What’s Happening in Washington D.C.

What’s Happening in Washington D.C.
Sharon Walsh University of Hartford UCONN UCEDD March 25, 2014 1

Agenda Congressional Climate Federal Budget Early Learning ESEA Assessment Other Congressional Activity 3

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 4

Is Compromise Becoming Valued Again? Maybe….Maybe Not… 5

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%

Budget Agreement Reached December 2014 Funding Passed in January Debt Ceiling Increase Completed 7 7

Federal Budget FY 2012 8

Budget Control Act of 2011 9 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

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 10

Funding Cuts Due to Sequestration 2013 9

Sequestration = Full Funding Plunges to 14.5% 11

Final IDEA FY 2013

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

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

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.

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

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

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 Funding Levels FFY 2014 2014 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

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 41

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

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

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

American Association of Administrators, Policy Insider Oct 2011

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 deadline Funding Flexibility Changes to Accountability Flexibility for HQT Plans

ESEA WAIVERS 49 42 States + Washington, DC have waivers

Student Success Act (HR 5) House Version of ESEA Much of the education & disability community does not support the bill 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

Strengthening America’s Schools Act Senate Version of ESEA Most of disability community supported much of the bill; education community split on the bill Passed Senate Health, Education, Labor, Pensions (HELP) Committee June 12, 2013 Passed with only Democrat support Two days of debate and amendments

Teacher Evaluation: A SHIFT IN FOCUS Highly Qualified Highly Effective Outputs Inputs

CEC TOOLS Visit: www.cec.sped.org Policy & Advocacy Teacher Evaluation Toolkit for Special Educators! CEC Position on Special Education Teacher Evaluation

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 http://www.parcconline.org/ Computer Based

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

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.

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 61

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. 62

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

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 72

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 73

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 www.cec.sped.org Choose: Policy & Advocacy Choose: Take Action!

What’s Happening in Washington D.C.