I want to start by saying this: Betsy DeVos, the nominee for US Secretary of Education, seems like a lovely person. I'm sure we'd get along splendidly chatting over a glass of wine. But there are major concerns from both sides of the aisle regarding her ability to lead the country's federal education system.

I watched her nomination hearing like it was the SuperBowl. I was jumping up and down, yelling at the screen, chatting with friends in rapid-fire texts and tweets, full of dismay between the questions and responses. It was a workout--both emotionally and physically. And in a way, it is like the SuperBowl of education, except with much larger and more important stakes. Our children. All of them.

I began thinking in the past week or so about qualifications for jobs. We just hired a new Director for our Professional and Graduate Education department, so the interview process is fresh on my mind. So I began thinking: 

What would happen in a job interview with Betsy DeVos? Her nomination hearing was like a job interview (one that she didn't seem to prepare for). In fact, I thought more deeply on this question: Looking at her resume and qualifications, would she even have booked the first interview?

I recruit expert education leaders and teachers to support the development of future education leaders in public and private education-of which, Mrs. DeVos would be doing in her job, one could hope. But I  don't think she would qualify to even visit a class in my graduate program. Maybe to offer perspective on the voucher movement?

So I began to dig. And below I have education positions and job descriptions, as best as I could find them, from Secretary of Education, to state commissioner/chief, to superintendent, to building administration, teacher, and teacher's aide. So what would she qualify for based on her resume and background? Here's what I've found.

First step: Finding her resume. You can find pieces of it on her website, which mentions her time as Chairman of the Windquest Group, a privately held investment/management firm. Snopes.com did some digging on the claims that she was unfit for this position, and they stated that it was a mixed truth/falsehood. Her degree from Calvin College is in business administration and political science, so she doesn't have any formalized training in education. Most of her work is in political advocacy and philanthropy, which doesn't seem like education experience to me.

Senator Elizabeth Warren (*swoon*) also pointed out that even though Betsy DeVos does work/chair a financial investment group, she has no experience in banking. Why is this important? As Ed Secretary, she would be in charge of overseeing a trillion dollar loan portfolio and that gives out over $30 billion in aid each year.  So the resume is looking spotty on any kind of experiences that would lead up to this job..so how does this compare to the job descriptions? The next step. Let's go through the list. 

Secretary of Education: There are no formalized job description, though the appointment process is laid out in law and the fundamental responsibilities are listed on the Ed.gov website (Calling all solutions-oriented advocates: maybe this is an opportunity to create some mandatory/minimum requirements?). The little I could find is here:
The mission of the Department of Education is to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence throughout the nation. The Secretary is responsible for the overall direction, supervision, and coordination of all activities of the Department and is the principal adviser to the President on Federal policies, programs and activities related to education in the United States. The Secretary serves as Chief Operating Officer for the Department under the President's Memorandum of July 11, 2001.

The Deputy Secretary focuses on the development and implementation of policies, programs, and activities relating to elementary and secondary education matters. This mission addresses a wide spectrum of interests ranging from safe and drug free schools, special education and rehabilitative services to education of linguistically and culturally diverse students, and promotion of educational interventions, and reforms.
As a philanthropist, is she qualified for this lofty job? Though I'm sure she has many great qualities, I don't see anything that would qualify her to meet these responsibilities. I don't think she would qualified to be on the staff. Next.

State Chief: As a Florida girl, I looked in our state statutes to see what responsibilities this position entailed. It is different from state-to-state, but Florida appoints this state education leader. Under General Powers and Duties in FL State Statute 1001.010:
​
The Commissioner of Education is the chief educational officer of the state and the sole custodian of the K-20 data warehouse, and is responsible for giving full assistance to the State Board of Education in enforcing compliance with the mission and goals of the K-20 education system except for the State University System.
The commissioner's office shall operate all statewide functions necessary to support the State Board of Education, including strategic planning and budget development, general administration, assessment, and accountability. 
And reading a bit further. Additionally, the commissioner has the following general powers and duties:

• To organize and name the structural units of the Department of Education and appoint staff necessary to carry out duties and functions of the department in a manner that meets legislative intent and promotes both efficiency and accountability.
• To advise and counsel with the State Board of Education on all matters pertaining to education; to recommend to the State Board of Education actions and policies as, in the commissioner's opinion, should be acted upon or adopted; and to execute or provide for the execution of all acts and policies as are approved.
• To keep such records as are necessary to set forth clearly all acts and proceedings of the State Board of Education.
• To have a seal for his or her office with which, in connection with his or her own signature, the commissioner shall authenticate true copies of decisions, acts, or documents.
• To recommend to the State Board of Education policies and steps designed to protect and preserve the principal of the State School Fund; to provide an assured and stable income from the fund; to execute such policies and actions as are approved; and to administer the State School Fund.
• To take action on the release of mineral rights based upon the recommendations of the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund.
• To submit to the State Board of Education, on or before October 1 of each year, recommendations for a coordinated K-20 education budget that estimates the expenditures for the Board of Governors, the State Board of Education, including the Department of Education and the Commissioner of Education, and all of the boards, institutions, agencies, and services under the general supervision of the Board of Governors or the State Board of Education for the ensuing fiscal year. Any program recommended to the State Board of Education that will require increases in state funding for more than 1 year must be presented in a multiyear budget plan.
• To develop and implement policies for cooperating with other public agencies in carrying out those phases of the program in which such cooperation is required by law or is deemed by the commissioner to be desirable and to cooperate with public and nonpublic agencies in planning and bringing about improvements in the educational program.
• To prepare forms and procedures as are necessary to be used by district school boards and all other educational agencies to assure uniformity, accuracy, and efficiency in the keeping of records, the execution of contracts, the preparation of budgets, or the submission of reports; and to furnish at state expense, when deemed advisable by the commissioner, those forms that can more economically and efficiently be provided.
• To implement a program of school improvement and education accountability designed to provide all students the opportunity to make adequate learning gains in each year of school as provided by statute and State Board of Education rule based upon the achievement of the state education goals, recognizing the following:
•  The district school board is responsible for school and student performance.
•  The individual school is the unit for education accountability.
•  The commissioner, or the commissioner's designee, may conduct a review or investigation of practices, procedures, or actions at any Florida College System institution which appear to be inconsistent with sound financial, management, or academic practice.

