This is a quick reminder of the upcoming Free May Professional Development Opportunity being offered to NCED members. We are also excited to announce a new June “Learn and Learn” presented by one of our own NCED Directors, Georgene Moon. See information and Registration for both sessions below.
Best Practices in Evaluating Emergent Bilinguals for Special Education
May 29, 2024
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Presenter: Dr. Cristina Rodríguez Chen, RPED, NCED
Emergent Bilinguals (EBs) represent one of the fastest-growing groups of school-age students in the United States, having increased by 60% in the last decade and now encompassing over 400 languages, with approximately 80% speaking Spanish. Public schools are more racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse than ever before, a trend expected to persist. By the year 2030, it is estimated that second language learners will make up approximately 40% of the school-age population. This increasing diversity underscores the urgent need to address the longstanding issue of appropriately identifying and providing educational services for diverse students. However, the future for students identified as EBs is uncertain. They exhibit some of the highest dropout and retention rates among all youth, influenced by societal factors that affect their educational experiences. These include the availability of adequate language supports and limited understanding among educators and evaluation staff regarding how to differentiate cultural/language differences from true disabilities.
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0rdOChqD4iGNAtqNZleqCqLatbaME14p6K
Understanding Exclusionary Factors: All Things Considered
June 26, 2024
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Presenter: Georgene Moon, NCED
This session covers the role of Exclusionary Factors and their impact on SLD identification, while also considering the continued impact from Covid-19 on education and the importance of documentation in our reports. Included in the presentation is a brief review of the Exclusionary Factors required by federal and state law and the impact of societal changes: social, economic, cultural and technology related. The updated Exclusionary Factors Checklist is presented, as well as additional forms that can be used as documentation during your data gathering and evaluation process. In addition, the possible impact of Covid-19, both short and long term, on our students’ education and the ethical implications of disregarding Exclusionary Factors is reviewed.
Register in advance for this meeting: