Systemic Change Resources
"What the best and wisest parent wants for his own child,
that must the community want for all its children."
John Dewey
Annenberg Institute For
School Reform
Mission: To
develop, share, and act on knowledge that improves the conditions and
outcomes of schooling in America, especially in urban communities.
Lots of information and resources including:
Smart Education Systems, Capacity Building, School Communities That
Work, and Tools For School Improvement Planning.
www.annenberginstitute.org
Autism Speaks
Autism Speaks aims to
bring the autism community together as one strong voice to urge the
government and private sector to listen to our concerns and take action
to address this urgent global health crisis. It is our firm belief that,
working together, we will find the missing pieces of the puzzle.
www.autismspeaks.org
Champions of Inclusion
This
inspiring article written by Bill
Henderson, Principal of the Patrick
O'Hearn Elementary School in Boston,
gives numerous examples of teachers,
students, parents, principals, janitors,
and many others who are champions of
inclusion. They connect, communicate,
challenge, and collaborate appropriately
when working with students who have
disabilities. They are extraordinary
individuals who demonstrate on a regular
basis how ordinary it can be for
students with disabilities to
participate successfully in a wide range
of activities with their peers. From
Inclusive Schools Network.
Champions Of
Inclusion [pdf]
Website:
http://www.inclusiveschools.org/content/champions-inclusion#attachments
Change Leadership Group
The Change Leadership
Group (CLG) at the Harvard Graduate School of Education is a
knowledge-development and capacity-building organization focused on
effective strategies for school and district improvement. Works with
school leaders to address systemic obstacles to student performance.
www.gse.harvard.edu
CLASP Limited English
Proficient/Immigrant Families and Early Child Care
The Center for Law and Social Policy has published findings from a study
of the state plans of Child Care and Development Block Grant recipients
across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report includes a
description of barriers that prevent children of immigrants from
participating in quality early child care and education as well as
recommendations for state policy makers to address such barriers.
CLASP Report [pdf]
www.clasp.org
Comprehensive School Reform (CSR)
Comprehensive School
Reform was developed to help schools engage in comprehensive reforms
that are grounded in scientifically based research and effective
practices so that all students can meet challenging state and local
academic standards. CSR was designed to leverage systemic improvement in
low performing schools — especially those that qualify for Title I
funds.
www.sedl.org
Disability Nation
DisabilityNation is an audio magazine by
and for people with disabilities. DisabilityNation brings you the
latest from the disability community and features news and interviews
covering important issues. This is coverage of disability issues you
won't get anywhere else.
www.disabilitynation.net
Disability Policy
Collaboration
A joint project of
United Cerebral Palsy and the ARC of the United States, the Disability
Policy Collaboration focuses
on legislative and legal supports to improve the lives of individuals
with disabilities and their families. The Disability Policy
Collaboration staff interact with Congress and the Administration to
meet the goal of improving the lives of individuals with disabilities
and their families.
Publications include Capitol Insider,
a weekly news digest and
Washington Watch, a monthly news digest on disability public policy
related to mental retardation, cerebral palsy and other disabilities.
Materials may be accessed through ARC's website at the link below:
http://www.thearc.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?&pid=209&srcid=423
Family Involvement
Network of Educators (FINE)
A community of thousands of educators,
practitioners, policymakers, and researchers dedicated to strengthening
family–school–community partnerships.
http://www.hfrp.org/
Florida Association of
Partners in Education (FAPE)
Non-profit professional organization
dedicated to enhancing student learning by building and maintaining
effective community and school partnerships. www.flpie.net
Florida Center for
Inclusive Communities (FCIC)
The FCIC is a University
Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research
and Service or UCEDD. FCIC focuses on
research
and evaluation, theory, policy, capacity building, and practice in the
areas of: Community Supports, Early Childhood, Transition, Education,
Employment, Health, Interdisciplinary Training, Public Policy, and
Cultural Competence.
