Event ID: 3104159 Event Started: 12/7/2016 8:00:00 PM ---------- Please stand by for real-time captions. >> Please stand by for real-time captions. >> Mark, when people have questions do you want them to come on the telephone or put them in the chat pod? >> I think the chat pod as they are going a lot. >> Okay. >> We will kind of play it by ear. When we get to the open Q&A session. >> Okay. I will let you mentioned that. I just wanted to make sure that if I said that you are on mute, I will not say anything about coming off of mute and I will let you mentioned that. >> [ Pause ] >> Just remember to read whatever is typed in the chat pod before responding to it. >> Yeah. >> [ Pause ] >> Is there a way to determine who is attending by only telephone? >> No. >> [ Pause ] >> If I knew everybody's telephone number, I could get that. >> [ Laughter ] >> If we have multiple telephone numbers coming in, I cannot hear them up. -- Pair them up. >> [ Pause ] >> Well, regardless, to get the questions and the captioning -- we will need to read them. >> Correct. Yes. >> [ Pause ] >> Please stand by for real-time captions. >> Hi Ruth Ann. How are you doing? >> [ Pause ] >> [ Laughter ] good. >> [ Pause ] >> [ Captioner standing by ] >> This is Robbin Bull. We are getting close to the top of the hour. I am going to give a few more people -- a few more minutes for people to come on in. Maybe one minute or so. >> [ Pause ] >> [ Captioner standing by ] >> All right. This is Robbin Bull with National Center on Deaf-Blindness. I am showing that it is the top of the hour so I am going to get things started and let people come into the room as we do some housekeeping items. As you all are aware, the telephone lines have been muted to alleviate some background noise while Mark is presenting and, as usual, our webinars are recorded, so this one also will be recorded. It will be archived on the website for future viewing and I am going to get it -- the recording started. And then Mark will be able to take it from there. >> This meeting is now being recorded. >> All right well, I guess we are ready to go. Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for dropping in for this webinar. What I want to do -- a few housekeeping things, before we get started. First of all, as we are going on and if there is anything that pops up on the screen or something that I say, go ahead and type in your question in the chat pod, and we will go ahead and answer it as we go along. Once we got done with the presentation of part of it and we open it up for questions and answers, you can go ahead and put it in the chat pod and if people want to respond, they can do so. Maybe we can unmute yourself to provide responses. The last time we did this, there was a lot of great sharing among participants and different strategies that they use, so I think that works better, doing it over the telephone, rather than trying to type it into the chat pod. So we will see how things go when we get to the open question and answer period but if questions come up, while I am presenting stuff on the PowerPoint, you can just type it in and we will stop and answer it right there. If you feel like you need to make the PowerPoint a little bit bigger, you can certainly use the full screen icon. It is right up on top there. Things will get a little bit bigger for you. Of course, when it does come time to possibly asked questions or to provide responses over the telephone, star 6 will unmute you and it also puts you back on mute again. All right. So, four things that we really want to get done today. First of all, if you have not been to the child count page on the NCDB website for a little while, it has been reorganized a better so I thought it would be a good chance to go back and sort of look at it and show you what is there and how to find stuff on the page. Anyway, we will take a quick tour of the page. Also, I want to spend a little bit of time -- not too much -- but a little bit of time going over this last year's report. I think it is important for a couple of reasons. One, it was error 30th annual report, and that is a big deal. Secondly, we now have an online version of that report. I want to take you through that a little bit. Then, spend a little bit of time doing some basic information around this upcoming child count, and then, just open it up for broad questions, asking of me, or your colleagues, and we will go as long as we need to come up until one clock. And then we will send you on your way. So all right. I do not know how people navigate around the NCDB website. I am sure that everybody does it a little bit differently but you can certainly get to the child count website by going to the homepage and clicking on the national initiatives button there in the Brown header. You may find that you are in the state portal. You can find your way to the child count page the same way by clicking on the national initiatives link and then clicking on national child count. So you can get there a lot of different ways, so once you get there, this is what you will find, at least at the top of the page. The top of the page -- we will spend a minute on this because there are really important parts in the middle. But it describes kind of the kinds of supports and typical systems that we provide you in conducting the child count. We also have some background information and some of the data that is compiled over the years. But the really important part of the child count is this middle part, the tools. There is reports. There is data displays and analyses which are the interactive maps. Under reports, there is the annual report. There are links -- actually, it is 2004 three 2015, annual reports. There is a retrospective longitudinal report and a new one coming later this year that will take us up to 2015. But what I want to talk to you about right now is under the tools that you can use. This is kind of the heart of the