• CEC Briefs Compare the 2004 IDEA Regulations to the 1997 IDEA Regulations and Include CEC Comments and Analysis
• Start the Countdown to Election Day by Advocating for Students with Exceptionalities
• Department of Education Awards Grants to Address Highly Qualified Special Education Personnel Shortages
• Recent School Violence Prompts White House to Hold Conference on School Safety

NEW! CEC Briefs Compare the 2004 IDEA Regulations to the 1997 IDEA Regulations and Include CEC Comments and Analysis

CEC is pleased to present a series of briefs comparing selected significant issues from the IDEA 2004 final regulations with those from the IDEA 1997 regulations. These side-by-side briefs also contain critical CEC analysis and comments from both CEC’s recommendations to the IDEA 2004 proposed regulations and U.S. Department of Education discussions.

As an exclusive for members, CEC members can access Set 1 of these briefs online now for FREE! Sets 1 and 2 will be combined into one publication and posted for CEC members to download free on October 18. Non-members and members will also be able to order and purchase this publication as a bound volume on October 18.

Purposes and Definitions (including highly qualified special education teachers)
Least Restrictive Environment
Early Intervening Services
Evaluations and Reevaluations
Individualized Education Programs and Development of the IEP (available to members and non-members)
Discipline Procedures
Disproportionality
More information.

Additional CEC IDEA 2004 Products and Professional Development

CEC will be conducting 9 national regional workshops on the IDEA 2004 regulations. Members receive a discounted registration! For more information on the workshops and to register, click here.

In addition, on November 15, 2006, CEC will be hosting a Web seminar entitled "IDEA 2004 and the New IEP Regulations". Please go here for more information.

Finally, in early 2007 CEC will be publishing a book of frequently asked questions around IDEA 2004, which will incorporate the new regulations. Visit the CEC Web site for more information in the future.

Start the Countdown to Election Day by Advocating for Students with Exceptionalities

Unacceptable education funding proposals have been put forth by President Bush and the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. Funding for education — and special and gifted education remain severely under funded.

At the end of September, members of Congress left Washington, to hit the campaign trail and left behind education funding legislation that address vital programs such as IDEA and the Javits program for students with gifts and talents. CEC has been actively urging Congress to provide additional funding for both of these programs and to uphold its 31-year commitment to fully funding IDEA.

What’s Happening Now:

The House and Senate Appropriations Committees have proposed a decrease in the Federal share for IDEA down to 17 percent- far from the promised 40 percent. Take action on this issue.

The only Federal program dedicated to gifted education is on life support.President Bush and the House Appropriations Committee want to eliminate the Javits program and the Senate wants to slash it in half. Take action on this issue.

The Bush Administration supports eliminating Medicaid reimbursements for transportation and administrative costs for Medicaid-eligible students with disabilities.This elimination would total $9 billion over 10 years. Take action on this issue.

Therefore, it is critical that members of Congress hear from their constituents on the vital impact Federal funding has on students with disabilities and/or gifts and talents. Special educators must be part of the discussion as this funding will impact every school district in the nation.

Five Ways to Take Action:

1. Education IS a Priority -- Special Educators Vote on November 7th!Be sure to register and vote on Election Day. Click here for information on candidates, polling location, and much more.

2. Schedule a meeting with your member of Congress while he/she is back in your home state. Members of Congress want to meet with constituents. (Click here to find out who your elected officials are)

3. Email Congress directly by personalizing a letter CEC has written on the CEC Legislative Action Center

4. Submit an op-ed to your local newspaper by using CEC’s Legislative Action Center

5. Invite your member of Congress to tour a school or college and let them see for themselves the positive contributions federal dollars make to your school.

Department of Education Awards Grants to Address Highly Qualified Special Education Personnel Shortages

Last week, the U.S. Department of Education announced $11.6 million in grants to assist in the training of highly qualified special educators and early intervention personnel. These grants -- awarded to higher education institutions in 25 states and Washington, DC -- are designed to address a variety of topic areas that special educators confront daily. In addition these grants are targeted to address areas where extensive shortages exist. As a member of a national coalition addressing shortages in special education and related services personnel, CEC is pleased the Department of Education has directed these resources toward addressing this issue.

Among the 59 grants awarded were:

• Hunter College of City University of New York, "Preparation of Teachers for Learners with Severe Disabilities including Deaf-Blindness from High-Poverty, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Urban Populations," $200,000.
• San Francisco State University, "Project Mosaic: Preparing Highly Qualified Educators to Meet the Unique Needs of Students with Autism in Diverse Settings," $198,464.
• University of Utah, "University of Utah's Distance Teacher Education Program (DTEP) in Severe Disabilities," $199,120.
• Florida State University, "Preparing Personnel to Teach Students with Visual Impairments," $200,000.
• Vanderbilt University, "Project PREPARE: A Comprehensive Approach to Preparing Teachers to Serve Students with Emotional Disturbances," $198,645.
• University of Illinois, Teacher Leaders for Children: Bilingual Special Educators (Project TLC)," $194,743.
• University of Colorado, "Rural Special Education Double Endorsement Project," $196,047.
• Wichita State University, "Recruiting, Supporting, Retaining, and Preparing Three Special Groups of Trainees Who Will Serve Children With Speech-Language and Hearing Disabilities in rural, Often Remote Communities of Kansas and Eastern Colorado: A Cost Sharing Approach," $199,914.
• University of Massachusetts Boston, "Support for Early Intervention/Early Childhood Network (SECEN) at UMass," $198,106.
  

Read the Department of Education’s Press Release.

Read CEC’s Policy on a Well Prepared Special Educator.

Recent School Violence Prompts White House to Hold Conference on School Safety

The recent tragedies that have rocked schools and communities across the country prompted the White House to hold a national conference on school safety earlier this week. The Conference on School Safety -- led by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and Education Secretary Margaret Spellings -- brought together education, law enforcement and community officials to discuss how to learn from past tragedies to prevent future violence in schools and better equip schools and communities to cope with violent acts.

More information.