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What’s Happening in Washington D.C.

Sharon WalshUniversity of Hartford

UCONN UCEDD March 25, 2014

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Agenda

CongressionalClimate

Federal Budget Early Learning ESEA Assessment Other Congressional

Activity

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113th Congress

Only 56 bills passed and were signed into law in the first session

Reputation - No compromise Senate approved change in filibuster rules for

Judicial and Legislative Appointments Congress Adjourned Before Holidays 2nd Session of the 113th began January 7th Election of 114th Congress November 2014 114th Congress convenes in January 2015

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Is Compromise Becoming Valued Again? Maybe….Maybe Not…

New USA Today Poll 3/24/14

Do you approve of the way the U.S. Congress is doing its job? Strongly approve 2% Somewhat approve 17% Somewhat disapprove 29% Strongly disapprove 48% Don’t know/no opinion 4%

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Budget Agreement Reached December

2014 Funding Passed in January

Debt Ceiling Increase Completed

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Federal Budget FY 2012

Education2%

Defense19%

Nondefense discretionary(other than education)

16%Social Security22%

Medicare15%

Medicaid7%

Other Mandatory

13%

Interest6%

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Budget Control Act of 2011

Agreement reached August 2011 Raised $14.3 T debt ceiling by $2.1T Created a Super Committee to find

solution – Not successful Agreed to budget caps to be enforced

through sequestration (automatic cuts) Requires $1.2 T cuts in 10 years

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No Deal Last Year - March 1st

Sequestration went into effect with $85 billion in across-the-board cuts

Domestic programs cut about 5% Defense discretionary programs cut

7.8% Sequestration cuts taken from 2013 IDEA cuts 7/1/13 grants

Funding Cuts Due to Sequestration

2013

-$2,500

-$2,000

-$1,500

-$1,000

-$500

$0

TotalDep't. of

ED

Title I ImpactAid

TeacherQuality

IDEAGrants

Career,Tech,Adult

StudentAid

HigherEd

HeadStart

-$2,478

-$727

-$65 -$124

-$620

-$87 -$86 -$129

-$401

In millions

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Sequestration = Full Funding Plunges to

14.5%

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Final IDEA FY 2013

IDEA Part B $10.97 BillionDecrease of $602 Million

IDEA Part BSection 619

$353.24 MillionDecrease of $19 Million

IDEA Part C $419.65 MillionDecrease of $23 Million

IDEA Part D $225.14 MillionDecrease of $13 Million

SpEd Research $47.30 millionDecrease of $2.5

Million

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FFY 2014 – Began October 1, 2013

February 2013 - President’s Budget Request House Passed Budget Senate Budget $91 billion gap in spending levels between

the two chambers No Conference Committee Deadline of September 30, 2013 No Continuing Resolution Passed

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Senate Appropriations FFY 2014 Bill Labor-HHS-Education $783.4 billion spending bill Head Start up $1.6 billion   CCDBG up $176 million New Preschool Development grants $750

million IDEA Part B 611 – up $125 million IDEA Preschool level at FY 13 IDEA Infants and families +$21 million

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House Labor, Health, Education Appropriations Mark-up postponed "due to scheduling uncertainties

with the floor schedule and…full committee mark up “ Only one of 12 House spending bills not considered

by an Appropriations subcommittee. Ranking member Nita Lowey (NY) said plan would:

Use budget ceilings of 2011 Budget Control Act But not across-board cuts Greater cuts to domestic spending to avoid

significant cuts to defense programs Could have been up to a 22 % cut in one year Exact cuts to specific programs were unavailable.

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Federal Government Shut Down

No agreement was reached by 9/30/13 Shutdown started October 1, 2013 – first day

of the 2014 fiscal year After much arguing, debating,

pointing fingers, meetings and sending bills back and forth …

October 16th hours before the midnight deadline on debt ceiling…

Agreement reached

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What Was Final Resolution?

