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LD Position at the University of New Mexico

By loretta on Sep. 26, 2006.

University of New Mexico
College of Education
Special Education Faculty Position
Learning Disabilities and Reading Instruction

The University of New Mexico College of Education, Department of Educational Specialties, invites applications for an Assistant Professor in Special Education, with emphases on Learning Disabilities and Reading Instruction, probationary appointment leading to a tenure decision, beginning August 2007.

Minimum Qualifications: 1) earned doctorate in special education or closely related field with emphases in learning disabilities and reading instruction; and, 2) minimum of three years experience teaching students with learning disabilities.

Preferred Qualifications: 1) formal preparation in the models, methods, and major interventions primarily developed for students with learning disabilities, including for teaching reading; 2) evidence of participation in implementing accommodations and modifications for students with disabilities across settings; 3) evidence of scholarly work or potential for scholarship in learning disabilities and reading instruction; 4) demonstrated excellence or potential for excellence in teaching at the undergraduate and graduate level; 5) demonstrated excellence or potential for excellence in supervising student field experiences; 6) experience serving culturally and linguistically diverse students; 7) experience with cross-disciplinary collaborations; 8) evidence of or potential for leadership skills and abilities in developing and sustaining programs in the area of learning disabilities and reading; and, 9) demonstrated experience and ability to work as a member of IEP teams in teaching students with disabilities.

Responsibilities: The successful candidate will be expected to teach courses and conduct scholarly work in reading literacy and teaching students with learning disabilities. The assistant professor will collaborate with colleagues and be a part of the cutting edge curriculum in the Special Education Curriculum. In addition, the successful candidate will advise undergraduate and graduate students, serve on dissertation committees, and will maintain an active research agenda.

A complete application packet will include:

1. A signed letter of application, including statement of qualifications in relation
to the Minimum and Preferred qualifications;
2. A complete and up-to-date curriculum vitae;
3. One professional publication or presentation;
4. Samples of teaching materials and evidence of teaching excellence;
5. The names, addresses, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses for three to five professional references;
6. Transcripts of ALL collegiate coursework (readable, unofficial copies will be accepted).

Applications should be addressed to: Virginia C. Shipman, Ph.D., Search Coordinator
College of Education, Dean’s Office
MSC05-3040
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001

Please refer to JR # 6092. For best consideration, complete application packets must be received by 5:00pm (MST) on October 17, 2006. Position will remain open until filled. Consideration and review will not take place until all required documents are received. UNM is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and Educator.

Position in Special Education-Early Intervention at the University of Oregon

By David Chard on Sep. 26, 2006.

Tenure-Track Open Rank Faculty Position
Special Education with Emphasis in Early Childhood/Intervention

Position Description and Job Announcement
College of Education, University of Oregon

The Special Education Area within the College of Education announces an open rank tenure-line faculty position with an Early Childhood/Intervention emphasis beginning September, 2007. Our preference is to hire at the advanced assistant or associate professor level, but outstanding entry or senior level candidates will also be considered. The Area offers masters and doctoral programs to a diverse student body, and faculty members are expected to engage in the full range of research, teaching, and service activities consistent with the requirements of a research university. This position emphasizes competencies in integrated teaching and research priorities in Special Education including Prevention and Early Intervention, Early Language/Literacy Development, and Disabilities. Candidates who have demonstrated capacity to contribute to special and general education undergraduate and graduate programs are encouraged to apply.

Qualifications
·        Earned doctoral degree in Special Education or related area with emphasis and expertise in early childhood development, including early language/literacy development
·        Ability to work with children (birth to eight years) who are typically developing, at-risk of academic and/or social behavior difficulties, and have disabilities
·        Ability to work in multicultural settings with diverse populations
·        Experience or potential for teaching at the post-secondary/higher education level
·        Experience or potential for advising and supervising licensure, undergraduate, and graduate students
·        Established record of scholarly productivity and proven track  record of external funding or demonstrated potential for scholarly productivity
·        Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues across the College of Education
 
Responsibilities
·        Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in Special Education with an emphasis on early childhood development, early intervention, assessment, and intervention.
·        Advise and supervise masters and doctoral students in Special Education
·        Provide staff development and technical assistance to local and state agencies
·        Conduct an active, externally funded research program
·        Contribute to the implementation of the college-wide diversity strategic plan
·        Contribute to area, college, and university governance
 

Application Process
We invite applications from qualified candidates who share our commitment to diversity. To apply, send a cover letter addressing your interests and qualifications, a current vita, three letters of recommendation, and copies of two or three publications to Suzanne Makita, Special Education Search Committee, 1215 University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, 97403-1215. Electronic files of any of the application materials to edsearch@uoregon.edu are appreciated.  Questions about this position should be directed to Jane Squires at jsquires@uoregon.edu.  To be assured of full consideration, applications should be received by November 30, 2006. Application review will continue until the position is filled.
 

