UPDATES

Upcoming MI3 Project Activities

Michigan Department of Education

December 2009

WHAT’s NEW?

  • Center for Educational Networking (CEN) –A Video Gallery is added to CEN Web Site This new feature allows users to access video clips associated with the recent FOCUS on Results articles highlighting improvement efforts in SuttonsBayPublic Schools and FlintCommunitySchools. Both stories were featured at the 2009 MAASE Summer Institute.
  • Michigan Alliance for Families (The Alliance) – New parent mentors will be hired in Flint, Port Huron, Jackson, Lansing, Northern Lower Michigan, Pontiac and Utica by January 1, 2010.
  • Michigan Special Education Mediation Program (MSEMP) – Preliminary research on a concept for a collaboration conference indicates interest in flexible formats based on parent-educator teams. Work is ongoing.
  • Michigan Department of Education-Low Incidence Outreach (MDE-LIO)-

1)LIO: (a) Can provide free textbooks for students with visual impairment (VI) and eligible for free or reduced lunch; (b) Has a huge loan library of Braille & large print books available for ANY Michigan student with a VI.

2)American Printing House for the Blind provides federal monies for materials and books for students who are eligible as legally blind.

3)For further information, refer to the website at or email .

  • Michigan’s Integrated Technology Support (MITS) – New webinar series focused on assistive technology/technology to support students targeting assistive technology specialists, parents, administrators, and teachers; Recent regional training with Scott Marfilius – Assistive Technology, RtI, etc.; New Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM)/NIMAS Brochures targeting Administrators, Decision-Making Teams, Curriculum Coordinators; New MITS lending library site ( Participation on MDE Assessment Advisory Council; Participation in OSEP meeting on accessible instructional materials; Increased collaboration with MiBLSi
  • Michigan’s Integrated Mathematics Initiative (MIMI)[formerly MMPI] – Materials are being assessed by independent contractor for soundness of materials and strengths/weaknesses with regard to implementation and scalability.
  • Michigan’s Integrated Behavior and Learning Support Initiative (MiBLSi) - Universal Behavior Supports training for the new round of school team participants across the state.
  • Michigan’s Transition Outcomes Project (MI-TOP) - There are some changes to SPP-13 and 14 data collection for 2010:

1)A draft checklist has been created that reflects the revised indicator language for SPP-13 per OSEP. The checklist will be submitted for approval to OSEP prior to our next data collection period. Stay tuned, as we are awaiting word from OSEP.

2)Starting in 2010, each Local Education Agency (LEA) will be included in the checklist sample universe. We are no longer using the previous CIMS-based cohort protocol to gather data. This new sampling protocol will allow SPP-13 compliance data to be fed back to each LEA on an annual basis (rather than every 3 years). It will also allow for an accurate and timely analysis of student record trend data while providing consistent data for each ISD.

3)Recall also that the indicator language for SPP-14 (student post-school outcomes) changed this year (per OSEP). This means several areas are important:

a)Because OSEP changed the language on indicator 14, next year’s data will be a resetting of baseline and will require the review and possible reestablishment of both performance targets and improvement activities.

b)We are awaiting a draft postsecondary outcomes survey to be developed by the NationalPostschoolOutcomesCenter before making any final decisions about what we will use in Michigan to collect this data. Stay tuned!

c)The methodology for collecting SPP-14 data will not change. Next year (2010) we will be collecting data on cohort 2 LEAs.WayneStateUniversity will continue to implement the data collection and analysis.

d)Like SPP-13, the OSE-EIS will not be reporting SPP-14 results in the APR submitted February 1, 2010 (data on leavers from the 2007-2008 school year). This data will be available for use within the state, however.

e)As of mid-October, results were just under 74% of students reporting positive post-school outcomes. This would put us over the state performance target of 73% and close to last year’s reported performance of 73.9%.

  • Statewide Autism Resources and Training (START) –

1) The revised Universal Supports Assessment and Planning Tool (USAPT) is now available on the START website. This is a building level assessment tool to determine a buildings current use of foundational effective practices for students with ASD.

2) START is continuing to work with the NationalProfessionalDevelopmentCenter on Autism Spectrum Disorders (NPDC) as a collaborative partner to ensure information about evidence based practices (EBP) is available to schools. The EBP practice briefs are now available on the NPDC website.

3) START is working in collaboration with MDE and the Department of Community Health to create a State Plan for Individuals with ASD in Michigan. A writing and advisory committee have been identified. If MAASE members are interested in learning more about the development of the state plan, contact Amy Matthews at

  • Project FindMichigan - Developing a Child Find guidance document for ISDswith the assistance of Sharon LaPointe. Drafts will be shared with Project Find Coordinators for feedback. Contact Christy Callahan: or 517-668-0185.
  • Reaching and Teaching Struggling Learners (RTSL) –

1)This dropout prevention initiative has been highlighted in the August 2009 and November 2009 Focus on Results articles.