CR to extend funds for programs at 2013 levels including sequestration cuts through January 15, 2014

Suspended debt ceiling enforcement to February 7, 2014

Created a budget conference committee Required stricter income verification for

ACA subsidies

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Mandatory Budget Committee

Budget committee was charged to report back by December 13, 2013

What to do about the sequestration process, entitlement spending, and revenues?

Bipartisan, bicameral group Chaired by Senate Budget Committee

Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) and House Budget Chair Paul Ryan (R-WI)

#1- Budget Deal Reached In December 2013 Ryan and Murray announced budget deal

$1.012 trillion Two year agreement Halfway between the Senate’s $1.058 trillion

and House’s $967 billion $65 billion in automatic spending cuts

restored through Sept. 30, 2015 House approved by a vote of 332-94 Senate approved by a vote of 64-36

#2 - Appropriations Bill for 2014

Agreement reached based on budget Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014 No sequester needed for 2 years Passed House on January 15, by 359-67 Passed Senate on January 16, by 72-26 President signed omnibus bill on January 17th

2.6 percent increase over the post-sequester

budget for FY 2013. 

IDEA Part B$11.472 Billion

(+$500 M)IDEA Part BSection 619

$353.238 Million

IDEA Part C$438.498

Million(+$19 M)

IDEA Part D$237.085

Million(+$14.5 M)

Javits $5 Million(+$5 M)

SpEd Research

$54.000 Million

(+$6.7 M)

IDEA Funding Levels

FFY 20142014

Pre-sequestration Levels and some

increases!

FFY 2014 Funding Levels

$154 million increase for the Child Care & Development Block Grant

$194 million increase for WIC $1.025  billion increase for Head Start

$400 million for Head Start $100 million for COLA $25 million for redesignation activities $500 million for the expansion of Early Head

Start and for new discretionary Early Head Start /Child Care Partnership grants

FFY 2014 Included New Preschool Development Grants $250 million for grants to States for preschool grants Two application public comment periods so far – over

500 comments and one public hearing Grants to be awarded to states by December 2014 Jointly administered by the Departments of Education

and Health and Human Services  States apply for grants to build the capacity to

develop, enhance or expand high-quality preschool programs

States may subgrant to LEAs & other early learning providers (“including but not limited to Head Start programs & licensed child care providers”) or consortia.

FFY 2014 Included Early Head Start/Child Care Partnerships Grants partner new or existing Early Head Start with

local center and family-based child care providers serving subsidized infants and toddlers, to provide training and technical assistance as well as funding to help child care programs meet the Early Head Start standards.

The goal of the Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships is to expand quality learning opportunities to as many toddlers and infants as possible and help provide flexible child care programs for working parents. This partnership is possible through the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF).

Plans for Partnership

Panels will be set up to review submitted partnership applications in the late summer or fall of 2014.

 More information on the Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships can be found at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ecd/early-head-start-child-

Partnership Overview Resources

Register for a webinar to learn more about the partnerships

View a Powerpoint overview of the Early Head Start – Child Care Partnerships (EHS-CC) Initiative

View the EHS-CC Partnerships Briefing for Tribal Partners

Read the Technical Assistance guide, 101: Early Head Start and Child Care Partnerships

Explore additional webinars, tools, and resources related to the partnerships

FFY 2015 Funding

President’s Budget for 2015 released March 4, 2014

Appropriations must be completed by September 30, 2014

No sequester in 2015!! Request of $68.6 billion in discretionary

funding for the U.S. Department of Education, an increase of $1.3 billion -- or 1.9% -- over the Fiscal Year 2014 level. 

President’s Budget

Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships:  $800 million increase in discretionary funds (a total of $950 million increase if both parts of the request are funded).

Preschool Development Grants: an additional $250 million increase in discretionary funds (a total of $750 million above FY 2014 if both parts of the request are funded).

No sequestration cuts in FY 2016 and beyond.

