From ruby.sandberg at state.or.us Thu Sep 5 15:35:04 2013 From: ruby.sandberg at state.or.us (SANDBERG Ruby) Date: Thu, 5 Sep 2013 22:35:04 +0000 Subject: [SE-Dir] Grants for Extended Assessments Message-ID: <4E50EBA2CE1EA34FAC76131D54200F6912E548D7@BLUPRD0411MB402.namprd04.prod.outlook.com> TO: All District and ESD Special Education Directors The message below is being sent to you on behalf of: Sarah Drinkwater, Ph.D. Assistant Superintendent Office of Learning - Student Services Unit ______________________________________________ September 5, 2013 The funding for the Extended Assessment grants for this school year is in process. These are going out early enough so you should have adequate time to use the funds as they are designated. The Extended Assessment grants are flat funded this year, meaning you will be receiving about the same amount of funds as last year. The Extended Assessment grants are to be utilized to maintain and support your capacity to assess students with disabilities. In addition, these funds are to be used to support Oregon's transition to the new alternate assessment we expect to begin administering in 2014-15. Support to staff and our students is critical and I know these funds will help in that effort. The grant notification will be sent to your superintendent, and/or business manager in the near future. The grant manager for the Extended Assessment grants is Brad Lenhardt. He can be reached at Brad.Lenhardt at state.or.us or 503-947-5755 Feel free to contact him if you have questions after you receive the notification. Thanks for all you do on behalf of students with disabilities. Sarah Ruby Sandberg, Executive Assistant Office of Learning/Student Services Oregon Department of Education 503-947-5738 FAX: 503-378-5156 ruby.sandberg at state.or.us The Oregon Department of Education is an equal opportunity agency and employer. Messages to and from this email address may be made available to the public under Oregon law. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ruby.sandberg at state.or.us Tue Sep 10 08:49:03 2013 From: ruby.sandberg at state.or.us (SANDBERG Ruby) Date: Tue, 10 Sep 2013 15:49:03 +0000 Subject: [SE-Dir] House Bill 2756 Seclusion Cells Message-ID: <4E50EBA2CE1EA34FAC76131D54200F6912E58B6E@BLUPRD0411MB402.namprd04.prod.outlook.com> TO: All District and ESD Special Education Directors The message below is being sent to you on behalf of: Sarah Drinkwater, Ph.D. Assistant Superintendent Office of Learning/Student Services ______________________________________________ September 10, 2013 MEMORANDUM NO 002-2013-14 - House Bill 2756 Seclusion Cells House Bill 2756 required public education providers to remove all seclusion cells from the premises of a school prior to September 1, 2013. HB 2756 also prohibits public education providers from purchasing, building or otherwise taking possession of seclusion cells. Oregon law allows for the seclusion or restraint of a student if deemed necessary to help the student regain self-control and ensure the safety of the student and those around him/her. See Section 1 to 6, chapter 665, Oregon Laws 2011. Seclusion is one of many strategies school staff may employ to help a student regain self-control and a technical assistance manual on restraint and seclusion can be found on the ODE website at: http://www.ode.state.or.us/opportunities/grants/nclb/title_iv/a_drugfree/6_6draft_guidelines12_tarestraintseclusion-no56.pdf. Seclusion is a practice, not a location, and seclusion can occur anywhere a student, who is out of control or presenting imminent risk of serious bodily injury to self or others, is placed or kept. This could be an empty classroom or other safe space. Seclusion occurs when these two criteria are met: 1) the student is alone or isolated in a room and 2) prevented from leaving and/or has the perception that s/he is prevented from leaving the room. During the 2013 session, the Oregon Legislature passed House Bill 2756 which prohibits public education programs from purchasing, building, possessing and using "seclusion cells" or "freestanding" units built and used for the seclusion of students. The bill required the immediate dismantling and removal of "seclusion cells" from classrooms by July 1, 2013 and the removal from the school or public education program's premises by September 1, 2013. The new law does not prohibit the use of seclusion in public education programs to assist with helping a student regain self-control; it simply bans the use of seclusion cells. Specifically, House Bill 2756 includes the following: * The bill applies to all public education programs meaning a program that: * Is for students in early childhood education, elementary school or secondary school; * Is under the jurisdiction of a school district, an education service district or another educational institution or program; and * Receives, or serves students who receive, support in any form from any program supported, directly or indirectly, with funds appropriated to the Department of Education. * Seclusion means the student is physically prevented from leaving the unit or