on ensuring students with disabilities are actually learning.

In line with the recommendations of the PresidentÕs Commission on Excellence in Special Education, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act will:

Ensure school safety and reasonable discipline;
Give local schools more flexibility and greater control;
Move away from compliance with burdensome regulations and costly litigation, and reduce the paperwork burden on teachers; and
Expand choices and give parents more control over their childrenÕs education.

EMPOWERING PARENTS

The H.R. 1350 conference agreement creates more opportunities for parental involvement and parental choice in special education. Parents and local schools will be allowed to change a studentÕs Individualized Education Program (IEP) without holding a formal IEP meeting, making it easier for parents to make changes without contending with unnecessary bureaucratic requirements. (An IEP is provided for each student participating in special education, and includes detailed plans for the childÕs education.) Parents will also be able to choose supplemental educational services, such as tutoring, for their children with disabilities when the studentsÕ schools are in need of improvement under the No Child Left Behind Act because students with disabilities are not making adequate yearly progress. States will now be able to support these services for parents using IDEA funds.

The final bill also includes a provision included in the House bill by Rep. Jim DeMint (R-SC) to make it easier for parents to choose services for their children before they enter school. Parents will now be able to keep their children in the same program from birth until kindergarten, making the transition to school easier for children and their families.

Under a provision offered in by Rep. Max Burns (R-GA) and strongly supported by House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL), H.R. 1350 will protect parents by preventing schools from forcing children to be medicated as a condition of attending school or receiving an evaluation or services for special education. The bill will also ensure parents who home-school their children have the right to refuse services, and that students in private schools are ensured equitable participation in services.

PROMOTING SCHOOL SAFETY & REASONABLE DISCIPLINE

Preserving a key focus of the 2003 House-passed bill, the conference report gives teachers and schools more freedom to exercise reasonable discipline, while still protecting children who act out because of their disabilities. To keep schools safe for all students, and hold students accountable for their actions, the bill will restore common sense to school discipline. Students will have the same punishment for the same infraction, unless the discipline problem is the direct result of a childÕs disability.

MORE LOCAL CONTROL OVER LOCAL RESOURCES

In the area of special education funding, the conference report builds on historic funding increases and gives local communities more control over their own resources. In the past ten years, the Republican Congress has increased funding for special education grants to states by 383 percent, bringing funding to $11.1 billion, the highest level in history. As the federal government moves closer to paying their goal of 40 percent of the additional cost of educating students with disabilities, local schools will be able to choose to redirect a share of their own, local resources for other educational purposes. The final bill puts the federal government on a six-year glide path to reaching the 40 percent funding goal through the traditional, discretionary appropriations process.

REDUCING PAPERWORK AND COSTLY LITIGATION

A major recommendation of the PresidentÕs Commission on Excellence in Special Education was to reduce the focus on compliance with burdensome and bureaucratic red tape, and instead to focus more on educational results for students. To achieve that goal, the conference agreement reduces the paperwork burden on teachers and schools, increases the focus on academic results, and includes strong steps to reduce unnecessary and costly litigation.

Under current IDEA law, the threat of litigation is forcing schools to be more concerned about technical compliance than with truly educating students with disabilities. This breeds an attitude of distrust between parents and schools, and makes it more difficult for them to work together to do what is best for students. Worse still, parents are sometimes manipulated into complex legal proceedings by lawyers who have their own best interests in mind, rather than the best interest of students with disabilities. The bill will work to restore trust between parents and schools by creating opportunities for early resolution of problems before they escalate, and by holding attorneys liable for frivolous lawsuits.

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Members of the U.S. House and Senate to Meet to Reauthorize The Individual's With Disabilities Education Act

November 17, 2004

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Members of the U.S. House and Senate will meet next week in hopes of completing a final, bipartisan special education reauthorization bill that can be signed into law before the end of the 108th Congress. The bipartisan House-Senate conference will reconcile differing versions of legislation passed by the House and Senate to strengthen and renew the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the nation's special education law.

The conference meeting will be held Wednesday, November 17, 2004 at 2:30 p.m. in room 2175 of the Rayburn House Office Building. The conference meeting will be open to the ublic and the press.

The House-Senate conference will be chaired by Rep. John Boehner (R-OH), chairman of the House Education & the Workforce Committee. Senate conferees are (Republican) Senators Gregg, Frist, Enzi, Alexander, Bond, DeWine, Roberts, Sessions, Ensign, Graham (SC), and Warner; (Democratic) Senators Kennedy, Dodd, Harkin, Mikulski, Jeffords, Bingaman, Murray, Reed, Edwards, and Clinton. House conferees are (Republican) Reps. Castle, Ehlers, Keller, Wilson (SC), Barton, Bilirakis, Sensenbrenner, and Smith (TX); (Democratic) Reps. Miller (George), Woolsey, Owens, Dingell, and Conyers.

