March 11, 2021- Ask an Attorney

 DOES A DISTRICT HAVE TO OFFER ESY? 

As this month promises warmer temperatures and longer days, it is apropos that we start with a question about extended school year services, commonly known as ESY.  A reader from a small school district writes that her district has not provided ESY programming in the past and wonders if this is okay or if districts are required to have programs.

 Whether a student requires ESY to receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE) is a determination made by a student’s IEP team and is not dependent on whether there is an ESY program in place at the student’s school district. This illustrates a phrase we often hear in special education, that student needs drive programming and services.

 In our post last month, we talked about the standard to determine whether a student needs ESY. To be proactive in making individualized ESY determinations, IEP teams should use data and ask the right questions. While progress monitoring data is always critical, it is especially important for the regression/recoupment analysis, which is the primary reason for ESY eligibility. This analysis involves two main considerations: (1) whether the student shows inordinate regression when school is not in session; and (2) whether it takes an extraordinary length of time for the student to recoup the skills that have been lost. Teams should ask whether the student required reteaching of skills after a break to the extent that their ability to progress toward existing IEP goals was hindered. For students with more significant disabilities, teams should also consider whether a student’s progress toward developing critical life skills would be interrupted by a break in educational services.

If a team determines that an individual student requires ESY, a district must provide those services. One way to do that is to design an in-district program tailored to the needs of the student. But small districts may also meet this obligation by seeking out programs run by public special education cooperatives or private therapeutic day schools. And districts of all sizes should remember that even if they have an ESY program, individual students may need more or less support to receive FAPE.

CAN THE REMOTE LEARNING OPTION BE ENTIRELY ASYNCHRONOUS? 

Our next question is about everyone’s favorite subject, remote learning. Our reader asks, “May a school district provide only asynchronous learning when it has resumed in-person instruction, and a student has chosen to remain remote either full or part-time?” As we start to see the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, and districts plan to get more students back into school buildings, many administrators are asking to what extent they will need to continue offering remote options and what those options need to look like. At this time, the Governor’s Order requiring school districts to provide remote instruction based on parent request remains in effect. And the Illinois State Board of Education has not withdrawn or revised its initial guidance for remote learning, which includes, at all grade levels, real-time synchronous instruction with the interaction between the teacher and students. While that guidance may change as we approach the summer and next fall (some states are already moving in this direction), at this time, cutting remote programming or limiting it to asynchronous-only, may invite a challenge. And for students with 504 plans and IEPs, that challenge may be difficult to defend given the ongoing obligation to provide FAPE. Accordingly, we recommend that school districts continue to offer remote learning programs that include various modalities.

 ASK an ATTORNEY

Please continue to send us your questions. We look forward to answering.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE -ACTION NEEDED March 19, 2021

 IAASE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE - Action Needed

The Senate Education Committee scheduled for March 9th was canceled and has been rescheduled for March 23rd at 1:00 pm.  There are several important bills of interest to IAASE members being heard by the committee.  SB 0517 is an IAASE initiative sponsored by Meg Loughran Cappel.  For many years we have advocated for an equalized funding system in Illinois that reflects that districts with students with significant needs and associated high costs receive equalized reimbursement whether the students are placed in public school settings or private placements.  Although this has been a legislative priority for IAASE for well over a decade, the disparity continues. We have submitted several legislative proposals, making steady advancements in recent years and we have learned much about strategy from our experiences. This year, we decided to introduce a bill that takes an important step forward into opening up the use of the line item on the state budget that historically has been solely for private tuition reimbursement.  SB 0517 equalizes reimbursement for districts for students placed in either a public day or private day school and reflects the follow-up commitment from the General Assembly after Evidence-Based funding became law several years ago. While there are additional steps to take in the process of moving to a fully placement neutral system, we believe that it is a reasonable step towards that goal.  Witness slips filed for March 9th do not carry over, so please click here to fill out a witness slip as a PROPONENT of this bill.  