Nope, I don't see anything that would qualify her to meet any of these job responsbilities. Next.

Superintendent: This is according to the latest Ed Week postings for open superintendent positions (no, boss, I'm not looking). Though I wanted to use the description from White Bear Area Schools in MN (I'm so sorry, but I couldn't resist!), I found a more thorough description for Thompson Public Schools in CT. The posting:
Our new school Superintendent will work with the board to create and sustain a student environment ideal for learning and welcoming to the community. The successful candidate will be an experienced educator and strong communicator with experience fostering individual student potential and meeting individual student needs. We are looking for someone who will lead Thompson Public Schools in opening up student opportunities and encourage them to explore their world. Our new superintendent will lead the engagement of students as they develop a sense of community deeply rooted in respect and values.
The new Superintendent will lead by example, motivating through team building and employee input. They will set high expectations, for themselves and district employees, providing the tools and encouragement needed to reach them together.
We are looking for someone with a deep appreciation for classroom teachers, an understanding and appreciation of the complexity and nuance of small schools, small communities and the multiple roles principals play in both environments. This position requires an effective communicator comfortable being a public figure. They should be a natural leader whose goal-oriented drive serves as an example to students, educators and parents alike.
The candidate should have a strong understanding of educational initiatives in Connecticut.
The kicker in this description is the last sentence: A strong understanding of educational initiatives in CT. Based on the nomination hearing last week, this would also be a resounding "not qualified."

So maybe principal? This is a job description for a high school principal for North Adams, MA. I'm already noticing that the very first thing they require is instructional leadership. I stopped reading there. Nope, not Betsy.
Job Goal: To use leadership, supervisory, and administrative skills to promote the educational development of each student. 
Supervision: Reports to Superintendent. Supervises all personnel within the High School Building.
Performance Responsibilities:

• Instructional Leadership
  • Facilitate the development of a shared mission and vision for college and career readiness and civic responsibility.
  • Encourage and use a variety of strategies to assess student performance. 
  • Apply current principles, practices, and research to foster effective teaching and student-centered learning.
  • Assist the staff in their identification, collection, and analysis of student data so that a consistently high standard of teaching and learning may be achieved and maintained.
  • Lead the ongoing renewal of curriculum and instructional programs.
  • Promote and model the effective use of appropriate instructional technologies.
  • Ensure that all teachers have high standards and positive expectations for all students to perform at high levels.
  • Ensure that the needs of all learners are addressed equitably.
  • Work with teachers and other staff to supervise and evaluate their performance, using performance standards and student outcomes, and to identify areas for growth.
  • Support ongoing professional development of the faculty and staff.
• Organizational Leadership
  • Apply research and organizational leadership skills to the safe and orderly management of the high school.
  •  Create a positive, informed and collaborative climate for collegial teaching and learning.
  • Demonstrate respect for existing program strengths and have a commitment to support and build upon those strengths.
  •  Facilitate constructive change.
  • Plan for, model, and encourage collaboration and shared decision-making.
  • Demonstrate clear, direct, and concise written and oral communications skills with administration, staff and parents.
•  Administration and Management 
  • Carry out personnel selection, supervision, evaluation, and management functions for the high school and/or district effectively.
  •  Apply current knowledge of policy formation and legal requirements within the scope of his/her responsibility.
  • Apply current knowledge of fiscal management policy and practices within the scope of his/her responsibility.
  •  Apply current knowledge of auxiliary programs (such as transportation, food services, pupil personnel services, maintenance, and facilities management) within the scope of his/her responsibility.
  •  Use appropriate technologies to administer his/her responsibilities.
•  Promotion of Equity and Appreciation of Diversity
  • Strive to ensure equity among programs and learning opportunities for staff, students, and parents.
  • Demonstrate appreciation for and sensitivity to the diversity among individuals.
  • Contribute constructively to closing the race based and socio-economic achievement gaps.
  •  Relationships with the Community
  • Assess the needs of parents and community members and involve them in decision-making.
  • Promote partnerships among staff, parents/guardians, business and the community.
  • Interpret, articulate, and promote the vision, mission, programs, activities, and services of the high school/district.
•  Relationship with Students
  •  Create a high school climate that engenders engagement and fosters respect.
  • Promote high school wide practices that encourage student involvement, from all demographic subgroups, in decision-making and in taking responsibility for their own education.
  • Demonstrate appreciation for, interest in, and sensitivity to the needs of all students.
  •  Effectively and professionally communicate high school policies, academic requirements and high school environment expectations while also being approachable and trusted in working with students.

