Upland Dentist, Dr. Eftekhari, Offers Special Promotion for Welcome Dental Exam

Posted by admin | Posted on 26-08-2010

Category : Region V

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Upland Dentist, Dr. Eftekhari, Offers Special Promotion for Welcome Dental Exam

Dr. Abbas Eftekhari, a well-respected Upland dentist of Upland Dental Practice, is currently offering several promotional offers for various dental services.

Special Offers at Upland Dental Practice and United Dental Care in Culver City

– Complimentary Consultation– For a limited time, new patients to Dr. Eftekhari’s practice can receive a free consultation.

– 0 Off — Anyone looking for a new cosmetic dentist in Upland will be happy to hear that Dr. Eftekhari’s office is currently offering 0 off on teeth whitening treatments.

– Welcome Children’s Exam — Parents in need of an Upland children’s dentist should take advantage of Dr. Eftekhari’s Welcome Children’s Exam. For just each, children who are new patients to the practice can receive a cleaning, fluoride treatment, and x-rays.

– Off — If you or a member of your family has a need for a more complex dental treatment, call Dr. Eftekhari’s office to find out how you can get off any treatment of ,000 or more.

About Dr. Eftekhari

Dr. Eftekhari, affectionately known as “Dr. E” by his pediatric patients, is a Culver City dentist / West Los Angeles dentist who also has an office in Upland. Dr. E works hard to make his offices warm, welcoming places for patients of all ages, but especially focuses on making children comfortable with going to the dentists. His staff members have all been specially trained to relieve the anxiety and fear so often associated with the dentist, making it easy for dentophobic patients to finally come back to the dentist’s office.

An active member of the American Dental Association, Dr. E, Upland pediatric dentist, has also volunteered with the One Smile at a Time project, which aims to provide dental care and oral health education to underprivileged children. His volunteer work has earned him certificates of appreciation from the Los Angeles Dental Society, the Latin American Dental Association, the Iranian Dental Association, University of Southern California’s School of Dentistry, and the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Other Doctors in Dr. Eftekhari’s Practice

As phenomenal as Dr. E,  is with his patients young and old, he couldn’t do it all by himself. He relies upon several other dentists in his practice in Culver City with equally impressive educations and reputations in the community.

Dr. Reza Salmassian is United Dental Care’s orthodontist. Dr. Salmassian decided to become an orthodontist at the age of 13, when he himself wore braces for the first time. The encouragement he received from his own orthodontist inspired him to one day help other people just like him who needed some extra help with their teeth. After graduating with the highest honors from Arizona State University as an undergraduate, Dr. Salmassian, Culver City orthodontist, went on to dental school at the University of California – San Francisco, where he also received high honors and Dean’s List status. Dr. Salmassian is excited to be using the very latest orthodontic technologies to help his patients reduce their treatment time and discomfort.

Dr. Hamid Daneshmand United Dental Care’s periodontist. Dr. Daneshmand, Culver City periodontist, help patients with serious surgical and non-surgical reconstructive and cosmetic procedures, most notably dental implants.

If you or any member of your family is searching for an excellent Upland or Culver City dentist or children’s dentist, call Dr. Eftekhari’s Upland Dental Practice at (909) 920-6000, or go to their website at http://www.UplandDentalPractice.com or visit them at 300 East 7th St. Suite 1-4, Upland CA 91786  or United Dental Care at (310) 390-6000, or go to their website at http://www.culvercitydentist.com or visit them at 3909 S. Sepulveda Blvd. Culver City, CA 90230 today to find out how you can take advantage of their current special offers.

 

Related University Of California, San Francisco Articles

Master Online Special Education Degree – for Teachers Who Want to Make a Difference

Posted by admin | Posted on 11-02-2009

Category : Region II

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Master Online Special Education Degree – for Teachers Who Want to Make a Difference

How will the master online special education degree equip those teachers who want to make a difference? The answer is straightforward – in the USA, currently there are over 6 million students who have enrolled in these special programs.


While schools – public and private, preschool to secondary – struggle to identify and deploy qualified teachers to address these 6 million students, nobody knows for sure how many million students more need to be identified for special classes, so that they can better cope with their learning disabilities, or physical and mental handicaps.


At the same time, successive Federal and State Administrations since 1975 have sharpened their focus on creating complex systems for identifying, formulating, and delivering a highly-individualized education program to each eligible student. The cornerstone of these legislations, programs, and licensures is the highly qualified teacher.


A Master’s degree in has thus become a must for aspiring teachers, and with many of them already employed as regular teachers, master online special education degree has become the most convenient route to this profession.


What It Involves


Master online special education degree involves distance or online learning that leads to graduate degrees like Master of Education (MEd), Master of Science (MS), Master of Arts (MA), or any of the specialized master’s degrees in various sub-domains, such as dyslexia, attention-deficit, etc.


