July 2013 - vol. 27 no. 2

President’s Message

Kristine J. Melloy, Ph.D.

When I took on the responsibility of CCBD president in July 2012, I could not have predicted the year we have had. Even the most forward thinking leader and visionary would not have been able to foresee the tragic events of Newtown, Connecticut or the Boston, Massachusetts Marathon bombing. What I could have predicted though is that CCBD members would respond to those and other events with compassion, expertise and wisdom and in fact we did. As my term as president draws to a close this month, I take this opportunity to recap some of the service completed by the CCBD Executive Committee during the year of my presidency.

In response to the Sandy Elementary School shootings in Newtown, Connecticut, Joe Ryan (Vice President), Diana Rogers-Adkinson  (Past President) and Susan Albrecht (Chairperson, Advocacy and Governmental Relations Committee) drafted a response immediately to the tragedy that was posted to CCBD and CEC websites (http://www.cec.sped.org/~/media/Files/Membership/CCBD_Response%20to%20S… ). CCBD joined 80+ organizations in signing onto the December 2012 Connecticut School Shooting Position Statement Interdisciplinary Group on Preventing School and Community Violence. Kristine Jolivette (President Elect) recommended that the Executive Committee sign onto the Reducing Violence and Keeping Our Kids and Communities Safe Recommendations for President Obama, Vice President Biden and the 113th Congress from the National Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Coalition in January 2013 in response to the Newtown shootings. CCBD signed on as a result of that recommendation. More recently, CCBD responded to the Boston Marathon bombing with a Tips for Educators sheet developed in collaboration with the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and CEC (http://www.cec.sped.org/~/media/Files/Membership/TraumaticEvents_Tipsfo…). The tip sheet was emailed to every member of CEC.  CCBD continues to respond in a timely and appropriate way to these types of events given members’ expertise and knowledge but mostly because of their desire to maintain a spirit of hope even in the face of such loss.

In that same spirit, Susan Albrecht and the Advocacy and Governmental Relations Committee (AGR) work tirelessly to keep all of us abreast of the latest happenings related to advocacy and legislation and kids with EBD. The committee is assisted by Myrna Mandlawitz, Government Relations Professional, who works with the AGR to keep them informed about what is going on in Washington, DC. Based on recent recommendations from the AGR, CCBD signed onto two letters: (1) Protect all Children from Restraint and Seclusion; Amend the Student Success Act (H.R.5) and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to Include the Keeping All Students Safe Act; and (2) letter regarding disproportionality; Comment Request – IDEA Part B State Performance Plan and Annual Performance Report. Susan ends her 6 years as chairperson of the AGR June 30th. Thank you Susan for your tireless and amazing leadership. You have paved the way well for Sarup Mathur who has been appointed as the incoming chairperson of the AGR. 

The work of the Professional Development Committee (PDC) took on a new look this year as co-chairs Kelley Lassman and Claudia Rinaldi very competently took the reins of the committee working for the first time with a paid consultant, Renee Thomas. Hours and hours of service have been spent by Kelley, Claudia, Renee and members of the committee, Rick VanAcker, Bob Gable and Mitch Yell in the year while they prepare for the upcoming conference  “A Brighter Future: Prevention and Intervention on Behalf of Students with Challenging Behaviors” to be held September 26 – 28, 2013 Chicago, Illinois (http://www.ccbd.net/CCBD/Home). The PDC developed a strategic plan that includes new ways to meet CCBD members’ needs utilizing technology and to meet this need, the Executive Committee appointed J.T. Taylor (Representative A) as a technology liaison to the PDC. Be sure to register for the conference and keep on the lookout for new developments by this dynamic committee!

CCBD Publications keep getting better and better. This success can be attributed to our great Publications Committee that has been chaired by Carl Liaupsin and the editors. Kevin Sutherland and Maureen Conroy are the editors of Behavioral Disorders. Tim Landrum and Peter Alter are the editors of Beyond Behavior. Erika Blood is the editor of our Newsletter. Thank you for producing extremely informative professional publications. Tim and Peter will complete their term as co-editors June 30th. Thank you for your excellent work and dedication to CCBD. Joe Ryan and Mike Rozalski have been appointed as the new editors of Beyond Behavior. Carl will complete his 6 years as chairperson of the Publications Committee. Thank you Carl for your tremendous leadership and tireless commitment to excellence. Kimber Vannest has been appointed as Publications committee chairperson. 