Essential Functions of the Job:

• Must possess the ability to:
•  Apply knowledge of Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks, current state standards and expectations, best and differentiated instructional strategies, and common assessment practices.
• Provide instructional and organizational leadership for the high school.
•  Promote an effective learning climate in the high school.
•  Lead the high school in adapting to the changing educational environment and implementing program improvements.
•  Maintain a safe and respectful environment, proper student conduct and student discipline.
• Effectively problem-solve and make difficult decisions based upon the best interests of students.
•  Exercise decisive leadership in crisis situations.
•  Communicate and support the developmental needs of adolescent learners.
•  Build effective relationships with students, staff, parents and community members.
• Performs all tasks as the Superintendent deems necessary to carry out the duties and responsibilities listed above.

Teacher? Shall we say: professional educator? This posting from NC is in the content from her bachelor's. Business. But the minimum requirement is that she would have to be eligible for a teaching certificate, so she would have to get working on that. Also depending on the state and location, some teachers can get temporary positions with only a bachelor's degree (though this is an emergency-fill-a-gap-method that doesn't always lead to success for the teacher or the students).
Overall, it looks like this is also not her fit. 

Teacher's aide? This one is from Dartmouth, MA.
SUMMARY OF MAIN DUTIES:
Works with students with disabilities under the direction and supervision of certified personnel (primarily classroom teacher) and assists students in reaching their goals as indicated on their Individual Education Plans (IEPs).
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Assists teacher in implementing IEP goals, planning and implementing developmentally appropriate instructional activities.
• Carries out small group instruction and/or assists in one-on-one instruction, as needed.
• Assists teachers and therapists in maintaining appropriate data and records (i.e. attendance, progress monitoring data, alternate assessment data, etc.).
• Supports the continuous implementation of skills and goals associated with students therapeutic goals.
• Utilizes and maintains technology and communication devices for students.
• Assists in the development and implementation of vocational routines (onsite and offsite), community service projects and special events.
• Implements equipment, behavioral, sensory, mobility and self-care plans (toileting) per students needs.
• Provides direct assistance in feeding, toileting and dressing skills.

NON-ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Maintains and cares for all classroom/school equipment.
• Actively seeks and participates in ongoing professional development.
• Attends and actively participates in staff, school-wide and parent meetings or activities including those scheduled beyond the regular school day.
• Assists in the evacuation of children and clients during drills and emergencies.
• Performs other duties as directed or required.

QUALIFICATIONS:
SKILLS

• Demonstrates patience, tact and professionalism in dealing with students, staff and families.
• Possesses a basic understanding of special education concepts and practices.
• Ability to establish and sustain rapport with students with special needs.
• Ability to work as part of a team; flexibility.
• Organizational skills and effective communication skills (interpersonal, oral and written).
• Proficient computer skills including but not limited to MS Word, Excel, other data monitoring systems, and school software such as Welligent, BlackBaud, EducationEdge, SchoolDude, ESPED, etc.

PROFESSIONAL AND LEGAL STANDARDS

• Accesses student records only as needed and required.
• Uses and discloses Protected Healthcare Information (PHI) only as authorized, as necessary to carry out job duties.
• Completes and maintains privacy and security training.
• Reports suspected violations including those of a business associate or contractor.
• Models the agencys values of respect, compassion, excellence, inclusivity, and integrity.

EXPERIENCE, TRAINING AND EDUCATION

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Associates Degree in related field preferred.
• Parapro certification preferred.
• A minimum of 1 year experience working in a similar position in a classroom or home care environment with students from preschool to age 22.
• Current CPR and first aid certification.

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Work environment and physical requirements consistent with those of a typical school environment requiring significant reliance on use of computer, telephone and other office equipment. Utilize the Computer (50-75%) of the time and other office equipment.
• Sit, stand, and walk continuously throughout the workday.
• Bend, stoop, squat, push and pull (1-33% of the time)
• Lift, push, pull up to 50 pounds independently and up to 100 pounds with the assistance of another staff member or adaptive equipment.
• Kneel and reach above shoulder level occasionally (1-33% of the time)
• job responsibilities.
• Physically able to position physical/occupational therapy equipment, splints, etc. Ability to use various equipment (switches, cooking equipment, etc.).
• Has the use of upper extremities for light, repetitive fine motor tasks.
• Ride the bus to and from all community based activities and programs.
• Ability to run 25 yards to secure students for safety reasons such as elopement.
• Ability to participate in physical restraint of students as needed and trained.

Small group instruction and working with IEPs? I'm worried that she didn't know what IDEA was, nevertheless an IEP. Next.

