ED’s Safe and Supportive Schools News Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools SEPTEMBER 22, 2011 VOLUME 6, NUMBER 44 | |
In This Issue 1. U.S. ED’s IES’ NCES releases the First e-book “The Condition of Education 2011” 2. U.S. ED’s OSEP Releases Policy Clarifications on Physical Education and Extracurricular Athletics for Students with Disabilities 3. U.S. Army Medical Command’s Child, Adolescent, and Family Behavioral Offices Announces New Army School Behavioral (Mental) Health Manual 4. ONDCP Announces the Release of the 2011 National Drug Control Strategy--Addressing Illegal Drug use and High–risk Drinking on College Campuses and the Workplace 5. HHS’ SAMHSA hosts ICCPUD Website www.stopalcoholaabuse.gov to Download a Quick Quiz Widget to Test Knowledge on Underage Alcohol use and its Impact on Youth6. HHS’ CDC’s DASH Announces the release of the “School Health Guidelines to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity” 7. Foundation Funding Opportunities -Fed Ex--Social Responsibility Program -Michael and Susan Dell Foundation - Helping Children in Urban Poverty Grants The opinions expressed herein may not always reflect the views of the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools or the US Department of Education, nor do they imply an endorsement. We hope that you find this information to be useful. If you think ED’s SAFE & SUPPORTIVE SCHOOL NEWS would be helpful to a friend or colleague, please send them to this website to: self enroll, change information, or unsubscribe. Contact Us: If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact me at [log in to unmask]. David Quinlan Editor | U.S. ED’s IES’ NCES releases the First e-book “The Condition of Education 2011” The Condition of Education 2011 summarizes important developments and trends in education using the latest available data. The 2011 report presents 50 indicators on the status and condition of education. The 2011 edition includes indicators in five main areas: (1) participation in education; (2) learner outcomes; (3) student effort and educational progress; (4) the contexts of elementary and secondary education; and (5) the contexts of postsecondary education. The e-book version will be available for free download for all e-readers. The epub file is for use with the iPad, Nook, and other non-Kindle devices. The mobi file is for use on the Kindle only. To access the e-Book, please visit: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2011033 SOURCE: The U.S. Department of Education, Institute for Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics U.S. ED’s OSEP Releases Policy Clarifications on Physical Education and Extracurricular Athletics for Students with Disabilities Just in time for the new school year, the Office of Special Education Programs in the U.S. Department of Education (Department) has issued an important policy clarification document that will have positive impacts on physical education programming for students with disabilities. “Creating Equal Opportunities for Children and Youth to Participate in Physical Education and Extracurricular Athletics” is an official initial response by the Department to the June 2010 U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO-10-519) (report that found “despite legislation obligating states and schools to provide equal access, opportunities for physical activity are limited for children and youth with disabilities.”) The August 2011 report addresses the GAO recommendation that “the Secretary of Education facilitate information sharing among states and schools on ways to provide opportunities in [physical education] PE and extracurricular athletics to students with disabilities.” Garth Tymeson, Legislative Committee Co-Chair of the National Consortium on Physical Education and Recreation for Individuals with Disabilities (NCPERID.org), stated “this report provides much needed clarification for parents, teachers, and school administrators regarding the often confused physical education requirement for all students with disabilities that has longstanding roots in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This recognizes the importance of physical education for the lifelong health of all students with disabilities.” The report highlights that “states and schools are required to provide equal opportunity to participate in physical education and extracurricular athletics by children and youth with and without disabilities.” The report also states that “the definition of special education in section 602(29) of the IDEA includes instruction in physical education. Marty Block, President of NCPERID, states “this report reaffirms the U.S. Department of Education’s longstanding support of physical education for children with disabilities.” Furthermore, the report “goes a long way in assuring physical education will continue to be part of future reauthorization of IDEA.” The 20-page report contains a summary of suggestions to increase physical education and extracurricular athletic opportunities for students with disabilities including: accessibility, equipment, personnel preparation, teaching styles, management of behavior, program options, curriculum, and assessment strategies. Robert Arnhold, NCPERID Legislative Co-chair commented that “The Department has done a tremendous job identifying barriers to participation and provides effective suggestions and recommendations for increasing physical education and athletic participation opportunities for children with disabilities in the public schools. The focus areas they have addressed are some of the most critical and often requested areas for assistance and support by teachers and parents.” More Guidance for Extracurricular Athletics Coming: The DOE report states that the Office of Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Education will provide separate and additional guidance on the legal aspects of the provision of extracurricular athletic opportunities to students with disabilities to comply with the second major GAO recommendation to the Department in its original June 2010 report. References: U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). (2010, June). Students with Disabilities: More Information and Guidance Could Improve Opportunities in Physical Education and Athletics. Report to Congressional Requestors Number GAO-10-519. Washington, DC. Author. Available at www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-519. U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Office of Special Education Programs, Creating Equal Opportunities for Children and Youth to Participate in Physical Education and Extracurricular Athletics, Washington, D.C., 2011. Available at http://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/equal-pe.pdf. U.S. Army Medical Command’s Child, Adolescent, and Family Behavioral Offices Announces New Army School Behavioral (Mental) Health Manual The Child, Adolescent, and family Behavioral Health