Lonna Moline (Chairperson) and the Regional Services and Membership Committee were truly active in service to others this past year. Lonna and her committee were successful in maintaining active state chapters in 48 states. Way to go Lonna and committee!

Amina Turton, Ethnic and Multicultural Concerns Member-at-Large, successfully collaborated with the Division for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Exceptional Learners (DDEL) and will attend a DDEL leadership conference as CCBD’s representative in June. Kristine Jolivette was our Interdivisional Caucus (IDC) representative and kept us in the loop regarding IDC activities. Ed Cancio (Secretary) traveled to the CEC Headquarters Office and visited the CCBD Archives where he sifted through ten boxes of historical material, cataloged it and created a template for future archive activity for CCBD. Ed completes his term as secretary June 30th – Thank you so much Ed!!!. Joe Ryan (Vice President) conducted a great awards nomination and selection process. Joe also completed the CEC Program Advisory Committee (PAC) preliminary work in anticipation of becoming president elect in July. However, since Joe was appointed as co-editor of Beyond Behavior, he will resign as president elect. Thank you Joe for completing the PAC work and smoothing the way for Susan Albrecht who takes over as Vice President July 1. Susan has agreed to take on the PAC work – thank you. Diana Rogers-Adkinson (Past President) ran a smooth nominations and election with a full slate of diverse candidates. Diana was scheduled to complete her term on the Executive Committee June 30. She has agreed to serve as interim president elect until the position can be filled through a special election that will be held in August (see Call for Nominations in this Newsletter). Thank you Diana. Mike Paget (Treasurer) is a master at managing our budget and keeping us all on track for how we spend CCBD’s money. Mike led us through the two year budget process ‘painlessly’ – for a group of volunteers who do not do that on a regular basis, that takes a great deal of finesse and Mike does it so well. J. T. Taylor (Representative A) and Shelley Neilsen Gatti (Representative B) represent us well. They drew a record number of attendees to the Members’ Concerns Meeting in San Antonio in April 2013 in conjunction with the CEC Convention. J.T. was recognized for his report at the CEC Representative Assembly Meeting during the CEC Convention in April. Shelley completes her term on June 30th – thank you for your great service. James Collins (Student Member-at-Large) was instrumental in maintaining the student voice at the Executive Committee table. James completes his term on June 30th. Thank you. Naomi Schoenfeld (CCBD Foundation President) coordinated a successful foundation fundraiser in conjunction with the CEC Convention in San Antonio. Naomi also revamped the foundation’s board structure. Mickey Losinski (Webmaster) convinced the Executive Committee to move the CCBD website platform to the CEC website platform so that we would have a greater capacity site. Mickey’s expertise in this area is invaluable. 

Finally, there is a member of our group that is not a committee member or a person who sits on the Executive Committee as a voting member. She is actually our only paid staff member. Her name is Jamie Thompson (Executive Secretary). Without Jamie, I am not sure how any of us would get the work of CCBD done. Jamie works tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure our communications are completed professionally and timely, that our conference calls are executed with precision, that our face-to-face meetings happen with logistic excellence – all this with a calmness and happy countenance maintained under all circumstances and with all kinds of persons. In my opinion, Jamie would make a great EBD teacher! Thank you Jamie for your wonderful, tireless and excellent support and service to CCBD. 