page. We have organized steps of materials so there are forms and instructions. There is the letter from OCEP, the dear colleague letter, that encourages agencies in your state or whoever to cooperate with you in conducting the child count, as well as other activities. There is also some materials related to confidentiality. That is always good to look at. As well as direct links to the recording of this webinar. Not only will the webinar be there but the captioning will be there and the PowerPoint will be there. So they are all kind of in one spot. So, if you click on instructions and forms, there we go. It was not forwarding. You come to a page that looks like this. You can download instructions. You can download the coding sheet. You can download an example for the page form as well as the blank form, so this is where you find those materials to down low. When you click on that -- to download -- and when you click on that, it takes you to -- it depends on what browser you use, but you will gain access to those materials. If you click on the OCEP letter, again, it will take you to this page and you can download the dear colleague letter and I hope everybody found that last year. I know that some folks may have already sent stuff out by the time we got it but please, please, make full use of this letter. The intent was truly to facilitate your work. I think this dear colleague letter provides a great entrée to state and local agencies so feel free to use it as you see fit. When you go to the confidentiality link, you will find several materials. The top three are probably the most important. The top one is a document that the US Department of education has developed. It is developed around confidentiality provisions in FRP eight and how they apply to I DEA as well as part see that is a really good resource. The second one provides -- it directs you to the exceptions summary in FRP a. And in terms of who is exempt from confidentiality, specifically how you as a project might be exempt from FRPA. And then, the entire FRPA regulations are there as well so those are materials that you can access and make use of. All right. So any questions? Sherri. Sherri as, was the OCEP letter dated? No. It was not. It was it -- intentionally not dated so that it can be used when you wanted to add it would not look like it was old. -- And it would not look like it was old. >> [ Pause ] >> What I want to do now is take you to the 2015 child count report. You notice, of course, that all of these things are screenshots. They are not live. We discussed this a bit and thought it would be simpler and cleaner just to go with screenshots rather than going back and forth between PowerPoint and the live web to her. -- To work. When you click on the 2015 report, this is kind of the top of the page that you will come to. This a new -- you will see that you can still download the traditional PDF version, the report that you are used to. But a lot of work has gone into developing longline version of that as accessible, and when you see the table of contents, you're probably really want to go full screen. This is pretty small. I wanted to try to get everything in here. You will see a couple of things. One of them, to real -- reorganize a tad from the PDF version, in terms of the order of data elements. But also, the big advantage, I think, of going online, is that we can provide the narrative around each one of these broader headings to go with the data, rather than having it all at the beginning in the PDF. So, once you get in here, you will find narrative, and then you will find tables that you can scroll through to have the actual data. So a few highlights. I think it is always good to brag on you. [ Laughter ] you have done all of the hard-working collecting all of this information. A couple of things. One, the count went up from 2014. It went up 190 children, and that is actually a pretty big jump for us. I think that is probably the biggest jump we have seen in quite a while. So that is exciting. Secondly, you know, there is always turnover every year, kids that exit the count and new kids that come on. This past year we added 1335 new children and youth to the child count. That is a huge number. And almost half of them were age birth through 5 so we are finding lots of the younger children to add to the child count, so that is exciting and that is a testament to all of your hard work. I can never thank you enough or be as congratulatory enough in talking about the hard work that you do to find the children and youth who are deaf-blind. So thank you for letting me brag on you a bit. >> [ Laughter ] >> Most of the trends that we have seen over the past our continuing. You know, things do not move really quickly on the child count. The data is fairly stable from year-to-year and we have certainly since some -- seen some areas where there have been consistent increase over the past number of years. Certainly the number of children and youth who are identified with charge syndrome continues to go out. The number of children and youth with cochlear implants continues to go up. There are well over 1000 now on the count that identified as having cochlear implants. One, as you would expect, because it is a new variable -- one area of where we are seeing a huge increase is interveners. About 600 children and youth identified in the -- in the child count now are receiving intervener service -- services so that is also exciting. So that is just kind of a quick overview of the 2015 child count report. I really encourage you to go in and play around on the online version. This version will continue and be updated from year-to-year as new data comes in so we are excited about being able to provide it in multiple formats now. All right. This year. >> [ Laughter ] >> Again, please do go to the website and access and make use of any and all of those materials that you want to and need to. That