IDEA Sequester Cuts, By The Numbers

By Christina Samuels from On Special Education

The blog IDEA Money Watch compiled information released by the U.S. Department of Education and created a nice chart that spells out how much each state stands to lose in federal funding for special education, should the sequester cuts stay in place.

States received about $11.5 billion in Part B funds for fiscal year 2012—Part B refers to the special education dollars that are used to educate students ages 5 to 21. The numbers in this chart assume a 5 percent reduction in funding for fiscal 2013. As explained in my colleague Alyson Klein's excellent piece on frequently asked sequester questions, the sequester doesn't mean that states will immediately start to feel the pinch, because the money has been "forward-funded." Any budget impact would start to be felt more in the 2013-14 school year.

But in special education, states are obligated to provide a free, appropriate public education to their students. So, if funding is cut at the federal level, it would have to be made up with state or local dollars.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has gotten in hot water from some who say he is exaggerating the impact of these cuts. But in a visit to a preschool today, he told the media that he stands firm on the numbers.

Article HERE.

#AskFAFSA Office Hours with Secretary Arne Duncan

By Federal Student Aid from Homeroom - The Official Blog of the U.S. Department of Education

On October 12th at 4pm ET, Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan will join @FAFSA to answer your financial aid questions during the October edition of #AskFAFSA Office Hours. Maybe you have a question about completing the FAFSA or understanding your loan repayment options? Maybe you want to know more about the new resources we just launched? If you have a financial aid question for Secretary Duncan, now’s your chance to ask!

Read more HERE.

Secretary Duncan, White House Officials Join Disability Stakeholders in Commemorating Anniversary of Key Civil Rights Law

Leaders from the disability community joined U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and other senior officials from the White House and the Education Department Monday for a panel discussion celebrating the 39th anniversary of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Joining Secretary Duncan were Kareem Dale, associate director at the White House Office of Public Engagement and special assistant to the President for disability policy; Russlynn Ali, assistant secretary for civil rights; and Michael Yudin, acting assistant secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.

Also speaking at the event: John L. Wodatch, former chief of the Disability Rights Section at the Department of Justice and author of regulations implementing Section 504; Michael Winter, Department of Transportation; Charles Boyer, senior advisor for military families at the Department of Education; and Brian Hawthorne with the Student Veterans of America.

In addition, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released Disability Rights: Enforcement Highlights published to commemorate the 39th anniversary of Section 504, and reviewing OCR’s work over the last three years to enforce this important civil rights statue.

Read more of the Ed.gov article HERE.

Duncan Announces 2012 Cross-Country Back-to-School Bus Tour

From ED.gov - U.S. Department of Education

“Education Drives America” to Spotlight Classroom Success, Link Education and the Economy

AUGUST 15, 2012

Contact:  

 (202) 401-1576, press@ed.gov 

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and senior leaders from the U.S. Department of Education will push the message that “Education Drives America” in its third annual back-to-school bus tour this fall. In a series of events from coast-to-coast, Department officials will highlight education successes across the country and engage communities in conversations about school reform (P-12), college affordability and completion, and the link between education and jobs.

“America’s future is directly linked to the quality of education that we provide our children, young people and adults,” Duncan said. “It is the key to a vibrant middle class, strong national security and our global economic competitiveness.”

The bus tour will begin on Sept. 12 in Redwood City, California, and conclude at the Department of Education’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., on the evening of Sept. 21. Additional stops include, Sacramento, California; Reno and Elko, Nevada; Salt Lake City, Utah; Rawlins, Rock Springs, and Cheyenne, Wyoming; Denver and Limon, Colorado; Topeka and Emporia, Kansas; Kansas City and Columbia, Missouri; Mt. Vernon, Illinois; Evansville, Indiana; Lexington, Kentucky; Charleston and McDowell County, West Virginia; Roanoke and Richmond, Virginia.

“In the past three years, I’ve traveled to 47 states, visited hundreds of schools and met with thousands of teachers, parents and students who are finding new and innovative ways to teach and learn,” Duncan said. “This bus tour is an opportunity to highlight what’s working and create momentum for education reforms that improve the lives of all students.”

This is the third annual back-to-school bus tour for Secretary Duncan and the Department of Education. In 2010, the back-to-school bus tour included the Delta region in the South and the Northeast. In 2011, the tour covered the Midwest from Pennsylvania to Wisconsin.

Duncan will lead the tour from Redwood City through Reno, Denver through Kansas City, and Charleston through Washington, D.C. Deputy Secretary Tony Miller and Under Secretary Martha Kanter will also lead portions of the tour.