Substitute teacher. Maybe that is it?  This is from the Fall River Public Schools website in SC and Indeed.com:
Duties Include (but are not limited to):

• Manage student learning in accordance with the goals of the Fall River Public School District
•  Implements lesson plans, while ensuring the integrity of academic time and in a manner which motivates students to learn and participate.
•  Organize students for effective instruction.
• Ensures the adequate supervision to assure health, welfare, and safety of all students.
• Maintains and respects confidentiality of student and school personnel information.
• Complies with and supports school and District regulations and policies.
• Must be able to follow oral and written directions and have the ability to establish effective working relationships with staff and students
•  Ability to maintain effective classroom management strategies.
• Reports all student injuries, accidents, illnesses, and discipline problems to the appropriate authority immediately or as soon as is reasonably possible.
• Performs other related duties as assigned by building administrator(s) in accordance with District policies and practices.
• Minimum Qualifications:
• 60 College Credits (Bachelor's Degree preferred)
• Candidates seeking a career in education are preferred

I'm worried a bit about the last line in the duties section, but I think this may be her best fit. The one were she meets the minimum requirements. And she is going to lead public education? This makes me nervous. I feel like we are on a super barge full of the cutest, most important kids in the world, with the most difficult waters to navigate, some major storms in sight, and our pilot only has experience in playing with a plastic tugboat in the bathtub. 
This is part of a much larger and widespread issue in education: opening up positions to those who are not qualified because of low morale, high attrition, issues with recruitment, and a mindset that anyone can teach. And due to a complete misunderstanding of the complexities of education, teaching, and learning. This mindset of "the best quality is having no experience in education, so she can help clean house" is dangerous. My stomach was in knots when I heard these comments in the hearing. Our "products" aren't cogs or goods that we are talking about, but lives. The futures of our students. The future of our country. And if we are looking at being led by a person who barely meets the minimum requirement for a substitute teacher and we are thinking that this is a strong idea, we need a serious recalibration. ​

This month's guest blog is written by Dr. Stephen M. Shore. Check out his website at ​www.autismasperger.net.

Do you see what I see?
 
Do you hear what I hear?
 
Do you sense what perceive as I sense?
 
That fluorescent light in the ceiling… or is it a strobe light?  What about the scraping sound pencils make when a classroom of students makes as they write their in-class essays?  These are just two of the possible differences in sensing and perception that many people with autism have to deal with on a daily basis.
 
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM V) American Psychological Association, 2013) and most other sources look at communication, social interaction, as well as repetitive motions and restricted interests as the main areas of impairment in people with autism, most recently, sensory processing dysfunction in people on the autism spectrum (2013). Understanding the paradigm that people perceive the world differently is vital for work successfully with people on the autism spectrum.
 
Sensory processing and sensory processing dysfunction
 
What is sensory processing?  Sensory processing is “the neurological process of organizing the information we get from our bodies and from the world around us for use in daily life" (Kranowitz, 1998, p. 42). "Sensory processing dysfunction is the inability to process information received through the senses" (p. 8).  In plain English this means that just about everyone on the autism spectrum that I have met has a large variance from might be considered as typical in how they sense and perceive the world.  Some of the senses may be turned up “too high,” other are “too low,” and there may be a substantial amount of distortion in the data that is received through the senses.

​Sensory variations: Outer & Inner Senses

The Outer Senses.  Most people are aware of the five senses of touch, hearing, taste, smell, and touch.
 
A theory mentioned in Temple Grandin’s book (1995) is that people on the autism spectrum are born with too many, yet immature nerve endings.  This theory gives a possibly explanation as to why most people with autism experience problems with sensory integration.  Some or all of the five senses may be hyper sensitive where as others may be hypo sensitive.  In addition, the data received from these senses may also be distorted.  Some common examples of problems experienced in these five senses include the following:
 
Anything that overloads one or more the senses is a sensory violation to me.

The Inner Senses. The vestibular and proprioceptive senses are often referred to as the hidden or inner senses.  The vestibular sense “helps with movement, posture, vision, balance, and coordination of both sides of the body” (Myles, Cook, Miller, Rinner & Robbins, 2000, p. 28).  Proprioception informs a person as to where their body parts are in space and the appropriate amount of force needed to perform an activity such as picking up a glass of milk.  Like with the more commonly known outer senses, hyper and hypo sensitivities as well as distortions with these two inner senses cause challenges for those on the autism spectrum.

The Sensory Star

The Sensory Star depicts some of the challenges facing a person on the autism spectrum who has sensory integration dysfunction.  For example, I was in a room with a friend that has Asperger Syndrome.  Suddenly, I noticed her eyes vibrating back and forth – at the same frequency of the fluorescent lights in the ceiling. 
 
For all intents and purposes given her perception, she was in a room with a strobe light.  She, like many people on the autism spectrum, perceives the cycling of the fluorescent lights.  Most non-spectrum people perceive only light flickering when the bulb is very old and needs to be replaced.
 
Moments later she asks “can we get out of here?” and we quickly leave.  Fortunately she has the communication skills needed to call attention to her predicament and thus modify her surrounds by leaving the room.

​What about the 8-year old child in grade school? 
 
He too feels as if he is sitting next to a strobe light. 
 
How can this child be expected to quietly listen to the instructor and fill out a work sheet when he is continually assaulted with what would be a strobe light to most other people?
 
Suppose he were to get up out of his seat to turn off the lights.  His teacher, seeing him out of his seat (once again), tells him to sit down.  This goes on a few more times and the child is finally sent to the principal’s office for punishment.
 
Let’s consider the 4-year old nonverbal child.  She too is in a room, effectively with a strobe light and this is overwhelming her visual sense.  Unfortunately, she lacks the cognitive and communicative tools to tell the teacher that the lights are bothering her.  It is likely that she has not realized the cause and effect between the light switch and turning off the lights.  What do you get?  A good old-fashioned meltdown results.
 