room, or believes they are prevented from leaving; and the student is alone or isolated from other students. * Public education programs may not purchase, build or otherwise take possession of a seclusion cell; and may not use a seclusion cell. * Seclusion cell is defined as a freestanding, self-contained unit, whether attached to the wall or not. * Nothing prevents a public education program from using seclusion as allowed under sections 1 to 6, chapter 665, Oregon Laws 2011. * Public education programs must ensure that all seclusion cells are removed from the classroom by July 1, 2013; and must remove seclusion cells from the premises of the public education program no later than September 1, 2013. As a reference we have also attached pictures of examples of "seclusion cells" that legislators used during the hearings and floor debate on this topic to illustrate what type of unit the bill was prohibiting. For more information, see HB 2756-A at the following link: http://landru.leg.state.or.us/13reg/measures/hb2700.dir/hb2756.en.html If you have additional questions, you are encouraged to contact Michael Mahoney, Safe & Healthy Schools Coordinator, at Michael.mahoney at state.or.us or (503) 947-5628. Ruby Sandberg, Executive Assistant Office of Learning/Student Services Oregon Department of Education 503-947-5738 FAX: 503-378-5156 ruby.sandberg at state.or.us The Oregon Department of Education is an equal opportunity agency and employer. Messages to and from this email address may be made available to the public under Oregon law. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... 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Name: Seclusion Cells 3.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 5894 bytes Desc: Seclusion Cells 3.jpg URL: From ruby.sandberg at state.or.us Tue Sep 10 12:03:25 2013 From: ruby.sandberg at state.or.us (SANDBERG Ruby) Date: Tue, 10 Sep 2013 19:03:25 +0000 Subject: [SE-Dir] Oregon Employment First Message-ID: <4E50EBA2CE1EA34FAC76131D54200F6912E59EFB@BLUPRD0411MB402.namprd04.prod.outlook.com> TO: All District and ESD Special Education Directors The message below is being sent to you on behalf of: Sarah Drinkwater, Ph.D. Assistant Superintendent Office of Learning - Student Services Unit ______________________________________________ September 10, 2013 Welcome to the first Oregon Employment First News & Information for You message! You can expect to see regular updates as we move forward to implement Governor Kitzhaber's Executive Order (http://www.oregon.gov/gov/docs/executive_orders/eo_13-04.pdf ) on Employment First and our ongoing commitment to integrated employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). As most of you know, Oregon has been a leader in providing supported employment services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in community residential settings and has set an example for other states by demonstrating its express commitment to the benefits of transitioning individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities into integrated, community residential settings. Back in April, the Governor appointed me as the statewide Employment First Coordinator to oversee and coordinate the Oregon's Employment First policy, including all activities required by the Governor's Executive Order. In my role, I will be working with the DHS Office of Developmental Disabilities Services, the DHS Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, Oregon Department of Education staff and the Oregon Council for Developmental Disabilities to expand access to supported employment services. That work is already underway, and I'll provide more about that in the days to come. Sometimes these messages will come from me, but you'll also see messages from other partners in this work. Today, I'd like to use our first message to talk about Oregon's history of leadership and innovation in services to those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Let me begin by saying that although Oregon is one of the top states for integrated employment, we can do better. Individuals with disabilities persistently face higher rates of unemployment than their non-disabled fellow citizens. As Oregon's economy continues to recover from the 2008 recession, we must strive to ensure that all Oregonians benefit from the recovery, including those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. While the state cannot guarantee a job to any Oregonian, the state can and should consistently work to continue to improve its provision of employment services to provide the best possible opportunities for success and choice for individuals receiving those services. Improving Oregon's delivery of employment services, with the goal of achieving integrated employment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, consistent with their abilities and choices, will benefit individuals with disabilities, their families, our communities, the economy, and the state. Back in the 1980's, Oregon was able to expand the number of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in paid, integrated