Here are the highlights of our upcoming events and recent activity online. Not everything is included due to timeliness.

If an advertised event already took place, we've left it off.

Idaho Parents Unlimited

Engage + Educate + Bridge + Lead

We want to hear from YOU!

We are looking to go a new direction for IPUL's Parent Leadership Development Institute. 2024 will be virtual!

We will be determining our location and dates based on interest. Applicants will be selected through an application and interview process with IPUL staff. Applicants must have tangible leadership goals to be considered.

Please note that this is not a registration form!

If you're wondering if this is for you, ask yourself the following:

• Are you a parent of a young child with a disability?
• Are you interested in learning more about systems and services that impact your child?
• Do you want to learn how to take your advocacy to the next level?

If you answered yes to the above we encourage you to click this link:

https://forms.gle/P2HvDUAz1FMctsgF8

and let us know that you're interested.

IPUL looks forward to sharing thoughts and engaging in this discussion with the Idaho Department of Education and other partners.

https://www.sde.idaho.gov/communications/

https://www.sde.idaho.gov/communications/files/news-releases/12-5-23-Idaho-Special-Education-Eligibility-Criteria-to-be-Revised.pdf

In an October 20 letter, the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) directed the state to examine portions of its Special Education Manual that address what is required for students to receive special education services for specific learning disabilities. Upon receiving the letter, the Idaho Department of Education convened a group of special education experts to assess Idaho’s requirements… ultimately deciding that discrepancies do exist between state and federal requirements.

Next steps include the convening of a working group, the first meeting of which will be held on December 19 at 8:00 a.m. (MT) at the Idaho Department of Education.

Those interested in providing input for the group can submit comments to

SpEdPublicInput@sde.idaho.gov.

We shared this great story from IdahoEdNews.org about the situation both in Idaho and nationally with chronic underfunding of special education:

Idaho’s schools have a $66.5 million problem — and it’s impacting the state’s most vulnerable students.

Since its inception, special education has been underfunded nationwide.

Public schools are required to provide special services to fulfill the needs of students of all abilities — but they often aren’t given the money to do so, at least not all of it. The federal government’s promise to fund 40% of states’ special ed costs has never been fulfilled, and state governments often don’t make up the difference.

Read the entire article right here:

https://www.idahoednews.org/top-news/special-ed-idahos-66-million-problem/

We are sharing this reminder from MTM, Idaho's Non-Emergency Medical Transportation contractor:

REMINDER: NEW PROCESS FOR MINORS RIDING ALONE

As a reminder, effective September 1, if a child is aged 14 to 17 years old and needs to ride without a parent or guardian present, the parent or guardian must fill out a Parental Consent Form. This form allows MTM to give rides to a child/children without an adult riding along. The child’s parent or guardian must fill out, sign, and send MTM the Parental Consent Form before we can set up rides for a child/children to ride alone.

To help ensure their safety, children under 14 must ride with a parent, a guardian, or an adult attendant. If a minor under the age of 14 needs transportation without a parent, guardian, or adult attendant, they may apply for an exemption through MTM.

IDHW will review the exemption and consider it for approval. For approved trips, MTM will collect the Parental Consent Form and Facility Consent Form, and work to ensure that safe, reliable transportation is located to meet the circumstances of the trip.

Please note, not all exemptions will be granted. If an exemption is denied, MTM will work with the family and facility to identify possible attendants, or arrange for gas mileage reimbursement.

Click here for more details, FAQs, and to access the Parental Consent Form:

https://www.mtm-inc.net/idaho/members/?utm_campaign=Idaho%20Newsletter%20Campaign&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=285591648&utm_content=2&utm_source=hs_email

Sharing from the Kennedy Center - Idaho musicians with disabilities, ages 14-25, take a look!

Kennedy Center Office of Access & VSA

Calling musicians with disabilities, ages 14-25! Each year outstanding disabled musicians from around the world are selected to participate in the VSA International Young Musicians Program. In addition to receiving a $2,000 award, these talented young musicians (ages 14-25) participate in professional development and performance opportunities provided by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

This program is open to U.S. and international musicians (soloists or ensembles) of any genre or instrument, including voice. Multiple winners will be selected by a panel of music professionals.

Apply online by Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at 11:59 pm ET.

http://kennedy-center.org/education/opportunities-for-artists/competitions-and-commissions/vsa-international-young-musicians

Self-Guided Module

All Behavior is Communication: Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports and You.

This self-paced training is designed to give background on the evidence based strategies of PBIS

• Gain understanding on what PBIS can look like in your child’s school
• Dive deep into evidence based practices
• Understand the tiered framework with practical strategies

Available now via Self Guided Training

Office Hours Zoom Discussion for this self-guided Module

takes place on December 27th from 12:30 – 1:30 MDT.

Via Zoom

Register Here

https://ipulidaho.org/event-registrations/12-01-2023-self-guided-module-positive-behavior-interventions-and-supports/

Once registered, the module will open in a new window.

You will also be sent an email with links to the module, a link to documents,

and a evaluation form.

Contact Idaho Parents Unlimited!

The best method to reach us for assistance is through our website:  

https://ipulidaho.org/connect-with-us/ . 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) during the workday, 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. (Please be sure the number you are leaving us can accept text or voice messages.)

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 events and maintain a presence on Facebook, and Instagram

Programs and services offered by Idaho Parents Unlimited are supported in part by the U.S. Department of Education (H328M200033) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) Affordable Care Act Family to Family Health Information Center (H84MC12896), opinions expressed herein do not necessarily represent the positions of either department, endorsement is not assumed