Michigan’s IDEA Partnership

September 1, 2005

 
THE PURPOSE of Michigan’s IDEA Partnership is to help transform adult learning to support implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
and improve student achievement. Adult learning includes learning among all adults who have the potential to influence a child’s development/education.

Who are the partners? In this U.S. Department of Education initiative housed at the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE), 100 Michigan administrators, advocates, higher education faculty members, organizations, parents, policy makers, and service providers are joined by several national partners.

More than 20 partners contribute to the ongoing planning, and about 60 partners participate in the quarterly meetings. An additional 15 serve on one of six study groups/action teams and several participate in the periodic national conference calls with NASDSE.

Individuals recruited were general and special education administrators and service providers from 12 of Michigan’s 57 intermediate school districts, higher education faculty, parents, policymakers and 11 State affiliates of organizations in the national IDEA Partnership,
including LDA of Michigan. They are part of a group reflecting linkages with more than 180 school districts, associations, agencies, organizations and community groups that have the potential to support implementation of IDEA through adult learning initiatives.

WORK TO DATE is guided by a diverse Core Planning Team. Activities emerge through core planning team meetings, special interest action teams; quarterly meetings of the entire Partnership; and routine electronic communications on progress and emerging issues.

ANTICIPATED COLLABORATION OUTCOMES include:
Partners with a shared commitment to improving results for students with disabilities, with established relationships in a new learning community, linked with national partners and other States; Progress toward designing an adult learning system that results in improved student achievement — highlighting enhanced use of data for decision-making; effective models for scaling up to statewide implementation honoring adaptations for varied contexts; and equity of access to quality adult learning; Enhanced communication and coordination among State and local adult learning initiatives; and More efficient utilization of MDE staff, through enhanced collaboration with statewide partners.

What does it mean to me?
The resources may be helpful to you in your work. Some of the learning community processes for communicating with a broad array of stakeholders may be helpful for your work. Some elements of the planning model may be helpful to you in your work. The work of some action teams may be of interest (family, HS redesign, PD standards, technology).

For additional information, go to the webpage www.cenmi.org/ideapartner.