Welcome
Welcome to the winter NCEO e-newsletter. In this issue, we highlight the findings from NCEO’s IVARED project that led focus groups with 232 school and district practitioners to better understand issues and challenges educators face in making appropriate decisions for English language learners. We also announce the launching of IVARED’s learning modules on ELLs with disabilities. Another launch is NCEO’s first YouTube channel with videos from NCEO’s Online Training to Improve Accommodations Decision Making. And if you will be in Philadelphia this April for the NCME, AERA, or CEC conferences, we have for you a list of the sessions that will be delivered, moderated, or chaired by NCEO staff. As always, we welcome feedback and ideas about what you would like to see in future issues of NCEO’s e-newsletter.
Voices from the Field
Results from online focus groups with 232 school and district practitioners in five states are the topic of the report from NCEO’s IVARED project, Voices from the Field: Making State Assessment Decisions for English Language Learners with Disabilities. The purpose of the focus groups was to better understand the current assessment and accommodation decision-making process, test score use practices, and issues and challenges that educators face in making appropriate decisions for English language learners (ELLs) with disabilities.
Learning Modules on ELLs with Disabilities Launched!
The IVARED project recently launched a set of online learning modules designed to help educators look at important issues surrounding students who are English language learners (ELLs) with disabilities. Access to the modules and their content is free and open to all educators.
NCEO Presentations at Upcoming Conferences
If you plan to attend this year’s National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME) annual meeting (April 2-6, 2014), American Educational Research Association (AERA) annual meeting (April 3-7, 2014), or Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) annual convention (April 9-12, 2014) all held in Philadelphia, PA, you are invited to attend conference sessions delivered, moderated, or chaired by NCEO staff members.
NCEO Launches its First YouTube Channel
NCEO is uploading videos from its Online Training to Improve Accommodations Decision Making to YouTube. The videos were originally incorporated within the case-based training. NCEO is making the video clips available on YouTube so that educators and other audiences can use these videos independent of the training.