IPUL's E-News for October 22, 2021
Here are the highlights of our recent activity online. Not everything is included due to timeliness. If an advertised event already took place, we've left it off.
Help Idaho Set Goals and Targets for Students With Disabilities
Hello,

The Idaho State Department is pulling workgroups together to help determine new goals and set targets for students with disabilities. We recognize that for these goals to be meaningful, we need to gain feedback from various stakeholders, including families, communities, and district/charter staff. Our focus will be on areas or indicators that emphasize improving outcomes for students with disabilities and ensuring compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

By participating in target setting, you have the opportunity to provide input and develop goals and expectations for improving outcomes for students with disabilities here in Idaho. 

Target setting will involve two or more meetings, virtual or in-person, designed to:

Provide training regarding indicators and historical data;
Discuss options and expectations for specific indicator targets.

If you are interested in being involved, we ask that you select one or a maximum of two areas for participation and complete the demographic section of this survey. 

 If you know of individuals who may benefit Idaho's students with disabilities by participating in the target setting process, please feel free to forward the stakeholder survey link.

Please note: Survey results will be used to make sure that we have broad stakeholder outreach, create workgroups by focus area, and contact participants to schedule meetings. 

Areas of focus for target setting:

Secondary - (Graduation, Dropout, Post-School Outcomes)
Assessment - (Participation and Performance on Statewide Assessments)
Equity in Special Education - (Discrepancy in Suspension/Expulsion, Disproportionate Representation, etc.)
School Age Environments - (Least Restrictive Environment for Students Age 5 Enrolled in Kindergarten - Age 21)
Early Childhood - (Early Childhood Environment, Early Childhood Outcomes)
Parental Involvement – % of parents who report that the school facilitated parent involvement.

Spanish Version


English Version

Disabled Artist Paints With Her Feet, Inspires Others to Embrace Their Differences
"We all have disabilities. Some have visible ones like me. But others struggle with anxiety, differences we can't necessarily see. When we step out in courage, that's when magic happens."

Become an IPULian!
Idaho Parents Unlimited is (Still!) Hiring!
Parent Education Coordinator

Idaho Parents Unlimited, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides training, resources, support, and one to one assistance for parents of children with disabilities and special health care needs, as well as accessible and inclusive arts programming is seeking a Parent Education Coordinator in the Boise office. This position is to provide assistance via one-to-one phone calls or emails to parents of children with disabilities and/or special healthcare needs and the professionals who serve them. This position also requires the ability to provide training, workshops, and support to parents, professionals, and youth both in-person and online.

Necessary skills:

  • Must represent Idaho Parents Unlimited and its guiding principles.
  • Must have strong knowledge of and experience with Idaho Special Education and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act as well as experience with health systems including Medicaid, Developmental Disabilities, and Behavioral Health.
  • Must have an understanding of family-centered care, family-engagement, and the importance of parent and professional collaboration.
  • Must have the ability to respond effectively to changes and challenges and make effective adjustments where and when necessary.
  • Public speaking and presenting to large and small audiences in person and virtually is required.
  • Must have strong verbal and written communication skills.
  • Must be highly resourceful and self-motivated.
  • Must maintain daily confidential records of communication and interactions with families and professionals using our cloud-based database.
  • Must be professional and adhere to privacy laws and ethical guidelines.
  • Must be able to function in a flexible work environment that will include different locations and may require working from home.
  • Must be able to operate a variety of up-to-date technology and systems with which to perform daily duties.
  • Must possess a proven ability to work effectively and respectfully with a broad range of people from diverse cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds.
  • This position will be working from our Boise office, however due to current pandemic restrictions, applicants must have the ability to set up a confidential, professional home office.

Details:

While the general position hours are set between 9-5 on weekdays, due to training workshops and regional or national meetings and conferences, the position requires flexibility and will include evenings, weekends, and extensive travel both in-state and out-of-state (when not in pandemic lockdown).

Job is full-time, 40 hours per week.

How to apply:

Please email your resume to jobs@ipulidaho.org Please, no phone calls.

Parents of children with disabilities strongly encouraged to apply

Bilingual in English / Spanish is a plus

Idaho Parents Unlimited is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and we value diversity and inclusion.

This position will remain open until filled.
November's Monthly Training:
Children's Developmental Disabilities Services in Idaho
flyer showing a boy hanging from a sling pretending to fly
Join Idaho Parents Unlimited for a conversation about Children's Developmental Disabilities Services in Idaho. We'll be covering topics like the Katie Beckett Waiver, Traditional vs Family Directed Services, Allowable Expenses, and more!

This will consist of a normal, hour long training that will be recorded, followed by a half-hour question and answer section that will not.

All via Zoom

Taking Place
Wednesday, November 17, 2021 @ 6:30 PM, MT

Registration is required - Register Here:
question ask here
Contact Idaho Parents Unlimited!

The best method to reach us for assistance is through our website:  
https://ipulidaho.org/connect-with-us#contact-us-here . You can also shoot us a question using the abbreviated version of that form at the bottom of every page on our website, although we may need to get more information from you.

We monitor our intake phone line (208-342-5884) several times a day, and will try to respond to any request there within 24 hours. We use an automated intake phone system, so you will be leaving a message.

For questions that are not about something in our scope of work, you can still leave a phone message as above, send the question to the form on our website, or shoot us an email at parents@ipulidaho.org.

We keep our website updated with new news and events, and maintain a presence on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
IPUL's programs are funded through grants and contracts with the following:
logos for F2F Family Voices and Ideas that Work