CEC Policy Insider

What Works Clearinghouse New Website

What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) has recently launched a new resigned website – ultimately helping both teachers and students discover new interventions for educational success! The highlighted new feature on the website is the Find What Works tool, which allows users to learn about new resources to increase positive student outcomes. These tools include: products, policies, programs and practices. Watch a video tour or read more about the new WWC website.

CEC Celebrates 30 Years of Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education

Join CEC in celebrating the 30^th Anniversary of the passage of Public Law 99-457, which established Part C and mandated Part B, Section 619 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) throughout October. CEC and its Division of Early Childhood (DEC) were key players in 1986 leading up to the passage of this landmark legislation. The statute contains all of the procedural and substantial safeguards necessary to ensure equal access to public special education and early intervention for all children birth through five years of age with disabilities and their families.

In this edition of the Policy Insider we feature the 30^th anniversary activities of leaders and associations in the field. The IDEA Infant Toddler Coordinators Association (ITCA) issued a statement that includes; recognition of the efforts of professionals, families and organizations, Ellie’s success story and children and family outcome data. In addition, view the video Celebrating 30 Years of EI developed by Darla Gundler, a passionate mom, friend, parent leader and advocate.

Stay tuned for more celebrations in CEC’s Policy Insider next week.

Diversity Research Grants Awards

The Institute of Education Sciences recently announced the first grantees of the new IES Pathways to the Education Sciences Research Training Program award.

The program, which launched in 2015, was created to foster and develop participation of underrepresented groups in the science community. Pathways seeks to support education researchers in minority serving institutions (MSI) and strengthen the participation of minorities in the sciences by proposing new approaches to education research studies. The hope is that minority students who participate in education research studies, professional development, and mentoring through the Pathway program will pursue doctoral study in the future.

IES is currently accepting applications for the 2017 Fiscal Year (FY) Pathways training grants.

The 2016 Pathways to the Education Science Research Training Program Grantees are:
• The University of Arizona, $1,073,276, to begin the Access, Wellness, and Relational Determinants of School Success (AWARDSS) training program. Partner institution: University of Arizona South;
• North Carolina Central University (NCCU), $1,116, 985, to launch the new Research Institute for Scholars of Equity (RISE). Partner institutions: Duke University and University of North Carolina, Wilmington. Collaborating institutions: University of Pittsburgh, University of South Carolina, University of New Mexico, and the New School for Social Research;
• The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), $1,116,895, to offer up to 48 one-year fellowships in its Educational Research Training Program. Collaborating institutions: Educational Testing Services, Stanford University, and St. Philip’s College; and
• California State University, Sacramento (also known as Sacramento State University), $895,326, to offer up to 60 one-year fellowships under the theme “Pathways: Successful Transitions To and Through Higher Education.”

Trends in Teacher Shortages

A study that projects future trends related to teacher shortages, supply, and demand has been released by the Learning Policy Institute. Four main factors are highlighted that attribute to teacher shortages, which include: a decline in preparation enrollment programs, high teacher attrition, an increasing student class size and enrollment, and local school districts encouraging outdated teacher-student ratios in the classroom. The study also reports some alarming statistics, such as: the year 2016 will have had the lowest number of available teachers in the past ten years. The study also reviews subject area shortages, reporting that 48 states and Washington D.C. reported shortages in special education.

Priority Added for ED Discretionary Grant Programs

A final priority has been added to the existing list of supplemental priorities for U.S. Department of Education discretionary grant programs, which was originally published December 10, 2014. The new priority addresses efforts to support a student’s comprehensive education, focusing on elementary and secondary school education. This new priority will go into effect on October 14, 2016, and aims to encourage a growth of diversity within the school setting, including tackling poverty and segregation concerns.