• CEC Briefs Compare the 2004 IDEA Regulations to the 1997 IDEA Regulations and Include CEC Comments and Analysis
• CEC Calls on its Members to Make Education a Priority by Voting on Election Day
• Congress Adjourns Without Addressing Education Funding Legislation; Special and Gifted Education Programs Face Severe Under Funding
• Join CEC in Opposing Elimination of Medicaid Reimbursement of School-Based Services

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.

CEC Calls on its Members to Make Education a Priority by Voting on Election Day

Help make education a top priority of our elected officials by voting November 7. This Election Day, Americans across the country will vote for candidates running for the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. Be a good role model to your students and peers by exercising your right to vote.

Unsure of who your candidates are, where your polling place is, or how to register to vote? Visit CEC's Legislative Action Center.

CEC is committed to providing its members with the resources needed to participate on Election Day and does not endorse or oppose any candidate.

Congress Adjourns Without Addressing Education Funding Legislation; Special and Gifted Education Programs Face Severe Under Funding

With the mid-term Congressional elections just one month away, the Congressional leadership has decided to adjourn last week to allow members of Congress to return back to their home districts and states to campaign for re-election. As members of Congress left Washington, they 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.

While the House and Senate Appropriations Committees have passed inadequate education funding bills -- which drastically under fund IDEA and slash the Javits program -- the Congressional leadership has been reluctant to bring the legislation to the full House and Senate for a vote. This hesitance in addressing domestic spending legislation has led Democrats and moderate Republicans to band together in calling for additional funding for labor, health and education programs included in the Labor-HHS fiscal year 2007 appropriations legislation. CEC has actively supported an initiative led by Senators Specter (R-PA) and Harkin (D-IA) who are soliciting the support of their Senate colleagues for additional funding for the Labor-HHS appropriations bill. This additional funding could result in increased funding for IDEA. Ask your Senators to co-sign the Specter-Harkin letter.

Additionally, CEC has been advocating for legislation that would fully fund IDEA by 2011 and make IDEA funding mandatory. This “full funding” legislation has garnered the support of 26 Senators and 79 Representatives. CEC applauds those members of Congress who have co-sponsored this legislation and encourages its members

In their respective bills, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees voted to slash the only Federal initiative that supports the education of students with gifts and talents -- the Javits program. In fact, the House Appropriations Committee voted to eliminate the Javits program, while the Senate Appropriations Committee voted to drastically cut the program by nearly 50 percent!

The Javits program for students with gifts and talents is the only federally funded program that supports research on gifted education as well as individual grants to provide gifted education. Last year the program was cut by $1.3 million, and as a result no new grants have been made available. This year’s proposed cut of nearly $5 million will limit expansion, growth and sustainability of the program. CEC is deeply disappointed that the House and Senate Appropriations Committees have voted to slash the only Federal program that benefits students with gifts and talents and remains committed to actively advocating on behalf of students with gifts and talents.

All CEC members are urged to tell Congress that funding for the Javits program is critical to supporting and advancing students with gifts and talents in our country. Take action now!

Join CEC in Opposing Elimination of Medicaid Reimbursement of School-Based Services

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is considering eliminating reimbursements that school districts receive for administrative and transportation expenses from the Medicaid program at a cost of $9 billion over the next 10 years! Ask your members of Congress to object to this elimination!

Under current law, Medicaid reimburses school districts that provide health care services delivered by health professionals to students with disabilities. Dennis Smith, director of CMS, told state Medicaid directors in June that expedited rule making will be issued soon to eliminate schools’ administrative and transportation reimbursement claims. The elimination of this reimbursement would inevitably shift the financial responsibility of medically necessary related services to individual school districts across the nation.

CEC has been working with other advocacy groups to prevent CMS from taking this regulatory action, and we need your help. CEC has asked members of Congress to object to this elimination by co-sponsoring legislation and voicing their opposition to the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Visit CEC's Legislative Action Center to take action now! -- http://capwiz.com/cek/home/