The University of Oregon is an equal-opportunity affirmative-action institution, committed to cultural diversity and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

Position in Communication Disorders and Sciences at the University of Oregon

By David Chard on Sep. 26, 2006.

Tenure-Related Assistant/Associate Faculty Position

 Communication Disorders and Sciences

Position Description and Job Announcement

College of Education, University of Oregon

The College of Education announces a tenure-related faculty position in Communication Disorders and Sciences, beginning September, 2007.  Our preference is to hire an assistant/associate professor with academic experience, however, outstanding new PhDs will be considered.  The College offers undergraduate, masters and doctoral programs to a diverse student body, and faculty members are expected to engage in the full range of research, teaching, and service activities consistent with the requirements of a major research university. 
 

Qualifications:

• Earned doctoral degree in Speech-Language Pathology or Speech and Hearing Science.  Applicants with interests in early child language/literacy, phonology, motor speech, and/or augmentative communication are desired but other areas will be considered.
• CCC-SLP, and eligibility for state license is required.
• Ability to work in multicultural settings with diverse populations
• Ability to teach at the university level
• Ability to advise master and doctoral level students
• Experience supervising graduate students in area of expertise and interest
• Established record of scholarly productivity and proven track record of external funding or demonstrated potential for scholarly productivity and ability to seek external funding
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues across the College of Education
• Commitment to EBP and the integration of academic and clinical knowledge

Responsibilities

• Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in Communication Disorders and Sciences
• Advise and supervise undergraduate, masters and doctoral students
• Contribute to the implementation of the college-wide diversity strategic plan
• Conduct an active, externally funded research program
• Contribute to program, area, college and university governance

Application Process

We invite applications from qualified candidates who share our commitment to diversity.  To apply, send a cover letter addressing your interests and qualifications, a current vita, three letters of recommendations, and copies of two or three publications to Suzanne Makita, CDS Search Committee, 1215 University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, 97403-1215.  Electronic files of any of the application materials to edsearch@uoregon.edu are appreciated.  Questions about this position should be directed to David Chard at dchard@uoregon.edu.  Review of applications will begin November 1, 2006.  Application review will continue until the position is filled.

The University of Oregon is an equal-opportunity affirmative-action institution, committed to cultural diversity and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
 

RF inquiry

By JohnL on Sep. 26, 2006.

On 22 September 2006 the U.S. Department of Education (ED) published a document entitled “The Reading First Program’s Grant Application Process: Final Inspection Report” (3.3 Mb PDF) in which the Office of the Inspector General reports the results of an audit of certain aspects of the Reading First program. Reading First is a central piece of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation. According to the report, the OIG audit of the grant award process indicates that

1. FINDING 1A— The Department Did Not Select the Expert Review Panel in Compliance With the Requirements of NCLB.
2. FINDING 1B— While Not Required to Screen for Conflicts of Interest, the Screening Process the Department Created Was Not Effective
3. FINDING 2A— The Department Did Not Follow Its Own Guidance For the Peer Review Process
4. FINDING 2B— The Department Awarded Grants to States Without Documentation That the Subpanels Approved All Criteria
5. FINDING 3— The Department Included Requirements in the Criteria Used by the Expert Review Panels That Were Not Specifically Addressed in NCLB
6. FINDING 4— In Implementing the Reading First Program, Department Officials Obscured the Statutory Requirements of the ESEA; Acted in Contravention of the GAO Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government; and Took Actions That Call Into Question Whether They Violated the Prohibitions Included in the DEOA

My observations (numbered to correspond with the OIG findings):

