Increasing Special Education Research Opportunities THE POLICY BEHIND EXPANDING EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES

Today’s Discussion  Brief Historical Perspective & Overview of Federal Role in Special Education Research  Dramatic Funding Losses & Impact on New Research Opportunities  Strengthening Education Through Research Act

A Quick Look Back… 2002 Education Sciences Reform Act Est. Institute of Education Sciences 2004 IDEA Reauthorization 2004 National Center for Special Education Research Created 2005 NCSER Awards First Grants Grants awarded

A Quick Look Back… 392 Research Projects in Key Areas 400,000 Special Educators Nationwide 6 Million Children & Youth with Disabilities

A Quick Look Back… Institute of Education Sciences National Center for Education Research National Center for Special Education Research National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance National Center for Education Statistics

A Broad Impact NCSER Summary of Research Findings

Dramatic Funding Loss & Impact on New Research

75% 75% fewer research grants in % of high quality grants funded in 2013, down from 12% in 2012

CEC’s ESRA Recommendations Strengthen National Center for Special Education Research Bridge Research-to- Practice Gap Recognize Special/Gifted Ed in Institute for Education Sciences Support, Strong Consistent Leadership

Strengthening Education Through Research Act Introduced on 4/2/14 and Approved by Full House on 5/8/14 by Representatives Kline (R-MN), Miller (D- CA), Rokita (R-IN), McCarthy (D-CA) Includes key CEC Recommendations: Prioritizing special education research funding within the Institute of Education Sciences. Emphasizing the elimination of the achievement gap between students with and without disabilities. Increasing dissemination and collaboration with the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS). Increasing the pipeline of early career special education researchers. Ensuring peer reviewers have expertise in areas relevant to grant applications. CEC has significant concerns as funding levels are far too low

Strengthening Education Through Research Act S.227 Introduced by Senator Alexander (R-TN) on February 4, 2015 Very similar to House Bill CEC has significant concerns as funding levels are far too low

Strengthening Education Through Research Act House Education and the Workforce Committee Report “[The Strengthening Education Through Research Act] includes important policy changes to address requests from the special education community, including the Council for Exceptional Children and National Center for Learning Disabilities.” May 2014

Strengthening Education Through Research Act Prioritizing special education research funding within the Institute of Education Sciences. “Most importantly, SETRA proposes to prioritize funding for special education research…the bill will allow for increased funding for NCSER each year the bill is authorized and authorizes a 12.9 percent increase …in the least year of the bill.” -House Education & the Workforce Committee Report -May 2014

Special Education Research Legislative Recommendations CEC urges Congress to: Increase the authorization levels in the Strengthening Education Through Research Act (SETRA) in both the Senate and House reauthorization bills of the Education Sciences Reform Act. Invest at least $70 million for FY 2017 in the National Center for Special Education Research Center (NCSER) in the U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences to ensure access to evidence-based instructional strategies for children and youth with disabilities in schools across the nation.

A History of Collaboration in Research Advocacy: CEC, CEC-DR, & Friends of IES 2012: Special Education researchers gathered at CEC convention to plan a response to deep budget cuts 2015: CEC-DR executive board launched an effort to stop draconian cuts to NCSER July 2015: CEC-DR reps to Capitol Hill (legislative summit) Fall 2015: ing, letter-writing, tweeting, op-ed to Education Week (with support and collaboration—from NDD United & Friends of IES) Fall 2015: Researchers from Vanderbilt, Missouri, Oregon, Florida, Kansas visited Capitol Hill in a trip organized by university federal-relations professionals. Result: NCSER budget cuts averted! 16

Advocacy continues! CEC and Friends of IES March 2016: Letter signed by 27 members of arguing on behalf of increases to NCSER funding to $70 million. March of 2016: Friends of IES, led by Deb Ziegler of CEC hosted an educational session for lawmakers on Capitol Hill showcasing research on transition for young people with disabilities. Sponsored in cooperation with Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), and Rep. Michael Honda (D- CA). 17

Advocacy Strategies in 2016 Children and adolescents with disabilities comprise 10% of our nation’s youth. Research funding helps children and youth, their families, teachers and school leaders in your state—see the map. We will continue to collaborate with our Friends of IES to increase funding for NCSER! Did your representative(s) sign the letter on behalf of NCSER funding? Remember to thank him or her! 18

Many thanks to Friends of IES American Education Research Association (AERA) American Psychological Association (APA) American Sociological Association American Statistical Association Association of Population Centers Association of University Centers on Disabilities Center for Research & Reform in Education, Johns Hopkins Council for Exceptional Children Consortium of Social Science Associations EDGE Consulting Partners Education Development Center, Inc. 19

With thanks to Friends of IES Education Northwest Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences Knowledge Alliance Learning Disabilities Association of America Marzano Research McREL International National Center for Learning Disabilities Population Association for America Society for Research in Child Development Success for All Foundation West Ed 20

Questions?