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2023 NDTAC Annual Conference

The 2023 NDTAC Annual Conference sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education (ED): Strengthening Collaborative Relationships occurred in-person and virtually on May 15th, 16th, and 17th between 12 pm – 5 pm EDT. 

Conference Program

Please see the conference Program for details about keynote addresses, speakers, the agenda, and other incidental details about the conference. 

Day 1: Welcome & Federal Program Updates

Monday, May 15, 12:10 - 1:30 EDT

The U.S. Department of Education and NDTAC formally welcomed attendees of the 2023 NDTAC Conference, as well as honored and recognized several State coordinators. The U.S. Department of Education provided an overview of Part D program changes, focusing on the topics of the use of funds and data (e.g., ED Facts and the CSPR), as well as monitoring and allocations.

Presenters

  • Lynn Bauer, Director of NDTAC​, Longevity Consulting
  • Jeff Buehler, U.S. Department of Education Program Officer, Title I Part D​
  • Dan Froemel, Senior Technical Assistance Advisor NDTAC, Longevity Consulting
  • Felicia Goss, U.S. Department of Education Program Officer, Title I Part D​
  • Dawn Rains, IPA Federal Policy Fellow, U.S. Department of Education Chief Executive Officer, Treehouse
  • Deborah Spitz, Group Leader, Teachers, Leaders, & Special Populations, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
  • Todd Stephenson, U.S. Department of Education Management and Program Analyst
  • Vic St. John, Deputy Director of NDTAC​, Child Trends

Presentation and Materials

Day 1: High Quality Juvenile Justice Education Systems

Monday, May 15, 1:45 - 2:30 EDT

Randall Farmer from the National Symposium on Juvenile Services discussed solutions, and shared resources, to address persistent facility-level concerns that impede successful state and local educational programs in secure settings. The information provided covered 8 key areas for high-quality juvenile justice education derived through an ongoing NPJS project, created by educators from across the US.

Presenter

  • Randall Farmer, Educational Director of the LPS Pathfinder Education Program & Leader, NPJS Education of At-Risk & Delinquent Youth Discipline Group

Presentation and Materials

Day 1: Collaborating with Youth Working Group

Monday, May 15, 2:45 - 3:45 EDT

Youth Alum and members from the Casey Juvenile Justice Youth Advisory Council discussed the importance of centering youth voices in Title I, Part D decision-making processes, as well as the educational supports that assist in keeping youth out of the juvenile justice system. State coordinators identified where and how they can strengthen at-risk programming by supporting collaborations with youth.

Presenters

  • Shay Daily, Harriet Tubman Center
  • Benito Lopez, Mazool Consulting and Annie E. Casey JJSG YAC Alum
  • Aazia-Marie Ross, Social innovator, youth justice strategist, and multi-disciplinary artist
  • Charisma Poller, Homeboys ART Academy

Presentation and Materials

Day 1: Office of Special Education Programs and Secondary Transition

Monday, May 15, 4:00 - 5:00 EDT

Students with disabilities require support when transitioning back into the community from a secure setting. Curtis Kinnard from the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) discussed secondary transition (e.g., transfer of records, trauma-informed IEPS, and more) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and the importance of interagency collaborations for a successful transition.

Presenter

  • Curtis Kinnard, Education Program Specialist, OSEP/MSIP, Correctional Education Lead, U.S. Department of Education

Presentation and Materials

Day 2: Keynote Address

Tuesday, May 16, 10:00 - 10:45 EDT

Kristin Nicole Henning gave the keynote address for Day 2 of the U.S. Department of Education Title I, Part D Coordinators Conference. Kristin is a nationally recognized advocate, author, trainer, and consultant on the intersection of race, adolescence, and the “policing” of Black youth. She has been representing children accused of crime for more than 26 years and is the co-founder of a number of initiatives to combat racial injustice in the juvenile and criminal legal systems. She has received several awards, including the 2021 Leadership Prize from the Juvenile Law Center and the 2022 Women of Distinction Award from the American Association of University Women.

Presenter

  • Kristin Nicole Henning, Director, The Juvenile Justice Clinic and Initiative at Georgetown Law

Presentation and Materials

Day 2: Common Ground: Challenges, Opportunities, and How to Foster Interagency Partnerships

Tuesday, May 16, 11:00 - 12:00 EDT

Crossover youth are young people known to juvenile justice, child welfare, education, and related agencies and yet they are far more likely to be underserved than their peers with involvement in fewer systems. This session explored how one community collaborated across public sectors around the common goal of strengthening support for system-involved youth and families. Victor Martin and Alexandra Miller explored research on common issues facing crossover youth and will detail their firsthand experiences in forming a local interagency collaborative, including illustrating challenges, successes, and strategies that made the difference.

Presenters

  • Victor Martin, Principal, Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center
  • Alexandra Miller, Deputy Director, Multi-System Operations, Center of Juvenile Justice Reform at Georgetown University

Presentation and Materials

Day 2: Planning to Spend Title I, Part D Funds

Tuesday, May 16, 1:10 - 2:10 EDT

Deborah Spitz, Heather Denny, and Obioma Okogbue led a discussion on spending Title I, Part D funds. The session centered on the statutory guidance of using funds which includes fund obligation, grant periods, and federal cost principles, and uses of funds and the benefit of collaboration with other programs to prevent duplicative efforts. The session also covered how SCs can provide technical assistance to facilities on spending funds by identifying and assessing evidence-based programs and other TA centers that may serve as useful resources when designing programming.