1. FINDING 1A— Having been chair of one of the subpanels, I was a bit surprised by the concern about the review panels; it’s a pretty august group (a list of the panelists follows). One OIG concern is that the subpanels, each composed of five members, did not include someone nominated by each of the legally stipulated entities (the Secretary of Education, the National Institute for Literacy, the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences; and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development). As the report notes, ED created a 12-member panel that did fit the criteria; as I recall, this was composed of the subpanel chairs.
2. FINDING 1B— The conflict reported is that OIG’s review of 25 panel members’ vitae reveals that 6 panel members had “significant professional connections” (undefined) to Direct Instruction. I don’t know whether my vita was reviewed (it’s available here for those who want to examine it). Fortunately, about 72 of 72 panelist appear to have had significant connections to evidence-based practice. I do not recall reviewing any application that expressly recommended what I suspect the OIG report identified as a DI program.
3. TFINDING 2A— he critique of the process is that ED Reading First employees sent summaries of the panel reviews to the applicants rather than sending them the longer report of the panel chair. As a panel chair, I know my co-panelists and I labored over our individual reports and that I put a lot of work into summarizing everyone’s concerns when I prepared our summaries of our meetings. I’m sorry the applicants didn’t get to see them.
4. FINDING 2B— Here the problem OIG reports is that some applications were funded even though the subpanel reviewing them had not determined that the proposal met standards on all the criteria. As I recall, this could not have been the case for any of the proposals reviewed by our subpanel, as we reviewed them all until all criteria met standards.
5. FINDING 3— [Begin correction based on comment] The finding refers to the fact that some of the language used to describe the minimal standards to which panels held applications went beyond the criteria specified in the law. I do not remember whether any of the proposals our panel reviewed would have been funded after fewer reviews had the standards reflected the law rather than the revisions included in the review criteria.
6. FINDING 4 [End correction]— This is a multi-part finding. (a) OIG’s concern here is that the development of documents providing guidance to applicants and reviewers were more stringent than the actual law; as I recall, reviewers’ packets include both the criteria and the law itself. (b) Reading First folks acted to publish a report for which NIFL had contracted. It’s the same report that, earlier in the OIG’s report, the Inspector General identified as a product a representative of Nevada applicant said would have been helpful in developing Nevada’s application. (c) Reading First folks indirectly encouraged consultants to one of the applicants to include Reading Mastery on it’s list of approved core reading programs. (d) The Reading First administrators recommended to another ED employee that the employee discourage local education agencies from using reading materials that would not pass muster as scientifically based and discouraged others themselves. Apparently this was not an appropriate exercise of oversight or monitoring of state and local education agencies’ compliance with the Reading First process.

For those who are interested in the composition of the panel, a list of the members’ names and affiliations follows.

