• Celebrate 4th of July by Becoming a Patriot for Students with Disabilities, Gifts and Talents
• Federal Grants to Assist Higher Ed Faculty in Educating Students with Disabilities in Danger of Losing Funding
• Senate Considering Funding Levels for Ed Programs, Tell the Senate to Support Programs Impacting Students with Disabilities, Gifts and Talents

Celebrate 4th of July by Becoming a Patriot for Students with Disabilities, Gifts and Talents

In the spirit of patriotism, CEC encourages all of its members to take the time to schedule an appointment with your member of Congress while they are back in their districts for the 4th of July in-district work period. Members of Congress will be in their districts from June 30 – July 9 and this is an excellent opportunity for CEC members to advocate for special and gifted education. Both the House and Senate are now working on bills that would provide funding for education programs – including IDEA and the Javits program for students with gifts and talents. Unfortunately, the House Appropriations Committee has voted to slash funding for education programs by $400 million – and has proposed completely eliminating some programs, such as the Javits program.

Three Easy Ways to Become a Patriot for Exceptional Children:

1. Make an Appointment: Members of Congress want to hear from their constituents.Make an appointment to tell your member of Congress that under-funding special and gifted education is unacceptable.Need some quick talking points?Read the updates below.To find out who your member of Congress is and their contact information, click here: http://capwiz.com/cek/dbq/officials/
   
   
2. Make a Phone Call: If you’re too busy to schedule a meeting, why not make a quick phone call to your member of Congress?Don’t know what to say?Read the updates below for some quick talking points.Don’t know the phone number? Click here:http://capwiz.com/cek/dbq/officials/
   
3. Send an Email: Stuck at your computer?Take a moment to personalize a letter CEC has already prepared for you that will automatically send to your member of Congress.Be sure to take a moment and personalize it – the personal stories make the most impact! Visit CEC’s Legislative Action Center: http://capwiz.com/cek/home/
   
   Read CEC’s Advocacy Toolkit for more information!

See more talking points below!

Federal Grants to Assist Higher Ed Faculty in Educating Students with Disabilities in Danger of Losing Funding

When the House Appropriations Committee passed a funding measure for labor, health and education programs on June 13, it did not include any funding for a program designed to prepare higher education faculty in educating students with disabilities. Demonstration Projects to Ensure Quality Education for Students with Disabilities provides grants to institutions of higher education to assist higher educators in meeting the unique educational needs of students with disabilities by supporting professional development and teacher preparation programs. CEC is disappointed that the House Appropriations Committee has once again chosen to pass a funding bill that would shortchange students with disabilities. As long advocates for this program, CEC encourages all of its members to contact their members of Congress to show how critical this program is to improving the lives of students with disabilities.

While it is uncertain as to when the full House will consider the Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill, it is known that the Senate is moving forward on determining its funding recommendations for specific education programs. Use CEC’s Legislative Action Center to personalize a letter already prepared for you!

Tell the Senate to Support Higher Educators who Teach Students with Disabilities!

Talking Points for Special and Gifted Education Patriots (see first story):

• When Congress considers its fiscal year 2007 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill, I urge you to provide funding for the Demonstration Projects to Ensure Quality Education for Students with Disabilities. This program provides funding to ensure that higher education faculty receive professional development tools to successfully educate students with disabilities.
  
  
• The House Appropriations Committee has voted not provide funding for this much-needed program. I, along with the Council for Exceptional Children, urge you to provide funding at the fiscal year 2005 level of $6.9 million.
  

Senate Considering Funding Levels for Ed Programs, Tell the Senate to Support Programs Impacting Students with Disabilities, Gifts and Talents

The Senate is now considering funding levels for specific education programs for fiscal year 2007 --including IDEA and the Javits program for students with gifts and talents.

If the Senate follows the lead set by President Bush's budget proposal and the bill passed by House Appropriations Committee, education programs impacting students with disabilities will be drastically under-funded and the only Federal program for students with gifts and talents will be eliminated!

Click here to take action immediately!

If you live in the following states: Pennsylvania, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Idaho, Texas, Alaska, Ohio, Alabama, Iowa, Hawaii, Nevada, Wisconsin, Washington, Louisiana, Illinois -- one of your Senators is in a key position to provide more funding for IDEA and the Javits program. If you don't live in one of these states, your Senator(s) can influence their colleagues. Contact your Senators Now!

Why Does Congress Continue to Shortchange Special Education?

CEC is constantly advocating that Congress uphold its 31-year promise to fund 40 percent of the cost of educating a student with disabilities under IDEA. However, year after year Congress consistently passes education funding bills that in theory provide additional monies for IDEA but in reality – due to the increase of students receiving special education and the cost of providing services – lower the federal commitment to helping states pay for the education of students with disabilities. This year is no different. The House Appropriations Committee has voted to increase IDEA Part B funding for states by $150 million bringing the total support to $10.7 billion, well short of the $16.9 billion CEC has formally recommended to Congress. In addition, IDEA programs for preschoolers, infants and toddlers and special programs are proposed to be level funded, or even cut.

We need your help today! The Senate is now considering the funding level for IDEA for fiscal year 2007. Tell your Senators to support additional funding for IDEA and stop shortchanging students with disabilities and the educators who work on their behalf! Click here to take action!

Why is the Only Federal Program for Gifted Education on the Chopping Block?

This year, like previous years, the the House Appropriations Committee voted to eliminate the only Federally funded program for students with gifts and talents - the Javits program. The Javits program has funded 160 programs in major cities and small towns across the country to ensure that gifted students have the opportunity to excel in an educational setting that is fitting for their intellectual needs. While the Javits program is considered a small program by Congressional standards, it has made a monumental impact in the lives of students with gifts and talents in inner city, suburban and rural schools. Like last year, the program was zeroed out by the House Appropriations Committee, but due to the constant advocacy by CEC members, Congress voted to cut the Javits program by $1.3 million, instead of eliminating it.

This year we face another uphill battle – and CEC members will have to be louder in their support for the Javits program. Take a moment to personalize a letter CEC has prepared on the Legislative Action Center. Your support for the Javits program will make a difference! Click here to take action!

Talking Points for Special and Gifted Education Patriots (see first story):

• I urge Congress to uphold its 31-year promise to fund 40 percent of the cost of educating a student with disabilities under IDEA. Today, the Federal share of educating students with disabilities is only 17.8 percent and the House Appropriations Committee voted to lower this share to 17.1 percent.When the Federal government does not pay its promised share, states and localities must pay the balance.Please provide funding at a level that would put IDEA on the path towards reaching full funding by the year 2011. In addition, please provide funding for IDEA programs for preschoolers, infants and toddlers and special programs that the House Appropriations Committee voted to be level funded, or even cut.
  
• With all of this talk about increasing America’s competitiveness in the global marketplace, I urge you to support the only Federal program that supports students with gifts and talents, the Javits program.Over the last few years, the Javits program has funded 160 programs in major cities and small towns across the country to ensure that gifted students have the opportunity to excel in an educational setting that is fitting for their intellectual needs.While the Javits program is considered a small program by Congressional standards, it has made a monumental impact in the lives of students with gifts and talents in inner city, suburban and rural schools.Unfortunately, the program was zeroed out by the House Appropriations Committee in June.I urge you to do everything in your power to ensure that this program receives funding for fiscal year 2007.