IAASE opposes SB0531 which changes the school code to provide that a student whose 22nd birthday occurs during the school year is eligible for special education services through the end of the regular school term (rather than being eligible for services only until the day before his or her 22nd birthday).  While we agree that more services should be available for young adults with disabilities we do not believe that extending services past the 22nd birthday is the solution and we certainly don’t think this should be mandated without funding.  Please click here to fill out a witness slip as an OPPONENT of SB0531.

We are very concerned about SB1821.  This bill is extremely problematic as it amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code to provide that eligible students who reached or will reach their 22nd birthday between March 17, 2020, and the end of the 2021-2022 school year shall be afforded the option of extending the student's eligibility through the end of the 2021-2022 school year to provide the student with an opportunity to participate in post-secondary transition activities and services and pursue the goals under the student's most recent individualized education program. It requires each school district to provide written notification of options, including the required waiver of compensatory services claims, to each student to whom these provisions apply or to the student's guardian or designated representative within 30 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act. It included a required written notification form and would be effective immediately.  Please click here to fill out a witness slip as an OPPONENT of SB1821.

Other bills scheduled for the committee that you may be interested in are SB0559/HB3022, SB0634, and SB2071.  SB0559/HB3022 allows private special education facilities to bill school districts for services a month in advance.  Districts would be entitled to a refund at the end of the school year if a student was not actually enrolled for any of the days that the district pre-paid for.  SB0634 extends interscholastic athletic eligibility through age 22 for students with disabilities.  Our legislative committee believes that there could be unintended consequences of this bill and that the extended time from age 18-22 is for transition services, not continued participation in high school athletics.  SB 2071 changes licensure requirements for school social workers by providing that an applicant who (i) has earned a master's degree in social work from a regionally accredited institution of higher education and (ii) holds a valid license issued pursuant to the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act may obtain a social worker endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations. An applicant who satisfies these requirements is not required to complete an Illinois-approved educator preparation program but may be required to fulfill other criteria established by rule of the State Board of Education. 

The full committee agenda is here and we encourage you to review all of the bills and make your voice heard on those that you see as consequential to your organization and/or your students.  If you are represented by any of the committee members, it is also important to contact their offices to share the potential impact of these bills.  

If this isn’t enough, the House Education committees are both meeting on March 24th.  The Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing & Charter School  Committee meets at 2:00 pm.  You may be interested in HB 38 which is about interviewing minority teacher candidates.  Our concern with the bill is that it only excludes the shortage area of ESL.   The Elementary & Secondary Education: School Curriculum & Policies Committee meets at 8:30 am and there are several bills on their agenda of interest to IAASE.  We encourage you to submit a witness slip as a PROPONENT of HB3706 which is the companion bill to SB0517, our equalization bill.  Other bills in committee that IAASE opposes are HB3022, HB2748, HB3324, and HB3817.  Again, we ask that you consider the impact of these bills on your district and cooperative and consider filing a witness slip with your position.

The legislative committee is made up of the elected officers, plus representatives from each of our regions.  Please feel free to contact us if we can be of service to you.

Judy Hackett, Co-chair jhackett@nsseo.org

Melissa Taylor, Co-chair mtaylor@bths201.org

March 16, 2021- Resiliency, Mindset and a Positive Culture

Resiliency, Mindset, and a Positive Culture: The Important Considerations for Our Classrooms and Districts in 2021. 

By:  Lisa M. Harrod

For those of us in leadership positions during 2008-2010, we remember the uncertainty of our budgets, hiring practices, and all the lessons learned. At the time, I was Assistant Superintendent and a National Education Consultant working with districts on auditing SEL and Academic curriculum and reshaping culture and climate. Those of us in the field of special education saw a large increase in the number of students diagnosed with anxiety, depression, and other social-emotional needs. We spent our resources on additional social workers, who at the time in some states were a high-vacancy area and other mental health professionals. We watched our curriculum and programming include a stronger focus on character education, lessons on wellness, and attention to an individual’s mental health. Professional development in these areas began to spike. Families were exhibiting hardships that none of us could have predicted.