• Maria Elena Arguelles, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor, University of Miami
• Janet Sloand-Armstrong, Ed.D. Managing Director, Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network
• Rebecca Barr, Ph.D., Professor of Education, National Louis University
• Donald Bear, Ph.D., Professor of Curriculum & Instruction, College of Education; Director, E.L. Cord Foundation Center for Learning and Literacy, University of Nevada-Reno
• Marsha Berger, Former Deputy Director of the Educational Issues Department at the American Federation of Teachers
• Muriel Berkeley, President, Baltimore Curriculum Project
• Frances Bessellieu, M.Ed., Director of Reading and Reading Excellence Act Coordinator, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS)
• Pauline Bigby-Jenkins, Ph.D., Title I and ESL coordinator for Ann Arbor Public Schools, Michigan Reading Association Board of Directors
• Carmel Borders, M.A., President, Tapestry Foundation; Presidential Nominee, National Institute for Literacy,
• Susan Brady, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, University of Rhode Island
• Kathleen Brown, Ph.D., Director and Clinical Assistant Professor at the Reading Center in the Graduate School of Education, University of Utah
• Joanne Carlisle, Ph.D., Professor, Educational Studies, Research Scientist, Communicative Disorders Clinic, University of Michigan
• Margaret Carnes, R.N., Managing Director, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Education Foundation
• Mary Cirillo, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of OPCENTER, L.L.C, Hudson Ventures
• Carl Cole, Ph.D., Director of Special Services, Bethel School District
• Anne Cunningham, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Graduate School of Education and Director, Joint Doctoral Program in Special Education, University of California-Berkeley
• Shirley Dickson, Director, Statewide Curriculum Initiatives and Director of Reading, Texas Education Agency
• Jan Dole, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Teaching and Learning, University of Utah
• Rebecca Felton, Ph.D., Educational Consultant
• Jack Fletcher, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Pediatrics and Associate Director of the Center for Academic and Reading Skills at the University of Texas, Houston Health Science Center
• Barbara Foorman, Ph.D., Professor and Director of the Center for Academic and Reading Skills
• Anne Fowler, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, Haskins Laboratories
• Catherine Froggatt, R.N., Michigan State Director, The National Right to Read Foundation
• Alice Furry, Ph.D., Chief Administrative Officer; Project Director, UCLA Extension/Los Angeles Unified School District, Governor’s Reading Initiative PreK-6, California Professional Development Reading Institutes
• Norma Garza, Director, United Way of Southern Cameron County “Success by Six” Initiative; Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans Commission
• Russell Gersten, Ph.D., Professor, College of Education and Director, Eugene Research Institute, University of Oregon
• Diane Haager, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Special Education, California State University, Los Angeles
• Susan Hall, M.B.A., Consultant, International Dyslexia Association; Member, State of Illinois Reading Committees
• Karen Harris, Ed.D., Professor, Department of Special Education, University of Maryland
• Marlene Henriques, Ed.D., Teacher in Residence in Assessment Development, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
• Janie Hodge, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Special Education, Clemson University
• Estella Holliday, Director, South Carolina Reading Initiative and Assistant Director, Office of Early Childhood Education, South Carolina Department of Education
• Stephen Hooper, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Departments. of Psychiatry and Psychology, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
• Mark Hopper, Ph.D., Vice President, Accountability Initiatives; Partner and Vice-President, Henderson, Hjermstad, Hopper, L.L.C
• Kathy Howe, Academic Collaborative Planner, St. Croix River Education District (Minnesota)
• Dawn Hubbard-Miller, Ph.D., Educational Trainer and Consultant, Northeast Kansas Education Service Center
• Joseph Jenkins, Ph.D., Professor, Special Education, College of Education, University of Washington
• Linda Jenkins, Assistant Superintendent for K-12 Curriculum Development and Implementation, Bremerton School District (Washington)
• Ellin Keene, M.A., Director of Literacy and Professional Development, University of Pennsylvania
• Martin Kozloff, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Specialty Studies, University of North Carolina-Wilmington
• Sharon Kurns, Supervisor Instructional Services, Special Education Division, Heartland Area Educational Agency (Iowa)
• Zoee Larose, M.A., Reading Connections Specialist, Alabama State Department of Education
• John Lloyd, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Special Education and Chief Technology Officer at the Curry School of Education, University of Virginia
• Marie Mancuso, Director, Arizona Reading Initiative, Arizona Department of Education; Co-chair, Arizona Reading Initiative Leadership Advisory Board
• Robert Marino, Baltimore City Public Schools
• Patricia Mathes, Ph.D., Associate Professor at the Medical School, Principal Investigator, Center for Academic and Reading Skills, University of Texas-Houston
• Michael McKenna, Ph.D., Professor of Education and Coordinator of Graduate Reading Programs, Georgia Southern University
• Leslie McPeak, M.Ed., Director of Literacy and School Support, Stanislaus County Office of Education, Modesto, California
• Katherine Mitchell, Ph.D., Director, Alabama Reading Initiative, Alabama Department of Education
• Darryl Morris, Ph.D., Professor of Language and Reading and Reading Clinic Director, Appalachian State University
• Kelly Mueller, M.Ed., Teacher, Jackson Park Elementary School, St. Louis, Missouri
• Laura Murphy, Teacher and Consultant
• Caroline Novak, Co-founder and President, A+ Education Foundation
• Jean Osborn, M.Ed., Consultant, Center for the Study of Reading, University of Illinois (retired)
• Stan Paine, Ph.D., Elementary School Principal, Springfield School District (Oregon)
• Charles Perfetti, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology and Linguistics and Director of the Laboratory for Reading and Language, University of Pittsburgh
• Kristen Powell, Ed.D., Administrator for School and Community Services, Orange County Department of Education, California
• Craig Ramey, Ph.D., Professor and Co-director, School of Nursing and Health Studies, Georgetown University
• Sally Shaywitz, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics and Director of Yale Center for Learning and Attention, Yale University
• Mary Siano, M.A., Certified ETS Trainer and Associate Developer, Educational Testing Service
• Tim Slocum, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department. of Special Education, Utah State University
• Susan Smartt, Ph.D., Reading Specialist and Consultant, Smartt Johnson and Associates
• Janet Spector, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, College of Education and Human Development, University of Maine-Orono
• Pam Stecker, Ph.D., Associate Professor, School of Education and Acting Director of the Learning with Disabilities Program, Clemson University
• John Stevens, Texas Business and Education Coalition
• Joseph Torgesen, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Psychology, Florida State University
• Lucia Townsend, Human Resource Development Specialist, Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resource System
• Fran Warkomski, Director, Bureau of Special Education, Pennsylvania Department of Education
• Ann Watanabe, M.S., State Reading Resource Teacher, Pihana na Mamo Project, Maui District Office, Hawaii Department of Education
• Joanna Williams, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology and Education, Teachers College, Columbia University
• Rhonda Wolter, Title I Reading Specialist and Reading Coordinator, Bethel School District (Eugene, Oregon)
• Elaine Zimmerman, Executive Director, Connecticut Commission on Children

Here are links to the news coverage. (Note that the International Reading Association promptly issued a press release about the story).

• http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/22/AR2006092201356.html
• http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/23/education/23education.html
• http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0609230036sep23,1,1850833.story?coll=chi-news-hed
• http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/la-na-reading23sep23,1,6490702.story
• http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyID=2006-09-23T015719Z_01_N22257320_RTRUKOC_0_US-BUSH-EDUCATION.xml

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Sprout films

By JohnL on Sep. 26, 2006.

2007 Sprout Film Festival
CALL FOR ENTRIES
Deadline: November 13, 2006

The 5th Sprout Film Festival (Friday April 27 & Saturday April 28, 2007) is now accepting film submissions. People with developmental disabilities as subjects and performers remain marginalized in the media. The Sprout Film Festival aims to raise their profile by showcasing works of all genres featuring this population. The festival seeks submissions in all categories and genres. For additional information and application:

  http://www.gosprout.org/film/submit.htm