CEC Policy Insider

CEC Members Raise Top Special Education Issues at White House Meeting

Today, in a meeting reserved solely for members of the Council for Exceptional Children and the National Center for Learning Disabilities, CEC members met with top officials within the Obama Administration to discuss critical issues confronting special education across the nation. 

At a time when the economy is impacting schools across the country and as the Obama Administration is pursuing reforms in education through the Race to the Top program and granting waivers from some of NCLB’s most stringent requirements, CEC members asked officials questions that are on the minds of many special educators, such as:

Sen. Harkin Introduces New Restraint and Seclusion Bill

Just before last year ended, Senator Harkin introduced a new piece of legislation addressing the use of restraint and seclusion in public schools, the Keeping our Students Safe Act, S. 2020. CEC, along with many of our community partners and division leaders, have worked tirelessly over several years on this important issue and we applaud Senator Harkin for continuing this important conversation. CEC believes that S. 2020 is an important step forward toward our goal of providing states and districts a consistent standard to guide the use of restraint and seclusion.   

1.5% Cut: If applied to all of FY12, how much will IDEA lose?

Congress has still not acted to fund fiscal year 2012. Although it appears something may happen this week, no final details have been released about the education budget. One issue CEC has been working to address since September is 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.

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.

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!

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!