Master online special education degree courses will last upwards of one year, and might involve significant on-the-job training under an experienced special educator. Most states also require that aspiring teachers pass a licensure test, before starting their career.


Why Special Education?


On an average, teachers in this field don’t earn much more than regular teachers. On the other hand, the job responsibilities of these teachers are more demanding – they can even include defending oneself and the school’s program in court, if dissatisfied parents of challenged students opt for litigation, as has happened numerous times in various states!


Still, about 450,000 educators have opted for and currently work as special education teachers in the country. What must be the attraction?


Teachers in this field are very unlikely to encounter unemployment in the short-term or long-term. But that alone can’t be the lure to enter this profession, where sheer hard work, difficult coordination between many, and uncertain outcomes from the part of students, make life stressful.


The answer can, hence, be only that there are hundreds of thousands of teachers out there who want to make a genuine difference to the lives of these challenged students. And it is indeed a huge difference. According to estimates, four in five challenged students used to be excluded from the US education system, as near as three decades back. Official figures, tabulated around 1975, put this at 1 million students, who missed the bus.


Why Master Special Education Degree?


Teachers in this specialty are still in significant short supply. Because of this, some states have still not made it mandatory for them to have a master’s degree. In such states, bachelor’s degree holders appear for professional licensure exams and work as special education teachers.


However, more and more states are opting for a master’s degree as the minimum qualification, for a simple reason. A special ed. teacher should be capable of interacting effectively with professionals like psychologists, disability therapists, educational evaluators, educational lawyers, supervisors from the school district, regular teachers, and, of course parents of disabled students. It takes a master’s degree holder with significant on-the-job training to confidently undertake this.


Master’s degree holders in this field have also another booming avenue – they can work as instructors in colleges and universities that deliver specialized programs, and these institutions are rapidly increasing in number. They are also eligible to work as supervisors or administrators in the school districts.


A small but significant proportion of educators go for ‘ degree, so as to progress to doctoral degrees, which are also offered by more and more universities, these days.


Lastly, though special education teachers don’t earn much more than regular teachers on an average, the highest salaries drawn by special educators exceed the highest salaries drawn by regular teachers by ,000 to ,000. It goes without saying that almost all of those highest paid special educators are master’s degree holders.


Why Master Online Special Education Degree?


Those planning to take a master’s degree in this field are almost always regular teachers who have developed a fascination for this field. Others include psychologists, counselors, learning disability therapists, etc. Since both teachers and these professionals already hold full time jobs, it is a master online special education degree that is more suitable to them.


Secondly, only an exceptionally good regular teacher can hope to be an effective teacher of special students. Because of this, aspirants enter the regular teaching profession to garner some years of experience before attempting to study special ed. Master online special education degree perfectly fits this scheme.


Thirdly, a significant component of any education master’s degree is on-the-job training in a special school or a regular school’s special education department. Those working teachers who opt for a master online degree can thus modify their school work itself for the on-the-job training part.


Where to Study Master Online Special Education Degree?


Hundreds of universities and colleges across the country offer master online degrees in special ed. They include state or public universities, and private or independent universities. Some of the courses have small components that require occasional campus visits, while almost all require on-the-job training at a school.


Working teachers who opt for master online special education degree generally prefer studying in their own state, if not their city. Another reason for local preference is that some universities incorporate that state’s licensure requirements as part of the course. Due to strict licensure requirements, it is also important to go for an accredited course.


State or Public Universities Offering Master Online Special Education Degree


At least 12 state university systems offer master online degree in special ed. They include Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Texas. Aspirants in states like Alabama, Florida, and Kansas, are especially fortunate, with multiple public universities offering the course. Florida perhaps tops the nation with its three public universities offering this degree. Some of the prestigious state universities offering the course across the nation are:


ALABAMA: Auburn University, Auburn, University of South Alabama, Mobile

FLORIDA: Florida State University, University of Central Florida, University of West Florida

INDIANA: Ball State University

KANSAS: Emporia State University, Fort Hays State University

KENTUCKY: University of Louisville, Louisville

MICHIGAN: University of Michigan, Dearborn

MISSOURI: University of Missouri, Columbia

NEBRASKA: University of Nebraska, Lincoln

NEW JERSEY: New Jersey City University

NORTH CAROLINA: University of North Carolina

PENNSYLVANIA: Clarion University of Pennsylvania

TEXAS: Texas Tech University


Private or Independent Universities Offering Online Degrees


At least 10 well-known private or independent universities in 8 states offer master online special education degree. These states include Arizona, California, Florida, Iowa, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington. Arizona and Iowa top the list with two private universities each, offering the course. Florida and Pennsylvania are perhaps the only two states that have both public and private universities offering the course. Some of the well-known private schools offering online degrees are:


ARIZONA: Grand Canyon University, University of Phoenix

CALIFORNIA: La Sierra University

FLORIDA: Nova Southeastern University

IOWA: Graceland University, Kaplan University

MINNESOTA: Bethel University

VIRGINIA: Regent University

WASHINGTON: City University


What to Expect From Master Online Special Education Degree, in the Future?