I have only considered one of the many possibilities where a behavior such as getting out of one’s seat is caused by an overload of the senses.  It is important to realize that when faced with a challenging behavior one must at least consider the possibility that the person’s actions are based on a sensory overload condition.
 
References
 
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders of the American Psychiatric Association 5th ed. Washington, DC: Author.
 
Kranowitz, C. 1998. The out of sync child: Recognizing and coping with sensory integration dysfunction. New York: Skylight Press.
 
Grandin, T. (1995). Thinking in pictures: And other reports from my life with autism. New York: Doubleday.
 
Smith-Myles, B., Cook, K., Miller, N., Rinner, L., & Robbins, L. (2000). Asperger Syndrome and sensory issues: Practical solutions for making sense of the world. Shawnee Mission, KS: Autism Asperger Publishing Company.

What’s more personal, more distinctive, more YOU, than your voice? There's an evolutionary reason that we all have unique voices -- our voice instantly conveys our age, our gender, our ethnicity, even our intelligence and emotional state.  It’s how people know us, its how people remember us.

Yet there are tens of millions worldwide who are unable to speak. They include children born with cerebral palsy, a third of those diagnosed with autism, and adults with head or neck cancer, or degenerative conditions such as Parkinsons Disease or ALS. These individuals need to rely on computerized devices to communicate. The problem is that the voices on those devices are generic and lack personality.  I can’t tell you how many special education classrooms I’ve walked into and seen several children using the exact same voice and even more troubling, adult voices. We wouldn’t dream of fitting a little girl with the prosthetic limb of a grown man, so why use the same prosthetic voice?

It is heartening that awareness of this issue has entered mainstream popular culture. ABC has a new sitcom about a boy who cannot speak … and the boy choses not to use a computerized voice at all.  Instead, he has a home health aide speak for him. He chose a smart, funny, thirty-something guy from the line up of “voice talent” misfits. Although Hollywood can cast a human translator, there are more practical solutions.

In today’s digital age, we can think beyond hardware that replaces function alone, and think about software, that emulates form and function. We can now create custom voices that are personalized, natural, and empowering. The challenge is to craft a voice that captures the essence of the person using it. Your body’s central organ is your heart. Your personality’s central organ is your voice.  Like the lines on your palm, your voice deepens and takes on the melody that reflect its everyday habits and usage. So how can we replace this amorphous function that is so much more then the physical organs that give rise to it? Well, this is where science and technology give us new hope. 

Until now, creating a synthesized voice entailed hiring a voice actor to record thousands of sentences in various speaking styles. These recordings are then annotated and spliced into little snippets of speech that can be recombined to read aloud any novel text string. This process is time and labor intensive – it took an undisclosed sum of millions of dollars to create Siri’s voice.  And yet, Siri is just one white, 40 something-ish, middle class, American sounding female voice.

We don’t believe in uniform voices. We believe that everyone has a unique voice that deserves to be heard. To deliver on this, we have crowdsourced the voice collection process. Instead of a voice actor spending weeks recording, anyone can record on our online web platform. All they need is a computer, headset microphone and a quiet room. Today, over 17,000 speakers ranging in age from 6-91 from 110 countries have contributed more than 7 million sentences to our Human Voicebank initiative. That means we can create a variety of diverse voices. But we can do more.

We can now reverse engineer a voice by blending vocal samples of those who are unable to speak with several hours of recording from a matched speech donor. That’s because, through years of research, we’ve discovered that even a single vowel contains enough vocal DNA to seed the voice personalization process. This discovery, along with our growing Voicebank and voice blending algorithms, allow us to create unique digital voices for a fraction of the price and with all the warmth and nuances of the natural human voice.
So what are our early adopters saying? They tell us that they are talking more – as much as 300% more; at school, with friends and with strangers.  And its not just the recipients that benefit. One mom told me that her son used to poke fun of the generic voice that his sister used, but now he wouldn’t dare, as he sees that same that same device with her new BeSpoke voice as an extension of her. A father of a 9 year old who received our BeSpoke voice said “quite frankly, its as if I’ve heard my daughter for the first time."

For others like John, we have been able to reunite him with his voice. As a management consultant, John’s voice was his identity, his livelihood. About 8 years ago he was diagnosed with ALS. It happened so quickly. He didn’t have the chance to bank his voice. His wife Linda tells a heart wrenching story about how she lost the last remnant of his voice when she traded in his cell phone that had his voicemail greeting on it for an iPad.

We created a voice for John using the brief sounds he can still make combined with recordings of this matched voice donor. In fact, we made three suitable voices. I still recall the day we presented those voices to him. We had a TV crew with cameras rolling and lots of excitement in the air. We played him samples of the first two voices and he and Linda smiled politely saying, yes, its better than the generic voice we have been using. Then we played the last one, and his whole body began to shake. He was crying tears of joy, and Linda was whispering “That’s you!” It was an incredible moment for us all.

There is still much work to be done. Creating custom voices requires high quality recordings and crowdsourcing doesn’t always yield the best quality recordings. To that end, we are partnering with schools, studios, and community organizations to host voice drives. Join us, as we give VOICE a whole new meaning. Because individuality matters, and it always will.

This month, we welcomed Susan Cole, director of the Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative (TLPI), a joint program of Harvard Law School and the non-profit children’s rights organization Massachusetts Advocates for Children (MAC).  Susan was our featured speaker at this month's member event. 

