"We're Here to Speak for Justice" Rally and March in Sacramento - Thursday, September 9/3/15

From California Supported Living Network (CSLN)

CSLN ACTION ALERT

"We're Here To Speak For Justice" Rally & March in Sacramento Thursday 9/3/15 10AM-1:00PM

#Speak4Justice  #KeepThePromise

WHAT: We Are Here To Speak For Justice Rally & March

WHEN: Thursday, September 3, 2015 10:00AM-1:00PM

WHERE: Crest Theater 1013 K St Sacramento, CA 95814

We are putting together a day of action to 

Keep The Promise of the Lanterman Act alive.

Confirmed speakers at the Crest Theater:

Denny Amundson

Tony Coelho

Santi Rogers

Films by DDSO

Doors open at 9:30AM.

Program between 10:00AM-12:00PM

12:00PM March to the Capitol!!!

We are excited to announce that we will have a voter 
outreach/voter registration table in the lobby of the 
Crest Theater on September 3rd 10AM-1PM. There 
will be an accessible voting booth for folks to practice 
the voting process & test the accessible voting 
equipment!

Please spread the word to everyone in our community 

and strongly urge folks to participate and join us for a 

day of action!

Thanks in advance for your advocacy!

-CSLN

Action Alert HERE.

Message from Advisory Commission on Special Education Chair, Gina Plate for Supporting Gull Funding of the IDEA

Dear Special Education Funding Supporter:

 

We invite you to participate in this national effort that focuses on the urgent need for Congress and the President to fund the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) promise to provide 40% of the average per pupil expenditure to states. Based on 2013–14 data, this would result in over $1.6 billion in additional funding for special education programs in California, alone! Attached please find both state and national data statistics. We ask that you share this with your membership at the state and federal levels. Thank you!

                                    

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

July 24, 2015, and October 30, 2015

National Call-In Days

Fully Fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Promise

 

On Friday, July 24, 2015, the U.S. Department of Education, led by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), will host a large-scale celebration in Washington, D.C., to commemorate the 25^th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

We are calling on school administrators, teachers, advocates, parents, and students nationwide to use this special opportunity to call and email members of Congress and the President to urge them to FULLY FUND THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.

Friday, October 30, 2015, marks the 40^th anniversary of the passage of the federal IDEA, which included the promise by Congress to fund 40% of the average per-pupil expenditure to offset the costs of providing educational programs and services to students with disabilities.

We are calling on school administrators, teachers, advocates, parents, and students nationwide to use this special opportunity to call and email members of Congress and the President to urge them to FULLY FUND THE IDEA PROMISE.

 

Below is a TOOLKIT to assist you with this effort.

 

Where will I find my Congressional Representative’s contact information?

You can find your Congressional Representative contact information here: http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/. However, before you enter this website, you will need your zip code and four-digit zip code extension. The four-digit extension can be found here: https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupAction_input

How do I contact the President?

You can call, write, or email President Barack Obama. Contact information is located here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/write-or-call

What should I say in my communication to my Congressional Representative and the President?

We recommend you politely ask your Congressional Representative to support increased federal funding for special education programs and services. Below are some bullet points for your use:

·         As we approach the 40^th anniversary of the passage of landmark federal legislation that protects the rights of students with disabilities by ensuring that everyone receives a free appropriate public education (FAPE), we respectfully urge Congressman/woman ______________ to support a major funding increase for special education programs and services through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The lack of federal funding impacts our ability to implement the strategies and services to our most vulnerable student population that are proven effective in improving achievement.

·         The cost of federally mandated special education services continues to rise, and the population of students with high-cost disabilities is increasing nationwide. The federal appropriation is not keeping pace with rising costs and we call on Congress to increase funding for these federally mandated responsibilities.

·         It is critical that Congress and the President make a permanent investment in IDEA funding by meeting the federal commitment to fund special education programs at the 40% of the average per-pupil expenditure level. It is time that this long-standing commitment to fund federal special education mandates be met.

SPREAD THE WORD

Please forward this e-mail to 5 friends and colleagues.

Ask them to e-mail or call Congress on

July 24, 2015, and October 30, 2015

ACTION ALERT from The Arc and The United Cerebral Palsy California Collaboration

Dear Friends,

 

Budget hearings in the Capitol are a rare opportunity to talk directly to some of the state's most powerful decision-makers.

 

For the last three years, the budget hearings have been key to stopping even worse cuts to our community's services and supports. Thank you to the hundreds of people who came to Sacramento to make your voices heard.

 

This year, the hearings may be key to stopping one big new cost for people with developmental disabilities and their families – and starting the process of actually making progress instead.

 

This year's hearings on the developmental services budget will be:

 

-         9:30 a.m. Thursday, April 11, in Room 4203 - Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 3.

-         1:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 17, room to be announced - Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 1.

 

If you can come to Sacramento for one or both of the hearings, here's a list of items you can talk to the legislators about. Each speaker will get only a one or two minutes, so it's best to select just one or two items that you are passionate about. Speak from the heart.