http://flfcic.fmhi.usf.edu/
Florida Commission on
Human Relations
State agency charged with enforcing state
civil rights laws concerning the protected classes of race, color,
religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, and
familial status. The Commission also serves as a resource on human
relations for the people of Florida and investigates complaints in the
areas of employment, housing, public accommodations and state employee
whistle-blower retaliation.
http://fchr.state.fl.us
Florida Peer Network
An independent organization of and for
persons with psychiatric disabilities and co-occuring disorders. Their
mission is to promote recovery, quality of life, advocacy, education,
mutual support, peer directed services, and participation in mental
health policy design for consumers throughout the state of Florida.
www.floridapeernetwork.org
Florida's Voice on Developmental
Disabilities (FVDD)
Florida's
Voice on Developmental Disabilities, Inc. (formerly Florida's Voice on Mental
Retardation or FVMR), incorporated in FL in March 1995, is a statewide all
volunteer, non-profit organization comprised of family and friends of persons
with developmental disabilities. FVDD advocates for a full continuum of
educational, medical, programmatic, recreational, residential, therapeutic, and
vocational options based upon individual needs and choices.
www.fvmr.org
Global and Regional Asperger
Syndrome Partnership (GRASP)
International advocacy organization staffed by
people with Asperger Syndrome. Offers a support network, educational
outreach, and an information clearinghouse.
www.grasp.org Also has a mirror Spanish site:
www.grasp.org/spanish
IDEA Partnership
The IDEA
Partnership is a national organization dedicated to improving outcomes
for students and youth with disabilities by joining state agencies and
stakeholders through shared work and learning. The IDEA Partnership is
devoted to stimulating new ways for stakeholders- administrators,
service providers, family members, policymakers, and other interested
individuals – to work together on issues related to IDEA 2004 that are
shared across states and districts; across roles and relationships. To
accomplish this goal, the IDEA Partnership provides opportunities for
stakeholders to move beyond information and build shared meaning; to go
beyond dissemination to joint understanding and action. www.ideapartnership.org/
Inclusion Daily Express
International Disability Rights News
Service. Our mission is
to provide disability advocates with the most up-to-date news,
information and commentary about community inclusion, self-determination
and social justice, in a way that saves time and is easy to use.
www.inclusiondaily.com
Inclusive Schools Network
Web-based resource for families, schools and
communities that promotes inclusive educational practices. ISN’s
mission is “to encourage, embolden and empower people to design and
implement effective inclusive schools, by sharing insights and best
practices and by providing opportunities for connection.”
www.inclusiveschools.org
Informed Parents
United Together (I.P.U.T.)
As a statewide coalition of networks,
we seek the fundamental changes to the education system that are
necessary if we are ever to achieve "All Children, All Together, All the
Time." We seek to align ourselves with like-minded organizations and to
advocate for the adoption of policies, legislation, and practices that
support Universal Education. Systems change happens for all, change can
not be made one person at a time.
To make efficient systems change, we must unite and never settle, "All
Kids, All Together, All the Time!"
www.iput.org
Kids As Self Advocates (KASA)
A national, grassroots project created by
youth with disabilities for youth. We are teens and young adults with
disabilities speaking out. In order to make a real difference in
our communities and in this country, we work under a Theory of Change.
What this means is that we have come up with the change we want to see
for youth with disabilities in the U.S. and we have outlined how are
working to make that happen. Includes lots of resources, as well as
articles, poetry, and artwork by young adults with disabilities. Also
an extensive section of resources on dating and relationships for teens
with disabilities.
www.fvkasa.org
League of United Latin American Citizens
With
approximately 115,000 members throughout the
United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC is the
largest and oldest Hispanic Organization in the
United States. Historically, LULAC has focused
heavily on education, civil rights, and
employment for Hispanics. In addition, the LULAC
National Educational Service Centers, LULAC’s
educational arm, provides counseling services to
more than 18,000 Hispanic students per year at
sixteen regional centers.