The high performance expected from special edd teachers will ensure that a master’s degree in this field becomes an absolute must in all states. As it is working teachers who are more likely to go for a master’s degree in this subject, and because the course itself is dominated by on-the-job training, college degree master online might even upstage regular courses in the subject, in the near future.


Recent stricter regulations from the part of administrations regarding expected student performance, and better awareness about learning disabilities from the part of parents, will make sure that more and more students will be presented for evaluation. This scenario will drive the demand for qualified and trained special educators, giving further momentum to master online special ed. degree courses.


The most likely change in course content will be super-specializations in special education, with probably different master’s degrees built around different learning disabilities or handicaps.

Find More Nova Southeastern University Articles

Special Education in Connecticut

Posted by admin | Posted on 01-02-2009

Category : Region I

Tags: , ,

Special Education in Connecticut

Terminology

The federal law governing special education is called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA.  It is codified in Title 20, United States Code, starting at section 1400.  It was initially passed in 1975.  A number of major reauthorizations have taken place.  The two most recent were in 1997 and in December 2004.  The December 2004 changes took effect, for the most part, on July 1, 2005. The changes made in the 2004 Act are numerous and varied, but perhaps not revolutionary.

In early 2002, President Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) which is intended to ensure quality education and a high level of accountability.  Many of the provisions of NCLB had an uncertain impact on IDEA 1997.  Hence, IDEA 2004 attempts to clarify the impact of NCLB.

The IDEA speaks in terms of a State Education Authority (SEA) and a Local Education Authority (LEA).  In Connecticut, the SEA is the State Department of Education.  The LEA is generally the local school district, which is referred to as the district or the Board.  In this context, the Board refers to the district’s administration, not to the actual Board of Education and its elected members.

State and Federal Law

Connecticut passed its special education law in 1967.  The federal Education of All Handicapped Children Act initially passed in 1975.  Hence, the Connecticut act predates the federal.  The federal law did not pre-empt the field.  Rather, federal courts can enforce both federal and relevant state law.  “Relevant state law” is law which is not inconsistent with federally mandated requirements, both substantive and procedural, of the Act, and includes, inter alia, procedural safeguards which are more stringent than required procedures set forth in the federal law.  Burlington v. Department of Education, 736 F.2d 773 (1st Cir. 1984), aff’d 471 U.S. 359 (1985).  For the most part, Connecticut and federal requirements have converged.  Yet, most of the detailed procedures for eligibility and due process stem from Connecticut law, as does the nomenclature.  In Connecticut, there is a Planning and Placement Team (PPT) meeting.  In New York, it is called a Committee on Special Education (CSE) meeting.  In the federal
law, it is called an Individualized Education Plan Team (IEP Team) meeting.

The Connecticut Approach

The Connecticut State Department of Education (SDE) takes a hand-off approach to local school boards.  This compares to New York, where the state department closely regulates most aspects of special education.  The Connecticut SDE advises local school boards on questions, when raised.  Indeed, SDE also provides advice to parents.  The state approves private special education schools, but the approval is largely a matter of seeing if the right boxes are checked, rather than looking at the quality of the education provided.  The state, pursuant to federal law, receives and processes complaints, but appears to be interested only in procedural requirements, avoiding making any comments on the substance of the claim.  And, the state runs the due process and mediation systems.  This is all done by a tiny group of people in Hartford.  The SDE also runs the Special Education Resource Center (SERC), which serves as an information clearinghouse, library, and training center.  As a general rule, the State Department of
Education sees itself as a consultant, rather than as a regulator.

The Special Education Universe in Connecticut

For the 2007-2008 school year, there were 68,989 children in Connecticut who were designated as eligible for special education services.  This number is a drop of 5,000 from five years earlier.  Special education students represent about 12% of the total student population of 574,287.  Districts vary widely in percentages designated as eligible for special education, with some districts near 5% and others over 18%.

Among disabilities, the largest group, comprising 32% of the special education population, consists of students with learning disabilities (LD).  Five years ago, learning disabled students represented 38% of the special education population.  The next largest group, accounting for 21% of the special education population, contains students with speech or language impairments.  Other health impairment (OHI) accounts for 17%, severe emotional disturbance (SED) is 8.5% and intellectual disabilities (ID) are 4%.  Some 6.4% of special education students in Connecticut carry the Autism label.  The racial differences are, however, significant.  The following chart shows the 2007-2008 percentage of each racial/ethnic grouping that has a particular special education designation.