Well, for all that went on in the last year, this does not seem adequate as a means to portray the work that everyone does to carry out our service as CCBD volunteers committed to a better life for children and youth with EBD.  Forty years ago Carl Smith (CCBD President, 1984-1985) invited me to be a leader in CEC along with other college students majoring in special education in Iowa colleges and universities. I was a freshman in college and still a teenager. Imaging that. Carl was the Iowa Student CEC Advisor at that time and not knowing what I was in for at the time, I said yes to his invitation. I have been saying yes to some form of local, state and national CEC and CCBD leadership ever since. Those of us who say ‘yes’ to volunteer service and yes to the call to work for and with kids with EBD don’t do it for the money – if that were the case we would all be gazillionaires given our passion, dedication, knowledge, expertise and commitment. Put all that in a corporate boardroom where they pay the big bucks and yes, we would be paid a lot. But we don’t do it for the money. We say ‘yes’ because we know it is the right thing for us and for the kids, families and professionals we advocate for and work for.  

It has been an honor and a privilege to serve with the fabulous CCBD volunteers on the Executive Committee and Committees as the president this year and to serve the wonderful members of CCBD. I look forward to serving one more year as the past president of CCBD. After that…who knows, perhaps, I will serve another 40 years. 

Call for Nominations

President Elect Special Election

Joe Ryan was scheduled to become CCBD’s President Elect on July 1, 2013 for a one year term. Joe will resign in order to become the co-editor of the CCBD journal Beyond Behavior.

The CCBD Executive Committee has approved holding a special election to fill the position of President Elect. The special election will be held electronically in August 2013 and the term for the new President Elect will be in effect September 2013 to June 30, 2014. The President Elect then becomes the President and serves a one year term from July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015. Following the term of President, the person becomes the Past President for a one year term from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016.

If you are interested in being considered as a candidate or if you know a person who would be a good candidate for the position of President Elect, please contact Kris Melloy, current CCBD President. Kris will become Past President on July 1, 2013 and the chairperson of the CCBD Nominations and Elections Committee.

Please submit your interest in being a candidate for nomination no later than July 15, 2013 by emailing Kris Melloy ([email protected]) the following information:

1. Statement accepting nomination
2. CEC membership number of the nominee
3. Statement that presents, in 1,000 words or less, the following:

a.  issues for the Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders (may involve students, professionals, or other issues);

b. responses needed to deal with issues identified, and

c. how the nominee, if elected, would respond to the issues while on the CCBD Executive Committee;

1. Condensed resume or vita (maximum of three pages).
2. A ballot statement describing nominee’s qualifications, perspectives, and/or goals. This will be included in the ballot verbatim, and  length must not exceed 100 words.

If you have questions, please email Kris or call her at 651-263-9826.

The Nominations and Elections Committee will complete their work in late July and the ballot will be sent electronically to all CCBD members by mid August for voting.

Thank you!

This Summer’s “Must Read” for All E/BD Teachers

Submitted by Joe Ryan

The most recent issue of Beyond Behavior (BB) is an essential summer read for all emotional and behavioral disorders (E/BD) teachers.  Issue 22(1) which was just recently mailed out to all CCBD members’ addresses one of the most important issues related to education, investigating what makes an effective teacher.  Among the many excellent take a ways the issue provides educators, include:

• Terry Scott and colleagues investigate what elements make up an effective E/BD teacher. We all know some amazing teachers, ever wonder what makes them so good? This article discusses the critical elements of effective teaching, including instructional variables (e.g., effective teaching strategies), management variables (e.g., employment of a range of behavior tactics and strategies), and teacher variables (e.g., skills, traits and personality characteristics).
• Maureen Conroy and Kevin Sutherland look at how the combination of effective instructional practices, positive teacher-student interactions and effective teaching can successfully change the academic and behavioral trajectory of students with E/BD.
• Ashley Macsuga-Gage is the lead author on an article that discusses evidence based teaching practices that promote a positive classroom environment. The article also provides teachers with numerous web links to help teachers easily identify and understand how to implement evidence based academic and behavioral interventions. If you’re looking for ways to increase classroom participation, Todd Haydon and colleagues demonstrate how teachers can implement an evidence based strategy called “opportunities to respond” (OTR) to increase student participation.
• Regina Gilkey Hirn and Kristy Park show how a combination of well-orchestrated teacher behaviors throughout the instructional sequence, including (a) prior to teaching (e.g., lesson planning, establishing routines), (b) during instruction (e.g., opportunities to respond, providing feedback), and (c) post instruction (e.g., transition) can help create a positive and engaging learning environment within your classroom.
• If reducing disruptive behaviors is a concern, Robin Parks Ennis and colleagues demonstrate an easy 7 step method for using pre-correction to reduce problem behaviors in your classroom.
• Nicholas Gage and Sara McDaniel review a simplistic 4 step data based decision making process designed to help teachers make more informed behavior management decisions that can benefit your classroom and school.

