CEC Policy Insider

Round Three of the Race-to-the-Top Grants Now Open

Two weeks ago, the nine finalists for the Race-to-the-Top grants were able to begin the application process for the $200 million available through round three. These applications will be tailored to focus on an aspect of their Race-to-the-Top plans which will include investments in advancing science, technology and mathematics. The first part of the application will consist of assurances of commitment to education reform in their state, while the second part (once the first is approved) will consist of detailed action plan and budget. The deadline for the first part is November 22, and the deadline for the second part is December 16. The awards will be announced in late December.

Due to the funds available, the nine round two finalist states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina) will be eligible to receive awards for between $12 and $49 million, depending on the population. The Race-to-the-Top grants are part of an education reform initiative announced by President Obama to spark ingenuity in education reform, and it is a program the administration hopes to continue to fund in the 2012 budget with a $900 million district-level grant competition.

Update on 1.5% Cut to IDEA and Thank you CASE

As avid readers of the Policy Insider will know, CEC has been working since September to address a 1.5% cut to IDEA and three other education programs that was made in the current short term funding bill (called Continuing Resolutions or CR’s) funding the federal government through December 16.

CEC has sent letters to all members of congress opposing this cut, held several face to face meetings with congressional staff, worked with two national education community coalitions and partnered with our division the Council for Special Education Administrators (CASE) to provide specific district by district information about how many dollars are being lost and how this is impacting students.  Together with CASE we contacted almost every Senate office and several key House Appropriators and provided them invoices for the lost funds.  Thank you CASE for your tireless efforts on behalf of funding IDEA.

This issue still needs to be resolved! Can you help us too? Please send a letter telling your Representatives and Senators to fix this cut! Take Action Now! Use CEC’s Legislative Action Center to customize our letter and add your own thoughts about how this cut has impacted your area.

The next CR runs out on December 16 so now is the time to act!

Urge Congress to Restore Funding for Special Education Research

We all know the big story these days is budget. While everyone has been forced to cut back, some changes have been more drastic than others. One area of real concern for the field of special education is research funding. Special education research funding took a disproportionate hit in 2011 and it must be restored.

Here is what happened: In FY 2011, Congress cut funding for special education research by $20 million dollars, or 28%.  Of the programs CEC advocates for only gifted and talented funding took a bigger hit – it was eliminated. CEC has worked through the fall to persuade Congress to restore funding for both of these programs, but in terms of research, CEC is asking that Congress restore funding to the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) within the Institute of Education Sciences to $71 million dollars – its FY2010 level.  This modest investment is critical to ensuring that children and youth with disabilities continue to receive cutting edge research based interventions.  

CEC Joins Hundreds of National Groups Opposing the Balanced Budget Amendment

As budget battles rage on and we prepare to hear next week from the Supercommittee, CEC joined 277 national groups in a letter to Congress opposing passage of a Balanced Budget Amendment.

This proposal, which has come up before Congress several times this year, would limit government spending in each year to no more than 18% of GDP and require a supermajority (3/5ths of all members) to vote to increase taxes.  This would mean that federal spending would return to pre-1966 levels – remember that was before the government agreed to pay for things like IDEA, ESEA, Medicaid and Medicare. Stated simply, the impact of this cut on students with disabilities and the professionals who serve them would be profound.

Speak out on behalf of special education and share your story with CEC!

Every year, CEC publishes the Federal Outlook for Exceptional Children, providing an overview of federally-funded programs – IDEA and Javits grants – that impact the lives of children and youth with disabilities and/or gifts and talents.  The Outlook is distributed to members of Congress, federal agencies, and other leaders in the education community with the hope that a better understanding of such programs will lead to increased federal funding for special/gifted education programs.  

Make your voice heard. Throughout the Outlook are personal stories and photos of children and youth participating in special education, early intervention, and gifted education programs across the country.  These success stories help put a human touch on the graphs and charts that typically illustrate the need for increased funding for programs such as IDEA and the Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act.

Success stories may be submitted by anyone in contact with a student with disabilities and/or gifts and talents (with parent’s permission) – including, teachers, related service providers, school administrators, and parents.

Submit your success story and become a part of this year’s Outlook!   Download Outlook Submission form.