Additional details, including specific sites, event times and participants, will be announced in the coming weeks. Senior department officials are also participating in over 60 satellite events along the bus tour route.

Article HERE.

Special Education Could Suffer Billion Dollar Automatic Cut

Across-the-board federal budget cuts could take a nearly $1 billion bite out of federal special education spending, with the bulk of that representing state grants for the education of school-age children with disabilities.

The automatic cuts, or sequestration, could come in January if Congress doesn't come up with a way to put the country on firmer fiscal footing, as my colleague Alyson Klein explains over at the Politics K-12 blog.

At a hearing this week in the Senate, Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, chairman of the education committee, shared a list of possible reductions that would be made to education and other programs if the automatic cuts are triggered in January.

The potential cuts to special education "could translate into the layoffs of more than 10,000 teachers, aides, and other staff who provide essential instruction and other support to 6.6 million children with disabilities," U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan testified this week.

Read more of Nirvi Shah's On Special Education article HERE.

U.S. Education Secretary Warns that Automatic Budget Cuts Would Hurt Children and Families

Education Secretary Calls on Congress to Work with President Obama for a Long-Term Solution

JULY 25, 2012

Contact:  

 Press Office, (202) 401-1576, press@ed.gov 

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today detailed the impact of looming automatic budget cuts, saying they would force schools to lay off teachers and eliminate services for students while indiscriminately reducing programs that serve Americans of all ages.

“Essentially, we’re playing chicken with the lives of the American people – our schools, communities, small businesses, farms, public safety, infrastructure and national security,” Secretary Duncan told members of the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee. “If we don’t work together to solve this problem, it further erodes what little faith remains in our elected leadership to put partisan politics aside and do the right thing for children and families.”

If Congress fails to create a long-term plan to reduce the budget deficit by the end of the year, across-the-board budget cuts known as sequestration will go into effect on almost every discretionary program, reducing funding for education, defense, public safety and all other federal agencies.

Duncan urged Congress to work with President Obama, who has submitted a plan that includes $4 trillion in deficit reductions and calls for targeted cuts in spending.

“We have tightened our belts in a responsible way,” Duncan said. “Most importantly, the President’s plan is a long-term fix. It will put an end to the see-saw budgeting that leaves state and local officials wondering if they can count on the federal government to be a partner with them on education and other vital programs.”

Read more of the U.S. Dept. of Ed press release HERE.

Tweeting With Arne Duncan, Alexa Posny

By Nirvi Shah from OnSpecialEducation

Denver

On Wednesday, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Assistant Secretary Alexa Posny, who oversees special education, answered questions via Twitter as part of the Council for Exceptional Children's annual convention. (Howdy from Denver!) Here's some of what they had to say:

There were several questions about a recent letter discussing school districts' spending obligations on students with disabilities.

"DOE recently reversed MOE guidance. This remains a concern for many districts - Can we expect further info from DOE on MOE [maintenance of effort]?" asked @CECAdvocacy.

"Absolutely," Duncan tweeted back. "Focus on results w/ input from stakeholders over the next few months."

In response to a related question about how the feds would ensure that districts maintain the integrity of special education in a time of constricting budgets, Posny said "The bottom line is: All districts ensure FAPE [free, appropriate public education] in LRE [least-restrictive environment] and ED [the education department] will hold states accountable for FAPE."

Read more HERE.

White House Disability Group Monthly Conference Call - March 31

By Diana Z. on the Disability*Blog

In order to keep Americans with disabilities and other interested parties informed about the Obama Administration's disability-related efforts, the White House Disability Group is hosting monthly calls to provide updates on issues such as key political appointments, employment, civil rights, health care and transportation, as well as introduce staff who work on disability issues in the federal government.

The next call will be held on Thursday, March 31 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time. It will feature remarks from U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, and include introductions to other Obama Administration personnel.

Details for the call are as follows:

Dial in for listeners: United States: (800) 230-1059

Title: White House Disability Call (use instead of code)

For live captioning during the call, go to

http://www.fedrcc.us//Enter.aspx?EventID=1734047&CustomerID=321.

Those interested in participating in the call are encouraged to call in at least five minutes prior to its start. This call is off the record and not for press purposes.

If you would like to be added to the White House Disability Group email distribution list, please email sfeuerstein@who.eop.gov and provide your name, email address, city, state and organization (if applicable).

Please let others know about this call so that they may participate.

Disability*Blog website HERE.