is what they are there four. Okay. Data submission. Dates. One thing that people always want to know. Traditionally, we have kind of had in may one -- may first date. We will keep that there but once we find out when the annual performance report is due, we will modify that. In the past, we have learned mid to late February with the APR is due and then we will adjust when the child count is due, accordingly, and give you some time after the APR is due to complete the child count and get it in. And, of course, we know that things come up every year that make an extension needed, and that is fine. So just get in touch with me and we will figure out a date that works for you and works for me in getting the national report prepared and always call and request an extension. And, of course, you can always submit early. We will take early submissions. They do come in. So that is good. >> [ Pause ] >> So submitting your data. We like it to come in and Excel -- in Excel or another format that Excel can read. You do not need to use the form that is on our website. You can certainly just -- if you are using a database system, FileMaker Pro, or something else, you can export the data into an Excel format. We would ask that you check to make sure that all of the variables are being exported. In the past, not all of them have been and we have had to get back in touch, so just take a look and make sure that all of the variables are being exported when it comes out of whatever database program you are using. Do not worry about which order they come out in. We all -- we know that they always come out in different orders. Just make sure that they are titled correctly. If they are titled correctly, we can certainly reorder them here. That is not a problem. >> [ Pause ] >> Also, when you export the data, take a look at it. Sometimes he will seem that maybe that does not look plausible. And there have been a few instances where the data has come in that needs to be exported again because it does not come out right. So take a look at it, and make sure that come from your perspective, it looks plausible in terms of numbers, in terms of what the data looks inside the variables. It should not take very long to do but that would be very helpful. We always know that there is going to be missing data. That is just the nature of this exercise. You can either use 999, leave it blank, and fill it in 999 or 2 depending on the variable. So if it is missing, you can do that. You can just leave it blank, use 999 or 2 depending on the variable. And the instructions will give you the correct number to use for each variable. All right. This is the stuff we really want to make sure is there. Obviously, vision and hearing loss is critical. We really need to have that to the best of your ability. Knowing that, in many cases, especially younger kids, as they first come on, as well as older kids, further testing may be needed. But check that if that is the case. We do a lot with age so birthday is really important and then, because of the emphasis that has been put on intervener services, for the past number of years, we would really like to have intervener services data and exiting data. I know that exiting data is difficult to obtain, but it is really important for us, as well, in terms of kind of seeing how things are going out there. Our kids graduating? We would also ask that, to the extent possible, to really focus in on exiting data as well. And come to that point, we would ask that you make sure you include those kids who have exited. For example, you include kids up to age 22, knowing that they have exited at age 21. That data is really important to us. All right. There has been a bit of a change in one of the fields. Do not panic. Please do not panic. >> [ Laughter ] >> There are lots of ways to address this. State assessments. There has been -- I think it was in 2014. There has been a change from -- in the potential -- in the possible types of assessments. Basically you have got regular, regular with accommodations, and alternative. Modified are no longer included. Now, why I say to not panic is -- the state assessment variable has been phrased as the most recent state assessment. So some of those categories that no longer exist do, in fact, apply for kids, especially older kids. But do not panic. We will create instructions on how to change this variable in FileMaker Pro if you need, but essentially, this year, we will be just looking at regular, regular with accommodations, and alternative, and we will -- yes -- that is -- Sherri Nelson has posted a question in the chat pod. Parents are given the option to not participate in state assessments. Yeah. That is a really good point. And it is not included in not required at this age or grade level which is the fourth option. I guess I would -- yes. We can add an opt out variable as well. This year, it may be that the way to do it is to -- I do not have a great alternative, other than changing the variable. Let's come back to this in the open Q&A, and let's discuss options that you think will work best for you as a group if that is all right. >> [ Pause ] >> Okay. We will come back to this issue when we are done and we go to the open Q&A. So we can share ideas on how we want to approach this. What would work best at this point in time given this December. >> [ Pause ] >> All right. I guess where there. Are there any questions on anything that I have covered? If not, we can just go straight to more open ended questions about strategies as well as this one issue. >> [ Pause ] >> I will wait to see who is typing and what question pops and. -- In. >> [ Pause ] >> LeeAnn from Ohio asks, how important is a supplemental? I have several that will say other but then not fill out what other is. Good question, LeeAnn. I think it is becoming less important, frankly. I think that at one point in time, it was important, because we were still -- and