Presenters

  • Heather Denny, Program Officer, Title I Part D, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
  • Obioma Okogbue, TA Coordinator/Helpdesk Lead, Child Trends
  • Deborah Spitz, Group Leader, Teachers, Leaders, & Special Populations, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE)

Presentation and Materials

Day 2: Providing Successful Transition Services: Identifying Needs, Resources and Strategies

Tuesday, May 16, 2:15 - 3:15 EDT

Lisa Hutchinson and Jennifer Loeffler-Cobia from NDTAC shared preliminary findings regarding successful strategies, existing resources, and common needs related to transition services for youth. A facilitated discussion with participants focused on learning from the field about tools and resources needed to provide successful transition services. Information gleaned from this discussion will be used to update the NDTAC transition services toolkit and help improve the delivery of transition services in Title I Part D programs.

Presenters

  • Lisa Hutchinson, Juvenile Justice Consultant
  • Jennifer Loeffler-Cobia, Director, Justice and Public Health Policy and Practice, WestEd Justice and Prevention Research Center

Presentation and Materials

Day 2: State Cafe

Tuesday, May 16, 3:20 - 5:00 EDT

Attendees had the opportunity to rotate every 20 minutes through a series of tables where distinct topics were discussed. Table topics included: starting peer workgroups within states led by Gerardo Ramirez; ED Facts and the CSPR led by Alex Gabriel; annual count and eligibility led by Todd Stephenson; funding/advocacy opportunities led by Randall Farmer; Leticia Braga provided information on Title III; and Michael Anderson, Josie Skinner, and Todd Stephenson discussed any legal items.

Presenters

  • Michael Anderson, The Office of General Counsel, U.S. Department of Education
  • Leticia Braga, U.S. Department of Education Federal Education Program Specialist
  • Randall Farmer, Educational Director of the LPS Pathfinder Education Program & Leader, NPJS Education of At-Risk & Delinquent Youth Discipline Group
  • Alex Gabriel, Data Analyst, Child Trends
  • Gerardo Ramirez, Texas Part D Coordinator
  • Josie Skinner, The Office of General Counsel, U.S. Department of Education
  • Todd Stephenson, U.S. Department of Education Management and Program Analyst

Presentation and Materials

Day 3: Keynote Address

Wednesday, May 17, 9:00 - 9:45 EDT

Sarah Comeau gave the keynote address for Day 3 of the U.S. Department of Education Title I, Part D Coordinators Conference. Sarah is the Director of Programs and Co-Founder of the School Justice Project (SJP). She has litigated several federal court cases surrounding access to education in correctional facilities and IDEA entitlements for incarcerated young people. In addition to her impact litigation work, Comeau advocates for policy and legislative changes affecting access to education for court-involved students with disabilities. Comeau is seen as an expert in the special education entitlements of older, court-involved students with disabilities and in best practices in promoting quality education in correctional settings.

Presenter

  • Sarah Comeau, Director of Programs and Co-Founder, School Justice Project (SJP)

Presentation and Materials

Day 3: Disrupting School-Justice Pathways

Wednesday, May 17, 10:00 - 11:00 EDT

Tanya Washington, Anne Casey’s Senior Associate of the Juvenile Justice Strategy Group, leaders from Inside Circle, and an alum of Inside Circle’s programs led a discussion on the importance of healing spaces in secure facilities and the continuity of healing during transition. The session demonstrated how healing spaces and healing homes can help facilitate the learning of healthy habits and skills that prevent youth from returning to carceral settings. This included skills like building trust, learning to have conversations about trauma, and generally empowering youth during transition.

Presenters

  • Fuquan Hayes, Youth Worker Apprentice, New Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission (JJC) Young Adult Consultant, Inside Circle’s Young Adult Empowerment initiative (YAE)
  • Eldra Jackson, Co-Executive Director of Inside Circle
  • Tanya Washington, Senior Associate, Juvenile Justice Strategy Group, Annie E. Casey Foundation

Presentation and Materials

Day 3: An Overview of Title I Part D in North Carolina

Wednesday, May 17, 11:15 - 12:00 EDT

Laura Popp, Dr. Nick Anderson, and Alex Charles provided a snapshot of the application process and professional development efforts in North Carolina related to Title I, Part D.

Presenters

  • Nick Anderson, Program Administrator, NC Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI)
  • Alex Charles, Federal Programs Section Chief, Western Regions, NC Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI)
  • Laura Popp, Education Program Administrator, NC Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI)

Presentation and Materials

Day 3: Meeting the Needs of Students at Levi Anderson Learning Center, a Residential Treatment Facility - Neglected Educational Program

Wednesday, May 17, 1:10 - 2:20 EDT

Sam Ko and Lisa Bates provided an overview of the education framework within the state of Oregon and the educational programming strategies used to meet the complex needs of students in the Levi Anderson Learning Center.

Presenters

  • Lisa Bates, Principal, Northwest Regional Education Service District
  • Sam Ko, Educational Specialist, Oregon Department of Education

Presentation and Materials

Day 3: The Importance of Communication

Wednesday, May 17, 1:10 - 2:20 EDT

Christy Hendricks presented on the High-Tiered Community of Practice in the state of Montana used to support positive outcomes and foster successful reintegration of students across the state.

Presenter

  • Christy Hendricks, Federal Grants Coordinator, Montana Office of Public Instruction

Presentation and Materials

Day 3: Closing Remarks

Wednesday, May 17, 2:25 - 3:00 EDT

Deborah Spitz and Felicia Goss from the U.S. Department of Education and Lynn Bauer from NDTAC bring the 2023 NDTAC Conference to a formal end. Attendees had the opportunity to complete a conference evaluation form as well.

Presenters

  • Lynn Bauer, Director of NDTAC​, Longevity Consulting
  • Jeff Buehler, U.S. Department of Education Program Officer, Title I Part D​
  • Felicia Goss, U.S. Department of Education Program Officer, Title I Part D​

Presentation and Materials

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