While this summer’s issue of Beyond Behavior (BB) is not as suspenseful as an Ian Fleming novel, or risqué as 50 Shades of Grey, it’s an excellent read to help every E/BD teacher be effective and ready for their students this fall.  In the meantime, don’t forget to pack the sunscreen and your copy of BB for your next trip to the beach.  Enjoy your summer!

Advocacy in Action

Susan Fread Albrecht, Ed.D., NCSP

Advocacy and Governmental Relations Committee Chair

June marks the end of my tenure as the chair of CCBD’s Advocacy and Governmental Relations committee.  With that comes the opportunity to give a public thank you to the presidents under whom I have served (Sarup Mathur, Cheryl George, Richard White, Alec Peck, Antonis Katsayanis, Diana Rogers-Adkinson, and Kris Melloy) and especially the committee members who have served with me: Bev Johns, Peter Kislinsky, Steve Kroeger, Sarup Mathur, Matthew Mayer, Joyce Mounsteven, Reece Peterson, and Russ Skiba.

What a time it has been for CCBD!  We have led the national discussion on the use of restraint and seclusion with our position paper reported before Congress, the White House, numerous state government agencies, and now possibly (hopefully!) as part of the considerations in the upcoming reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.  We have developed position statements on Response to Intervention, school violence, disproportionality in special education practices and the reporting of such, support for PBIS, and recommendations for administrators of teachers of students with emotional and behavioral disorders that reflect CCBD’s commitment to safe schools, effective practices for all students, and particular attention to the needs of students with EBD. 

This has been hard work – and good work.  CCBD works hard for students and for YOU.  Your support of CCBD through your continued membership and attendance at CCBD conferences is critical to keeping CCBD in the forefront as a voice well regarded by CEC and the professional community of EBD supporters.  Many times you have responded to the calls for action in contacting your federal legislators advocating for positive practices on urgent issues facing Congress.  These efforts must continue.  We are in this together.

As I have welcomed the first day of summer and the super moon in these waning days of June, I also welcome the opportunity to continue in service to CCBD as your newly elected vice-president.  I am confident that the good work of the AGR committee will continue under the competent leadership of the new chair, Sarup Mathur, as the voice of CCBD is heard loud and strong.

Senate Moves Forward on ESEA 

On June 13 with a straight party line vote of 12-10, the Democratic majority of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee passed the Strengthening America's Schools Act ("SASA," S. 1094), a bill to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA, currently known as No Child Left Behind).  Education laws generally are reauthorized every five years. ESEA was scheduled for this intensive reexamination process in 2007.  Efforts to reauthorize the law since that date have been stymied by philosophical party differences, in part related to what role the federal government should play in education policy. 

It is important first to remind readers of the process of passing an ESEA reauthorization bill through Congress.  The House Committee on Education and the Workforce will take up its majority bill, which differs significantly from the Senate HELP Committee version.  The committee-passed bills each must be brought to the floor of the respective chambers for debate and passage, followed by convening of a conference committee to reconcile the differences between the Senate and House bills. After the conference committee produces a single compromise bill, each chamber must vote on that final bill and the resulting bill is sent to the president for signature or veto.  In other words, passage of SASA by the Senate HELP Committee is just the first step in a long legislative process.

As noted in the opening of this article, there is a wide philosophical difference between Democrats and Republicans on the federal role in education.  During the HELP Committee debate on SASA, senior committee Republican ("ranking member") Senator Alexander (R-NC) spoke frequently about the bill's creation of a "national school board." His inference was that the bill includes a number of requirements on States and much greater oversight than the Republicans believe is necessary.  Republican senators supported amendments that would reduce the requirements on States and allow States and local school districts maximum flexibility to design accountability systems and determine the educational process in their own jurisdictions.  Democrats, led by HELP Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA), support a strong federal presence, giving the rationale that federal oversight is necessary and important for all children to have "equity and access" to the same educational opportunities.