http://www.lulac.org/education.html
Legislative History of Florida's Exceptional
Student Education Program
download pdf
National Center for Cultural Competence
The NCCC provides national leadership and
contributes to the body of knowledge on cultural
and linguistic competency within systems and
organizations. Major emphasis is placed on
translating evidence into policy and practice
for programs and personnel concerned with health
and mental health care delivery, administration,
education and advocacy. The NCCC has particular
expertise in developing instruments and
conducting organizational self-assessment
processes to advance cultural and linguistic
competency.
http://www11.georgetown.edu/research/gucchd/nccc/
National
Center for Culturally Responsive Educational
Systems (NCCRESt)
A project funded
by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of
Special Education Programs, provides technical
assistance and professional development to close
the achievement gap between students from
culturally and linguistically diverse
backgrounds and their peers, and reduce
inappropriate referrals to special education.
The project targets improvements in culturally
responsive practices, early intervention,
literacy, and positive behavioral supports.
www.nccrest.org
National
Council on Disability
NCD's overall
purpose is to promote policies, programs,
practices, and procedures that guarantee equal
opportunity for all individuals with
disabilities, regardless of the nature or
severity of the disability; and to empower
individuals with disabilities to achieve
economic self-sufficiency, independent living,
and inclusion and integration into all aspects
of society. NCD has a free ListServ to
receive news and bulletins.
www.ncd.gov
National Down Syndrome Society
News Story
http://www.wnbc.com/video/10573552/index.html
Evaluating No Child Left
Behind by Linda Darling-Hammond
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070521/darling-hammond
Partners In Making Your
Case
Self-study course for designed to help
people with developmental disabilities and their families create
positive change through advocacy.
http://www.partnersinpolicymaking.com/makingyourcase/
Florida's Partners In
Policymaking
An innovative leadership program for persons
with developmental disabilities and family members. Sponsored by the
Florida Developmental Disabilities Council
, over 250 advocates have completed the Partners in Policymaking program
since its inception in 1994. The program is designed to provide
information, training, and skill-building for effective advocacy. The
intended goal of the program is to achieve a partnership between those
who need and use services and those who make policy and law regarding
those services. www.fddc.org
Partners In Transition
The Purpose and Mission of the
Florida Partners in Transition project can be
summarized as the creation of a 4-year strategic
plan that will guide policymakers and
practitioners in systematically addressing the
major challenges and critical issues regarding
transition services in the State of Florida.
www.partnersintransition.org
PFLAG
Pathways to School
Improvement
Pathways synthesizes research, policy, and
best practices on issues critical to educators engaged in school
improvement. Includes information listed by "Critical Issue"
categories: Assessment, At-Risk Students,
Family and Community, Instruction, Leadership, Literacy, Mathematics and
Science, Policy, Professional Development, and Technology in Education.
www.ncrel.org
Ragged Edge Online
Online magazine with a focus on disability
rights. Includes loads of articles and recommended blogs.
www.raggededgemagazine.com
Universal Design -
Article from Education Week
The same design principles that brought Braille panels to public
elevators and curb cuts to city sidewalks should be imported to the
classroom and used to transform lessons and textbooks, says a coalition
of education groups. Called “universal design for learning,” the
philosophy advocates creating lessons and classroom materials that are
flexible enough to accommodate different learning styles.
[download pdf] or go
to:
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2007/10/31/10udl.h27.html
Zero Tolerance Discipline
Policies from Wrightslaw
From "Opportunities Suspended: The
Devastating Consequences of Zero Tolerance and School Discipline
Policies" The Civil Rights Project of Harvard University.
Link to Wrightstslaw
Summary
http://www.wrightslaw.com/advoc/nwltr/2000/nl_00_0706.htm
Link to Full
Report from Harvard
http://www.civilrightsproject.harvard.edu/research/discipline/opport_suspended.php
We are continuing to add information to this portion
of the website. If you would like to suggest an article, resource,
helpful website or publication, please e-mail
candace@cflparents.org.
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