Office (CAF-BHO) is the U.S. Army Medical Command’s lead agency for promulgating, coordinating, and integrating behavioral health (BH) programs for Army children and families. CAF-BHO is tasked to develop a family-centric BH system of care in support of the overall readiness needs of the Army at installations that serve as large deployment platforms. This includes development, dissemination and implementation of policies, initiatives, programs, and evidence-based practices. There are two principal programs for which CAF-BHO has oversight—the Child and Family Assistance Center, an activity that provides and coordinates BH care at the installation level at Army posts across the country and in Europe, and the School Behavioral Health (SBH) program, described below. The overall goal of the SBH initiative is to facilitate access to care by embedding BH within the school setting, and to provide state of the art prevention, evaluation, intervention, and treatment through standardization of SBH services and programs. In addition, specific procedures related to a full array of effective programs and services, reflecting a three-tiered model of health promotion/prevention, early intervention and treatment will be implemented at the installations. CAF-BHO developed the “Operations Manual for School Behavioral Health Programs” for three primary purposes: 1) to assist installations in more rapidly building SBH programs and services 2) to increase the likelihood that these services are effective in achieving valued outcomes, including improving student school success, military family adjustment, and Soldier readiness 3) to promote standardization in implementation and evaluation across sites to help increase the capacity and impact of the initiative. It is also hoped that the guide helps to promote collaboration of stakeholders to include Installation Management and Medical Command, departments of education of local school districts serving military students, and other youth serving systems such as BH, child welfare, and social and juvenile services. If you are interested in learning more about School Behavioral Health and/or download a copy of the School Behavioral Health Operation Guide please visit http://brainhealth.army.mil/SBH, or contact Ms. Mona Johnson at [log in to unmask]. Feel free to share this resource with any/all others you think may be interested. ONDCP Announces the Release of the 2011 National Drug Control Strategy—Addressing Illegal Drug use and High–risk Drinking on College Campuses and the Workplace We are pleased to announce the release of the 2011 National Drug Control Strategy (Strategy). It can be accessed online at http://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/2011-national-drug-control-strategy. The 2011 Strategy reflects the Obama Administration’s comprehensive and balanced effort to reduce illegal drug use and its consequences. We are writing to call your attention to features of the new Strategy related to addressing illegal drug use and high-risk drinking on school campuses, and also to remind you of related Federal mandates and resources. Illegal drug use and high-risk (binge, heavy, and underage) drinking affect every aspect of society vital to winning the future, including educating our youth and developing a competitive workforce for the new economy. The 2011 Strategy supports two of President Obama’s goals for our Nation – reducing illegal drug use by ten percent within five years and having the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020. Continuing the collaborative, balanced, and science-based approach, the 2011 National Drug Control Strategy emphasizes drug prevention and early intervention programs in healthcare settings, diverting non-violent drug offenders into treatment instead of jail, funding more scientific research on drug use, expanding access to substance abuse treatment, and supporting those in recovery. Whether you are a parent looking for information, a community member interested in treatment resources, a police officer or local elected official searching for new approaches to drug-related crimes, or someone who wants to know more about the Administration's drug policy, the National Drug Control Strategy serves as a useful resource. Together with interagency partners, the Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Department of Education are working collaboratively to prevent illegal drug use and high-risk drinking in our Nation’s college and university communities. The detrimental consequences of substance use on academic performance are significant and demonstrate why we must invest in prevention efforts among youth. About 25 percent of college students report academic consequences of their drinking, including missing class, falling behind, doing poorly on exams or papers, and receiving lower grades. A post-college study found binge drinking in college to be associated with academic attrition, early departure from college, and lower earnings in post-college employment. Additionally, a study found that college students who used marijuana were more likely to put themselves in physical danger when under the influence, experience concentration problems, and miss class. Because of such concerns, institutions of higher education (IHEs) have been required for over two decades to be in compliance with 34 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 86 – Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention, which implements Sections 120(a)(d) of Title I of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. These regulations require that as a condition of receiving funds or any other form of financial assistance under any Federal program, an IHE must certify that it has adopted and implemented a drug prevention program consistent with Part 86 requirements. Part 86 requires, for example, that an IHE’s drug prevention program include standards of conduct that clearly prohibit, at a minimum, the unlawful possession, use, or distribution of illicit drugs and alcohol by students and employees on its property or as part of any of its activities. In order to promote continuous improvement of IHE drug prevention programs, Part 86 requires a biennial review of its program by the IHE to determine its effectiveness and implement changes to the program if they are needed, and to ensure disciplinary sanctions are consistently enforced. Failure to comply with Part 86 requirements may cause an IHE to forfeit eligibility for Federal funding. The Administration’s plan (as outlined in the Strategy) includes the following components to address illegal drug use and high-risk drinking on college campuses: -Creating educational campaigns that present accurate information about the consequences of drug and alcohol use, while being motivational and empowering and fostering success among our students; -Encouraging early intervention to identify at-risk students, and getting treatment for students with substance use