The House passed IDEA reauthorizing legislation authored by Education Reform Subcommittee Chairman Mike Castle (R-DE) in April 2003, with the Senate passing its version of the legislation in May 2004. Legislators in both parties have called for changes that would refocus the IDEA to improve education results for students with disabilities, reduce the paperwork burden on special education teachers, and align the special education law with bipartisan No Child Left Behind Act, which gives strong new rights and protections to parents and children with disabilities.

Teleconference: Success in the General Classroom

November 16th

The National Information Center of Children and Youth with Disabilities has issued a statement that on Tuesday, November 16, at 2 p.m. Eastern Time there will be a national teleconference on findings from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2). The call will focus on strategies to assure success for secondary students with disabilities in general education academic classes. Topics to be discussed include instructional practices, student participation and useful supports and accommodations.

Participation is free, however you will need to provide your own long-distance telephone charges if you are not in the 703 area code. Find out more by contacting the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET) at (612) 624-2097, or by checking out the detailed information posted online at: www.ncset.org/teleconferences/default.asp

President Signs GOP Bill to Support Teachers & Needy Schools, Cut Off Excess Subsidies to Loan Providers

November 10, 2004

WASHINGTON , D.C. President George W. Bush has signed into law a bill to expand student loan relief for highly qualified teachers who teach key subjects in high poverty K-12 schools, where they are badly needed. The bill, the Taxpayer-Teacher Protection Act (H.R. 5186), was proposed by Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) and Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) to address the shortage of math, science, and special education teachers Ð a shortage that is particularly severe in rural and urban schools. The bill cuts off excess subsidies for student loan providers, and uses the money to expand incentives to help states and schools recruit and retain the highly qualified teachers they need.

States and schools are working to place a highly qualified teacher in every public school classroom, as called for by the bipartisan No Child Left Behind Act, said Boehner. The Taxpayer-Teacher Protection Act creates real financial incentives to help rural and urban communities find and keep the teachers they need. This is a benefit that will encourage teachers to stay in needy, Title I schools; a benefit they will get in a few years if they seek out teaching positions in the places that need them the most.

The Taxpayer-Teacher Protection Act more than triples the amount of student loan relief available to highly qualified math, science, and special education teachers who agree to teach for at least five years in needy schools. To protect taxpayers and support school teachers, the bill:

Shuts down a 9.5 percent interest rate subsidy that has resulted in excess profits for some student loan providers, as President Bush first urged Congress to do in February 2004.

Uses the savings achieved from shutting down the 9.5 percent subsidy to more than triple federal student loan forgiveness for math, science, and special education teachers who agree to teach for five or more years in high poverty K-12 schools. The maximum amount would go from the current maximum of $5,000 to a new maximum of $17,500.

Shuts down excess subsidies without shutting down smaller, non-profit student aid providers. House Democrats, after spending most of 2004 opposing a GOP bill that would permanently shut down the excess subsidies and failing to include language in their own Higher Education Act reauthorization bill to address the 9.5 percent loans, changed course in September 2004 and introduced legislation that would go too far, sparking outrage from non-profit student aid providers across the nation. The legislation signed by President Bush cuts off the excess subsidies without taking this harmful step.

The Taxpayer-Teacher Protection Act is a double victory for America Õs parents, students, and taxpayers, said Rep. Howard P. Buck McKeon (R-CA), chairman of the 21st Century Competitiveness Subcommittee. The plan not only eliminates the 9.5 percent subsidy as President Bush has been requesting all year, but it addresses the very serious problem of a lack of highly qualified teachers in math, science, and special education.

K-12 schools in high-poverty areas are facing a shortage of qualified teachers in key subjects. The loan forgiveness under the Taxpayer-Teacher Protect Act closely resembles the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act (H.R. 438), legislation introduced by Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) and passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in July 2003.

With common sense solutions, we are making it possible to have a highly qualified teacher in every classroom, said Wilson . This is such great news for children in disadvantaged schools throughout the nation. I have long believed that increased student loan forgiveness for teachers in key subjects will help alleviate the teacher shortages in rural and urban schools. By signing this bill, the President is helping make that goal a reality.

The expanded loan forgiveness, an initiative proposed by President Bush in both his FY 2004 and FY 2005 budgets, will serve as a valuable recruiting tool for needy schools. The increased loan forgiveness of $17,500 will be available to teachers after five years, providing an incentive for highly qualified teachers in these subject areas not only to teach in high poverty schools, but to stay there for at least five years.

H.R. 5186 has been applauded by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, which represents 100,000 educators across the nation.

We are pleased and gratified to see action being taken to provide tangible support for the oft-stated goal of attracting and retaining quality mathematics teachers in classrooms where they are most needed, wrote NCTM President Cathy L. Seeley in an October 4, 2004 letter to Chairman Boehner. Providing up to $17,500 in federal student loan forgiveness for deserving early-career teachers should make our critically important and rewarding profession more appealing to young teachers.

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President Obama Releases Education Agenda