employment settings. . By 2008, Oregon ranked 16th of 39 states reporting on integrated employment. At the same time, however, the population receiving funded adult developmental disability employment and day services nationally has expanded to an estimated half a million persons , The population being served has changed in other ways. Oregon downsized and ultimately closed its two state residential institutions for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, returning more I/DD individuals to the community. . Oregon, like many other states, began to work toward improving employment outcomes for people with I/DD. This work included significant input from stakeholders and partners. In 2008, Oregon adopted an Employment First Policy, making it one of the first states to do so. In April 2012, Oregon was awarded a competitive grant from the United States Department of Labor to provide resources to assist in the strategic planning and implementation of the Employment First Policy, one of only three states awarded the grant. Employment First is grounded in a framework of Oregon Revised Statutes and Oregon Administrative Rules which identify increased productivity, integration, and independence as the desired outcomes of services and supports for adults with developmental disabilities. The policy also is in alignment with the stated mission of the Oregon Department of Human Services: People are safe, healthy and living as independently as possible. The Employment First policy is rooted in the belief that meaningful employment for working age adults plays a major role in maximizing personal choices, achieving economic self-sufficiency, and contributing to the sustainability of our communities. Employment First emphasizes the importance of being a part of the workforce, contributing to the economy, and becoming as self-sufficient as possible, helping individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to lead a meaningful and purposeful life. Today, in order to fully realize the vision of the Executive Order, the state will partner with a variety of stakeholders to develop a plan for successful implementation, and a major part of this plan will include statewide outreach and conversation with key partners. The result will include a significant reduction over time of state support of sheltered work and an increased investment in employment services. If you have questions or comments, please contact me. Thank you, and I look forward to continuing to provide you with the most accurate and up-to-date information on Employment First through these Employment First News & Information for You messages. Mike Maley, Employment First Coordinator Oregon Department of Human Services Mike.j.maley at state.or.us Ruby Sandberg, Executive Assistant Office of Learning/Student Services Oregon Department of Education 503-947-5738 FAX: 503-378-5156 ruby.sandberg at state.or.us The Oregon Department of Education is an equal opportunity agency and employer. Messages to and from this email address may be made available to the public under Oregon law. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From laura.allran at state.or.us Wed Sep 11 07:48:58 2013 From: laura.allran at state.or.us (ALLRAN Laura) Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2013 14:48:58 +0000 Subject: [SE-Dir] Oregon Employment First: News & Information for You In-Reply-To: <46D4B086658412429A2B7C21BE9C6B3C191A6F03@BL2PRD0410MB351.namprd04.prod.outlook.com> References: <0BB37A37D940CE4E80E22E22DB6B655641003173@WPDHSEXCL04.dhs.sdc.pvt>, <43C4CE1C11147445A5D96C0477B667652A29D45B@WPDHSEXCL08.dhs.sdc.pvt> <46D4B086658412429A2B7C21BE9C6B3C191A6ECB@BL2PRD0410MB351.namprd04.prod.outlook.com> <46D4B086658412429A2B7C21BE9C6B3C191A6EEE@BL2PRD0410MB351.namprd04.prod.outlook.com> <46D4B086658412429A2B7C21BE9C6B3C191A6F03@BL2PRD0410MB351.namprd04.prod.outlook.com> Message-ID: <46D4B086658412429A2B7C21BE9C6B3C191A6FEA@BL2PRD0410MB351.namprd04.prod.outlook.com> TO: All District and ESD Special Education Directors The message below is being forwarded to you on behalf of: Sarah Drinkwater, Ph.D. Assistant Superintendent Office of Learning - Student Services Unit ______________________________________________ September 11, 2013 Begin forwarded message: From: DD DirectorsOffice > Date: September 10, 2013, 11:05:23 AM PDT To: DD DirectorsOffice > Subject: FW: Oregon Employment First: News & Information for You September 10, 2013 To: DHS Office of Developmental Disabilities Staff, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Services Staff and All Oregon Stakeholders Oregon Employment First: News & Information for You Welcome to the first Oregon Employment First News & Information for You message! You can expect to see regular updates as we move forward to implement Governor Kitzhaber's Executive Order (http://www.oregon.gov/gov/docs/executive_orders/eo_13-04.pdf ) on Employment First and our ongoing commitment to integrated employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). As most of you know, Oregon has been a leader in providing supported employment