2)The initiative’s website can be found at RTSL’s program design has been used as a template for the State Superintendent’s Dropout Challenge.

3)1097 buildings in the state have joined the challenge, 40% of which are elementary buildings. 30% of all the districts in the state have joined this effort. For both the challenge schools and the RTSL buildings, the early warning signs reports for risk of dropout are being built into the regional data warehouses across the state.

WHAT’s COMING?

  • CEN – The Michigan Directory of Service Providers for Infants, Toddlers, and Students with Disabilities 2009-2010 will be available December 2009 at The latest version of the directory is online only.
  • MSEMP – A brief survey to explore collaboration conference ideas and how an event can address common issues in special and general education.
  • Low Incidence Outreach - MDE-LIO,

1)In collaboration with several ISDs and two Interpreter Training Programs, will provide 2 Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA) workshops: January 16th will discuss Classifiers; April 17th focuses on Sign-to-Voice Interpreting for Child Signers.

2)Early 2010, the Interpreter Rules should be out for public comment – You will be notified so that you can participate in the comment sessions.

Until February 2011, MDE-LIO will continue to pay for Educational Interpreters who are taking the EIPA for the first time.

3)The website has applications, procedures, and professional development opportunities.

  • MITS - Advisory council focused on assistive technology; Moodle courses on assistive technology and accessible instructional materials; regional training; Training series in collaboration with MDE-LIO focused on digital workflow, benefits of digital in terms of accessibility, etc. targeting VI consultants; Collaboration with CEC and MACUL at upcoming conferences; Repository of accessible instructional materials that will improve efficiency and reduce redundancy.
  • MIMI – Advisory Committee comprised of diverse stakeholders will convene to identify barriers and opportunities in the development of a comprehensive system of supports to improve mathematics outcomes for all students.

DID YOU KNOW?

  • CEN - CEN welcomes your school/district stories related to improvement efforts that are making a difference for students. Contact Holly Sasso at or call 517-908-3905
  • MSEMP – Six ISDs provide training in IEP collaboration skills for school personnel. If interested, contact the MSEMP at (517) 485-2275 or . See workshops list at
  • MITS has launched a new lending library site that is automated, much more intuitive and user friendly – Pearson Publishing has recently launched accessible HTML books that are compatible with most assistive technologies and fully accessible for sale thus eliminating eligibility restrictions and aligning with RtI.
  • MiBLSi- website ( has been updated with information, tools and videos to support multi-tiered, response to intervention implementation efforts
  • START –

1) The National Children's Health Survey report released Monday in the journal Pediatrics reveals that 1 percent of U.S. children ages 3-17 may have an autism spectrum disorder, an estimated prevalence of one in every 91 children. The Center’s for Disease Control (CDC) is preparing a report that will include a response to this data.

2) The National Standards Project has released their report on evidence based practices for individuals with ASD. In addition to the general report, they have created an educators manual, which is available on their website (it is only 258 pages long).

UPCOMING LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

  • MI Alliance -
  • MITS – Webinar Series (Many more to come)
  • MiBLSi-State Implementer’s Conference will be held March 16-18 in Lansing
  • START –

1) Increasing Learning Opportunities for Young Children with ASD in the Early Childhood Classroom: Structuring Play Opportunities; Dec 11, 8:30-3:30, MacMullenConferenceCenter, Roscommon, Michigan;

2) IEP Development and Implementation for Students with ASD; Dec. 10, 2009 8:30am – 3:30pm,

Lexington Hotel – Lansing, Michigan

3) Centralized Evaluation Team (CET)/Eligibility Determination of ASD; Feb 4, 2010 8:30am – 3:30pm,EberhardCenter - Grand Rapids, Michigan; and click on START Events

  • Michigan’s Integrated Improvement Initiatives (MI3) – Next Community Learning Forum will focus on Professional Development; Feb 17-18, 2009; RamadaLansingHotel & ConferenceCenter, Lansing, Michigan

HOT TOPICS

  • MITS – Accessible Instructional Materials remains a hot topic; NIMAS file quality is improving as is the software to interact with these files. MITS has purchased a statewide license at a greatly reduced price for Dolphin Easy Reader – a DAISY reader that will read Bookshare books, raw NIMAS files, and other DAISY books.
  • START - Transition to adulthood and post high school programming for young adults with ASD:The number of students with ASD requiring post high school support will likely rise over the next 5-10 years given the current number of secondary and elementary age students.

UPDATES & REMINDERS

  • MITS Summer Institute – June 21-22 featuring Dave Edyburn (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee)
  • START - Every Michigan county (except Wayne) has access to a START Regional Collaborative Network (RCN). If you are not currently connected to your RCN, contact the START office to find out about the RCN in your region

(616-331-6480).

Upcoming MI3 Project Activities

Michigan Department of Education

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