Make Sure Every Student Has a Fully Prepared Teacher on Day 1!

from Susan Goodman, NDSC Governmental Affairs Newsline:

The U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee is scheduled to mark-up a bill to reauthorize ESEA (formerly known as No Child Left Behind). At the markup, critical amendments will be offered by Senators that will have a powerful impact to meaningful high quality instruction and to prepared and effective teachers.

Your Senators Need to Hear From You Today!

Please take 5 minutes to contact your U.S. Senators and members of the Senate HELP Committee concerning the following amendments:

1. ASK YOUR SENATOR TO VOTE NO on Isakson Amendment because students with disabilities deserve access to the same education as other students!  The Isakson amendment would remove the limits on how many students with disabilities can be counted as making adequate results or sufficient progress using less challenging systems of standards and assessments.

• This amendment would allow schools to take millions of students with disabilities off track for a regular high school diploma as early as 3rd grade when assessment decisions are made in schools, relegating them to lower career and college expectations - simply because they receive special education services.

2. ASK YOUR SENATORS TO SUPPORT THE AMENDMENTS OFFERED BY SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT) REGARDING THE DEFINITION OF A HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHER

• These amendments will call for an end to the practice of congregating the least prepared teachers in the highest need schools by strengthening the definition of a highly qualified teacher.

3. ASK YOUR SENATORS TO OPPOSE THE AMENDMENT THAT WILL BE OFFERED BY SENATOR MICHAEL BENNET (D-CO), TO ADD S. 1250 TO ESEA.

• S. 1250 would water down requirements for teacher preparation programs by creating separate and lower standards for preparation programs that prepare teachers for the neediest students. Oppose this amendment to end the practice of placing the least qualified teachers in the highest-need schools.

Adapted From Action Alert, Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates

Senators on the HELP Committee:

Tom Harkin (IA)(COMMITTEE CHAIR): (202) 224-3254 (DC) (515) 284-4574 (Des Moines); web site contact site: http://harkin.senate.gov/contact_opinion.cfm

Robert P. Casey, Jr. (PA):(866) 802-2833 (DC); (215) 405-9660 (Philadelphia); http://casey.senate.gov/contact/

Jeff Merkley (OR): (202) 224-3753; (503) 326-3386; http://merkley.senate.gov/contact/

Al Franken (MN): (202) 224-5641; (651) 221-1016; http://www.franken.senate.gov/?p=email_al

Barbara Mikulski (MD): (202) 224-4654; (410) 962- 4510; http://mikulski.senate.gov/contact/shareyouropinion.cfm

Sheldon Whitehouse (RI): (202) 224- 2921; (401) 453-5294

Jeff Bingaman (NM): (202) 224-5521 (DC); (505) 346-6601 (NM); senator_bingaman@bingaman.senate.gov

Patty Murray (WA): Phone: (202) 224-2621 (DC); (866) 481-9186 (Seattle); http://murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contactme

Kay Hagan (NC): 202-224-6342; 919-856-4630; http://hagan.senate.gov/?p=contact

Richard Blumenthal (CT): 202-224-2823; 860-258-6940 http://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/contact/

Michael B. Enzi (WY) (RANKING REPUBLICAN): (888) 250-1879; (307) 739-9507; http://enzi.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/e-mail-senator-enzi

Mark Kirk (IL): 202-224-2854; 312-886-3506; http://www.kirk.senate.gov/?p=comment_on_legislation

Orrin Hatch (UT): (202) 224-5251; (801) 524-4380; http://hatch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/email-orrin

John McCain (AZ): (202) 224-2235; (602) 952-2410; http://mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm

Pat Roberts (KS): (202) 224-4774; (785) 295-2745; http://roberts.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=EmailPat

Lisa Murkowski (AK): (202) 224-6665; (907) 271- 3735; http://murkowski.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=EMailLisa

Richard Burr(NC): 202-224-3154 http://burr.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm

Johnny Isakson (GA): (202) 224-3643; http://isakson.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Tell your Congress member to keep Medcaid funding intact

From the NDSS:

Action Needed

Contact your Senators and Representatives in their home offices over the Congressional break, April 18-31st.  They will be in their home districts so you will have access to them.  Visit or write and tell them how important it is for your child to be able to access HCBS.  If they hold town hall meetings, make sure you attend and tell your story.  Personal stories are important.  Talking points can include the following:

• Individuals with disabilities will be forced into costly institutional programs if HCBS are lost.  This is unimaginable in the 21^st century.
• Individuals with disabilities can live in the community, work and become taxpayers at much less expense than costly institutional care.  They need supports to do so.
• Medicaid reform is needed and we are willing to work with them to make it happen.

Developing a final budget will be a long process and the dialogue with your legislators should begin now!

If you have questions, please contact Susan Goodman at susan@ndsccenter.org

Background

On April 15, 2011, the House of Representatives passed a budget resolution by a vote of 235 – 193.  A budget resolution is not a law but a blueprint for the budget that is eventually developed by both houses of Congress.

The drastic Medicaid cuts and restructuring proposals within the recently passed House Budget Resolution, called The Path to Prosperity would  likely, if they became law, deny individuals with disabilities the medical and long-term support services they need to live and work in the community by capping the amount spent on the program.  This would lead to “block grants” or “global waivers.” 

A block grant is an unrestricted federal grant and would mean that a significantly lower amount of funding would come from the federal government each year.  The states would have the discretion to decide who to enroll, what services to provide and who is eligible. 

The likely result of capping the amount of funding would be that individuals with disabilities would be forced into institutions as the only option for care.  This is unimaginable in this day and age given what we know about the great potential of individuals to live and work in the community and at much less expense to the taxpayers than institutions.

Some of the services, referred to as optional services, funded by Medicaid and the Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Medicaid waiver programs which could be lost include:

• health insurance coverage
• supports to live in one’s own home including:  assistance making decisions, paying bills or other tasks involved in managing a home
• job supports
• speech or language services
• transportation
• communication aids