Whats Happening In DC

1
Whats Happening In DC?

• An Update from
• The Front Line
• Joel Mittler, Ed.D., Long Island University
• Brenda L. Heiman, Ph.D., Louisiana Tech
  University
• October 29, 2009
• ATIA Conference - Chicago

2
DC Happenings

• A New Administration
• No Child Left Behind (NCLB)
• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
  (IDEA)
• Money and then more money
• Annual Budget
• Economic Stimulus Act

3
DC Happenings

• And the winner is

4
Barack Obama on Spec. Edu.

• Fully Fund IDEA
• They left the money behind for NCLB (for IDEA,
  too)
• Early Intervention for Children with Disabilities
• 10 Billion, Expand Early Head Start, Encourage
  States to Expand Pt. C Prog.
• Support Universal Screening, Voc Rehab.
• Improve College Opportunities for Stds. W.
  Disabilities
• Authorize a Study of Transition to Work and
  Higher Ed.
• Appointed Kareem Dale, Special Assistant to the
  President for Disability Policy

5
Arne Duncan as new Secretary of Education

• Previously led Chicago schools
• Some criticism of his performance there for
  students in Special Education
• Agreed in confirmation hearings to
• Review highly qualified provision in NCLB for
  Sped teachers
• Support increased funding for Sped
• Favors students in Special Education using
  alternative assessments in NCLB testing
• Confirmed January 20, 2009
• Obama nominated Alexa Posny as Asst Secy. for
  Special Education and Rehabilitation

6
Civics 101 How a Bill Becomes a Law

• NCLB was up for reauthorization in the 110th
  Congress, IDEA will be up this Congress.
• Do you remember your civics lessons???

7
Civics 101 How a Bill Becomes a Law

• House and Senate divide work into Committees
  Subcommittees
• Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
  Committee (HELP)
• Three Subcommittees
• Ted Kennedy, (D-MA), Chair
• House Edu Labor Committee
• Five Subcommittees
• George Miller, (D-CA), Chair

8
Civics 101 How a Bill Becomes a Law

• Subcommittees and Committees write and pass bills
  by majority (!!) vote
• Chairs have extraordinary power to effect
  legislation
• House and Senate must pass bill (majority)
• Conference Committee when Senate and House
  bills differ, go to conference, and then a revote
• President can sign or veto bill
• Congress can override a veto

9
No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

• On January 8, 2002, President Bush signed into
  law the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
• The Act is said to be the most sweeping reform of
  the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
  since ESEA was enacted in 1965.
• It is based on four basic principles stronger
  accountability for results, increased flexibility
  and local control, expanded options for parents,
  and an emphasis on teaching methods that have
  been proven to work.

10
NCLB Update

• Late summer 2008, Cong. Miller issued 435 page
  draft proposal to reauthorize NCLB
• Heavily criticized by many groups and withdrawn
• Delayed until Obama Administration
• RTI included as one option (of several) for
  failing schools
• Growth Models also included
• Await Secretary Duncans input

11
IDEA 2004 update

• Dec. 3, 2004 - IDEA 2004 signed into law
• June 21, 2005 - Proposed Regulations published
• September 6, 2005 - Comments on Proposed
  Regulations due
• August 14, 2006 - Final Regulations published
• Oct. 13, 2006 IDEA 2004 Regulations took effect
• May 13, 2008 - Addl Proposed IDEA 2004 rules
  published - comments till July 28, 2008, Final
  Regulations published Dec. 1, 2008
• Work has begun on the next Reauthorization!

12
Budget/Appropriations

• Oct. 1 - Fiscal Year Begins
• Feb. - President makes Budget requests
• April House Senate pass Budget (outline)
• Summer/Fall House Senate pass Appropriations,
  Pres. signs
• Oct. 1 Fiscal Year Begins

13
Budget Issues

• No budget for FY2009 until March, 11, 2009
• Almost 6 months late
• President Obamas Budget Request for FY2010
  issued on February 26, 2009
• Lacked specifics
• Focused on early childhood education, reform in
  public schools, and strengthening higher
  education access
• Awaiting details

14
IDEA Funding Local Schools

• Education is a State Responsibility
• IDEA is a Federal Law (Discrimination)
• Federal money go to States, then to Districts
• State money go to Districts (annual budget)
• Local districts raise the rest thru local
  property taxes 

15
IDEA Full Funding

• IDEA2004 promised full funding glide path, not
  mandatory
• Average increase had been 1 Billion per year,
  Full Funding required more
• FY2008 State Grant increase - 165 million
• FY2009 (Bush) Admin. request - 337 million
• With inflation, increases children, Fed. Level
  down to 17.2, not close to the promised 40
• ARRA takes us to 34.2 but will it continue?

16
Proposed Federal Budget Outlays Fiscal Year
2009 (Outlays in billions)
Source Department of Education and Office of
Management and Budget data (numbers may not add
due to rounding)
17
IDEA Appropriation Info.(see following slides)

• Fiscal Year 2006
• Fiscal Year 2007
• Fiscal Year 2008
• Fiscal Year 2009
• Admin. (Obama) request for FY2010
• CEC Recommendation

18
State and Local Grant Program(in thousands)

• Fiscal Year 2006 10,582,849
• Fiscal Year 2007 10,782,961
• Fiscal Year 2008 10,947,500
• Fiscal Year 2009 11,505,211
• ARRA 11,300,000
• Admin. request (FY2010) 11,505,211
• CEC Recommendation 14,434,200