Now in 2021, in the midst of a pandemic, we are working on scenarios and planning for what the fall may look like. Leadership is critical to the success and sustainability of our districts, and all the work we are doing with our teams to plan is being done with great hope but also great uncertainty. It looks different in every state, but one thing remains constant..our ability to collaborate and plan what is best for our students and staff. We pull from our experiences a decade ago to help us move forward.

Reflecting on the leadership during 2008 on and now in 2021 and beyond, we look at all of the shifts that have occurred and how we can provide continued high-quality education for all of our students, moving forward on plans to create opportunity in challenge, and building classroom connected communities during remote learning. At the heart of this emerges resiliency and reviewing climate and culture. Leading with questions from superintendent’s on whether we have the climate and culture we want to have. One of the toughest and hardest questions we can ask ourselves. How we can become even more involved in our classrooms? How can we become facilitators during a time where school social workers and psychologists are in high demand? Do we have the staff members in place to sustain the level of support needed over the next few years?

If there is ever a time to rebuild or strengthen our climate and culture in our schools and districts…. now is our golden opportunity. We have adjusted, modified, adapted…and our students and staff have done the same thing. Engaging in critical conversations about resiliency and how we can build up our ability to “SnapbackTM”. When I facilitate lessons in our unit district, I talk to students and staff about a rubber band and its ability to “snapback” under intense pressure. We use specific examples and then let the students discuss issues they are facing and how we can show resilience in our response. We talk about the future and challenges they may encounter and keep this at the forefront so it can be continually talked about. Helping our students and staff members insulate themselves from stress is a powerful and on-going life lesson.

These conversations set the table for expectations of gratitude, a positive mindset, and kindness across the district. It is a unified effort among our educators, support staff, and specialists in achieving an environment we are proud of. There are so many unknowns in our world right now, opening discussions about resilience is a foundation that will reap many benefits in combating and overcoming concerns about motivation and achievement. These conversations have catapulted our use of Mindset and Mindfulness as an important supplement to our curriculum and we have set the stage in our community asking them to partner with us in these efforts. There have been so many benefits to the work in these areas and they certainly prepared us for what we never could have seen coming this year. I did not see the importance of combining resilience, mindset, and reflecting on climate and culture when I began my career in education.

Building our resilience is a life skill and one that can change the trajectory for our students and staff, helping to insulate all of us from all the stressors in our lives. My hope is that by seeing the importance of this topic and reflecting on our climate and culture, we will be more prepared for 2021 and beyond. For those of us that are reading this and have worked to obtain the climate and culture we worked so hard on, I hope we can be mentors and collaborate with those who may reach out for the beginning steps. Every decision based on what is best for students is why we are all here.

Here's to celebrations over challenges!

Lisa M. Harrod is the Superintendent of Manteno CUSD No. 5 in Manteno, Illinois, and the CEO of Leveraging Excellence, A professional development company. 

March 9, 2021- Legislative Committee Update

 IAASE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE - FILING WITNESS SLIPS

This year’s legislative session in Illinois is extremely active and the IAASE legislative committee meets weekly with our government relations specialist, Shannon Miller Bellini, to review bills that impact our students and our work.  

This week, there are two important bills of interest to IAASE members being heard in the Senate Education Committee.  SB 0517 is an IAASE initiative sponsored by Meg Loughran Cappel.  For many years we have advocated for an equalized funding system in Illinois that reflects that districts with students with significant needs and associated high costs receive equalized reimbursement whether the students are placed in public school settings or private placements.  Although this has been a legislative priority for IAASE for well over a decade, the disparity continues. We have submitted several legislative proposals, making steady advancements in recent years and we have learned much about strategy from our experiences. This year, we decided to introduce a bill that takes an important step forward into opening up the use of the line item on the state budget that historically has been solely for private tuition reimbursement.  SB 0517 equalizes reimbursement for districts for students placed in either a public day or private day school and reflects the follow-up commitment from the General Assembly after Evidence-Based funding became law several years ago. While there are additional steps to take in the process of moving to a fully placement neutral system, we believe that it is a reasonable step towards that goal.   