Early Learning

Child Care & Development Block Grant: $57 million increase in discretionary funds. Of the total CCDBG discretionary amount, $200 million would be targeted for quality improvements. In addition, the request calls for $750 million increase in mandatory funding.

Head Start, Early Head Start and Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships: $270 million increase in discretionary funds, of which $100 million is designated for cost of living adjustments and $150 million would go to Early Head Start expansion and Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships to bring the Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships grants to $650 million.

President’s Budget – FFY 2015

Title I local educational agency grants: frozen at last year’s funding level.

IDEA Part C early intervention: a $3.3 million increase for early intervention.

IDEA 619 special education: frozen at last year’s funding level. 

Voluntary home visiting (MCVIE): $100 million increase in mandatory funds over the current authorized levels for a total of $500 million in FY 2015; a request for $15 billion over ten years

New Race To The Top Program

$300 million in Race to the Top-Equity and Opportunity grants

Creates incentives for states and school districts for change in identifying and closing achievement and opportunity gaps. 

Enhance data systems to sharpen the focus on the greatest disparities and invest in strong teachers and leaders in high-need schools. 

Grants would also support other strategies that mitigate the effects of concentrated poverty, such as expanded learning time, access to rigorous coursework, and comprehensive student supports.

Opportunity, Growth and Security Initiative Budget request if additional funds are available

through new revenues and program cuts $56 billion in spending beyond original request, split

equally between domestic and defense programs. The domestic share includes needed expansions in

pre-k and other education, job training, apprenticeships and temporary jobs, juvenile justice programs, research and manufacturing innovation, infrastructure rebuilding, and other initiatives.

Paid for half by savings such as reduced crop insurance payments and increased airline passenger fees and half from reducing tax benefits from multi-million dollar retirement accounts

New Competitive IDEA Grant

Freeze to Part B. Preschool 619 and Part D $100 million state competitive grant for Part B

and Part C To support state efforts for State Systemic

Improvement Plan (SSIP) Part B – up to 10 awards from $4 million to

$14 million each Part C- up to 15 awards from $500,000 to

$800,000 each

New SPP/APR for FFY 2013-2018

Reflects OSEP’s new IDEA Results Driven Accountability initiative

Balances focus on improved educational results and functional outcomes while considering compliance as it relates to those outcomes and results

Requires new State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) indicators for Part B and Part C

Timelines

Draft package was released April 15, 2013 Written comments were due June 14, 2013 Next draft published this week with 30-day

comment period Final SPP/APR package will be released

when finalized after comments considered States must submit FFY 2013 SPP/APR on

February 2, 2015 Includes targets for 5 years on new APR

FFY 2015 President’s Budget

MCH Block grant - $634 million; same as FFY 2014; $604.9 in 2013

University Centers for Excellence - $36.8 million; same as FFY 2014; $36.6 in 2013

DD Councils - $70.9 million; same as FFY 2014; $70.6 in 2013

Autism and Other DD (including LEND) - $47.2 million; same as FFY 2014; $44.7 in 2013

Universal Newborn Screening - $17.8 million; same as FFY 2014; $17.7 in 2013

www.aucd.org

House Budget Committee  House Budget Committee's majority staff released a new report, "

The War on Poverty: 50 Years Later." In-depth look at the federal government's efforts to alleviate poverty In fiscal year 2012, Washington spent at least $799 billion on 92

programs to help low-income families. The report indicates some programs are duplicative or even

counterproductive.  Head Start is “failing to prepare children for school,” and “a

consolidated, well-funded system would be better.” Chairman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin issued the following statement:

“We need to take a hard look at what the federal government is doing and ask, 'Is this working?'

"This report will help start the conversation. It shows that some programs work; others don't. And for many of them, we just don't know.

"Clearly, we can do better. We can rework these federal programs and help families in need lead lives of dignity.

