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Quarter 3 - Summer 2005
Issue 2, Volume I
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Message from TransACT President Rick Passovoy
These are exciting times for TransACT customers. Every month, new features and content that create value are added to the website.
TransACT has released the TransACT® IDEA 2004 Parent Notifications to address the new reauthorized Special Education legislation. Many districts and states have adopted these notifications to meet the new July 1 deadline, avoiding costly development and legal fees. In August, these notifications will be available in Arabic, Hmong, Spanish, Russian and Vietnamese. For details, click here.
We are committed to providing you with the greatest value for your educational dollar. Towards that end, we have developed a Comprehensive Subscription that will save you 30% over standard educational prices. The Comprehensive Subscription bundles the NCLB, IDEA and GenEd Parent Notifications, the EduPortal eLibrary, National Resources research collection and Premium Support.
Doing business with TransACT has never been easier thanks to the new online store . With just a few clicks, you can renew your subscription or add new services such as the ones above. In many cases, once you have completed a quick online store transaction, your newly added services are available (within the hour). To access our online store click here.
We delivered these innovations and hundreds of no-cost updates in the last quarter to continue our commitment to benefit our customers. We appreciate your business and look forward to serving you in the years to come.
What's New at TransACT
BREAKING NEWS - USDA PROTOTYPE FORMS Supported in the TransACT® Free & Reduced-Price Meals (NSLP) Collection
TransACT® Free & Reduced-Price Meals (National School Lunch Program) forms will soon follow the 2005-06 “USDA Prototype” documents and reflect requirements from the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004. This improvement is a major strategy shift for TransACT and will better support our nationwide network of users. The USDA is fully aware of TransACT’s investment to make sure the TransACT documents and translations meet USDA requirements.
The USDA Prototype documents and translations align with the numerous changes applied by the USDA including 1) Categorical Eligibility for Free Lunches and Breakfasts of Runaway, Homeless, and Migrant Youth, 2) School Food Safety Inspections 3) Verification of Income Eligibility, and more. Click here for more information direct from the USDA website. English versions will be available on or before July 20; translated versions (20) will be available in August 2005. Free & Reduced-Price Meals (NSLP) documents are included in the TransACT® GenEd Parent Notifications collection.
For more information about Free & Reduced-Price Meals (NSLP) forms, or additional information about the GenEd Parent Notifications, please contact Melissa Bergsing at (425) 977-2105.
Customizable NCLB and IDEA RoadMaps
TransACT® RoadMaps can now be easily customized to include district specific guidance to support local interpretation of federal program requirements. In addition to the federal requirement and authority displayed with each survey question, an authorized district program manager can include helpful information to clarify or identify operating procedures for district personnel.
Such customization allows program managers to align, display and update district procedures with federal requirements in an easy, user-friendly format. The RoadMaps are a powerful compliance and staff development tool. The TransACT RoadMaps are included with your NCLB and IDEA Parental Notification subscription.
Spanish Translation - New & Improved!
Customers that subscribe to the GenEd Parent Notifications (formerly the Translation Library) will be pleased to see a completely re-translated Spanish version posted to the site. Many of the documents had been revised annually and needed a full re-translation and editing to maintain a professional level of readability. We have started the same process with Russian and other languages will soon follow.
Website Enhancements
Several changes have been made to the TransACT website to better meet customer needs, including:
Featured Tool
TransACT® IDEA 2004 RoadMap
The IDEA 2004 RoadMap provides a convenient on-line strategy for learning about the new law and identifying changes in parent notification requirements. The IDEA 2004 RoadMap delivers expert guidance for building and district office administrators and staff through:
The IDEA RoadMap provides you with expert guidance through:
| • Easy "yes" or "no" survey questions | • Summary reports | |
| • Identification of "What's New" | • Implementation suggestions | |
| • Statutory requirements & guidance | • Recommended forms & notices |
The IDEA 2004 RoadMap is currently divided into the following 10 individual compliance areas, which allows the user to select the information most pertinent to their area of responsibility:
| • IEP Meetings and Participation | • Early Intervening Services | |
| • Discipline and Manifestation Determination | • Private School Consultation | |
| • Procedural Safeguards & Due Process Complaints | • Initial Evaluation and Reevaluations | |
| • Resolution Session & Mediation | • Individualized Education Program (IEP) | |
| • Highly Qualified Special Education Teacher | • Early Intervention–Transition from Part C to Part B Service |
The IDEA 2004 RoadMap allows subscribing districts to easily customize any series by inserting district procedures or guidance as additional assistance for their staff.
The IDEA 2004 RoadMap is included with a subscription to the IDEA Parent Notifications and is a convenient and cost-effective way to assure consistency and compliance with the new law throughout your district.
Practical Advice from Forest Hertlein, Ph.D.
Dr. Forest Hertlein is the resident Federal Programs Manager at TransACT, who keeps his finger on the pulse of compliance issues. His expertise not only ensures that our services our relevant and accurate, but also allows us to provide you with briefings of the most pertinent issues for schools.
IDEA 2004: Be Ready for the Changes
Now is the time to modify your special education operating procedures and update your parent notices to meet the new requirements of IDEA 2004, effective July 1, 2005. The TransACT IDEA 2004 Parent Notifications collection provides districts with a cost-effective strategy to be prepared to immediately inform parents and staff of new procedures and to obtain newly required agreements and consent.
Below are a few examples in which new IDEA requirements necessitate new or modified parent notices and, in most instances, require prior parent agreement or consent:
IEP Meeting Attendance: Full team member attendance at IEP meetings is no longer required if a team member’s area of curriculum or related service is not be modified or discussed. If a team member’s area of service is to be discussed or modified, that team member may be excused if prior consent is obtained.
Amending or Modifying the IEP: Making changes in the IEP after an annual IEP review meeting may be done, with parent agreement, during the year without the need to re-convene an IEP meeting.
Alternate Methods for Conducting Meetings: The district and parent may now agree to use innovative methods for conducting and participating in IEP and other meetings that do not require everyone to be in the same location. Such methods may include video conferences, conference calls, and other technology supported strategies at the discretion of the district and parental agreement.
These are just three of several new requirements of IDEA 2004. Other changes developed to reduce the demand on staff time and paperwork include the areas of reevaluation, IEP content, and frequency of providing procedural safeguard notices.
Spotlight on a TransACT Team Member
Jennifer Castle -
TransACT Customer Care Supervisor
I enjoy enhancing the customer's experience with TransACT by providing clear, concise customer tutorials,
delivering personalized training, and ensuring that each customer follows a path for successful implementation.
Birthplace: Seattle, Washington
Birthday: October 31 (Halloween!)
How long have you been with TransACT? 3½ years
What do you like most about TransACT? The customers and the people that work here.
Favorite school subject: Anthropology
How many languages can you speak? 1 well (English), 1 moderately well (Japanese), and 2 not so well (Chinese & French).
Favorite thing(s) to do outside of work: I enjoy outdoor activities like mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking and backpacking. If the weather is not accommodating, I like to bake (I make excellent pies), read and go to yoga class.
Favorite vacation spot: Bishop, CA
As a child, what did you want to be as a grown-up? A writer or a U.S. Foreign Service Officer
Favorite band or music: Classical, Trance, New Age and artists such as Patsy Kline, Louis Armstrong, Johnny Cash, etc.
Famous people with whom you’d like to have dinner (living or not): Madeleine Albright, Mark Twain and Galileo
Favorite quote: "Ninety-nine percent of failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses." - George Washington Carver
Contact Us
View this eNewsletter online at: http://www.transact.com/public/news/newsletter/eNews2005Q3.htm
Website: http://www.transact.com
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