CEC Policy Insider

U.S. Commission of Civil Rights Briefing on Exclusion Discipline Policies for Students of Color with Disabilities

Over the summer, the U.S. Commission of Civil Rights released the report Beyond Suspensions: Examining School Discipline Policies and Connections to the School-to-Prison Pipeline for Students of Color with Disabilities. Federal data collected by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) show that students of color and students of color with disabilities are disproportionately subjected to out-of-school suspensions and other exclusionary school discipline policies. Data have consistently shown that the over-representation of students of color in school discipline rates is not due to higher rates of misbehavior by these students, but instead is driven by structural and systemic factors. Several decades of research demonstrate persistent racial disparities in disciplinary rates and disparities based on disability status.

The report recommends that the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) should continue to offer guidance to school communities regarding compliance with federal nondiscrimination laws related to race and disability and that Congress should incentivize and provide funding to train all personnel about nondiscriminatory discipline.

CEF 50th Anniversary Gala

The Committee for Education Funding (CEF), recently hosted its 50^th Anniversary Gala. As a founding member of CEF the Council for Exceptional Children’s president, members, and staff were in attendance to congratulate CEF on its 50^th year and to celebrate budget successes CEF has advocated for in public education, specifically special and gifted education and early intervention. CEF honored Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) for her work to increase education appropriations in the U.S. House and Pat Roberts (R-KY) for his sponsorship of the IDEA Full Funding bill. Senator Roberts could not attend, but Representative DeLauro delivered a rousing speech on the importance of investing in public education, protecting Perkins Loans, and generational outcomes of ensuring that all children have equitable access to education. The message of equity was further highlighted as the 2019 Teacher of Year Rodney Robinson spoke about his work with students in the Virgie Binford Education Center, Richmond Juvenile Justice Center and his advocacy to ensure children and youth receive the appropriate services and supports they need. He spoke passionately about investing in a culturally diverse teacher workforce prepared to support students and particularly those with exceptionalities.

EdArXiv Platform Makes Research More Accessible

The Center for Open Science recently launched EdArXiv. EdArXiv is a community-developed, free, open-source, non-profit preprint service for education. The platform allows researchers to post and search working papers, unpublished work, conference materials, preprints, and postprints. EdArXiv increases the visibility of research, allows for feedback, and receiving a permanent digital object identifier (DOI) making them part of the permanent scientific record with the mission of making research more open and accessible to a diverse readership.

New RSA Commissioner

The U.S. Department of Education announced, Mark Schultz, as its new commissioner for the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS). Schultz most recently served as a deputy commissioner at the Nebraska Department of Education and obtained his master’s in public administration from the University of Nebraska. Schultz was inspired to enter vocational rehabilitation due to a family member’s mental and physical health complications resulting in a disability. According to the announcing press release, Schultz hopes to assist states in becoming more “innovative and creative as they seek to improve employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities.” CEC looks forward to working with Mr. Shultz.

"Advocacy 365" Back to School Campaign

On July 9, 2019 270+ advocates “Stormed the Hill” to champion the provision of special education and early intervention for children and youth with exceptionalities. Days after Independence Day they took to the Hill, in the tradition of active advocacy, to speak to members of Congress about five issues currently impacting special and gifted education and early intervention:

 

1. Education Appropriations
2. IDEA Investments for Young Children
3. Keep Public Funds in Public Education
4. Mental Health: Building Positive Climates for Learning
5. Shortages of Special Education Teachers and Early Intervention Providers

For 2.5 intensive days of training, advocates from 46 states and the District of Columbia meet with experts across the field to learn, listen and question how federal policy can be enhanced to guarantee the promises of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Program.

From outside the steps of Capitol Hill chants rallied, “Fully Fund IDEA!...40% Today, No More Delays…” to ready advocates for their meetings. In the afternoon, Representative Jared Huffman (D-CA) briefed SELS advocates on H.R. 1878, IDEA Full Funding Act, to jumpstart IDEA with $14 billion. As the day progressed, advocates met, informed and engaged members of Congress and their staff on special and gifted education and early intervention and how the U.S. education systems needs to change to meet the needs of children and youth with exceptionalities and the professionals who work on their behalf.

Now, #2019SELS advocates invite you to “storm the hill from your location across the nation,” by visiting CEC’s Legislative Action Center to improve the educational outcomes of children and youth with exceptionalities. Click on EACH link to write to your members of Congress about EACH of the bills that correspond to five issue briefs above and get the message out that special and gifted education and early intervention matter.

Fully Fund IDEA

IDEA Investments in Early Childhood

Keep Public Funds in Public Education

Teachers and Students Thrive with STRIVE

Preparation Reform Act

Preparing and Retaining Education Professionals Act

Tell Congress to Invest in Education Programs for Children with Exceptionalities!

RISE from Trauma