Full Funding of IDEA

Annual effort toward mandatory full finding of IDEA Part B

IDEA Full Funding Act (H.R. 4136), Van Hollen (D-MD), McKinley (R-WV), Walz

(D-MN), Gibson (R-NY), Huffman (D-CA) and Reichert (R-WA)

Full funding is when the Federal government pays 40% of the extra cost of educating students with disabilities

Current investment is 15.3%. 

Current Head Start Profiles

Posted March 19, 2014 CLASP announced the release of its 2012

Head Start State Profiles (March 2014) and a new interactive map

Provides state-by-state data on all Head Start programs in the state: Early Head Start, Head Start preschool, and Migrant/Seasonal Head Start.

Include information on Head Start participants, families, staff, and programs.

Based on the 2012 Program Information Report (PIR) data, which all Head Start programs are required to complete on an annual basis

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Race to the Top Early Learning

First year of the RTT-ELC competition, 9 states funded (CA, DE, MA, MD, MN, NC, OH, RI, WA)

In 2012, five more states (CO, IL, NM, OR, and WI) were funded

Six new awards, $280 million in Fall 2013 Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Vermont

More information about the Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge

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New Early Learning Legislation

S. 1697 and H.R. 3461 “Strong Start for America’s Children Act” Introduced in November to authorize the

President's Early Learning initiative No mandatory funding; does not include the

tobacco tax increases Funds dependant on the annual

appropriations process Disability groups advocating for IDEA

revisions including set-aside

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Outline of the Bill

Title I – Prekindergarten Access Title II – Early Learning Quality

Partnerships Title III – Child Care Title IV – Maternal, Infant and Early

Childhood Home Visiting Program Sense of the Senate

Congressional Hearings

House Education and Workforce Committee February 5th

House Committee Chairman John Kline (R-MN): “The president and I agree more can be done to help

kids get an early start on the path to success,… However, with 45 federal programs tied to early childhood development and a $13 billion annual taxpayer investment, we owe it to the American people to examine the strengths and weaknesses of current initiatives before crafting new ones.”

Senate HELP Committee Thursday February 6th

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ESEA Reauthorization

Was scheduled for 2007 Bills introduced since then but no progress

has been made More and more districts in more and more

states not meeting Adequate Yearly Progress Getting closer to 2014 deadline of 100%

proficiency Bills in both House and Senate now IDEA reauthorization is after ESEA

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American Association of Administrators, Policy Insider Oct 2011

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ESEA Administrative Waivers Established in Sept 2011 4 Conditions:

Adopt College & Career Ready Standards

Develop Assessments that Measure Student Growth

Develop Differentiated Accountability System

Develop Guidelines for Local Teacher and Principal Evaluations Based on Effectiveness

What Was Waived?

Remove 2014 AYP deadlineFunding FlexibilityChanges to AccountabilityFlexibility for HQT Plans

42 States + Washington, DC have waivers

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ESEA WAIVERS

July 19, 2013: Passed House by 221-207 vote; all Democrats and 12 Republicans voted against

Two days of debate 18 amendments passed 4 amendments defeated 4 withdrawn

Student Success Act (HR 5)House Version of ESEA

Much of the education & disability community does not support the bill

Passed Senate Health, Education, Labor, Pensions (HELP) Committee June 12, 2013

Passed with only Democrat support Two days of debate and amendments

Strengthening America’s Schools ActSenate Version of ESEA

Most of disability community supported much of the bill; education community split

on the bill

Teacher Evaluation: A SHIFT IN FOCUS

Highly Qualified

Highly Effective

Inputs Outputs

CEC Position on Special Education

Teacher Evaluation

CEC TOOLS

Teacher Evaluation Toolkit for Special

Educators!

Visit: www.cec.sped.orgPolicy & Advocacy

TWO CONSORTIA: 1%

Dynamic Learning Maps Alternate Assessment Program (DLM) – Kansas University $22 million 13 States - Iowa, Kansas, Michigan,

Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

Accessibility - keyboard, drag-and-drop, touch-screen, and compatible with a variety of assistive technologies commonly used by students.