 Following are some key provisions of SASA:

• Maintains subgroups, including students with disabilities, and accountability for their progress through disaggregation of data and other emphases on their progress.
  • Establishes an "n" size of 15, requiring disaggregation of data for subgroups of 15 or more students.
  • Continues the requirement for testing at least 95 percent of all students and 95 percent of each subgroup.
• For States that use Title I funds for early childhood education, requires those States to have early learning guidelines and standards for kindergarten through third grade.
• Requires States to adopt "college- and career-ready" (CCR) academic content and achievement standards in mathematics and reading/English language arts by the 2015-16 school year.
  • Continues the requirement to assess students annually in grades 3-8 and once in grades 10 through 12 in math and reading/English language arts, and once in each of the grade spans (3-5, 6-9, 9-12) in science.
• Eliminates "adequate yearly progress" (AYP) and the requirement for all students to meet proficiency by 2014.
• Replaces AYP with State-developed accountability systems that
  • Measure academic growth, where "sufficient growth" means a student is performing at or above grade level either within three years or by the end of the student's grade span, or through another model approved by the Secretary of Education.
  • Establish performance targets by adopting (a) targets set through the State ESEA waiver process; or (b) the goal of every school meeting the achievement level of the highest-performing 10 percent of the State's schools within a reasonable period of time, with annual progress toward that goal for each subgroup (including students with disabilities) and an assurance of accelerated progress for subgroups starting with the lowest levels of student achievement.
• Allows up to one percent of students with significant cognitive disabilities to be taught to alternate achievement standards and assessed on alternate assessments.
  • Prohibits use of other alternate or modified standards under Title I-ESEA.
  • Prohibits more than 1 percent of the total number of students in each grade in the State from being assessed on alternate assessments.
  • Allows separate determinations by subject of whether students will be tested on alternate assessments.
  • Allows schools to count as graduates up to 1 percent of students tested on alternate assessments who have received a regular high school diploma or a "State-defined alternate diploma."
• Continues requirement for State, district, and school report cards with additional elements, including, among others, data on
  • School discipline, incidence of school violence and bullying, districts' implementation of positive behavioral interventions and supports, students receiving early intervention services and the impact on special education identification, and districts' implementation of school-based mental health programs.
  • Rates of remediation for high school graduates enrolled in postsecondary education, and rates of passage of college credit worthy courses such as Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate.
  • Evaluation results of teachers and principals.
• Requires States to identify three categories of schools – schools needing local interventions, focus schools, and priority schools.
  • Local intervention schools have not met the same performance target for the same subgroup after two consecutive years and must develop, with district collaboration, a locally designed intervention for each subgroup.
  • Focus schools are the 10 percent of schools in the State that are not priority schools and have the greatest achievement gaps among the subgroups, and for high schools are among the 10 percent of schools with the greatest graduation gaps for subgroups. Corrective action plans must be developed and implemented.
  • Priority schools are the lowest achieving five percent of elementary schools, the lowest five percent of high schools, and any high schools with a graduation rate of less than 60 percent. One of several restructuring and turnaround models must be adopted.

The 1150-page bill contains many details beyond what can be summarized in this article.  Once CASE has analyzed the House bill, we will provide some political "realities" on whether a final bill is likely this year.  

House Committee Passes ESEA Bill

On June 19, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce passed its bill to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA, currently known as No Child Left Behind, NCLB).  The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) passed its version the previous week.  Since the House majority is Republican and the Senate is Democratic, the two bills look very different.

In his opening statement as the House Committee began consideration of the Student Success Act (H.R. 5), Chairman Kline (R-MN) stated that NCLB had left schools with "a mountain of red tape" and little room for innovation.  He outlined four "pillars" on which H.R. 5 is based:(a) reducing the federal footprint in education; (b) restoring local control; (c) shifting the focus from "highly qualified teachers" to "highly effective teachers"; and (d) empowering parents. 