19
Preschool Grants(in thousands)

• Fiscal Year 2006 380,751
• Fiscal Year 2007 380,751
• Fiscal Year 2008 374,100
• Fiscal Year 2009 374,100
• ARRA 400,000
• Admin. request (FY2010) 374,100
• CEC Recommendation 774,100

20
Early Intervention Program (Part C)(in thousands)

• Fiscal Year 2006 436,400
• Fiscal Year 2007 436,400
• Fiscal Year 2008 435,700
• Fiscal Year 2009 439,427
• ARRA 500,000
• Admin. request (FY2010) 439,427
• CEC Recommendation 939,427

21
State Personnel Development Grants(in thousands)

• FY 2006 50,146
• FY 2007 0
• FY 2008 22,600
• FY 2009 48,000
• ARRA 0
• FY Admin. Request (FY 2010) 48,000
• FY 2008 CEC Recommends 181,662

22
Personnel Preparation(in thousands)

• FY 2006 89,720
• FY 2007 89,720
• FY 2008 88,200
• FY 2009 90,653
• ARRA 0
• FY Admin. Request (FY 2010) 90,653
• FY 2008 CEC Recommends 339,102

23
Technical Assistance, Model Demonstration
Projects, and Dissemination of Information(in
thousands)

• FY 2006 48,903
• FY 2007 48,903
• FY 2008 48,000
• FY 2009 48,550
• ARRA 0
• FY Admin. Request (FY 2010) 48,550
• FY 2008 CEC Recommends 181,662

24
Parent Training(in thousands)

• FY 2006 25,704
• FY 2007 25,704
• FY 2008 26,500
• FY 2009 27,028
• ARRA 0
• FY Admin. Request (FY 2010) 27,028
• FY 2008 CEC Recommends 96,886

25
Technology Development, Demonstration and
Utilization, and Media Services(in thousands)

• FY 2006 38,428
• FY 2007 38,428
• FY 2008 39,300
• FY 2009 38,615
• ARRA 0
• FY Admin. Request (FY 2010) 38,615
• FY 2008 CEC Recommends 145,330

26
Research in Special Education(in thousands)

• FY 2006 71,840
• FY 2007 71,840
• FY 2008 70,600
• FY 2009 48,000
• ARRA 0
• FY Admin. Request (FY 2010) 70,600
• FY 2008 CEC Recommends 266,438
• Research and Innovation was redesigned and
  moved to the Institute of Education Sciences
  (IES) within the Department of Education.

27
Javits Gifted and Talented Grants(in thousands)

• Fiscal Year 2006 9,596
• Fiscal Year 2007 7,596
• Fiscal Year 2008 7,500
• Fiscal Year 2009 7,463
• Admin. request (FY2010) 0
• CEC Recommendation 20,000
• The President did not request any funds for the
  Javits Gifted and Talented grants program for FY
  2010

28
More Students With Disabilities Federal Share
of Funding Decreasing Federal Share of Average
Per Pupil Expenditure vs. Full Funding (40
percent of the excess costs of educating
children with disabilities)
Federal Share
Full Funding ? Children Served Source
Congressional Research Service and U.S.
Department of Education, Projections of Education
Statistics to 2016
29
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)

• Commonly known as the Economic Stimulus Package
• Focus is on Jobs Innovation
• Of the total of 787 billion, 105 billion for
  education related programs
• In addition, 4 billion for education tax credits
• But the really good news is

30
12.2 Billion for Special Education -IDEA!!!

• 11.3 billion for Part B (school age)
• 400 million for Section 619 (preschool)
• 500 million for Part C (infants and toddlers)
• 53.6 billion for State Fiscal Stabilization Fund
  (to help states)
• for Title I, Head Start, Early Head Start,
  IES (education research)

31
ARRA Issues

• must be obligated by Sept. 30, 2011
• A one-shot deal??
• Avoid Funding Cliff
• Emphasize long term impact on children schools
• Demonstrate effectiveness

32
CECs Federal Outlook

• CEC publishes the Federal Outlook for Exceptional
  Children each year.
• Currently accepting success stories for the book.

33
CEC Provides

• Public Policy Department continually provides
  up-to-the-minute information about Congressional
  activities
• Maintains constant communication with key
  Congressional leaders on issues affecting our
  constituents
• Publishes entire set of support letters and bill
  summaries for CAN representatives
• Offers Legislative Action Center where you can
  send letters to YOUR Congresspersons
  http//capwiz.com/cek

34
Purposes of CAN

• to effect the necessary public policy changes at
  the local, state/province and federal levels
  which will make possible the implementation of
  CEC policies related to
• a) the education of exceptional children
• b) the special education profession that serves
  them, including the conditions of practice

35
Purposes of CAN

• further vitalize CEC units (federations,
  divisions, branches and chapters) by providing
  meaningful vehicles for membership involvement
  and CEC public visibility

36
What Can CAN Do?

• CEC CAN representatives from across the nation
  meet once/year - gather information from CEC and
  Advocate in Congress!
• CEC sends regular updates via e-mail - instant
  information from DC on issues related to our
  field
• Influence on lawmakers is extensive from our
  40,000 member organization

37
What Can CAN Do?

• organize state-wide efforts
• provide updates at all Federation, Division,
  Branch, or Chapter meetings
• disseminate information and call for quick
  response

38
Want to join up???

• To be added to the TAM/CAN e-mail list, contact
• Joel Mittler at jmittler_at_liu.edu or
• Brenda Heiman at bheiman_at_flash.net

39
CECs Headquarters

• www.cec.sped.org
• Suite 300
• 1110 North Glebe Road
• Arlington, VA 22201-5704
• Phone [phone]
• Public Policy FAX [phone]

40
Thanks for Having Me

• Any Questions?