Nicola Ciurro, Co-Founder and Head of School of Wings Academy  was appointed to be the Charter School representative on the State Superintendent's Council on Special Education.  As such she receives various information regarding special education and would like to start sharing this with other charter schools. 

If you have any questions or concerns that you would like Nicola to bring to the attention of this council please contact her:

Nicola Ciurro - Wings
357 E Howard Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53207
414-744-3956
nciurro@gmail.com

Update 3:
Item No. 1: Sign Language Interpreters
The Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) is the responsible agency for a new license requirement for sign language interpreters.  This rule does not supersede DPI licensure for educational interpreters in K-12 settings, however it may have an impact on how to provide interpreting services for adults in school settings.  Please see the DSPS – FAQ at:  http://www.drl.wi.gov/docview.asp?docid=1016&locid=0.  If you have questions regarding this license requirement, please send them to DRLBoards@drl.wi.gov.    
 
Item No. 2:  Wisconsin RtI Stories
We are so excited to introduce to you Wisconsin RtI Stories!  DPI and the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board (ECB) partnered to create a series of videos that highlight school teams in Wisconsin as they implement Response to Intervention (RtI).  The videos demonstrate high quality instruction, collaboration, balanced assessment, and culturally responsive practices within a multi-level system of supports at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Frequently asked questions as well as conversation and facilitator guides are included as companion documents. Wisconsin RtI Stories are at http://www.ecb.org/rti/.
 
Item No. 3: Accommodations Guide for Students with DisabilitiesOver the past two years, in a collaborative effort, members from the Office of Educational Accountability and Special Education teams have been working to develop the Wisconsin Accommodations Guide for Students with Disabilities.  This guide is intended to provide support in selecting, administering, and evaluating the effectiveness of both instructional and assessment accommodations used by students with disabilities. The Wisconsin Accommodations Guide for Students with Disabilities was developed to inform general and special education teachers, administrators, parents, students, members of Individualized Educational Program (IEP) teams, Section 504 plan teams, and district level assessment staff.  We are excited to share a draft version of The Wisconsin Accommodations Guide for Students with Disabilities with educators in the field and welcome any feedback on the guide. The guide can be accessed at http://dpi.wi.gov/sped/hmnew.html.

Update 2:
RCC Reporting Due October 24th
DPI is charged with monitoring and enforcing LEA and residential care center (RCC) compliance with s. 115.81, Wis. Stats., Children in Residential Care Centers, and applicable federal special education law. The 2011 Report of Children with Disabilities and Staff in Residential Care Centers is one aspect of the department’s required oversight activities. Each RCC must complete and submit a report that reflects the status of children with disabilities and special education staff onOctober 1, 2011. The data is due on October 24, 2011. Following the submission of data, DPI will contact the Responsible LEA if an IEP is not current. 
 
RCCs must report the ending date of the student’s most recent IEP.  If the RCC does not have a current IEP for a child, the RCC must contact the responsible LEA to inform them and work with them to rectify the situation. LEAs with students in RCCs will want to contact the RCC as well to make sure that children in RCCs have a current IEP, and, if not, work with the RCC to rectify the situation. LEAs should include RCC residents in WSLS/ISES reporting. The responsible LEA may not include RCC residents in its membership count for equalization aid unless they attend school in the responsible LEA.  For further information regarding LEA responsibilities, refer to:  http://dpi.wi.gov/sped/ccilea.html. Please contact Teresa Goodier at teresa.goodier@dpi.wi.gov if you have questions.         
 
Indicator 13 Assessment Due November 15th
The Indicator 13 Assessment must be completed no later than November 15, 2011.  Complete instructions, and the required assurance form, are available on the Indicator 13 Assessment web page: http://dpi.wi.gov/sped/spp13-assessment.html. All LEAs must complete the Indicator 13 Assessment unless they have been selected to participate in the development of the online Postsecondary Transition Plan (PTP), or have no students 16 years old or older enrolled.  Contact Paul Sherman at 608-267-9157, or Wendi Dawson at 608-266-1146 if you have questions about the Indicator 13 Assessment. 
 
Nearing the end of an ARRA
I want to thank you for your efforts in taking advantage of this exceptional funding resource. As of October 19, the majority of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) IDEA  funds have been claimed to the benefit of students with disabilities in Wisconsin.  Approximately $158,000 of flow-through funds and $30,000 of preschool funds remain unclaimed. While the amounts are higher than what we'd hoped for, the majority of LEAs have less than $10.00 unclaimed. A few LEAs, however, have significant unclaimed balances. 
 
For those LEAs which have yet to submit a final claim, please submit your final claim promptly.  A signed copy of the final claim must also be forwarded to Andrea Prem at andrea.prem@dpi.wi.gov. For those LEAs who have submitted a final claim but have a remaining balance, you may submit a revised claim for those funds so long as all claimed funds were obligated no later than September 30, 2011.  LEAs submitting revised final claims also must submit a signed copy to the department.
 
Thank you to those LEAs spending and claiming your ARRA allocation before the September 30 deadline.
 
2011-2012 DPI Autism Trainings.  The use of IPADs will be incorporated throughout all trainings.
Addressing Challenging Behaviors  - November 8-9, Oconomowoc. Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) will be taught along with an opportunity for participants to work in groups to develop support strategies.
 
Addressing Instructional Strategies  - February 7-8, De Forest.  In this NEW training, participants will be provided with many ideas and strategies to teach students with autism academics and activities of daily living.  Participants will have a chance to get their questions asked about “How do I teach him to _______?”
 Information about the content and registration details are located on the Department of Public Instruction Special Education autism homepage at http://dpi.wi.gov/sped/autism.html.  Please pass this information on to staff who might be interested in attending any of our autism sessions.  If you have questions, contact Daniel Parker atdaniel.parker@dpi.wi.gov or 608-266-5194. 

Update 1:We have been informed by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) in the U.S. Department of Education that the Continuing Resolutions to keep federal government operations running will result in a slight reduction in funding for IDEA for this school year.  As soon as we are notified of the actual amount, we will let you know, with actual LEA amounts recalculated and shared shortly thereafter. 
The Brain Injury Association of Wisconsin is sponsoring a workshop on November 18, entitled Behavioral Management and Teaching Methods for Individuals with Brain Injury: Strategies for Home, School, Inpatient, Outpatient, and Community Settings, in Waukesha.  Through case studies and hands-on learning, participants will learn effective methods for working with challenging behaviors.  Click here for information and to register.VSA Wisconsin, an organization that celebrates the artistic achievements of children and adults with disabilities, is issuing its annual statewide Call for Art to students with disabilities ages 5 - 21.  The works selected for purchase awards will be added to VSA Wisconsin’s traveling exhibition which is displayed throughout the state and viewed by thousands of people at museums, galleries, schools, businesses, and libraries. The submission deadline is January 30, 2012.  Applications are available at http://vsawis.org/exhibitions_sales/call_for_art/.  All artists submitting to the Call for Art will have their work displayed in a pubic exhibition March 17 – April 7, 2012 at the VSA Wisconsin Gallery in Madison. A reception for the artists and general public will be Saturday, March 24 from 3-5 p.m.  Contact Alexis London at alexis@vsawis.org or 608-241-2131 for more information.