For more than 20 years, the Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools has turned education research into real results throughout the state and beyond its borders. Since its founding in 2004, the center’s programs and interventions have touched the lives of more than 325,000 children and adolescents, and 22,000 educators in nearly 3,800 schools and early childhood programs statewide.
Autism spectrum disorder affects about 1 in 31 children in the United States, and that number continues to grow.
Autistic youth experience the world in diverse ways, including differences in social communication, sensory experiences, and patterns of interests and behavior. Like all children, autistic children develop different ways of understanding, expressing and regulating their emotions.
For more than four years, the Nebraska State Personnel Development Grant (NSPDG) program has provided high-quality professional development for educators throughout the state to better support students with disabilities.
Recognizing that every school is different, the program offers tailored support to educators through in-person workshops, online learning, consultation and coaching support. It aligns with, and is implemented in conjunction with, Nebraska’s Multi-tiered System of Support, a framework to ensure every student can access learning experiences that enhance their educational outcomes.
Name: Mia Penner
Title: Grants coordinator
Hometown: Council Bluffs, Iowa
Where did you work prior to joining CYFS? What was your role there, and what did it entail?
“Prior to joining CYFS, I worked at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) in the Radiology Department as an administrative research associate. I supported a variety of research administration activities. I worked closely with both clinical and research faculty. My responsibilities included coordinating grant submissions, assisting with project management and monitoring research workflows. Through this experience, I gained valuable insight into the research lifecycle and developed a strong foundation in research support.”
Birth to age 3 are critical years for development, especially for children with disabilities who need extra support. Early interventionists meet with families and provide services such as occupational, speech or physical therapy to help children learn and grow.
The College of Education and Human Sciences and the Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools will host a fall series of research presentations beginning Sept. 9, covering social, behavioral and educational challenges important to Nebraska and beyond.
For the nearly 7 million American children who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and have not developed functional vocal speech, communication can be difficult — and frustrating.
One promising option is augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), including speech-generating devices that support, supplement or replace vocal speech. Research suggests that using AAC in early interventions through play and other everyday activities may enhance language, social communication and play skills in children with autism.
Michaela Schenkelberg, associate professor of health and kinesiology at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, is collaborating with MAP Academy personnel to make it easier to evaluate young children’s gross motor skills — the basic, whole-body movements that lay the foundation for lifelong physical activity.