Many students come to school each day having experienced traumatic events that impact their relationships, behavior and learning. Studies now show that nearly every school has children who have been exposed to overwhelming experiences. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) study lists seven categories of adverse childhood experiences including witnessing violence between a child’s caretakers, being the direct targets of physical, sexual or psychological abuse, living with a parent with mental illness, substance abuse or involvement in criminal behavior. The ACE study found higher levels of traumatic experiences in the general population than previously imagined and further studies have expanded our understanding of the prevalence of adverse experiences in childhood.  When we include children who are chronically bullied, live with homelessness, or in the proximity of pervasive community violence, are shuttled around the foster care system or live with a parent traumatized by combat, these studies demonstrate that adverse experiences are more pervasive than many educators currently recognize. Experts explain that trauma is not an event itself, but rather a response to one or more overwhelmingly stressful events where one’s ability to cope is dramatically undermined.

THE IMPACT
Traumatic experiences can impact learning, behavior and relationships at school.
Recent neurobiological, epigenetics, and psychological studies have shown that traumatic experiences in childhood can diminish concentration, memory, and the organizational and language abilities children need to succeed in school. For some children, this can lead to problems with academic performance, inappropriate behavior in the classroom, and difficulty forming relationships. Learning about the impacts of trauma can help educators understand the underlying reasons behind students’ challenges at school. For more information on the impact of trauma on learning, see Chapter One of our purple book, Helping Traumatized Children Learn, Volume One.

THE SOLUTION
Trauma-sensitive schools help children feel safe to learn.
Once schools understand the educational impacts of trauma, they can become safe, supportive environments where students make the positive connections with adults and peers they might otherwise push away, calm their emotions so they can focus and behave appropriately, and feel confident enough to advance their learning. Trauma sensitivity will look different at each school. However, a shared definition of what it means to be a trauma-sensitive school can bring educators, parents, and policymakers together around a common vision. We offer this definition:
A trauma-sensitive school is one in which all students feel safe, welcomed
and supported and where addressing trauma’s impact on learning on a
              school-wide basis is at the center of its educational mission. An on-going,
inquiry based process allows for the necessary teamwork, coordination,
creativity and sharing of responsibility for all students.
 
We define the core attributes of a trauma-sensitive school to include the following:

• A shared understanding among all staff-- of how trauma impacts learning and why a school-wide approach is needed for creating a trauma-sensitive school
• The school supports all children to feel safe physically, socially, emotionally, and academically.
• The school addresses students’ needs in holistic ways, helping students build skills, taking into account their relationships, self-regulation, academic competence, and physical and emotional well-being.
• The school explicitly connects students to the school community and provides multiple opportunities to practice newly developing skills.
• The school embraces teamwork and staff share responsibility for all students.
• Leadership and staff anticipate and adapt to the ever-changing needs of students and the surrounding community.

 
HOW WE GET THERE
Trauma sensitivity requires a whole-school effort.
All children, including those affected by adversity, can succeed in school. Children need to feel safe and connected to adults and peers everywhere in the school. Addressing trauma’s impact at school requires that adults share responsibility for all children. This requires the teamwork of everyone in the school. Becoming a trauma-sensitive school requires not only a deep understanding of trauma’s impact on learning but also the need for a school wide approach. The inquiry- based process unleashes the creativity of educators about how best to address the most pressing urgencies in the school. The use of the Flexible Framework (as described in depth in Helping Traumatized Children Learn, Volume Two) supports the school’s efforts to weave trauma-sensitive approaches into important school operations, including:

• Leadership
• Professional Development
• Access to resources and services   
• Academic and non- academic strategies
• Policies, procedures and protocols
• Collaboration with families

 
Helping traumatized children learn should be a major focus of education reform.
Schools, which are significant communities for children and teachers, must be adequately supported in order to address trauma’s impact on learning.  The answer is not to ask teachers or individual schools to solve these problems on their own or in a piecemeal fashion but rather to develop a broad public policy agenda in which schools play a key role.  To ensure that children achieve at their highest potential, we must make sure that research on trauma’s impact on learning is widely understood and informs decision-making at the public policy level. In short, helping traumatized children learn should become a major focus of education reform.
 
Please check out the text of the safe & supportive schools law by clicking here. 

Oftentimes, when I share that both of my children have received special education services, I get a pained look of sympathy. I get forced smiles and knowing head-nodding, followed by responses in hushed tones.
I always respond by saying, “No, it’s okay. It’s actually a good thing.” The fact that my children have received special education services is a large part of why they’re both succeeding and growing into competent, confident young people.

Like all parents, I love to talk about my kids. I have no problem sharing that each of my children deals with a different type of learning disability. My son has serious challenges with working memory and executive function.  Meanwhile, my daughter has learned to manage her dyslexia thanks to perseverance and clever uses of technology, such as voice to text. I’m immensely proud of their achievements and am thankful for the all the efforts of skilled professionals who have contributed to their education.

Unfortunately, the pained sympathetic looks and hushed tones don’t end with my children. 

As executive director for the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), I travel across North America on behalf of the association. I’m often asked, “What does your organization do?” 

With deep pride and respect, I tell people that CEC is the international professional association for special educators. Recently, I was explaining CEC to a convention and visitors bureau representative who would very much like to host CEC’s annual convention. And here’s what I got back:  “Oh, how nice that those teachers help handicapped children…” 

Nice?

