1. POLICY & ADVOCACY COMMITTEE Kimberly Osmani Chair “The Many Shades of Gray:…… All the Key Policy/Legislation Info You Need to Know to Perform Effectively!” 1

2. POINTS OF INTEREST  Introductions  History of Committee  Vision for the Future  Hot Topics in Transition and Employment  WIOA  ESEA/NCLB  HEA  IDEA

3. WHO’S WHO? Jim Martin, President, DCDT & Director of Zarrow Center & Prof at U. of Oklahoma Kim Osmani, Transition Coordinator, OK Department of Rehabilitation Services Stacie Dojonovic, Transition Specialist, Public Schools in Pittsburgh, PA Dale Matusevich, Transition Coordinator, DE State Department of Education Jane Razeghi, Executive Director, DCDT

4. OUR WISHFUL THINKING FOR THIS SESSION  Commit to knowing policy & legislation that helps you make a difference at any level!  Consider becoming a member of DCDT’s Policy & Advocacy Committee!!!  Have fun & make friends along the way……especially with a little wine & cheese!

5. THE MANY SHADES OF GRAY…  History of the Policy & Advocacy Committee..  (formerly known as the Governmental Relations or Affairs Committee)  Transition services, etc. for students & youth with disabilities didn’t used to be in the legislation (DCDT helped make that happen)  Testifying, testimony, letters…….meetings on the hill!

6. VISION FOR THE FUTURE…  A fully functioning, active Policy & Advocacy Committee that influences policy at several levels:  National (capitol hill; CEC)  State  Local

7. HOW LEGISLATION & POLICY HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE  In PA……………...  In DE…………  In OK…………  Nationally………….

8. SOME INTERESTING HOT TOPICS…  WIOA  Elementary & Secondary Education Act (ESEA)  HEETA (formerly HEA)  IDEA

9. WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY ACT (WIOA) 2014 Reauthorization (had been 15 years)  Competitive Integrated Employment (compensation and benefits)  Student v. Youth and 15% of funds for Pre-Employment Transition Services  Collaboration, partnerships, teamwork for coordinated services  Subminimum wage, contracts, sheltered employment (July 22, 2016)  Awaiting final regulations (late spring 2016)

10. ESEA (INFO AND UPDATE FROM CEC) 2015 House vs Senate – Total Opposites Where are we in the legislative process? (waiting for) Passage by House &Passage by Senate Education Committee

11. ESEA REAUTHORIZATION (CEC UPDATE)  Student Success Act (HR 5) – passed July 8, 2015 (218-213) CEC opposed, as did most of the disability community  Every Child Achieves Act (S 1177) – passed July 16, 2015 CEC supported many provisions & opposed many provisions

12. EXAMPLES OF CEC’S SELECTED ESEA REAUTHORIZATION CONFERENCE RECOMMENDATIONS  Maintain  Accountability or students with disabilities  Provisions on discipline  Personnel qualifications  Fiscal resources  Focus  Professional development  High ability students  Prohibition on Title I portability issues & vouchers

13. HIGHER EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT TRANSPARENCY ACT (HEETA)  Expired at end of 2013 and introduced to the House in March 2015  H.R.1573 — 114th Congress (2015-2016)  Student loans, Pell for low and middle income, teacher preparation and disadvantaged students  Streamlining and easing financial aid process  Forming work groups on: accreditation, accountability, affordability and financial aid, and sexual assault and safety 13

14. HIGHER ED EMPLOYMENT TRANSPARENCY ACT (HEETA)  Republican focus:  empowering students to make informed decisions  simplifying and improving student aid  promoting innovation  increasing access and completion  ensuring strong accountability while limiting the federal role  Concern that ESEA issues delay this as well 14

15. INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT (IDEA)  S.130 — 114th Congress (2015-2016)  Full Funding Act with intent to increase funding each year until 2025 when funded at 100%  Now is the time to prepare 15

16. A VERY IMPORTANT PARTNER…. Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) in Arlington, VA!!! Go to: www.cec.sped.orgwww.cec.sped.org Thanks to Deb Ziegler, CEC’s Director of Policy & Advocacy…  Policy Insider Blog  CEC Policies & Positions  CEC Action Network (Kim is DCDT’s rep to that) 16

17. RESOURCES AVAILABLE THROUGH THE COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN (CEC) Issue briefs on a couple of hot topic areas in special and gifted education that you may find interesting and helpful. https://www.cec.sped.org/Policy-and- Advocacy/Current-Sped-Gifted-Issues/Issue-Briefshttps://www.cec.sped.org/Policy-and- Advocacy/Current-Sped-Gifted-Issues/Issue-Briefs  Early Childhood  School Climate & Mental Health 17