The second bill is one that IAASE opposes.  SB0531 changes the school code to provide that a student whose 22nd birthday occurs during the school year is eligible for special education services through the end of the regular school term (rather than being eligible for services only until the day before his or her 22nd birthday).  While we agree that more services should be available for young adults with disabilities we do not believe that extending services past the 22nd birthday is the solution and we certainly don’t think this should be mandated without funding.  

One way to support the work of the legislative committee is to file witness slips for committee hearings representing your respective district or special education cooperative. The Senate Education Committee meets on March 9th at 1:00 pm.  You can click here to see the agenda and file a witness slip on behalf of your district/cooperative. It’s a great way to make your voice heard.  If it’s your first time, follow this handy guide for instructions. 

The legislative committee is made up of the elected officers, plus representatives from each of our regions.  Please feel free to contact us if we can be of service to you.

Judy Hackett, Co-chair jhackett@nsseo.org

Melissa Taylor, Co-chair mtaylor@bths201.org

IAASE Update March 2, 2021

 

March 2, 2021

The snow is melting and spring is coming. 

This week's post from the Newsletter and Publications Committee will be quick.  

First, we hope that you took the time to have your voice heard with HB40. If not, it is NOT too late!  HB 40 was first introduced last year and would allow students in Transition Programs to continue being served past their 22nd birthday. IAASE opposes this measure because:

• It is an unfunded mandate and will cost approximately $20 million per year in state and local funds.

• It exceeds the federal IDEA requirements.

Please let your Member of the House of Representatives know that you oppose this dangerous measure by sending a message through our action center at the link below.

 

Tell the House of Representatives to Oppose HB 40

NEWSLETTER & PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE

Co-Chairs:

Tarin Kendrick, Executive Director of Niles Township District for Special Education 

Nicole Maxwell, Student Service Coordinator in the DeKalb CUSD 

Previously this committee sent out quarterly newsletters. However, IAASE’s current focus (continuing with Dr. Rubenstein’s example) is to provide our members weekly, relevant information to keep them informed. The IAASE Counsel, Franczek, will provide information twice per month. Please be sure to use the Ask an Attorney feature if you have a burning question. Additionally, IAASE Board members will provide updates and we would also love to hear from our members, YOU. If you have any ideas that you would like to see on this blog or are a blogger and would like to share please reach out. 

Have a great week!

Nicole (nicole.maxwell@d428.org)

Tarin (tkendrick@ntdse.org)

Mr. Biden Goes to Washington: February 24, 2021

 

Mr. Biden Goes to Washington: 

What the New Administration Means for Special Education

Franczek P.C.: Dana Fattore Crumley  & Kendra Yoch

As we near the first 30 days of the new administration, we are gaining some additional insights into what we will see from President Biden and the Department of Education. The emerging themes are funding and equity. 

For special education leaders, the most relevant funding initiative is “full funding” of IDEA. The law provides for federal funding up to 40% of the average per pupil expenditure, but that level of support has never been achieved and currently stands around 14%. More than doubling federal funding of special education would significantly impact the provision of services to students with disabilities. Additionally, Biden’s agenda includes numerous other special education-related funding proposals, including tripling funding for Title I; increasing teacher pay and benefits; doubling the number of psychologists, nurses, social workers, and other health professionals in schools; increasing “wrap-around” services; increasing funding for teachers to earn additional certification in high-demand areas like special education; universal preschool; funding for early childhood development experts; career and vocational education; and improvements for school building infrastructure. Of course, funding initiatives need to be approved by Congress, which is currently focused on COVID relief. The American Rescue Plan includes about $130 billion for K-12 schools, which targets staffing, mitigation measures, and addressing learning loss. We will be monitoring the fate of this legislation and the proposals above.