Those teachers?

Handicapped?

I had to glance at my Apple watch just to make sure it’s really 2016!

When I think of the educators—both in special and general education—who taught my children, I think of words like knowledgeable, determined, professional, humorous, and of course, compassionate.
But, they don’t do what they do because they are nice, they do it because they are intelligent, competent professionals who are dedicated to improving the outcomes of all of their students.
They deserve the world’s respect as well as its support.

Special education desperately needs a brand revolution and I think CEC 2017 in Boston is the perfect place to start it.  After all, Boston knows a thing or two about revolutions!

I need YOUR help to do get our brand makeover underway. You can start by joining us to engage and connect with 5,000 colleagues and the best experts in the field who will be sharing the latest and greatest in strategies, curriculum and technology to help all educators succeed in helping their students succeed.
CEC 2017 will be all about raising the profile of special education and ensuring that special educators are regarded as the consummate experts they are. We’ll jump-start our brand revolution with an opening session that celebrates the beauty and spirit in differences (more details about our dynamic speaker to come!).

In the meantime, please send me an email and share your thoughts about how we can cast special educators in their true light and engage the field in a special education brand revolution.

I have a feeling I will hear from you—shyness is NOT a word I would use to describe special educators! J
 
Alexander T. Graham
Executive Director
Council for Exceptional Children
[email protected]
www.cecconvention.org

by Adam Steiner
​Chair, Social Media | Massachusetts Council for Exceptional Children
@steineredtech
 
Schools’ strengths are often derived from their diversity, from the collaboration of students with different beliefs, cultures, languages, socio-economic status, educational backgrounds, and learning styles. These connections should be fostered, in particular for students with unique learning needs, and technology can play a key role in ensuring that students of all backgrounds work well together.
​
Many schools are making aggressive moves to enhance teaching, learning, and collaboration with technology. This is taking a number of forms – one to one laptop or tablet programs, blended learning with online platforms, curriculum that is adjusted to include digital components, etc. All of this has the potential to improve the educational experience of some students. However, deliberate measures are needed to ensure that technology works to make connections among all students – and not just for select groups. Here are five such measures:
 
1. Develop a caring and collaborative school culture
This first item is not directly related to technology, but it is absolutely essential to the success of a technology program. Students and teachers must be comfortable seeking out and offering help in any form, but in particular in relation to technology. Often, peers will be the best resource for any student with a learning challenge, and can be supportive to teachers who are not as tech-savvy as others. If tech expertise remains in silos, everyone loses, and students with unique learning needs are particularly vulnerable. 
 
2. Develop curricula that offer flexibility and choice to students
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a philosophy of curriculum design that emphasizes that students best learn in a variety of different ways, and that educators should offer choices to meet the needs of all students. UDL is absolutely key to the successful implementation of a school digital conversion because it allows students to demonstrate learning in their own way. UDL also empowers each student to celebrate their expertise with technology that works best for that student.
 
3. Train all staff on digital tools that support a variety of learners
Too often, special education staff including classroom aides are treated like second-class citizens in a school environment. This sometimes takes the form of less intensive computer training and/or unequal access to technology tools. Teachers who work with students with learning challenges MUST be well-versed in the digital tools that will support those students. In addition, classroom aides, who often work side by side with students on a daily basis, should have access to the same tools that students are using in order to be most helpful to those students.
 
4. Offer one to one access to a common device for middle and high school students 
In some schools,  students with individual learning needs are provided with their own digital device that is intended to support their learning. However, older kids in particular are often uncomfortable with being singled out as one of the only students with a device. This sometimes leads to resistance to using technology, or outright technology abandonment. Teachers may even feel reluctant to provide access to a tool that could be interpreted as providing an unfair advantage to some students. Wireless access is becoming more common in schools, and has made it easier to ease students into individual technology use, especially when coupled with the relatively low cost of mobile devices such as Chromebooks and iPads. These conditions help schools to more easily adopt one to one technology programs, which support the provision of an identical device to every student.  Devices can be customized to match student needs, but are identical on the surface – the best of both worlds.
 
5. Encourage teachers to embrace common learning management tools
For students with a range of learning needs, digital learning management tools such as classroom organizers, calendars, and assignment “books” can be a game-changer. These tools can provide structure, organizational support, and reminders. However, too much can be overwhelming - for example, if every teacher is using and/or promoting different tools, technology advantages can quickly turn into disadvantages. Giving teachers choice when it comes to technology is valuable, but nudging colleagues and staff toward common tools will pay off in spades  for students.

By Jane M. Hardin, M.Ed., Associate Professor of Practice, Simmons College, Boston, MA

The news often brings us issues of importance for children with disabilities and their families. One issue that has been of particular importance is the high number of children and adolescents tragically impacted by OPIOD addiction. Massachusetts has been on the forefront of this issue, creating some innovative programs to help, rather than convict those who are caught in the chains of drug addiction. Even so, OPIOD addiction continues to plague many within our state. Often, children who are struggling with their identity, or those who experience academic and learning challenges in school may be more susceptible to OPIOD abuse.  As a result, police, health care workers, first responders, parents, and educators are all trying to figure out their own ways to identify and prevent addiction.