services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in community residential settings and has set an example for other states by demonstrating its express commitment to the benefits of transitioning individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities into integrated, community residential settings. Back in April, the Governor appointed me as the statewide Employment First Coordinator to oversee and coordinate the Oregon's Employment First policy, including all activities required by the Governor's Executive Order. In my role, I will be working with the DHS Office of Developmental Disabilities Services, the DHS Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, Oregon Department of Education staff and the Oregon Council for Developmental Disabilities to expand access to supported employment services. That work is already underway, and I'll provide more about that in the days to come. Sometimes these messages will come from me, but you'll also see messages from other partners in this work. Today, I'd like to use our first message to talk about Oregon's history of leadership and innovation in services to those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Let me begin by saying that although Oregon is one of the top states for integrated employment, we can do better. Individuals with disabilities persistently face higher rates of unemployment than their non-disabled fellow citizens. As Oregon's economy continues to recover from the 2008 recession, we must strive to ensure that all Oregonians benefit from the recovery, including those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. While the state cannot guarantee a job to any Oregonian, the state can and should consistently work to continue to improve its provision of employment services to provide the best possible opportunities for success and choice for individuals receiving those services. Improving Oregon's delivery of employment services, with the goal of achieving integrated employment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, consistent with their abilities and choices, will benefit individuals with disabilities, their families, our communities, the economy, and the state. Back in the 1980's, Oregon was able to expand the number of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in paid, integrated employment settings. . By 2008, Oregon ranked 16th of 39 states reporting on integrated employment. At the same time, however, the population receiving funded adult developmental disability employment and day services nationally has expanded to an estimated half a million persons , The population being served has changed in other ways. Oregon downsized and ultimately closed its two state residential institutions for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, returning more I/DD individuals to the community. . Oregon, like many other states, began to work toward improving employment outcomes for people with I/DD. This work included significant input from stakeholders and partners. In 2008, Oregon adopted an Employment First Policy, making it one of the first states to do so. In April 2012, Oregon was awarded a competitive grant from the United States Department of Labor to provide resources to assist in the strategic planning and implementation of the Employment First Policy, one of only three states awarded the grant. Employment First is grounded in a framework of Oregon Revised Statutes and Oregon Administrative Rules which identify increased productivity, integration, and independence as the desired outcomes of services and supports for adults with developmental disabilities. The policy also is in alignment with the stated mission of the Oregon Department of Human Services: People are safe, healthy and living as independently as possible. The Employment First policy is rooted in the belief that meaningful employment for working age adults plays a major role in maximizing personal choices, achieving economic self-sufficiency, and contributing to the sustainability of our communities. Employment First emphasizes the importance of being a part of the workforce, contributing to the economy, and becoming as self-sufficient as possible, helping individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to lead a meaningful and purposeful life. Today, in order to fully realize the vision of the Executive Order, the state will partner with a variety of stakeholders to develop a plan for successful implementation, and a major part of this plan will include statewide outreach and conversation with key partners. The result will include a significant reduction over time of state support of sheltered work and an increased investment in employment services. If you have questions or comments, please contact me. Thank you, and I look forward to continuing to provide you with the most accurate and up-to-date information on Employment First through these Employment First News & Information for You messages. Mike Maley, Employment First Coordinator Oregon Department of Human Services Mike.j.maley at state.or.us -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: