Safe Schools Initiative Challenges the State Board of Education to Strengthen Rule Prohibiting Restraint and Seclusion in Georgia Schools

/PRNewswire/ -- Five leading Georgia disabilities advocacy organizations gathered today at the State Board of Education to implore its members to pass and strengthen a new rule to protect schoolchildren from restraint and seclusion.

The Coalition behind the "Safe Schools Initiative" - the Georgia Advocacy Office (GAO), Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD), Center for Leadership in Disability at Georgia State University, Institute on Human Development and Disability at the University of Georgia and Parent to Parent of Georgia - declared at a public hearing and press conference its determination to free all children from the harmful practices of restraint and seclusion. They called for the 13-body board to go beyond passing the Rule 160-5-1-.35 as it is currently written but to also strengthen it by adding a safeguard that would require data collection and analysis.

"We applaud the State Board of Education for its commitment to initiate a new rule to better protect our children," said Leslie Lipson, parent leadership support project director, Georgia Advocacy Office. "While this is a milestone, the rule, as it is, isn't enough to stop these widespread, yet hidden, practices. Data collection and analysis are pivotal in identifying schools that need additional support to appropriately maintain a safe educational environment. We must take that next step. We have an opportunity to make history and lead the country in efforts to end the practice of restraint and seclusion."

A 2009 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office revealed that its investigation did not uncover a single web site, federal agency or other entity that collects information on the use of these methods of the extent of their alleged abuse. They also reported finding "hundreds of cases of alleged abuse and death" resulting from the use of physical restraint and seclusion of school children over the last 20 years.

Currently, students in Georgia schools can be restrained or secluded for any reason, in any way and at any time. Rule 160-5-1-.35 would limit the use of restraint and seclusion in Georgia's public schools by prohibiting the use of seclusion, chemical restraints such as prescription drugs, mechanical restraints, or prone restraints. Physical restraint would only be allowed in extreme situations when students are in imminent danger to themselves or others. The board has 30 days to vote on and pass the Rule. The public has the opportunity to provide written comment via email to the BOE at policy@doe.k12.ga.us by July 5.

"This is not a Rule about discipline; it is a Rule about safety. This is not an issue relevant only to children with disabilities or behavioral issues. This issue impacts all of our children," said Eric E. Jacobson, executive director, Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities. "We must shift the culture of Georgia public schools so that all students have the right to receive an appropriate education in a safe environment that fosters learning and encourages the use of positive behavior supports."

With the parents of the 13-year-old Jonathan King who hanged himself in a seclusion room in 2004 standing behind them, the Safe Schools Initiative coalition issued three charges to:

1. Educators: to embrace and adopt the concept of Positive Behavioral
Supports as an alternative to restraint and seclusion.
2. Parents: to act as advocates on behalf of their children.
3. The general public: become a part of the process by submitting written
comments to the BOE in support of the Rule.


"There is nothing smart, educational or positive about restraining or secluding a child," Lipson said. "Together, we can create schools that are safe for children and teachers, provide effective oversight and support, and ultimately protect our children."

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter:  @GAFrontPage

GSU, Morehouse School of Medicine to partner on developmental disabilities

The Center for Leadership in Disability (CLD) at Georgia State University has been awarded a three-year, $675,000 grant to develop a joint program on developmental disabilities with the Satcher Health Leadership Institute (SHLI) at the Morehouse School of Medicine.

Funding will come from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The disability partnership will serve as a vehicle for exchanging ideas and innovation in research, training and services between the faculty, staff and students of the two institutions, with the goal of reducing disparities in health and well-being related to disability and minority status in Georgia.

"This is a fantastic development for our center," said Daniel Crimmins, director of the CLD and clinical professor of public health. "We are a new program at GSU, and have received tremendous support from so many people here and in the disability community.

"We're off to a good start, but there's still much to do," he said. "This grant provides an opportunity to work closely with SHLI, one of the premiere programs in the country addressing health disparities, to focus on some critical needs in Georgia. The grant also requires us to develop the partnership as a model for other programs across the country."

The grant builds on CLD's designation as a University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, and its mission to translate research into sustainable community practices that support independent, fulfilling, productive lives.

CLD is based in the GSU Institute of Public Health and Center for Healthy Development, within the College of Health and Human Sciences. In July, CLD received a five-year grant of over $2 million as part of its designation as a UCEDD.

SHLI is directed by former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher, with the mission to develop a diverse group of public health leaders, foster and support leadership strategies, and influence policies toward the reduction and ultimate elimination of disparities in health.

"We at SHLI and Morehouse School of Medicine are delighted to be able to join in partnership with GSU in taking advantage of this opportunity to advance the lives and productivity of persons living with disabilities," said Satcher. "This opportunity is consistent with our commitment to eliminate disparities in health as they impact the lives of persons living with disabilities."

The partnership reflects CLD's expertise in developmental disabilities and SHLI's expertise in addressing the needs of minority communities. The partnership will focus on improving access to services and supports to reduce and ultimately eliminate health disparities for individuals with disabilities and their families from minority backgrounds. The plan is aligned with the goals and priorities for both programs.

There are 67 UCEDDs in the U.S., with at least one in every state and territory. Centers are in a unique position to facilitate the flow of disability-related information between community and university. UCEDDs provide training, technical assistance, service, research, and information in working with people with disabilities, family members, state and local government, and community providers.


-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
www.artsacrossgeorgia.com
Arts Across Georgia

State Seeks Input on Special Education

The Georgia Department of Education has posted its annual application for federal grants that assist with the education of students with disabilities and will be seeking public comment on the application throughout April.

In Fiscal Year 2009, school systems in Georgia received more than $300 million in grants under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and is anticipating another $310 million in IDEA funds through the federal stimulus package. In order to continue to receive that funding, the state must post its Annual State Application for IDEA Grants Funds for public review for 60 days. The state must also have a 30-day public comment window.

Georgia's Annual State Application for IDEA Grant Funds has been posted on the GaDOE's website at this location: http://www.gadoe.org/ci_exceptional.aspx?PageReq=CIEXCIdea

The public comment period will run from April 1 through April 30.

Written comments should be sent to:
Nancy O’Hara, Director
Division for Special Education Services
1870 Twin Towers East
Atlanta, Ga. 30334

Comments can be emailed to:
nohara@doe.k12.ga.us

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page

AccessText Network Created in Collaboration with University of Georgia Will Improve Student Access to College Textbook Content

The Association of American Publishers has signed an agreement with the Alternative Media Access Center, an initiative of the Georgia Board of Regents and the University of Georgia, to develop and launch the AccessText Network, a comprehensive, national online system that will make it easier and quicker for students with print-related disabilities, such as blindness, to obtain the textbooks they need for their college courses.

The program at UGA is part of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.


"AMAC is energized about working in conjunction with the disability community to guarantee AccessText becomes the conduit between the publishing world and post-secondary institutions' disability programs nationwide," said Christopher Lee, department head and director of AMAC."We are charged with making AccessText the national nucleus of post-secondary distribution of approved alternative textbook file exchanges, training and technical support. Our goal is to make the college disability professional's job easier and, in the long run, help save institutions from the high cost of producing electronic textbooks for their students with disabilities."

Many college students with disabilities are struggling to use required or recommended print textbooks that are essential to their course success, said Patricia Schroeder, AAP's president and chief executive officer.

"By improving the efficiencies of our present process, AccessText will facilitate quicker access to content for more students," she said.

The new AccessText Network will improve the way electronic versions of print textbooks are delivered to campus-based disability student service offices from publishers and streamline the permission process for scanning copies of print textbooks when publisher files are unavailable.

"This project would have not been possible without the early support and direction of Noel Gregg, director of the Franklin UGA Regents Center for Learning Disorders," said Lee. "The AMAC project was incubated under that center, and Noel was a co-founder of AMAC making the project a reality."

The network, scheduled for beta launch in February 2009, will ensure that institutions can more easily obtain information about publishers' course materials, request electronic text files and use more efficient acquisition and distribution channels.

AccessText Network is being funded through donations from publishers Cengage Learning; CQ Press; Macmillan; McGraw-Hill Education; Pearson; Reed Elsevier Inc.; John Wiley & Sons; and W.W. Norton.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page

Special Olympics Georgia Launches Project UNIFY Initiative to Energize Youth

PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Special Olympics Georgia (SOGA) received $60,000 in funding to support the overall outreach initiative of the organization as part of Special Olympics' new national program, Project UNIFY.

Project UNIFY is a year-long project to activate young people across the country in an effort to promote school communities where all young people are agents of change -- fostering respect, dignity and advocacy for people with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics believes through sports young people can make a difference in friendships, schools and communities.

Project UNIFY promotes a cultural shift and positions Special Olympics as a leading cause among youth -- as important, not just "nice," and as relevant to each of us, not just for "them." In addition, Project UNIFY leadership activities will help develop the next generation of leaders and advocates for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

"This project is an excellent opportunity for our Programs to get directly involved in a grass-roots effort to increase the number of Special Olympics opportunities for youth with and without intellectual disabilities, while increasing the number of state-wide sustained Special Olympics partnerships with schools," said Bob Gobrecht, Special Olympics North America Managing Director. "The need for programs like the ones Special Olympics offers that encourage positive school climates with safe and nurturing environments for all students is clear, especially in light of how inappropriate and discriminatory words and actions are becoming more and more common in our society."

Special Olympics Programs throughout the United States were invited to apply for funds to implement Project UNIFY activities that meet the initiative's objectives through a competitive grant process. Special Olympics Georgia will use their funding to support the Young Athletes, Get Into It, Unified and Traditional sports programs.

All of these initiatives will attract children and adults with intellectual disabilities into the Special Olympics program. "Our goal is to make all eligible individuals aware of the many year-round ways to get involved in our sports training and competition programs throughout the state," said SOGA CEO Georgia Milton-Sheats.

Project UNIFY was made possible by $4.4 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Education pursuant to fiscal 2008 appropriations under the authority of HR5131, "The Special Olympics Sport and Empowerment Act," and the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" which Special Olympics International received in June 2008.

To kick off Project UNIFY, 17 young people from across the country, aged 14-20, with and without intellectual disabilities, assembled in Washington, D.C., on 18-20 September for the first meeting of Project UNIFY's Youth Advisory Committee (YAC). The committee met during the Department of Education's 2008 Global Summit on Education, the theme of which was "Inclusive Practices for Students with Disabilities."

In addition to forming the Youth Advisory Committee, other overall Project UNIFY goals include promoting the Special Olympics "R-word" campaign, implementing a U.S. Special Olympics grant process for local Special Olympics Programs, hosting a Global Youth Congress as part of the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games, and participating in national forums and conferences on intellectual disabilities and education.

-----

www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page