Ranking Democrat George Miller (D-CA) said in his opening statement that the bill is a "step in the wrong direction" and does not make the changes required to meet students' needs.  He noted that no one believes the rewrite of the ESEA should be as rigid as No Child Left Behind, but that the real fight is about "equity."

There were only three amendments offered. 

• The first was a full Republican substitute for the Chairman's bill offered by Rep. Rokita (R-IN), which included a few small changes to the underlying bill. The amendment passed on a party-line vote as the replacement for the bill introduced by Chairman Kline.
• A second non-controversial amendment passed (Sponsor: Rep. Heck (R-NV) which encourages school districts to expand dual enrollment and early college high school programs.
• The final amendment considered by the Committee was a Democratic substitute offered by Rep. Miller as a full substitute for the Republican bill. The amendment failed on a party-line vote.

The extended discussion about both the Rokita and Miller substitutes pointed up the major philosophical differences between the two parties.  Simply put, the Republican bill would seriously reduce federal involvement, oversight, and funding for education, while the Democratic bill is similar to the Senate majority bill with a strong focus on accountability and performance targets and consideration of school climate and barriers to learning. 

It is difficult to see how the Senate and House bills can be reconciled in a conference committee. However, before that step, each bill must be passed in the respective chambers.  House Majority Leader Cantor (R-VA) has said he will allow floor time for the bill in July.  It is unclear at this time what the Senate schedule will be.  It remains to be seen if this bill will clear both chambers before the end of the year.

AASA Proposes IDEA Due Process Changes

In anticipation of the next reauthorization of the IDEA which was slated to occur in 2009, the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) has begun to develop policy recommendations.  AASA is issuing a series of reports, the first of which is Rethinking the Special Education Due Process System, to stimulate discussion on problems with the current law and possible solutions.  The report states that changes in the current system could "greatly reduce, if not eliminate, the burdensome and often costly litigation that does not necessarily ensure measurable educational gains for special education students."  AASA offers a new model, which they hope will create dialogue on this important issue. 

AASA contends the current IDEA monitoring system instituted after the 2004 reauthorization and accountability under No Child Left Behind Act, including disaggregation of subgroup data and penalties for lack of subgroup improvement, have made school districts "more compliant with IDEA and more focused on improving the academic outcomes of students with disabilities."  The report suggests this higher level of compliance makes the current system, which diverts financial and human resources from focusing on the mission of improving academic outcomes for students, ripe for re-examination.

AASA also states the system is "inequitable and unpopular."  The document cites a number of reports that address parent and school dissatisfaction with the system, as well as difficulties faced by low- and middle-income families in utilizing the system.

Of particular interest are the results of a survey of 200 randomly selected superintendents from a cross-section of school districts describing what, if any, challenges they face in addressing due process claims.  Forty-six percent of respondents indicated they "acquiesce to requests by parents that were considered unreasonable or inconsistent with IDEA less than 10% of the time."  One-fifth of respondents indicated they agreed to parental requests 51 to 75 percent of the time.  Respondents also were asked to characterize the stress experienced by school staff who were involved the hearings and litigation.  Ninety-five percent classified the stress as high or very high.  In addition, the survey asked about financial costs associated with hearings and litigation.

AASA is proposing the following as a fix to the current dispute resolution system:

• Add IEP facilitation to the list of options available to districts to resolve disputes with parents by authorizing districts to contract with a state-approved, trained IEP facilitator.
• If a formal due process complaint is filed by a parent, either party could request mediation. The mediation would be conducted by a trained mediator with no lawyers or advocates present.
• If mediation failed, the district and parents would jointly select a neutral independent special education consultant designated by the state to "review evidence of the child’s disability and advise the parties on how to devise a suitable compromise IEP."
• Within 21 days, the consultant would examine student evaluations, interview parents and school personnel, observe the student in school, examine the school’s services, and review the student’s academic performance. The consultant would then recommend an IEP for the student. The district and parent would be obligated to follow the consultant-designed IEP for a mutually agreed upon period of time.
• If either party were dissatisfied with the consultant's IEP after a period of implementation, that party could file a lawsuit. The consultant’s notes and model IEP would be included as part of the record in any litigation. If the parent wished to pursue compensatory education or reimbursement for expenses associated with obtaining private education in the absence of the school district’s provision of a free appropriate public education, the parent could do so in court only after having attempted to find agreement with the district through the facilitation and consultancy model.

