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Dept of Education OSERS Update 3-8-02
MEMORANDUM UNITED
STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION
AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES
OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY
ASSISTANT SECRETARY'S MEMORANDUM
ASM-01
DATE: March 4, 2002
TO : OSERS' Customers and Partners
FROM : Robert H. Pasternack,
Ph.D.
Assistant Secretary, OSERS
SUBJECT : Update on OSERS'
Activities and Initiatives
· FY'02 Budget Highlights · IDEA Reauthorization
Update · Reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act
· RSA VR Longitudinal Study · Interagency Committee
on Disability Research (ICDR) Meets
In an effort to maintain open lines of communication between OSERS and its customers and partners, this is the first in a series of memoranda you will receive from my office. Just as the President prepares a State of the Union address, I envision that these regular memoranda will serve as my update on the "State of OSERS," informing you about my activities and about the activities of OSERS as a whole.
It is an exciting time for the Department and OSERS. With Secretary Paige at his side, the President recently signed into law the No Child Left Behind Act - the most sweeping reform of federal education policy in a generation. Many of us in OSERS will be involved in its implementation. To find out more about the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, visit http://www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/esea/index.html.
Secretary Paige has sworn in members of the President's Commission on Excellence in Special Education (PCESE). This is the first Presidential Commission of its kind and provides us the historical opportunity to achieve excellence in special education. In an address to Commission members, the Secretary stated, "When the President says he wants a system of education in which no child is left behind, he means it literally. He means children with disabilities most of all."
I am the Federally Designated Official for PCESE, and OSERS is providing administrative and other support to the Commission. The Commission's goal is to collect information and study issues related to federal, state and local special education programs and to recommend policies for improving the educational performance of students with disabilities. Stay tuned to the PCESE Web site for updates about the Commission's activities: http://www.ed.gov/inits/commissionsboards/whspecialeducation/index.html.
I welcome your feedback and look forward to working with you to improve the lives of people with disabilities.
REGIONAL PUBLIC FORUMS ON
THE REAUTHORIZATION OF IDEA
Last Fall was a busy time for us. I participated in eight
informal public forums across the country to hear from interested
parents, educators, students with disabilities, administrators,
school board members, policy makers and practitioners - all
provided input critical to the upcoming reauthorization of
IDEA.
Our whirlwind tour took us to the following cities: Salt Lake City, Utah; Mobile, Alabama; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Providence, Rhode Island; Reno, Nevada; Anchorage, Alaska; San Antonio, Texas; and Washington, D.C.
We held day and night sessions to accommodate parents of children with disabilities, and stipends were offered for those who needed childcare. What we heard confirmed issues previously brought to the attention of Department of Education staff and also gave us new insight into the issues practitioners want us to examine as we look at reauthorization. We asked that people tell us what's working in special education and challenges they face implementing the current version of IDEA.
Following these forums, a notice was published in the Federal Register seeking public comment on the IDEA. (This notice also withdrew part C proposed rules.) Your input is critically important to me, so I hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to provide your thoughts on issues we should address in the upcoming reauthorization.
GEARING UP FOR REAUTHORIZATION
OF THE REHABILITATION ACT
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is scheduled to be reauthorized
in fiscal year 2003. We have already begun the internal review
process and will be engaging in a wide range of other reauthorization
activities, including the solicitation of input across our
constituencies. All efforts will culminate in the development
of specific legislative proposals that facilitate high-quality
and highly-effective programs for people with disabilities,
designed to improve results and outcomes for these individuals.
THE '02 BUDGET AND ITS IMPACT ON OSERS' COMPONENTS
REHABILITATION SERVICES
ADMINISTRATION (RSA)
RSA received $20 million in new funds to support "Access
to Telework" projects under the President's New Freedom
Initiative. RSA anticipates that these funds will be used
for 40 state projects that will provide loans to individuals
with disabilities to purchase computers and other equipment
to increase employment possibilities through telework. This
will address the high unemployment rate for adults with disabilities
articulated in the President's New Freedom Initiative.
The Center for Independent Living Program received a $4.5
million increase. Increased funding for this program will
mean that approximately 24-26 new centers can be established
and that existing centers can receive funding above base level.
