Portland Parents Union Holds “Restorative Listening Dialog on Pushout”
PPU, a member of Dignity in Schools is participating in the National Week of Action on School “Push-out” We are calling for a national Moratorium on “out of school suspensions”. The “Restorative Listening Dialog on Pushout” will be held Saturday, October 6, 2012 at Westminister Presbyterian Church, 1624 NE Hancock, Portland OR 97212. The event starts at 4PM with an news and informational session, and continues to 8:30PM with Students and Families sharing their stories and participating in a...
read moreAttention Transitional Parents: Update on HB 2283/Transition Services
Sara Gelser posted in SEPTAP: Special Education PTA of Portland Source: Facebook Group Our office continues to receive calls and letters of concern from families all across the state unable to access a full time transition program for their students, despite the passage of HB 2283. We received a legal opinion from Legislative Counsel that confirms that HB 2283 DOES require districts to provide access to 990 hours of service. If a district comes to an IEP meeting offering a part time transition program, that is a unilateral reduction in...
read moreTransition Services for Students
Below is a message from Representative Sara Gelser on Transition Services for Students. Did you know that HB 2283, which went into effect on July 1, 2011, requires all school districts to make full time transition services available to students with disabilities between the ages of 18 – 21? We are looking for families — particularly those in Portland Public Schools — who have been denied access to full time transition services. Under the law, students must be able to access the same number of transition and education service hours that...
read moreIt’s time for some action! Advocate for Beaverton School District
The Beaverton Schools Need You! Like many school districts across the area, the Beaverton School District recently announced deep budget cuts, with the Special Education budget taking a disproportionate hit. There will be a Budget Committee Listening Session open to parents and community members this week. While no decisions have been finalized at this point, proposed cuts would eliminate the district’s Augmentative Communication and Assistive Technology Team, eliminate the Youth Transition Program, drastically reduce Instructional...
read moreEarly Childhood Special Education ~ Investing in Dignity and Capacity
Many supporters answered the call for stories and photos about Early Intervention and how it has impacted their lives. These stories have been compiled into a booklet that will be presented to legislators at the EI/ECSE rally in Salem. A special thanks to everyone who shared their stories with us. Click here to download the PDF of this booklet. We are still accepting stories for this booklet. If you wish to contribute your experiences with Early Intervention, please download this Microsoft Word template and add your own stories and photos, and...
read moreIs Your Child Receiving Less Than a Full School Day of Services?
Parents of Special Education Students Ages 18—21: Is Your Child Receiving Less Than a Full School Day of Services? If you are the parent of a special education student whose services were cut to less than a full school day after turning 18, we would like to hear from you. DRO’s special education attorneys are considering filing a complaint to the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights. If filed, the complaint would be based on a new state policy that appears to encourage districts to provide less than a full school day...
read moreProposed Cuts to Special Education
Parents, Special Education staff and educators, and concerned citizens have collaborated on a letter to Carole Smith, Superintendent of Portland Public Schools regarding proposed cuts to Special Education. The following is an excerpt from the letter. This letter addresses the June 30, 2010 announcement of significant cuts in staffing resources for Special Education (“SPED”). These proposed major cuts include an approximate $3.3 million reduction from the previously approved budget for SPED, affecting approximately 20 teachers and 50...
read moreAttention All Families and Caregivers ~ Budget Cuts & Early Intervention
There are some very important budget and resource decisions being made in Salem that could have a significant impact on services for children and young people with disabilities. Recognizing the important of this issue, the Northwest Down Syndrome Association (NWDSA) sent the attached letter to the State of Oregon highlighting the importance of funding for State and Federally mandated Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education (EI/ECSE) programs. These services are very important to our children, and we urge you to take a moment...
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