The entire report is available at http://www.aasa.org/headlinecontent.aspx?id=27966&showcontent=1.  Readers are encouraged to send comments at that site.

Featured Speakers for the CCBD International Conference -- don't miss them!

The planning committee for the CCBD International Conference to be held on Sept 26-28 in Chicago, IL is pleased to announce Drs. Cartledge, Yell, Katsiyannis, and Landrum as featured speakers.  Dr. Cartledge will be leading off the strand that looks at trends and issues of children and youth with EBD from cultural and linguistic diversity backgrounds.  Drs. Yell and Katisiyannis will provide insight into the changing legal landscape, policy and professional development.  Dr. Landrum will highlight current research information related to children and youth with EBD.  Read below to learn more about these exciting strands featured speakers.

Gwendolyn Cartledge is professor emeritus at The Ohio State University, College of Education and Human Ecology, special education programs.  She taught courses on the academic and social development of children with mild disabilities, emphasizing students with serious emotional disturbances (SED).  Gwendolyn Cartledge documents an extensive teaching career in both the public schools and higher education.  A faculty member at OSU since 1986, her professional research and writings have centered on the development of social skills in children with and without disabilities, with a more recent emphasis on culturally and linguistically diverse populations. Currently she is the principal investigator on an Institute of Educational Sciences (IES) grant designed to develop an intervention to minimize the reading/special education risk of first- and second-grade urban learners. 

Mitchell Yell is a professor in special education in the College of Education at the University of South Carolina.  Dr. Yell directs the teacher education program in emotional and behavioral disorders at USC.   He received his Ph. D. from the University of Minnesota.  His research and professional work explores special education law, evidence-based interventions for children and youth with disabilities, school-wide positive support, and progress monitoring.  He is perhaps best known for his ability to extrapolate principles from legislation and litigation and to communicate them to parents and educators in a clear, concise manner to assist in the formation and implementation of legally sound, empirically-based policies.  Dr. Yell currently serves on the CCBD’s Professional Development Committee.

Antonis Katsiyannis received his doctorate from the College of William and Mary in general school administration/special education administration with a specialization in behavioral disorders.   Currently, Dr. Katsiyannis serves as a Distinguished Alumni Professor of Special Education in the Eugene T. Moore School of Education at Clemson University.  He teaches courses in assessment, applied behavior analysis, and legal and policy issues.  He has published numerous articles in the areas of legal and policy issues associated with special education , delinquency, and issues involving students with emotional and behavioral disorders.  Dr. Katsiyannis serves as a member of the executive board of the council for Children with Behavioral Disorders and as a member of the board of directors for the Midwest Symposium for Leadership in Behavioral Disorders.  He serves as the co-editor of the Journal of Disability Policy Studies.

Timothy Landrum Dr. Tim Landrum is an associate professor and Chair of the Department of Special Education at the University of Louisville. He has authored more than 70 publications and presented more than 100 conference presentations and workshops in special education, focusing on such issues as emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD), classroom and behavior management, and the identification and implementation of evidence-based practices. He is co-author (with James M. Kauffman) of the leading textbook on the characteristics of children and youth with EBD. 

Are You Interested in a Free Upgrade to a Suite at the CCBD Conference??

The 2013 conference promises to be better than ever with over 100 breakout sessions, a poster presentation reception, small group events, participatory sessions, and a few surprises.  Come to learn, network, and have some fun!

Congratulations to Naomi Schoenfeld!  Because of her early registration Naomi was entered into and won the drawing for a free update to a suite during her stay at the conference.

Are you interested in a free upgrade to a suite?

Register before July 31 to be entered in the next drawing!