The Independent Living (IL) for Older Blind Individuals Program received a $5 million increase. This program is a formula grant program. These additional funds will go to State programs, and it is anticipated that this will result in substantially more individuals receiving services. States might also use the increase for personnel development to improve the quality of services provided to each consumer.
The American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Program received an increase of $2 million; and advocacy programs also received increases.
NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR DISABILITY
AND REHABILITATION RESEARCH (NIDRR)
NIDRR continues to support a wide range of activities in Disability
and Rehabilitation Research. In FY 2002, NIDRR will have competitions
for four Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers, six
Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects, five Advanced
Rehabilitation Research Training Centers, 30 Field Initiated
Projects, 10 Switzer Fellowships, and Model Systems in Traumatic
Brain Injury and Burn Rehabilitation.
NIDRR AND THE NEW FREEDOM
INITIATIVE (NFI)
For FY 2002, the NIDRR role in the New Freedom Initiative
consists of increases in the Rehabilitation Engineering Research
Centers (RERCs) Program, the Assistive Technology Fund, increased
activity for the Interagency Committee on Disability Research
(ICDR), and increases in the Alternative Financing Program
under the Assistive Technology Act.
The RERC Program has been increased by 90% since the New Freedom Initiative was originally proposed in June 2000. The additional funding in FY 2002 ($5.6 M) represents an increase of approximately 30% over FY 2001. The Requests for Applications that will be published in the next few weeks are targeted to address significant problems of people with a range of physical and mental disabilities and to build the capacity of the field of Rehabilitation Engineering.
The Technology Fund ($5 M) will be implemented using the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) grants program. This will enable small businesses to utilize newly available technologies to develop new assistive technology for people with disabilities.
The ICDR will, for the first time, receive funding ($3 M) to facilitate the coordination of disability and rehabilitation research by agencies throughout the federal government. The ICDR will develop new infrastructure through the World Wide Web and telecommunication systems to facilitate formal and informal meetings among member agencies. It will support state of the science and consensus meetings to identify the most important problems in disability and rehabilitation research. A major effort is planned to reach out to consumers to ensure that their viewpoints are incorporated into disability research, through their ongoing participation in ICDR activities.
The Alternative Financing Program under the Assistive Technology Act will be expanded to $36 M to enhance the ability of people with disabilities to obtain needed assistive technology. This program supports statewide, consumer-driven, technology-related assistance networks that work to reduce barriers to the availability, acquisition, and use of assistive technology devices and services for individuals of all ages with disabilities.
OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION
PROGRAMS (OSEP)
For FY 2002, Congress appropriated $8.7 billion for IDEA funding,
an increase of 18% over FY 2001. The major programs under
IDEA, comprising 97% of the appropriations, are the Part B
Grants to States, Preschool Grants, and Part C Infant and
Toddler programs.
States will receive approximately $1,160 per child, which represents 17% of the national average per pupil expenditure (APPE). An estimated 6.4 million children with disabilities ages 3-21 are projected to be served during FY 2002. Formula grant funds help States meet the costs of providing early intervention, special education and related services to children with disabilities.
The Part D National Activities were provided $337 million, an increase of $10 million or 3% over FY 2001. Funds under the National Activities programs are awarded through competitive grants in areas such as research, personnel preparation, technical assistance and parent training to help States, schools, teachers, and families to improve results for children with disabilities.
NAS STUDY RELEASE
On January 16, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) released
the congressionally mandated comprehensive two-year study
regarding the disproportionate number of students from minority
backgrounds in special education programs.
A committee of experts from the fields of psychology, child development, cognitive science, sociology, anthropology, education, measurement, law, and statistics studied the disproportionate placement of minority students in special education programs, with attention to over-and under-representation. OSERS will work with the Department to identify what our next steps should be to address the findings of the Report and recommendations. The 350-page report can be obtained from the National Research Council's National Academy Press Web site: http://books.nap.edu/books/0309074398/html/index.html.
RSA VR LONGITUDINAL STUDY
The Longitudinal Study of the Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Program initiated in 1993 is due to complete activities in
2003. Four reports will be disseminated in FY 2002, and a
report on two additional years of extended follow-up on the
consumer population will be published in 2003.
To maximize dissemination of study findings to the widest possible audience, a National Dissemination Conference will be held in Washington D.C. in July 2002.
