Information for Families of Students with Disabilities - February 22, 2022

Virginia Department of Education sent this bulletin at 02/22/2022 11:41 AM EST

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Information for Families of Children with Disabilities - February 22, 2022

Below, please find valuable information and resources for families of students with disabilities.

I'm Determined 2022 Youth and Family Summit

The 2022 Youth and Family Summit is a three-day event held each June and sponsored by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) and the Partnership for People with Disabilities at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). Youth with disabilities from across the Commonwealth meet to network and discuss issues of importance to youth and young adults with disabilities. A maximum of 50 youth residing in Virginia will be accepted to participate in-person.

Date: June 14-16, 2022

Location: Festival Conference & Student Center at James Madison University (JMU)

Event type: Face-to-face event (with a virtual component offered to youth who would rather not attend in-person, are not accepted, or do not meet the requirements)

Ages: Youth ages 14-16 (Youth outside this age range are encouraged to participate in the virtual component. No application is necessary for the virtual component.)

COVID-19 protocol: We will follow JMU event policies and will communicate those policies once we get closer to the event.

If you would like to be considered to attend the in-person portion of the 2022 Youth and Family Summit, please complete the 2022 IMD Application by March 13, 2022.

New Parent Resources for the New Virginia Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP) 2021-2022

Beginning in the 2021-2022 school year, the portfolio-based Virginia Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP) will be replaced with a new multiple-choice assessment in the content areas of reading, mathematics, and science that will be administered to students in an online or paper format. The new VAAP will be based on academic content standards derived from the Standards of Learning (SOL) in reading, mathematics, and science that have been reduced in depth, breadth, and complexity. These content standards are referred to as the Virginia Essentialized Standards of Learning (VESOL).

Two new resources, The New VAAP: Introduction for Parents Video and the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about VAAP for Parents Document, are now available to assist families with understanding the changes to the VAAP.

For additional information about the new VAAP, please contact Deborah Johnson by email at Deborah.Johnson@doe.virginia.gov or by phone at (804) 371-2725.

Upcoming Training Opportunities

The Parent Education Advocacy Training Center (PEATC), in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), will be offering the following training opportunities for families and educators:

MILCON 2022 - From Alpha to Zulu

When military service families have a student with a disability, it adds another layer of complexity to accessing information and supports, while ensuring that their students receive a free, appropriate public education. Join us in-person on May 8, 2022 beginning, at 6 p.m. through May 9, 2022, ending at 3:30 p.m. at the Virginia Crossings Hotel & Conference Center for a conference designed with their interests in mind.

Family Engagement Conference

Parents, caregivers, educators, and community leaders will join together to learn strategies that empower all stakeholders to work collaboratively to develop family and school partnerships that share the goal of improving student achievement. Join us for a day of connecting and learning on Saturday, July 16, 2022, from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the Virginia Crossings Hotel & Conference Center.

Please refer to the Family Engagement Conference flyer for more details, including registration information.