NATIONAL CENTER & STATE COLLABORATIVE

19 States: Alaska, Arizona Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana,Maryland, Mass, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Wyoming

ASSESSMENT CONSORTIA: PARCC

Computer Based

http://www.parcconline.org/

ASSESSMENT CONSORTIA: SMARTER BALANCED

Computer Adaptive

http://www.smarterbalanced.org/

Timeline for Assessments Based on Common Core Standards – 45 states have adopted

2012-13 School Year: First year pilot/field testing and related research and data collection

2013-14 School Year: Second year pilot/field testing and related research and data collection Over-sampling of students with disabilities due to

previous under-sampling. 2014-15 School Year: Full operational

administration of PARCC / Smarter Balances assessments

Summer 2015: Set achievement levels, including college-ready performance levels

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Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

The President signed treaty on behalf of US in 2009 Submitted to Senate in May 2012 for ratification Senate vote on the treaty fell five votes short The treaty requires no changes to U.S. laws or new

appropriations. 156 countries have signed onto the treaty 134 countries have ratified the treaty November 21, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations

Committee held a second hearing on the ratification of the treaty

New FERPA Guidance Released

Department’s Privacy Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) released new guidance

“Protecting Students Privacy While Using Online Educational Services: Requirements and Best Practices”

To help interpret and understand the major laws and best practices protecting student privacy while using online educational services

http://ptac.ed.gov/ Webinar held on March 13 can be accessed.

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Other Agenda – 113th Congress

Home Visiting SCHIP Perkins (career and tech ed) Education Sciences Reform Act Research WIA - Rehab TANF Developmental Disabilities Act SAMHSA Head Start Act Child Care Development Block Grant ESEA IDEA

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Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2013 S. 1086 –Senate just passed 96-2 House is planning a hearing on CCDBG this morning To reauthorize the Child Care and Development Block

Grant (CCDBG) for the first time in over 17 years. Bipartisan bill requires states ensure child care

providers receiving CCDBG funding: Comprehensive background check, Basic minimum training in health and safety practices,

and An annual unannounced inspection.

House Plan on CCDBG

Chairman Klein - “Senate passage of legislation to reauthorize the Child Care and Development Block Grant is a step forward in the shared goal of strengthening the nation’s existing network of early childhood services. The bill includes several commonsense provisions that will help empower parents and enhance coordination between CCDBG and other federal early care programs, such as Head Start. The committee will convene a hearing on March 25, 2014 to examine House priorities for CCDBG, and I look forward to a productive discussion as we work to find common ground and complete the reauthorization of this important program.”

Home Visiting

Must be reauthorized by September 30, 2014 Hard sunset Provided $1.5 billion for fiscal years 2010 –

2014.  Effort to add to the Medicare Sustainable

Growth Rate (SGR) which is connected to physician payment rates. 

National Day of Action for MIECHV Reauthorization was held on March 12

Other Legislation Pending

Reauthorization of the Combating Autism Act set to sunset Sept. 30, 2014

H.R. 4040, Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act to amend IDEA to improve results for children who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind and visually impaired.

Great Teaching and Leading for Great Schools Act introduced in the House to amend Title II of ESEA related to teacher and principal professional development and evaluation; endorsed by education groups

More Bills…

S. 1968/H.R. 4000 Scholarship for Kids Act turns more than half of federal education funds into vouchers

S. 1909 The CHOICE Act includes IDEA funds in the voucher plan

To track bills and get bill language http://thomas.loc.gov/home/thomas.php

Restraint and Seclusion

“Keeping All Students Safe Act” H.R. 1893 George Miller (D-CA), and Gregg Harper (R-MS) Senator Harkin introduced the “Keeping All Students