18. RESOURCES AVAILABLE THROUGH THE COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN (CEC)  In addition, some resources on the annual budget and CEC’s requests re appropriations. https://www.cec.sped.org/~/media/Files/Policy/Curr ent%20Sped%20Issues%20Home/Federal%20Outlo ok%202016%20FINAL.pdf https://www.cec.sped.org/~/media/Files/Policy/Curr ent%20Sped%20Issues%20Home/Federal%20Outlo ok%202016%20FINAL.pdf 18

19. RESOURCES AVAILABLE THROUGH THE COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN (CEC) WWW.CEC.SPED.ORG CEC Recommendation FY 2016 FY 2015 Funding Level FY 2014 Funding Level $1,029,000 Billion$438,556 Million$438,500 Million 19

20. MORE CEC RESOURCES – WWW.CEC.SPED.ORG  CEC Professional Policies and Positions  Recent Policies  CEC's Position and Background Information on Special Education Teacher Evaluation CEC's Position and Background Information on Special Education Teacher Evaluation  CEC's Position on Special Education Teacher Evaluation (position only) CEC's Position on Special Education Teacher Evaluation  CEC's Policy on Children with Exceptionalities in Charter Schools CEC's Policy on Children with Exceptionalities in Charter Schools  CEC's Position on School Vouchers CEC's Position on School Vouchers  CEC's Policy on Physical Restraint and Seclusion Procedures in School Settings CEC's Policy on Physical Restraint and Seclusion Procedures in School Settings 20

21. MORE CEC RESOURCES – WWW.CEC.SPED.ORG  CEC Professional Policies and Positions  Recent Policies  CEC's Policy on Safe and Positive School Climate CEC's Policy on Safe and Positive School Climate  CEC's Position on Response to Intervention CEC's Position on Response to Intervention  CEC's Policy on Assessment and Accountability CEC's Policy on Assessment and Accountability  CEC's Policy on Exit Exams for Students with Exceptionalities CEC's Policy on Exit Exams for Students with Exceptionalities  CEC's Definition of a Well-Prepared Special Education Teacher CEC's Definition of a Well-Prepared Special Education Teacher  CEC's Policy on Academic Subject Matter Content of the General Curriculum and Special Educators CEC's Policy on Academic Subject Matter Content of the General Curriculum and Special Educators 21

22. MORE CEC RESOURCES – WWW.CEC.SPED.ORG  CEC's Policy Manual  CEC Policy Manual CEC Policy Manual  Special Education in the Schools Special Education in the Schools  Administrative and Fiscal Identity Administrative and Fiscal Identity  Special Education and the Community Outside the Education System Special Education and the Community Outside the Education System 22

23. MORE CEC RESOURCES – WWW.CEC.SPED.ORG  CEC's Policy Manual  Community-Based Services Community-Based Services  Special Education's Responsibilities to Adults with Disabilities Special Education's Responsibilities to Adults with Disabilities  Take Action!  Member Resources Hub  Forgot password? Remember Me Forgot password?  Not a member yet? JoinJoin 23

24. WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE TODAY’S HOT TOPICS (POLICY AND/OR LEGISLATION)?  Check with the person on either side of you, front and back  Discuss what you’d like to see happening in transition services that could become policy or legislation  Share with whole group! 24

25. HOW WOULD YOU LIKE DCDT’S POLICY & ADVOCACY COMMITTEE TO FUNCTION?  State reps?  Meetings at both DCDT & CEC?  Monthly phone conferences?  Articles in DCDT newsletters & other publications?  Other thoughts & suggestions… 25

26. THE MANY SHADES OF GRAY…… Policy & Legislation are truly fascinating….  DCDT’s Policy & Advocacy Committee is expected to do a number of things, such as….  Communicate “hot topics” to  DCDT’s Executive Committee & Board  DCDT’s State Subdivisions  Prepare suggestion testimony and/or policy statements on relevant topics for DCDT and possibly present testimony 26

27. FUTURE VISION  Communicating with you between now & April 2016 to determine if DCDT needs to be “heard” on certain hot topics or legislation;  Bring concerns & issues to the DCDT Executive Committee & Board for further action by membership (when required)  See you all again at the DCDT Policy & Advocacy Committee Meeting in April, 2016 CEC Convention in St Louis (?) 27

28. IN THE MEANTIME….  Sign-up to become a committee member…..  Introduce yourself to at least 1 other person at this session whom you don’t know….  Enjoy the wine & cheese! Thank you for attending! 28