this is for other disabilities. We were still collecting information that we were using to look at the child count, as well as other things. I think, at this point in time, we do not report on it. So, in that regard, other than to say that there is other -- we do not break out what those are so I would put a lower level of importance on that. >> [ Pause ] >> And LeeAnn says thank you. >> [ Laughter ] >> All right. Let's get back to the adding opt out option for status sessions -- state exceptions. We can do that a couple of ways, go back and add that as another option in the instructions as well as the four page form and the coding sheet. That certainly is one option. That may be -- what do people think about that option? >> [ Pause ] >> And if folks want to unmute and discuss it, that would be fine. >> [ Pause ] >> Okay. LeeAnn says she likes adding that option. >> [ Pause ] >> As does Sherri Nelson. Will that is still work for people timewise? Timing wise? >> [ Pause ] >> There are several -- LeeAnn says, sure, we are just now sending out information and collecting information through February. >> [ Pause ] >> This can be done quickly. Today even. >> [ Pause ] >> Several folks are typing. It looks like. >> [ Pause ] >> Martha says, Mark, I can still change my online forms since not many updates have been made. Just let me know the new code so I can get it to our IT guys to make the change. I think what I will do to make it the simplest is add it as option number 7 so that the current form -- four and five do not have to be changed. I think that will be the cleanest way to do it. >> [ Pause ] >> I think there is some typing going on and that is why we are pausing. Sorry. >> [ Pause ] >> All right. Well, are there other questions? Advice that people want from their colleagues? Advice that they would like to give their colleagues, based on things that they have tried and that have worked out really well? I think this is a great time to open it up and share among yourselves. If you care to do so. >> [ Pause ] >> Michelle Klein just typed in, hi Mark, we have had some students who did not attend school but who are not officially homebound or dropped out. How do others code them? >> [ Pause ] >> Sherri Nelson says, we have had the same issue. Homeschooled. >> [ Pause ] >> Michelle Klein says, do you code them homeschooled? Even if families have not filed as homeschoolers? >> [ Pause ] >> In these cases, of these kinds of questions, I always go back to the definitions that are found in the instructions. I am not sure that there is a perfect match for this. I am assuming that you are talking about school age. But if you look at the definition under parentally placed and private school, it is a pretty broad definition. And part of it says, include children whose parents choose to homeschool them but who receive special education and related services at the public expense. However, it says do not include children who are placed in private schools by the LAA. I'm not sure that it fully gets at it. >> [ Pause ] >> In terms of placement. >> [ Pause ] >> LeeAnn says, I think that is what I have used in the past for the students and Sherri adds, we have some homeschoolers who receive no special education services. Right. Yes. They probably have -- you probably code them as dropped out. >> [ Pause ] >> So they have exited special education. Do people want to get on the telephone and talk about this? Are you okay just using the chat pod? Either way is fine with me. >> [ Pause ] >> Again, these kinds of questions have always come up. Other kinds of things that you can always call me about, too. We can discuss the various options based on the definitions that we have. >> [ Pause ] >> I have a question. Did people use the OCEP letter last year? Did they find that it helps? -- Helped? >> [ Laughter ] >> Sherri says yes. >> [ Pause ] >> Russell from New York. Yes, definitely, extremely helpful. We were very excited to get this letter last year. >> [ Pause ] >> LeeAnn says, we did not get it in time to use last year. I am not sure if we will use it this year. LeeAnn is in Ohio. Lisa from Oklahoma. Yes, it did help. I think it caught special education directors attention. >> [ Pause ] >> Martha. Yes. We made a letter to go on our website senses page. That along with the language is very helpful. Ruth Ann -- yes. We use the same. Attached the letter to special education directors. Chris from New York. Thank you, Chris. Beyond the child count, it has been helpful in supporting our outreach for DIR in general. Good. Thank you. I'm glad that people are using it for other purposes as well. That was the intent. >> [ Pause ] >> Sherri Nelson from North Dakota. I agree, Chris. It got the special education directors attention. All right. Well, any other questions? Suggestions? Requests? Advice? For the good of the order? Please feel free to chime in. >> [ Pause ] >> For those of you that may be attending just a by telephone, the pauses -- before waiting for people to type in. Sherri Nelson from North Dakota says you will change the U.S. Census form and repost soon? Yes. I will do it today or tomorrow. Hopefully, today. Sherri says thank you. >> [ Pause ] >> I will make the changes in the instructions. The four page form. And the coding form as well. >> [ Pause ] >> All right. Anything else? Are you ready to be off and do other things? >> [ Pause ] >> All right. Hey, I miss last page, there is a link to a little evaluation, as always. We really want and we seek your feedback, so please either click on that or copy it and put it into a browser and give us some feedback. I would be really thankful if you did that. Thank you, all, for being here and all of us from NCPD hope that you have a wonderful rest of the year and holidays, and a happy new year. Robbin Bull has just put the URL into the chat pod as well. All right. Thank you so much. >> Thank you, Mark. >> [ Event Concluded ]