Safe Act” S. 2036 Has been a 4 year effort March 2012, the Civil Rights Data Collection reported

nearly 40,000 students physically restrained during the 2009-10 school year

Data also showed restraint and seclusion are disproportionately used upon students with disabilities and minority students

Federal School Discipline Guidance Released Released January 2014 by the U.S. Departments of

Education and Justice Assists in developing practices and strategies to

enhance school climate and in improving school discipline policies and practices

Includes a Dear Colleague Letter explaining schools’ obligations under federal law to administer student discipline without discriminating on basis of ace, color or national origin

http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/school-discipline/index.html

Civil Rights Data Released 2011-12 CRDC collection: Issue Brief #1 March 2014 Suspension of preschool children. Black students represent 18

percent of preschool enrollment but 42 percent of preschool students suspended once, and 48 percent of the preschool students suspended more than once.

Access to courses necessary for college is inequitably distributed. Eighty-one percent of Asian-American high school students and 71 percent of white high school students attend high schools where the full range of math and science courses are offered.  Black students (57 percent), Latino students (67 percent), students with disabilities (63 percent), and English learner students (65 percent) also have diminished access to the full range of courses.

Disparities in high school retention.  Twelve percent of black students are retained in grade nine – about double the rate that all students are retained (six percent).  Additionally, students with disabilities served by IDEA and English learners make up 12 percent and five percent of high school enrollment, respectively, but 19 percent and 11 percent of students held back or retained a year, respectively.

Learn more about the CRDC at ocrdata.ed.gov

Discipline Disparities Research-to-Practice Collaborative Group released collection of resources calling for change to discipline

policies.   The group found clear evidence that students of color, particularly

African-Americans, and students with disabilities are suspended at hugely disproportionate rates compared to white students, perpetuating racial and educational inequality across the country.

“And we are never going to close the achievement gap until we close this discipline gap,” added Daniel J. Losen, a member of the Collaborative and the director of the Center for Civil Rights Remedies at UCLA. 

Citing data from U.S. Department of Education, the Collaborative said more than 3 million students in grades K-12 were suspended during the 2009-10 academic year, a steady rise since the 70’s when the suspension rate was half that level.  

Package includes” Policy recommendations for district, state and federal officials; Effective discipline alternatives for school personnel, and a Description for researchers of recent studies and urgent, unanswered

questions that should be addressed. 

Charter Schools House hearing The House Committee on Education and the

Workforce, chaired by Rep. John Kline (R-MN), today held a hearing entitled, “Raising the Bar: The Role of Charter Schools in K-12 Education.”

Chairman Kline said, “For many children and their parents, charter schools are a beacon of hope for a better education – and a better life.  The schools are extraordinarily in demand; wait lists for charter schools have grown steadily in recent years, reaching a new record of 920,000 students in 2012.”

House passed Student Success Act included provisions to reauthorize the Charter Schools Program and encourage the growth and expansion of these institutions. Read more about the Student Success Act here.

Public comment process on increased data collection for the charter schools national database related to children with disabilities

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Farm Bill/Nutrition Reauthorization

Conferees reached agreement reconciling differences between the Senate and House passed bills

Includes agriculture and nutrition provisions

Contains $8.6 billion in cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program over 10 years

Passed House by vote of 251-166 Passed Senate by a vote of 68-32

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Affordable Care Act (ACA)

4th anniversary of ACA on March 23, 2014 House passed bills over 50 times to repeal or

change ACA Deadline for signing up for insurance in 2014

is March 31, 2014 Healthcare.gov Since October 1, more than 5 million people

have signed up for coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace. 

Optional State Medicaid Expansion Exchange Program

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Online Updates

Dept Education's Office of Early Learning

list serv and monthly newsletter at

www.ed.gov/early-learning White House Disability Group

email disability@who.eop.gov and provide your full name, city, state, and organization.

Bi weekly Ed Review email Adam.Honeysett@ed.gov 

CEC’S LEGISLATIVE ACTION CENTER

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