 

There are three big items on the agenda. The subcommittees may vote on them at these hearings, or may wait until next month. They are:

 

Cover health insurance copayments and deductibles – The Brown administration wants to relieve regional centers of their obligation to cover the copays and deductibles for services in approved IPPs and IFSPs. We're asking for legislation instead to make it clearer that the regional centers must pay these costs. For more information – and to send an email to the Senate subcommittee before the hearing this Thursday if you haven't already sent one – please go  to this long URL:

http://capwiz.com/thearc/ca/issues/alert/?alertid=62538801&queueid=9442598856

 

End "family participation fees" – Two years ago, the Legislature imposed $150/$200 fees for community services – but only for two years. Now the Brown administration wants to make the fees permanent. We want to end the fees now!

 

Restore provider and regional center cuts – We're asking the Legislature to roll back the last 1.25% cut imposed in 2009. This is vital to start rebuilding our community supports and services.

 

There also three items that aren't on the agenda as of now, so no votes are likely this month. But we and others intend to use this opportunity to talk to the legislators and ask for action in the future. They are:

 

Restore the 2009 Early Start cuts – These cuts exclude thousands of at-risk children from getting the services that could prevent lifelong disabilities. And the cuts have thrown the entire early intervention system into disarray. We are asking to restore these cuts.

 

End unnecessary annual audits of small service providers - These expensive audits are far beyond what the IRS requires. We support the providers' request to change the state law to match the federal requirements.

 

Start planning to close the developmental centers – We have long supported closing these institutions to free people to live their lives in the community. This year we and others are asking for a comprehensive planning process, driven by each individual's IPP, to close them by a date certain.

 

Thank you for your advocacy.

 

Greg

 

Greg deGiere Public Policy Director The Arc and United Cerebral Palsy in California 1225 Eighth Street , Suit 350, Sacramento , CA 95814 916-552-6619 x16 (office) 916-441-3494 (fax) Greg@TheArcCA.org

How Can I Find an Advocate? Attorney? Educational Consultant?

From Wrightslaw

One of the most frequently-asked-questions is "How can I find an advocate / attorney / consultant?" Here are some suggestions about how to find a consultant, advocate or attorney who represents children with disabilities.

1. Visit the Yellow Pages for Kids with Disabilities

We built Yellow Pages for Kids for each state so people can get reliable information and help.

The Yellow Pages for your state has hundreds of resources - parent support and study groups, evaluators, educational consultants, psychologists, tutors, advocates, attorneys, and others who provide services to parents and children. You will also find listings for government programs and grassroots organizations in your state.

2. Ask other parents

Ask other parents for their recommendations - they are often your best source of good advice.

3. Contact your state Parent Training Information Center

To learn about special education training for parents, contact yourParent Training Information (PTI) Center. The Directory of Parent Training Information Centers has contact information for every state. You may want to attend a Wrightslaw legal advocacy training program.

4. Contact a disabilities group or organization that represents you child's interests

You will find a comprehensive directory of disabilities organizations, clearinghouses and information groups on the Yellow Pages for Kids site.

5. Legal and Advocacy Resources

If you have a dispute with the school about your child's special education program, you may decide to consult with an attorney or an advocate who is familiar with special education law.

Contact the Protection & Advocacy organization for your state - they are legal disability rights agencies.

To find an attorney or advocate, check the Directory of Legal and Advocacy Resources, in addition to the attorneys and advocates listed on the Yellow Pages for your state. You may also contact theCouncil of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) for a referral.

Read more HERE.

Students With Disabilities Often Targeted by Bullies

By Nirvi Shah from On Special Education

A new report based on interviews and statistics concludes that children who are especially vulnerable to bullies, kids with disabilities, have few resources to deal with the problem.

The report, which includes testimonials from parents and students, provides a few heart-breaking glimpses into the taunts and terrors faced by children with a variety of exceptionalities. In one case, classmates of a boy with cerebral palsy tied the arms of his sweatshirt to a fence. They watched as he struggled to break free and put pictures of the episode on Facebook.

While 45 states have adopted laws related to bullying in the last five years, the report notes, few address the bullying of students with special needs in particular. California schools chief Tom Torlakson told the Bay Area News Group he wants to work with legislators on ways to incorporate special-needs concerns into existing anti-bullying legislation.

Compiling research from a number of sources, the report concludes that children with disabilities are more likely to be bullied for a variety of reasons, but in particular, they may become easily frustrated, which makes them stand out; students with developmental disabilities may have difficulty paying attention to more than one piece of information and may get "stuck" in a conversation, making it difficult to make friends; children with motor skill difficulties may be the target of teasing on the playground or classroom because they can't do the same age-appropriate things—like kicking a ball or coloring in the lines—as peers; they carry special devices that make other kids view them as "weird."

The report said that all studies found that children with disabilities were two to three times more likely to be victims of bullying than their nondisabled peers. It offers steps parents can take, and recommends Social and Emotional Learning curricula, like one used in Illinois schools, to address the problem.

AbilityPath.org, which provides an online community for professionals and parents of children with special needs and is led by a California nonprofit that provides services for people with disabilities, offers several ways to address the issue, including sharing your stories at the AbilityPath.org blog, joining a campaign to end use of the R word—retard—and posting a video of Glee actor Lauren Potter, who has Down syndrome, on Facebook.

See Article HERE.