July 2024 Disability Pride Month
Disability Pride Month celebrated in July 2024, is a time dedicated to honoring and uplifting the identities, contributions, and rights of individuals with disabilities. This month marks an opportunity to celebrate the achievements and diverse experiences of the disability community while challenging and dismantling the stigma and discrimination they often face. Originating from the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Disability Pride Month seeks to highlight the progress made since the ADA's enactment and to push for further advancements in accessibility and inclusion. Disability Pride Month encourages individuals to embrace their disabilities as integral parts of their identities, fostering a sense of pride and empowerment. This celebration also serves as an educational platform, helping to inform the broader public about the diverse identities in the disability community. By amplifying voices and stories, Disability Pride Month can provide an avenue for our schools and communities to engage in ongoing discourse and action to ensure there is disability representation to celebrate and acknowledge the diversity of Washington state’s public schools.
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Dr. Cassie Martin, Executive Director, OSPI Special Education - Policy & Guidance Resource Page video
Check out our new Policy and Guidance Resource page on OSPI’s special education website. You can find previously published Monthly Update Tips, Technical Assistance Papers (TAPs), Special Education Q&As, and US Department of Education Office of Special Education (OSEP) guidance located on one page. The resources can be filtered by release date and category of guidance and searched by topic keyword. We will continue to post or republish additional tips, guidance documents, and bulletins, so bookmark this page!
If you have suggestions for additional guidance documents or topics you want to post, please let us know by sending an email to speced@k12.wa.us and watch this short video where Dr. Cassie Martin, Executive Director of Special Education provides a walk-through to show how to access the resource page, strategies for exploring the content, filtering and searching options and tips on how to stay updated.
Specific Learning Disability (SLD) Fact Sheets now Available!
In 2028–29, OSPI will change the evaluation process to determine student eligibility for special education under the category of a Specific Learning Disability (SLD). To support this transition, OSPI has been partnering with the Washington Administrators Improving MTSS (AIMS project at the UW Bothell), Goodlad Institute, and education partners statewide to develop resources and provide professional development supports for districts to adopt a Response to Intervention (RTI) approach for SLD evaluations. SLD fact sheets are now available on the OSPI website under the What’s New section, outlining the upcoming changes in policy and procedure and includes information geared towards different partner groups. OSPI will provide ongoing support and technical assistance through various channels, including updates on our website and monthly communications. Stay tuned for next month’s update where we will continue to share resources and more information about this important transition.
2024 Determination Letters on State Implementation of IDEA
On June 21, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) issued its 2024 determinations for States on their implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for Part B and Part C. The IDEA requires the ED to issue an annual determination for every state, based on the State Performance Plan (SPP) and Annual Performance Report (APR), which evaluates the state’s efforts to implement the requirements and purposes of the IDEA and describes how the state will improve its implementation.
This year, Washington is one of the 21 states and territories that earned the highest level under ED’s review.
Since ED established this review process, Washington has always met the requirements around compliance with the law. This year, for the second year in a row, the state has also met expectations around student outcomes. These outcomes are based on measures including participation and achievement on state and federal assessments in math and reading, as well as graduation rates.
States are also required to issue annual determinations for all Local Education Agencies (LEAs) within the state. Washington annually issues LEA determination levels on or around November 1. More information about the LEA determinations can be found on OSPI’s website and will be included in the October 2024 monthly update.
2024 MTSS Integrated Conference
The Washington State MTSS Integrated Conference, titled Empowering Excellence: Codesigning Instructional Leadership, was held in Pullman, WA, at Washington State University. Over the course of three dynamic days, more than 700 educators and partners from across Washington came together for a rich learning experience focused on educational equity and the importance of shared and collaborative leadership. The conference featured inspiring plenary sessions, engaging keynotes, and interactive presentations that delved deep into the challenges and opportunities of instructional leadership. Attendees also participated in lunch and learn sessions that provided additional opportunities for meaningful engagement and dialogue.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to our partners, the Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA), all the presenters, and the dedicated planning committee who made this conference a success. It was a powerful gathering that highlighted the collective commitment to improving educational outcomes for all students through collaboration and innovative practices.
Click here for this month’s Program Improvement updates on the following topics:
- Special Education Monitoring Update
- Disproportionality and Significant Disproportionality Notifications
- IDEA Correction of Non-Compliance for 2024–25
- OSPI Special Education Data, Fiscal, and Program Office Hours
Click here for this month’s Fiscal & Data updates on the following topics:
- FP 267 IDEA Part B Sections 611 & 619 Substantially Approved Status (SAS) pre-application has been launched
Click here for this month’s ECSE updates on the following topics:
- Child Find Self-Assessment Tool
- New Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT) Practice Guide: Late Referrals: Timelines and Transition Requirements
- Washington Pyramid Model Implementation Practices Training: Implementing Inclusive and Equitable Pyramid Model Practices: WAPM Module 1 & 2 Training–Registration NOW OPEN
As the new school year begins, when must students who are eligible for special education and related services start receiving services?
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