The following article appears in the January 2011 CEC Today.
If the first few weeks of the 112th Congress are any indication, educators can expect depleted federal education budgets, an increased focus on rewriting No Child Left Behind, and many new members of Congress contributing to education policy.
In the House of Representatives, the first order of 2011 business was to limit education funding levels to those set in 2008, a first attempt at cutting $100 billion from the federal budget. While funding for specific programs –- such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Jacob Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act –- have yet to be decided, the new House leadership has set a tone of reducing spending for non-defense, discretionary items, which includes funding for all education programs.
Over the last two years, special education funding has doubled due to the two-year economic stimulus package signed into law in February 2009. For IDEA, retreating to 2008 levels would represent a significant step backward for programs that have long been underfunded. Furthermore, budget cuts threaten the existence of Javits, a small program with broad reach that has impacted thousands of teachers and students over its 20-year existence.
CEC invites you to join its advocacy effort to combat threats to education funding by sharing how funding cuts are impacting children, youth, and professionals; and by signing up for funding action alerts.
Rewriting No Child Left Behind: Opportunities for Advocacy
The pending reauthorization, or rewrite, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (recently known as No Child Left Behind) is anticipated to receive significant attention from the Senate Health, Education, Labor, Pensions Committee (HELP) and the House Education and the Workforce Committee this year.
Led by Senators Harkin (D-Iowa) and Enzi (R-Wyo.) and Representatives Kline (R-Minn.) and Miller (D-Calif.), the reauthorization is expected to address numerous controversial issues, including assessment and accountability systems, defining and evaluating teacher effectiveness, and expanding charter schools and other school reform initiatives. CEC’s ESEA Reauthorization Recommendations provide specific recommendations to Congress on these issues and others, and were updated last year to reflect many emerging issues such as differentiated compensation systems and charter schools.
As the reauthorization process continues, it will be critical for CEC members to remain engaged. CEC’s Policy Insider blog and its weekly e-mail digest provide up-to-the-minute updates and action alerts. Subscribe today!
Developing Relationships with Members of Congress
The November elections brought 106 new members of Congress to Capitol Hill, resulting in a Republican majority in the House of Representatives and a narrowing of Democrats’ majority in the Senate.
Committee memberships within the House and Senate also changed as a result of the election. The House and Senate Education Committees have the responsibility of crafting policy that will impact children and youth with disabilities and the professionals who work on their behalf, such as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act/No Child Left Behind.
The House has released its full Education and the Workforce Committee list (22 Republicans, 17 Democrats); it includes eight new Republican members and will be led by Chairman John Kline (R-Minn.) and Ranking Member George Miller (D-Calif.). The Senate is still in the process of finalizing its committee assignments.
It will be critical for CEC and its members to develop relationships with both new and experienced members of Congress. Get started here!
Or, if you already have a good relationship with a member of Congress or their staff, please share this information with CEC and learn more about CEC’s Congressional Liaison program.
Take Action, Be an Advocate!
It’s not too late to add “increase advocacy activities” to your New Year’s resolution list!
CEC’s advocacy work is only as strong as the collective voice of its members. With the numerous policy challenges and opportunities ahead, it is critical for members to become involved to ensure the voice and vision of special and gifted education is heard in Washington, D.C.
Here are three easy ways to become an advocate:
- Subscribe to CEC’s Policy Insider blog digest to receive the latest special and gifted education policy news and action alerts.
- Get to know your congressional delegation and share your efforts with CEC so we can coordinate advocacy strategies!
- Sign up to receive CEC’s funding action alerts by e-mailing pubpol@cec.sped.org with “funding alert” in the subject line.
Questions? Feel free to contact CEC’s director for policy and advocacy services, Kim Hymes, at kimh@cec.sped.org or 888/232-7733, ext. 441.
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