CEC Policy Insider

We have a Federal Budget! Where do special and gifted education stand?

At what seemed like the very last minute, Congress and the President agreed on a budget to fund the federal government, at least until the end of September, 2012 – notably, just weeks before the next major elections.  The total funding for the bill just exceeds $1 trillion and the certainty it brings is welcome news to states and local districts which can now plan accordingly.

1.5% Cut Restored. Importantly, thanks to the good work of CEC members and many of our coalition partners – the 1.5% cut to IDEA and three other programs is eliminated.  All funding that was not released under the last 2 continuing resolutions because of that cut will be restored.  When those funds will be available, however, is not yet known. Watch the PI blog for more information.

Gifted Eliminated. Below is a chart detailing final funding amounts for selected special and gifted education programs. Most notably, the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Program was again eliminated. CEC continues to work closely with Congress to advocate for funding for this program and will redouble these efforts in the face of this elimination.

Diversity and the Gifted Gap: Ignoring the Needs of Disadvantaged Students

A front-page Washington Post from earlier this week highlights the lack of diversity among the country’s academic elite.  CEC’s response, posted to the Washington Post Web site and pasted below, outlines the nation-wide implications for ignoring such talent and points out a key proposal that is lying dormant in Congress that would right this wrong.

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan hosts Twitter Town Hall on November 14

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced today that on November 14 he will hold his second Twitter Town Hall, following the tracked tag #AskArne. The Twitter Town Hall will begin at 5:00 PM EST and will feature veteran education journalist John Morrow, who will act as moderator. The Twitter Town Hall meeting will also be broadcast live on ED’s UStream channel.

Twitter users can begin submitting questions today via the #AskArne tag. You can read more about the first Twitter Town Hall here, and get a complete list of the Department of Education’s Twitter accounts here.

Let’s ask Arne questions about educating children with disabilities and gifts and talents!

Charter Schools Issue Brief Provides One-Stop Shop

The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities released this week a new issue brief which answers ten frequently asked questions about charter schools that will help the families and educators of students with disabilities navigate the surge in charter schools. The resource will also provide links to state specific resources that will provide specific information on how charter schools function in your state.

The issue brief clarifies important information beginning with defining a charter school and explaining how charter schools differ from tradition schools in terms of important aspects such as accountability, funding and the services that charter schools provide to children with disabilities. This is a one-stop shop that will help parents and educators of children and students with disabilities make sure that they have all the necessary information to make the right decision for their student or child.

For more information, please see CEC’s policy on charter schools here.

USDOE Announces Overhaul of Teacher Education

Since taking office, the Obama Administration has taken several steps to push for education reform – supporting charter schools, pushing to revamp teacher evaluation and now, it is turning its sights on overhauling teacher education programs.

Last week, the US Department of Education announced a plan to overhaul the information it requires from teacher colleges and a revamping of the programs meant to entice college graduates to enter the teaching profession. In a report titled, “Our Future, Our Teachers: The Obama Administration’s Plan for Teacher Education Reform and Improvement,” the Department of Education announced its intention to work with the teacher preparation community to – streamline current reporting requirements and refocus the community on results. Specifically, the Department will replace many of the existing 440 reporting requirements with new inquires meant to provide information about graduates’ from teacher colleges impact on student performance, job placement and retention rates.

One new and important change in this plan is the Administration’s focus on linking teacher performance to their school of education. Holding up Lousiana and Tennessee as examples, the Administration is clearly focused on holding teacher preparation programs accountable for their graduates performance and impact on student achievement. The only way envisioned for this under this plan currently is through student achievement on standardized test scores.

In addition to the new reporting requirements, the Obama Administration also announced its intent to revise the current TEACH grant program, renaming it the “Presidential Teaching Fellows.”This program will remain a formula grant program and will continue to provide scholarships to final year, high achieving students attending high quality traditional or alternative teacher preparation programs.  It will be slightly revamped to allow states to develop master teacher designations – in consortia with other states and those achieving this level of certification would be eligible for additional leadership opportunities and compensation.