Working together to support students with disabilities
Resources for Special Education Professionals
Fall Update
Happy Halloween!

This edition of AJE's newsletter for Special Education Professionals includes:

  • Restorative justice coaching sessions
  • Youth development workshops
  • Preparing students for life after high school
  • Housing insecurity among students

We hope you find our information helpful. If you do, please forward it to colleagues!


Finally, remember that our blog regularly posts information about a variety of topics - from help for struggling homeowners, to our thoughts on local policies and reports and how they impact students with disabilities, to resources for transition-age youth.
Professional Opportunities & Resources
It's Not Too Late!

You, and any parents you support, still have time to register for the Mayor's 14th Annual Disability Awareness Expo! See details and registration information below:

This FREE event will focus on employment readiness, housing resources, and workforce development.

Date: Wednesday, October 27, 2021
Time: 10:00 am - 1:30 pm
Place: Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library's Great Hall - 901 G St., NW

Interested attendees can register here
Restorative Justice Professional Development Opportunities

Are you curious about restorative practices or having trouble implementing them? Check out RestorativeDC's free weekly coaching sessions to get started and receive customized support!

November 3rd @ 4pm EST
Please register here

November 10th @ 4pm EST
Please register here

November 17th @ 4pm EST
Please register here

December 1st @ 4pm EST
Please register here

More information, including a full calendar of events and additional implementation resources, can be found on RestorativeDC's website
Virtual Workshops for Youth Development Professionals

The Institute for Youth Development is offering virtual workshops for youth development professionals. Each one uses an asset-based approach to teach foundational skills related to creating positive environments for youth.

October 28, 10 AM - Best Practices of Youth Work
November 2, 10 AM - Healing Moments
November 9, 10 AM - Self Care for Youth Workers
November 15, 10 AM - Services, Opportunities, Supports

Register today - space is limited!
In Case You Missed It:
From the Department of Education:

On September 30, 2021, the United States Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Service (OSERS) released a Return to School Roadmap to help practitioners working to achieve full implementation of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requirements as schools and programs return to in-person services.

Topics covered in the document's Q&A include: meeting timelines, ensuring implementation of initial evaluation and reevaluation procedures, determining eligibility for special education and related services, providing the full array of special education and related services that children with disabilities need in order to receive a free appropriate education (FAPE), and more!
From Educating All Learners:

Educating All Learners recently held webinars on everything from family engagement to making accessibility your market advantage. Recordings of those and other webinars can be found here.

For additional tips, strategies, and ideas, take a look at their comprehensive resource and tech tool libraries!
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Additional Links - New Reports & Resources on Special Education, Law Enforcement and Education, & Covid-19
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Education, Justice Departments Issue Fact Sheet on Supporting Students at Risk of Self Harm During COVID-19 Era

Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the Department of Education Letter to Educators outlining the civil rights obligations of schools to students with mental health disabilities

Early Stages, a program of DCPS, is how DC plans to identify, locate and evaluate children between the ages of 2 years 8 months and 5 years 10 months suspected of having a disability and we are NOT already enrolled in another LEA (a Charter school). You can click here to refer a child.

The Office of the State Superintendent of Education's Strong Start DC Early Intervention Program provides early intervention therapeutic and additional services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and developmental delays. Strong Start also accepts online referrals now. Click here to learn more.

Updates on the District's Coronavirus response plan.


COVID-19 and the Legacy of Racism: Vaccine Hesitancy and Treatment Bias - the third webinar in the National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM)'s series on "Stopping the Other Pandemic: Systemic Racism and Health," this webinar brings together leading public health experts to explore and address the legacy of racism in health care and its relationship to vaccine hesitancy and COVID-19 outcomes.

Additional information can be found in this infographic.
Upcoming AJE Events for Families
Preparing Students for Success After High School

AJE is delighted to invite you any parents you work with, to attend our next Parent Cafe: Life After High School - Preparing for College, Work, and More! This virtual event will happen on November 4, 2021 from 6-8 pm. Attendees may register here.

You can find all of AJE's trainings, and other events and trainings in the community, at https://www.aje-dc.org/calendar/
Upcoming Community Events for Students and Families
DC Special Ed Cooperative's Next Steps Career Exploration Conference 2021

Did you know that there are low-cost and free job training programs in DC for your students? Did you know that, by completing these programs, your students can earn a job certification to enter the workforce?

The 6th annual DC3C Next Steps Career Exploration Conference (Next Steps) will be held virtually on Thursday, December 2nd. Next Steps is an annual event geared towards DC high school students with disabilities who are ages 14-21. During the day, students will have the opportunity to explore career options through on-demand sessions and live panels from local career speakers and training vendors. On Thursday, December 2nd, there will be live presentations and opportunities for students to engage with panelists. We hope that all member schools serving students ages 14-21 are represented!

Students who participate have the opportunity to earn fantastic prizes (Xbox gaming systems, Apple AirPods, and Visa gift cards) throughout the week. An interactive leaderboard will track sessions attended, time engaged in sessions, and questions asked.

DC high school students with disabilities who have either an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or 504 plan and their parents are welcome to attend this free, virtual conference to learn about future careers. Secure your spot today! Space is limited!

For more information and to register, please visit our DC3C SY21-21 Student Registration webpage.

For more information, contact Cotora Holland at cholland@specialedcoop.org.
The District of Columbia Public Schools' Parent University Presents:

November 3rd - Building Children's Language Skills One Conversation at a Time
Learn more about simple strategies for supporting your young child's language development at home!

November 16th - Check-in on Our Social Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health
Learn how we can collaborate to enrich our children's education!

December 1st - Choosing the Right Program: Your Questions about Pre-K [...] Answered!
Learn about what makes the DCPS Pre-K program unique!

8 de diciembre - Elegir el mejor programa para su familia: Pre-Kinder en las DCPS - mié.,
¡Únase a nosotros para obtener más información sobre lo que hace que el programa de prekínder de DCPS sea único!

Sessions will be from 5:30-6:30 pm (EST) using Microsoft Teams. Registration can be complete here and questions or interpretation requests can be sent to: parentu@k12.dc.gov
About AJE:
Advocates for Justice and Education is the federally designated Parent Training and Information Center and the Health Information Center for DC. AJE seeks to empower families, youth, and the community to be effective advocates to ensure that children and youth, particularly those who have special needs, receive access to appropriate education and health services.
 
Our passion is empowering families by equipping parents and students with disabilities with the tools they need to be their own best advocates.

Have questions? We are here to educate, advocate and empower. Contact us today!
Advocates for Justice and Education, Inc.| (P) 202.678.8060 | (F) 202.678.8062 |

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