Other initiatives President Biden has expressed support for include the Keeping All Students Safe Act, which would significantly reduce the use of restraint and seclusion in schools, and fulling implementing the disproportionality rule, which addresses racial and ethnic disparities in special education. We also expect to see an increase in investigation and enforcement activity from the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) with respect to all forms of discrimination, including disability-based discrimination. OCR initiated several investigations related to remote learning for students with disabilities at the end of the prior administration. Additional investigations and monitoring on this issue may be on the horizon. Additionally, the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has indicated that more guidance related to providing IDEA services during the pandemic will be published in the next few months.

President Biden has also made equity a significant priority for his administration. Related to education, that includes proposals for funding to level the playing field between rich and poor school districts, efforts to improve teacher diversity, and building flagship schools and programs in low-income communities and communities of color, as well as increased enforcement of civil rights laws by OCR.

The change in administration means a significant change in approach, including refocusing on public schools and equity issues as well as an increased role for unions. These themes are apparent in the recently issued guidance from the Department of Education on reopening schools. The next “volume” of the guidance is expected to have additional information and strategies related to addressing the disruptions caused by the pandemic, such as meeting the social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs of students. We anticipate this guidance will have particular significance for special educators.

ASK an ATTORNEY

Please continue to send us your questions. We look forward to answering.

February 16, 2021

 

Hello all!  Happy snowy Tuesday.  We hope that everyone is staying safe and warm.  Here is a quick update from IAASE. 

COOPERATIVE SURVEY

Cooperative Executive Directors / Superintendents - We need your input ASAP!  Please take a moment to complete the COOPERATIVE SURVEY.  We have received 15 completed surveys from the 70 cooperatives solicited. We need everyone represented. This survey will provide important information to help us advocate for cooperative access to CARES Act funds.

SEAPAC UPDATE

Hey, why haven’t you joined?  Now is the time to join SEAPAC! It will warm you up on this cold, snowy day.

Thank you to our SEAPAC Committee for making it easier to become a member. It is a $20 donation (minimum), and your contribution helps our legislative efforts. You can access a NEW feature and sign-up for SEAPAC online through Givebutter!  Please consider signing up through this link. You can also text SEAPAC to (202) 858-1233 to get the link delivered directly to your phone.  You will be able to pay with Venmo, Paypal, or via credit/debit card. 

Thank you to those who have recently answered the call to join:  Angela Phillips, Camille Robinson, Melanie Phelan, and Barb Daugherty.

ASK an ATTORNEY

Please continue to send us your questions. We look forward to answering.

WHAT DOES AN IAASE BOARD MEMBER DO? 

Welcome to a small segment where we will highlight and share about our committees and board members. 

 

Membership & Public Relations Committee Chair:  Dr. Christine Putlak, A.E.R.O. Special Ed Cooperative 

 

As Member at Large, Dr. Putlak’s primary responsibility is to encourage colleagues to become active members.  The most impactful part is chairing the committee, which includes the Region Representatives, to plan for regional professional development opportunities during the year. There are many ways to get involved in IAASE, including being an active member in your region and attending roundtables, webinars, & presentations, sharing your expertise by presenting at a regional event, attending the regional meetings at the annual conferences, and attending board meetings.  If you are looking for ways to become more involved with IAASE, please consider running for Region Representative or becoming active in your region. 

