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IDEA and COVID advocacy

 

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ACVREP sent out an alert

I tried to track down more details.?
The house is voting on the bill tomorrow.?

You might consider calling your Congressperson, especially if they are on the Education Committee?

From the Bill

3) IDEA REPORT.¡ªNot later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Education shall prepare and submit a report to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, and the Committee on Education and Labor and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives, with recommendations on any additional waivers the Secretary believes are necessary to be enacted into law under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1401 et seq.) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 701 et seq.) to provide limited flexibility to States and local educational agencies to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities during the emergency involving Federal primary responsibility determined to exist by the President under the section 501(b) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5191(b)) with respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).


From article linked below

Regarding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the bill does not provide waiver authority to the Secretary of Education, but does require ED to submit a report to Congress within 30 days indicating which waivers may be needed to help states and districts comply with IDEA. (NCLD is and will continue to work to protect IDEA during this time and we¡¯ll need your help! Stay connected for more information on how you can get involved


Freda Tepfer
Erie PA
 

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om:?kzeider@... <kzeider@...>
Sent:?Thursday, March 26, 2020 4:27 PM
To:?Robertson, Meg (MCB)
Subject:?URGENT Paul Schroeder Public Affairs Advocate at VSA Needs Help TODAY to Protect Students with Visual Impairments
?
CAUTION: This email originated from a sender outside of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts mail system.? Do not click on links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.




See the message below from Paul Schroeder:

We need your help. Please call Your U.S. Representative at 202-225-3121 and ask for your representative by name (or go to? to look it up)?

While I am grateful that the Senate passed a bill that will ultimately help millions of Americans,?it is unfortunate that the language introduced by Senator Alexander suspending compliance with IDEA for a year made its way in. ?If passed by the House and signed by POTUS, states will have the prerogative to step back from their commitments to our students for up to a year.
?
We ask you to communicate your concerns with House members who will likely uphold IDEA standards and bring a stronger position to conference committee with the Senate for final agreement on language.
?
No bill is pe rfect and we may need to accept reasonable extension of deadlines, but giving each state permission to put students with special needs aside for a year is unacceptable.?
?
Here is a script you can use during your calls. Feel free to modify it as needed:
?
Sample script:

  • Good morning, my name is _____. I live in ______.
  • I am calling to express my opposition to any attempts by Congress or the Department of Education that weaken the rights of students with disabilities to receive educational services during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
  • Just as all kids do, students with disabilities need to maintain their reading and math skills so that they don¡¯t fall behind and they can advance into the next grade in the fall. They also need continued instruction in braille, technology, independent living skills, and orientation and mobility instruction.
  • Ignoring the needs of students with disabilities will only lead to them falling behind academically, less likely to graduate, and less likely to have the academic and life skills necessary to find employment. Education is critical for all children.

Please call or send messages your House members today regarding?the CARES Act
(Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act)??



Meg Robertson COMS
Director Orientation & Mobility Department
Massachusetts Commission for the Blind
600 Washington St.
Boston MA 02111
Meg.Robertson@...
617-626-7581

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> on behalf of Freda Tepfer via Groups.Io <fstepfer@...>
Sent: Thursday, March 26, 2020 8:30 PM
To: O&M open
Subject: [OandM] IDEA and COVID advocacy
?
CAUTION: This email originated from a sender outside of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts mail system.? Do not click on links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.


ACVREP sent out an alert

I tried to track down more details.?
The house is voting on the bill tomorrow.?

You might consider calling your Congressperson, especially if they are on the Education Committee?

From the Bill

3) IDEA REPORT.¡ªNot later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Education shall prepare and submit a report to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, and the Committee on Education and Labor and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives, with recommendations on any additional waivers the Secretary believes are necessary to be enacted into law under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1401 et seq.) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 701 et seq.) to provide limited flexibility to States and local educational agencies to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities during the emergency involving Federal primary responsibility determined to exist by the President under the section 501(b) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5191(b)) with respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).


From article linked below

Regarding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the bill does not provide waiver authority to the Secretary of Education, but does require ED to submit a report to Congress within 30 days indicating which waivers may be needed to help states and districts comply with IDEA. (NCLD is and will continue to work to protect IDEA during this time and we¡¯ll need your help! Stay connected for more information on how you can get involved


Freda Tepfer
Erie PA

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