disorders; and -Partnering with collegiate recovery programs and student organizations to develop peer communication strategies. In addition, the Department of Education will build on its continued efforts to incorporate alcohol and other drug abuse prevention into higher education with the following activities: -Enhanced monitoring of IHE compliance with the requirements of 34 CFR Part 86; -Revamping its alcohol and drug abuse grant investments into a new Healthy College Campuses competition. The goals of the new competition, as currently planned, would be to spotlight models of excellence, promote innovation in programming, and invest in statewide coalitions that can maximize impact; and -Expanding the technical assistance capacity of the Department’s Higher Education Center for Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Violence Prevention so that it can provide information and resources related to the creation of effective collegiate substance abuse recovery programs. Part 86 requires that IHEs annually notify students of any drug or alcohol counseling, treatment, rehabilitation, and reentry programs available to them. There are many Federal resources to assist you in implementing effective prevention programs on your campus, and we particularly recommend to you the publications and resources of the HEC, www.higheredcenter.org, and www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov. Thank you for your commitment to fostering safe and productive drug-free educational communities and a competitive, drug-free workforce. HHS’ SAMHSA Hosts ICCPUD Website www.stopalcoholaabuse.gov to Download a Quick Quiz Widget to Test Knowledge on Underage Alcohol use and its Impact on Youth What’s the most commonly used and abused substance among youth in the U.S.? Find out at www.stopalcoholabuse.gov, where you can easily download a Quick Quiz widget to test your knowledge on underage alcohol use and its impact on youth. A widget is a stand-alone application that displays content directly on your Web page but is maintained by a host organization. This Quick Quiz widget is hosted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which posts four new questions and answers related to underage alcohol use and its consequences every 2 weeks. The widget is a care-free and informative way to stay current on a public health problem that significantly affects the academic performance and health of many students. According to the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, approximately 10 million 12- to 20-year-olds used alcohol in the month preceding the survey. www.stopalcoholabuse.gov is a product of the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Underage Drinking Prevention (ICCPUD) is made up of 15 federal agencies. For more information about individual ICCPUD member, please visit: U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense; U.S. Department of Education, Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Office of the Surgeon General, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; U.S. Department of Labor, Working Partners for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace Program ; U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; U.S. Department of Treasury, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau; Office of National Drug Control Policy ; and Federal Trade Commission. HHS’ CDC’s DASH Announces the release of the “School Health Guidelines to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) is pleased to announce the release of the School Health Guidelines to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity (Guidelines). This new resource updates and combines previous guidelines last published in the 1990s. Schools play a critical role in improving the dietary and physical activity behaviors of students and the critical health outcomes and diseases they influence, such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Developed in collaboration with nutrition and physical activity experts across the nation, the Guidelines identify the most effective policies and practices schools can implement to help young people adopt and maintain healthy eating habits and a physically active lifestyle. CDC synthesized research and best practices related to promoting healthy eating and physical activity in schools, culminating in nine guidelines. These guidelines were informed by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, and the Healthy People 2020 objectives related to healthy eating and physical activity among children and adolescents (including associated school objectives). Collectively, the nine guidelines serve as the foundation for developing, implementing, and evaluating school-based healthy eating and physical activity policies and practices for students. Individually, they emphasize and address * Coordination in developing, implementing, and evaluating healthy eating and physical activity policies and practices. * School environments that support healthy eating and physical activity. * Healthy food choices at school. * Comprehensive physical activity programs with quality physical education. * Health education that provides students with the knowledge, attitudes, skills, and experiences they need for healthy eating and physical activity. * Health, mental health, and social services to address healthy eating, physical activity, and related chronic disease prevention. * Partnering with families and community members to develop and implement healthy eating and physical activity policies, practices, and programs. * Providing a school employee wellness program that includes healthy eating and physical activity services. * Employing qualified individuals, and providing professional development opportunities for staff working in school health-related positions. Each of the guidelines is accompanied by a set of strategies that can help schools work toward achieving each guideline. Although the ultimate goal is to implement all nine guidelines, not every strategy will be appropriate for every school, and some schools, due to resource limitations, might need to implement the guidelines incrementally. This new release also includes an Executive Summary; more resources to help promote and implement the guidelines will be available on the DASH Web site in October. SOURCE:CHEN-L Digest - 15 Sep 2011 to 16 Sep 2011 (#2011-108) This message is being forwarded by the Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH), NCCDPHP, CDC. Visit the DASH Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth. Foundation Funding Opportunities Fed Ex--Social Responsibility Program Deadline: Rolling
The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation seeks to fund projects that directly serve or impact children living in urban poverty, particularly in the areas of education, childhood health and family economic stability. Award amounts vary. Charitable or tax-exempt organizations are eligible to apply. |