February 9, 2021- ESY Determinations in an Uncertain Year

 

ESY Determinations in an Uncertain Year

Franczek P.C.: Dana Fattore Crumley & Kendra Yoch                                            

Despite the piles of snow and frigid temperatures outside, it is time to start thinking about summer! As teams convene IEP meetings this spring (and circle back on meetings from the fall where the team agreed to collect more data…), we are hearing questions about how to think about ESY determinations this year. As you know, the IEP team must determine whether a student needs special education and related services beyond the normal school year to receive a free appropriate public education. While the legal framework for ESY remains the same, teams should consider a few quirks this year.

The main factor for the team to consider when making an ESY determination is regression/recoupment: Will the student lose skills over the summer break and take an extraordinary time to recoup those skills in the fall? Teams can also consider other factors, such as the nature of the disability, degree of impairment, emerging skills, or skills crucial for independence. ISBE has advised that teams discuss whether “the benefits accrued during the school year would be significantly jeopardized in the absence of a summer program.” These considerations all remain in place.

What if a student has not made expected progress on IEP goals, or even regressed, during remote or hybrid learning – does that qualify a student for ESY? Generally, no. A student’s progress or lack of progress during the school year is not directly relevant to the ESY analysis – though if a student is not progressing, an IEP meeting may be warranted.

That said, offering additional summer programming may be a way to provide compensatory services (if there was a denial of FAPE) or to generally shore up skills all students may have missed during this extraordinary year. Some districts are planning to offer summer instruction beyond what they would typically provide through summer school and ESY. We have also seen districts working on expanded summer programming in collaboration with a cooperative or other groups of districts. When considering who will be eligible to participate in such programs, make sure that students with IEPs and 504 plans have an equal opportunity to participate and benefit. However, if ESY is not required for FAPE, the summer program should not be written into the IEP. And if you are considering the summer instruction to be compensatory education, be sure to communicate that with parents and clearly document it.

ASK an ATTORNEY

Please continue to send us your questions. We look forward to answering.

COOPERATIVE SURVEY

If you are a Cooperative Executive Director/Superintendent please take a moment to complete the attached survey by Tuesday, February 16, 2021. This survey is targeting cooperative access to CARES Act funds. 

February 2, 2021- Personnel & Licensure Update

 QUALIFIED BILINGUAL INTERPRETER

This brief summary is provided by Linda Lenoff and Andrea Dinaro, Co-Chairs of the IAASE Personnel Licensure and Certification Committee.

As this goes to JCAR, we see these as the main components of the “QUALIFIED BILINGUAL INTERPRETER” in Section 226.800 Personnel Required to be Qualified:

A.  Meet all employment eligibility requirements of the school district.

B.   2 required Trainings:

• 9 hrs. on interpreting in and out of English, interpretation standards of practice, ethics, and confidentiality, the role of the interpreter and role boundaries, respect, impartiality, professionalism, cultural competence and responsiveness, and advocacy for communication and cultural needs. This training must include videos demonstrating proper and improper interpretation techniques.

• 6 hrs. on special education terminology and protocol. Individuals who already hold special education licenses, endorsements, or approvals are exempt from the Sp. Ed. training requirements   

C.   2 required Tests (to demonstrate proficiency in English* and the target language** by passing State-approved language proficiency tests covering listening, speaking, and reading (if the language exists in written form):

• Written Examination scoring 80% or higher to demonstrate knowledge of special education terminology and protocol, interpretation standards and techniques, and interpretation ethics. 

• Oral examination scoring 70% or higher to demonstrate proficiency to interpret in and out of English, through consecutive or simultaneous interpreting, and sight translation.

In an instance of a target language for which an exam does not yet exist, a reliable alternative assessment or documentation of proficiency in that language shall be established by the State Board if it is not feasible for the State Board to otherwise offer a test in that language within a reasonable amount of time.