Want to know more about all the fun things happening in Chicago?  Go to:  http://www.choosechicago.com/2013ccbdconf/

Ready to register?  Go to:  http://www.regonline.com/Register/Checkin.aspx?EventID=1190529

Calling all Student CCBD Members

The planning committee of the 2013 International Conference would like to invite all student members to self-nominate and explain why you should be chosen for a special mentoring opportunity at the conference.  

Selected students will be invited to a small group reception with faculty and leaders from the EBD community, and host invited guests at the lunch and learn event.  

Interested students should send a letter of interest to Dr. Kelley Lassman ([email protected]) indicating your current status as a student, your aspirations, and why this invitation to a mentoring event will further your career serving children and youth with EBD.  For purposes of this event, anyone who has student status as a current CCBD member qualifies.  Please limit your submission to no more than 600 words.  Submissions due July 31.

Communities of Practice in the National COP on School Behavioral Health

Part 3 in a series of discussions about the COP

Mike Paget, Treasurer, National CCBD

In the past two newsletters we’ve looked at the concept of “Communities of Practice.” In the first column, CoPs were defined: “The Community of Practice makes connections from person to person for shared inquiry and learning about a practice or issue. Everyone's voice is needed to understand the practice or issue. Participants have a shared identity, relationships within a community, and a shared repertoire of practices or experiences about an issue” (Wenger, E. 2003, November 11. Communities of practice. Plenary session at the National Conference of the National Association of State Directors of Special Education, Louisville, KY.)

The national COP on School Behavioral Health supports the following CoPs:

• Building a Collaborative Culture for Student Mental Health
• Connecting School Mental Health with Juvenile Justice and Dropout Prevention
• Connecting School Mental Health and Positive Behavior Supports
• Education: An Essential Component of Systems of Care
• Families in Partnership with Schools and Communities
• Improving School Mental Health for Youth with Disabilities
• Learning the Language/Promoting Effective Ways for Interdisciplinary Collaboration
• Psychiatry and Schools
• Quality and Evidence-Based Practice
• School Mental Health for Military Families
• School Mental Health for Culturally Diverse Youth
• Youth Involvement and Leadership

Each of the communities includes information, opportunities for discussion, announcements, etc. Register at www.sharedwork.org and explore. An interesting aspect of these communities is that each group welcomes new members, believing that when we interact with others who share our interests, we will learn from each other.

CEC Executive Director Retires

The CCBD wishes to recognize CEC Executive Director Bruce A. Ramirez upon his retirement effective June 30, 2013.

Ramirez has served as executive director of CEC since 2005. His leadership and stewardship have been instrumental in growing the organization’s fiscal health, online learning presence, advocacy and public policy influence, diversity, organizational collaboration and external partnerships.

He began his 37-year career at the Council in governmental relations playing a leadership role in the implementation of the Education for All Handicapped Children’s Act, P.L 94-142. Under his guidance, diversity programming has expanded, the annual convention and expo has grown in stature to become the foremost professional development event in special education and professional development has diversified.

As deputy executive director, Ramirez oversaw the expansion of communications, including the Council's first website, and receipt of grants and contracts. He also played a key role in transforming and streamlining the Council's governance and relocating the headquarters office to have a closer proximity to the nation's capital.

Ramirez commended the members, volunteer leaders and staff of the Council for their many accomplishments over the years. “They have been at the forefront of major special and gifted education issues and trends and are deeply committed and passionate about advancing educational opportunities for children and youth with exceptionalities, the engagement of their families and advancing our field's professional practice,” Ramirez said. “One could not have a better mission and community.”

On behalf of CEC's many members and supporters, CEC President Christy Chambers praised Ramirez's extraordinary length of service and commitment to the organization and to the education of children and youth with exceptionalities. “We will miss him and we wish him well as he moves into retirement,” Chambers said.

The CEC Board of Directors will begin a national search for a successor. For more information, contact Diane Shinn, senior director for communications, [email protected], 703-264-9478.

Thank you Bruce for your many years of dedicated service to CEC and CCBD!

CEC in Search of New Executive Director

Go to the following links for more information - 

Information about CEC Executive Director Opening: CEC_ED_Recruitment_Ad.pdf

CEC Executive Director Job Description: CEC_ED_Job_Description_2013.pdf