Key findings to date are:
· Among consumers who obtained a competitive employment
outcome as a result of VR services, 84% were working one year
after their case files were closed, and 78% were still working
three years later;
· At case file closure, the consumers were making an
average of $7.56 per hour, and three years later they were
earning an average of $13.48 per hour;
· At case file closure, 38.2% had health insurance,
and three years later, 58.8% had health benefits;
· Overall, 72 percent of all consumers who were receiving
or had received services in VR were very satisfied or somewhat
satisfied with their choice and receipt of those services.
FEDERAL INTERAGENCY COORDINATING
COUNCIL (FICC) MEETING
The Federal Interagency Coordinating Council (FICC) met on
December 13, 2001. The FICC is charged with advising the Secretaries
of Education, Health and Human Services, Agriculture, Defense,
Interior, and the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration
on matters related to their responsibilities for serving young
children from birth through age five, with or at risk of disabilities,
and their families, who receive early intervention or preschool
services under the IDEA.
As you know, I am honored to chair the FICC and am assisted by co-chair, Hedy Hansen, a parent representative from California. Many new federal agency members attended this first meeting under the Bush Administration and shared information about their agency's agendas related to young children with disabilities. I encouraged the members to become actively involved in FICC activities and to focus their interagency energies and resources on two issues critical to the lives of these children and their families -- child care and health/mental health care. These issues will focus the activities of the FICC during FY 2002. FICC will meet again on March 13 and March 14.
INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE ON
DISABILITY RESEARCH (ICDR) MEETING
The Interagency Committee on Disability Research (ICDR) held
its first meeting on December 7, 2001, and appointed NIDRR
Director Steve Tingus as Chair. The agenda included a discussion
of:
· Updates from the Technologies for Successful Aging
meeting
· The New Freedom Initiative (NFI)
· Future directions of the ICDR
· Agency Reports
The Technologies for Successful
Aging meeting was jointly sponsored by NIDRR, the White House
Office of Science and Technology Policy, Veterans Affairs,
the Administration on Aging, and the National Institutes of
Health. The group discussed the application of science and
technology to allow older adults with disabilities to live
independently 10 years longer by the year 2010. Related discussion
included:
· Reducing the disabling effects of age-related, chronic
conditions
· Promoting functional independence
· Reducing caregiver burden
· Promoting community integration and active engagement
The possibility of creating a new ICDR subcommittee on this topic was discussed.
In other business, Jennifer
Sheehy of the White House Domestic Policy Council was invited
to lead a discussion about the New Freedom Initiative. Her
presentation included:
· An overview of the NFI and its implementation and
funding; and
· Themes to update the report when the NFI enters Phase
II.
The ICDR will meet again on March 12, June 12, and September 10, 2002. These meetings will all be held in Washington, D.C., and I invite you to attend, if possible.
INTERAGENCY SUBCOMMITTEE
ON DISABILITY STATISTICS (ISDS)
The ICDR Interagency Subcommittee on Disability Statistics
(ISDS) will meet via video conference the second Wednesday
of each month. The next meeting is from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.
on March 13 in the Mary E. Switzer (MES) Building, room 3065.
This is the first year the subcommittee will meet under the
auspices of the Department of Education.
Upcoming topics for meetings include: reports on significant conferences and meetings that focus on disability statistics, ADA accommodation issues across various agencies, data for the NFI, and reports from NIDRR grantees. Participation in the ISDS meetings is open to persons who are interested in disability statistics and issues, producers of products dealing with disability, and users and advocates of disability statistics. For more information, contact David Keer at (202) 205-5633 or david.keer@ed.gov
IN THE NEXT MEMORANDUM ·
· ·
· The release of the 23rd Annual Report to Congress
on the Implementation of IDEA
· A new OSEP Director
· NFI phase II and how OSERS will be involved
· Department of ED's new Internal Communications initiatives
· Update on IDEA Reauthorization
· Profiles of new OSERS staff
· Other issues important to you
Note: Please let our Communications
Director, Juliette Rizzo, know your thoughts and reactions
to this attempt to improve external communication. Your feedback
is important to me, and I look forward to ongoing efforts
to facilitate and promote external communication. Juliette
can be reached at juliette.rizzo@ed.gov.