In an effort to highlight this important educational issue, the MA Council for Exceptional Children along with Simmons College are co-sponsoring a one day event entitled, Opiate Use & Disabilities: Increasing Resiliency & Decreasing Risk. This conference will occur on Saturday, April 2nd in the Paresky Conference Center at Simmons College. The keynote address will be given by ​Dr. Kerry Wilkins, an expert in adolescent psychology and substance abuse. In addition, there will be a panel of students and teachers who can speak to multiple perspectives on the issue from Liberty Prep Academy in Springfield, Massachusetts. Finally, we are honored to present the exhibit, “Hidden in Plain Sight” created by the staff at the South Shore Hospital. This exhibit replicates a teenager's bedroom and highlights items that could easily conceal drugs in plain view of parents and other family members.

This conference will have many resources available for those in attendance, so we encourage you to come, invite members of your staff, and/or bring your friends to learn more about how we can help slow the pace of this too prevalent threat to our children and our communities.

By Jane M. Hardin, M.Ed., Associate Professor of Practice, Simmons College, Boston, MA

We need to applaud the companies that invest money and time into creating equipment and services that assist those with disabilities. Yesterday, I attended the Abilities Expo where companies shared their latest developments in technology and services.  This is my third year in attendance and every time I go, I learn more about the challenges that people with disabilities face on a daily basis. There are some incredible advances in technology that one can observe in the more sophisticated wheelchairs, adaptive equipment and high-tech adaptive automobiles. These things are noteworthy and demonstrate the improvements for those who need these tools. The reality is that all of these high tech gadgets are quite expensive and out of reach for the average person; and for the unemployed or underemployed person with a disability, these things are often economically inaccessible, even with insurance or disability benefits.

As advocates, we can work to provide better educational and occupational opportunities for those with disabilities. We can encourage businesses to offer employment and high quality benefits to those with disabilities. We can also advocate for equal attention to advances for both low technology and high technology innovations. We can make sure that accessibility is not limited to a ramp or a handicapped parking sign, or exclusively focuses on unattainable technology, but demands  accessible access to all aspects of society for those of all social status.

By Elizabeth Stringer Keefe and Adam Steiner

Today’s classrooms are filled with students from diverse backgrounds, all with their own unique learning styles and needs. Meeting the demands of such a classroom can prove difficult, even for the veteran teacher. We work hard to identify, plan, and implement flexible approaches that address the wide range of student needs and help us to balance daily classroom challenges. So, why do we often end our day by giving every student the exact same homework assignment?

Imagine the possibilities of applying progressive thinking and concepts likeUniversal Design for Learning (UDL) to homework in order to extend lessons outside of the classroom and allow students to be creative in demonstrating their understanding. How much more meaningful would homework be if students could more easily access it and have some control over the depth and breadth of their work simply by having choices? Digital technology can enable teachers to offer students a “menu” of homework choices that use multimedia, interaction, and various ways to represent content—all in service of the same learning goal. When homework methods match instructional methods, the benefit is clear: students have the opportunity to reinforce, showcase, and extend their learning.

We’ve compiled a list of five ways to end the “dog ate my homework” excuse once and for all!

1. From school to home. First things first—make sure that homework is accessible and actually makes it into students’ homes. The obstacles associated with traditional methods of assigning homework (copying down tasks wrong, forgetting to bring worksheets home and back to school, etc.) can be avoided with online learning management systems like Google Classroom, Edmodo, or Moodle. These sites are a win-win-win for teachers, students, and parents. You can post homework digitally so that it can be accessed from anywhere and can even be completed, graded, and returned digitally. This method also provides a range of accessibility options for students with disabilities, such as screen readers in Google Classroom.
2. No more writer’s cramp. At home note taking on required reading can be laborious and tedious, and sometimes it doesn’t produce the desired result. So many students struggle to discern critical information from extraneous information. Make mind mapping a standard part of note taking with tools like Popplet or MindMup, which help learners to organize their thinking and are free and easy to use. This is a skill that will benefit every student.
3. Clone yourself. In some cases, there’s no substitute for hearing the directions straight from the source: the teacher. And who wouldn’t benefit from the opportunity to hear the directions again? When you need to record audio try a simple (and free) tool like Vocaroo, where you can create a short recording and e-mail or post it. If you want to add a visual component for further engagement, avatar yourself. Voki is a similar site that will animate your recording. Cool!
4. Speak up! Google Read&Write, Voicedream, and NaturalReader are examples of software that turn plain text into spoken text. For some students, the experience of reading by listening makes all the difference for comprehension. This is a great tool to help students complete required reading sans frustration.
5. Honey, I shrunk the whiteboard. Wouldn’t it be amazing to just shrink the whiteboard and let students take it home? Yep, it would. Meet Educreationsand Explain Everything. This concept is called screencasting, and we think it rocks. Videos are great, but your voice narrating a lesson is way better. These two apps allow a teacher to write questions, notes, or problems on the screen and then record audio to explain what is happening. Share online for instant access for students anywhere!

For homework to remain relevant and effective, it should reflect the best of our classroom strategies and be flexible, engaging, and interactive. Can’t hurt to make it a little fun, too!

 Elizabeth Stringer-Keefe (@ProfKeefe)  and Adam Steiner (@steineredtech) are coauthors of the forthcoming book Remixing the Curriculum: The Teacher’s Guide to Assistive and Digital Technology, which will be published by Rowman & Littlefield in Fall 2015.