D.  Target Language Proficiency Test Exemptions:

• English* exemptions: post-secondary degree in which the official, documented language of instruction was in English

• Target Language** exemptions:

• State Seal of Biliteracy -scoring ‘Advanced Low’ or higher

• AP Language Test- scoring 4 or higher

• Transitional Bilingual Educator 

• Possess or used to possess: Transitional Bilingual Educator endorsement on Educator License with Stipulations or LBSII/Bilingual Special Education Specialist or Bilingual Ed. endorsement on a Prof. Educator License  

• Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts Court Interpreter Certification, Certified Medical Interpreter Certification, Advanced Proficiency Level (for sign language interpreters interpreting for parents), AND complete required coursework on special education terminology. 

E.   Sp. Ed. Terminology & Protocol Exemptions: Individuals who already hold special education licenses, endorsements, or approvals. 

F.   If a Qualified Interpreter is not available, a school district may use outside vendors, including telephonic interpreters.

G.  PROCEDURAL SAFEGUARD changes Subpart F Section 226.530 Parents' Participation provided annually to all parents of children with disabilities and in each Notice of Conference give notice to parents that:

• A parent has the right to request that the interpreter provided by the school district serve no other role in the IEP meeting other than as an interpreter and that the school districts should make reasonable efforts to fulfill this request; 

• Also: the availability of interpretation services at IEP team meetings; an explanation of how parents can request an interpreter; and a point of contact for any questions or complaints about interpretation services. 

H.  Each school district must record the following information: 

• Whether a parent requested an interpreter, had previously requested interpretation services, or had otherwise indicated that an interpreter was necessary to ensure meaningful parental involvement in the IEP meeting;    

• The language for interpretation;

• Whether a qualified interpreter was provided for each IEP meeting; 

• And whether a parent requested that the interpreter serve no other role in the IEP meeting, and if so, whether the school district granted that request.

I.  Professional Development related to Interpreting every 2 yrs., 6 hrs. of training including:

• Confidentiality      

• Accuracy

• Impartiality

• Interpreter ethics and professionalism. 

• Cultural awareness

• Special Education processes

• Special Education vocabulary

• Language acquisition

J.  Section 226.75 Definitions 

“Qualified interpreter” - school staff member or other personnel who is: 

• Bilingual and Demonstrably Qualified and Competent to Interpret; 

• Trained in providing the interpretations requested and sufficiently knowledgeable in both languages and of any specialized terminology needed;  and 

• Trained in ethics of interpretation  

K.  And in case you were wondering… “Preferred language”  means a parent’s or guardian’s native language or any other language with which the parent or guardian requests interpretation services. “Preferred language” does not include artificial or constructed languages, including, but not limited to, Klingon, Dothraki, Elvish, or Esperanto.

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CONGRATULATIONS TO CASE COOPERATIVE FOR BEING NAMED AS THE NATIONS TOP WORKPLACE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.  

Click here to read the article!  Way to go, CASE!

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INFINITEC PEER COACHING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Research shows that coaching has the ability to transform practice, but the coaching doesn’t need to come from an “expert”.  Significant changes occur when colleagues work together with the common goal of changing their practice.  Pam Robbins will take participants through the Peer Coaching process to ensure colleagues set up the conditions by which positive outcomes can be achieved, and then practice those skills.  This is not an evaluative process.   It is a collegial process with peers supporting peers to make any desired changes.   

Click here for more information on how to register! 

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ASK an ATTORNEY

Don’t forget about our new feature: Ask an Attorney. This is your opportunity to ask our IAASE Attorneys (Dana Crumley and/or Kendra Yoch) any questions. They will provide monthly updates via the IAASE Blog. Click here for the IAASE ASK an ATTORNEY form.

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SEAPAC UPDATE

Thank you to our SEAPAC Committee for making it easier to become a member. It is a $20 donation (minimum), and your contribution helps our legislative efforts. You can access a NEW feature and sign-up for SEAPAC online through Givebutter! Please consider signing up through this link. You can also text SEAPAC to (202) 858-1233 to get the link delivered directly to your phone. You will be able to pay with Venmo, Paypal, or via credit/debit card.