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Public Policy

Legislative News

Paid for with private funds

Autism Spectrum Disorder Task Force Releases Report

The Autism Spectrum Disorder Task Force was created by the Minnesota Legislature in 2009 to develop recommendations and report on the following topics:

• Ways to improve services provided by all state and political subdivisions.
• Sources of public and private funding available for treatment and ways to improve efficiency in the use of these funds.
• Methods to improve coordination in the delivery of service between public and private agencies, health providers, and schools, and to address any geographic discrepancies in the delivery of services.
• Increasing the availability of and the training for medical providers and educators who identify and provide services to individuals with ASD.
• Treatment options supported by peer-reviewed, established scientific research for individuals with ASD.

Tracking the impact of the 2009 legislative changes to the PCA program

To help the Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (MN-CCD) to be effective in our advocacy at the legislature this session, we are working to gather information from individuals and families who use PCA services. Please take the time to complete the following brief survey to help MN-CCD gather this important information. Take the MN-CCD Survey.

Minnesota Special Education Taskforce Releases Report

The Special Education Taskforce Report was heard in the House K-12 Education Finance Committee chaired by Mindy Greiling on February 17, 2009. Consumer and special education advocates submitted as part of that report, their summary of the process and outcomes. The contents of the report is now in the hands of our state legislators to determine which rules and statutes will be eliminated or revised. The full contents of the report are in the following:
following:

BMS Letter—Bureau of Mediation Services cover letter summarizing the taskforce and the process.

Special Education Rule Report—Summarizes Minnesota state rules examined and taskforce member voting/comments.

Parent and Parent Advocacy Response—A report prepared by parent and parent advocacy group members on the taskforce that was included as an addendum.

2009 Aversive Deprivation Review—A chart examining proposed amendments from National Alliance on Mental Illness of Minnesota (NAMI), Minnesota Administrators for Special Education (MASE), and Minnesota Disability Law (DLC) Center on aversive deprivation and taskforce comments.

The special education taskforce was created in 2007 by the state legislature to compare the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requirements with Minnesota laws and rules for the purpose of determining which laws and rules exceed the federal ones and make recommendations on which ones could be eliminated. The taskforce’s focus was changed in 2008 to allow them to also provide recommendations on which state laws and rules could be revised.

For more information, contact Heather Kilgore, Public Policy Director, PACER Center at policy@pacer.org, (952)838-9000 and read more in the PACESETTER Summer 2008.

Economic Stimulus Package Increases Special Education Funding

Special education received some good news through additional funding for the next two years totaling $12.2 billion total for IDEA. This includes $11.3 billion for IDEA Part B (age 3-21), $400 million for IDEA preschool funding (age 3-5), and $500 million for Part C (Birth-2) . This will move the federal share of special education funding from 17.2% to 34.2% for the next two years. For Minnesota this would mean an estimated increase of $189.8 million for Part B, $7.7 million for Part B Preschool funding, and $7 million for Part C. School districts will be given the flexibility to use 50% of federal special education funds as local aid (toward maintenance of effort) for the first year only. The full stimulus bill can be found at http://appropriations.house.gov/. The provisions relating to special education, IDEA, and the Stabilization fund are in the Document marked Bill Text, Division A http://appropriations.house.gov/pdf/Recovery_Bill_Div_A.pdf.

U.S. Department of Education, Assistance to States for the Education of Children with Disabilities, ED-2008-OSERS-005
New regulations of the federal Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) became effective on December 31, 2008. Two changes of particular importance to parents of children with disabilities involve a parent’s right to revoke consent for special education and related services and representation of parents and schools by non-attorneys in due process hearings. The full text of the regulations can be viewed at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-28175.pdf

Minnesota Special Education Taskforce

The taskforce was created in 2007 by the state legislature to compare the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requirements with Minnesota laws and rules for the purpose of determining which laws and rules exceed the federal ones. In addition, the taskforce was to provide recommendations on which state laws and rules could be eliminated. Since the taskforce did not complete its work by February 15, 2008, the state legislature has extended it for another year. It is required to submit its final report on February 15, 2009. Key changes were made in the taskforce extension, which included adding another parent advocacy organization representative, allowing the taskforce to make recommendations on how to change laws and rules, and make recommendations on aversive/deprivation rules. For more information, contact Heather Kilgore, Public Policy Director, PACER Center at policy@pacer.org, (952)838-9000 and read more in the PACESETTER Summer 2008.

Federal Proposed Rules for Assistance to States for the Education of Children with Disabilities and Preschool Grants for Children with Disabilities: Preliminary Questions & Considerations

The Secretary of Education released proposed regulations for 34 CFR part 300 governing the Assistance to States for the Education of Children with Disabilities Program and Preschool Grants for Children with Disabilities Program on May 13, 2008. The deadline for public comments is July 28, 2008. The proposed rules that are found in the 73 Federal Register 27690 (May 13, 2008) raise a number of key areas of concern for parents and advocates for children with disabilitiess. The Center for Law and Education, Boston, Massachusetts has provided an analysis and key discussion questions for these proposed rules.

IDEA 2004 Final Regulations
The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs released the final regulations for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA) in August, 2006.