IDEA Money Watch
Vol. 1, Number 4         September 2009
In This Issue
The Balance Sheet
More Money ~ More Guidance
AT Gets a Nod
IDEA Money Watch Goes to Capitol Hill

IDEA Money Watch
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Blog Bytes
 
Check out these recent reports from around the states: 

- CALIFORNIAMeet the Face of "Meets Requirements"

- DISTRICT of COLUMBIA: What Improved Performance?

 - TENNESSEE LEA Ratings Now Available
Stimulating Reads

AASA:  A survey of 160 school administrators conducted in July and August 2009 reports on how districts are using education Recovery Act funds.
Press Release :: Survey Results

AEI:  Special Report 2
$75 Billion in formula grants failed to drive reform. Can $5 billion in competitive grants do the job? Find out here.
Government
Accountability Office
(GAO)
Following the Money ...

The GAO's bimonthly reviews, Following the Money, examine how Recovery Act funds -- including IDEA funds -- are being spent and whether they are achieving the act's goals.  Reviews focus on 16 states and the District of Columbia, which contain about 65 percent of the U.S. population and will receive about two-thirds of the  grants funds available through the Recovery Act.  More...

If you are in one of the following states, be sure to check out the GAO bimonthly reviews and meet your GAO contact:
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Greetings!

IDEA Money Watch, a project of The Advocacy Institute, is keeping track of the use of $11.3 billion in federal IDEA Part B funds being provided to local school districts as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Special education advocates across the nation are keeping watch on the use of these funds and how the academic achievement of students with disabilities is improving as a result.

Thanks for your interest in this project!

The Advocacy Institute
The Balance Sheet
 
Thanks, Tom! 
    
In late August, IDEA Money Watch was thrilled to learn that Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies and newly named chairman of the  Senate  Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pension (HELP), had  communicated to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan his concern regarding the use of IDEA funds provided in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
 
Specifically, Harkin noted his concern that some States -- as reported by IDEA Money Watch -- are relaxing the criteria used to determine if districts are meeting the requirements of the IDEA, resulting in districts being eligible to reduce local special education expenditures by an amount equal to up to half of their increase in IDEA federal funds in FY 2009 (which includes ARRA funds). In his communication, Harkin reminded the Secretary that the investment made by the ARRA will not reap the intended benefits for students with disabilities if districts that are not fulfilling IDEA requirements -- measured by both compliance and performance data -- are allowed to reduce local spending on special education.
 
Read this month's Balance Sheet.
More Money ~ More Guidance
 
USED releases balance of IDEA Recovery Act Funds plus guidance on possible uses
  
On September 4, 2009 the U.S. Dept. of Education (USEd) announced the release of the  remaining 50% of IDEA Recovery Act funds --
$6.1 billion -- to states "one month early to help save jobs and drive reform." (Use our IDEA State Facts look-up tool to  see your state's total Recovery Act allocation.)

Along with the money comes 40 pages of "guidance on possible uses of IDEA Part B ARRA funds that are likely to have an impact on student learning outcomes and school reform."  The guidance points out that "An LEA must use IDEA Part B ARRA funds only for the excess costs of providing special education and related services to children with disabilities, except where IDEA specifically provides otherwise*." (All USEd guidance released to date is available in our Resources section.)

The guidance also recommends that "prior to making decisions about how to spend ARRA funds, LEAs and schools should consider the views of a wide array of stakeholders, including general and special education LEA and school leaders, as well as teachers, students, and families and review existing data, identify areas of greatest need, and focus on effective strategies that are consistent with their overall plan for improving student achievement effectively within 2 years."

We would love to hear from parents and advocates whose "views" are solicited and considered in the planning of how to spend IDEA ARRA funds. As soon as this guidance was released, we did hear from a Chicago advocate about his organization's attempts to provide input to the Chicago Public Schools.

More about the guidance further in this newsletter and in next month's Balance Sheet.

*Two exceptions are when IDEA Part B funds are used for coordinated early intervening services (CEIS) or are consolidated in a Title I schoolwide school under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).
Assistive Technology Gets a Nod from USEd

"Benefits not fully realized ..."

We were pleased to see that "Assistive Technology" made the list of USEd's recommended uses of IDEA ARRA funds. According to the new guidance, "Unfortunately, in some cases, the benefits of AT devices and services are not fully realized because the technology does not match the child's needs and capabilities, or because the training and support are not provided to the child or to the child's teachers or parents. In some cases, AT devices and services remain unused and underutilized and the child's need for AT devices and services goes unmet."

We agree! To get more info, we chatted with two leading experts in AT to find out what they are seeing out in the field. Listen to our PODCAST with Dr. Sean Smith,  Associate Professor at University of Kansas, and Ruth Ziolkowski, President of Don Johnston, Inc.

To help parents and advocates gain an understanding of AT and what is required by the IDEA, view archives of two Advocate Academy Webinars on AT and read AT Advocacy by Dr. Dave Edyburn.


Tell us your AT success stories or post them to your state's IDEA Money Watch blog!

IDEA Money Watch Goes to Capitol Hill

Thanks to Emily Hall Tremaine and Mitsubishi Electric America Foundations!

In July, IDEA Money Watch was honored to participate in a Hill Forum to discuss the IDEA funds provided by the Recovery Act. The event was sponsored by two private foundations that have a long and strong interest in children with disabilities - the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation and the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation.

The Forum was held in the oh-so-beautiful new Capitol Visitor Center and provided lively discussion from a number of panelists. We provided handouts to help inform attendees about our work. Our friend Travis Hicks at Thompson Publishing provided a report on the event.


Postnote: This week we learned that founding executive director at Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation, Rayna Aylward, will become special assistant in the office of the U.S. Secretary of Education.
Under her new presidential appointment, which starts Oct. 5, she will help build federal-foundation partnerships and strengthen special education programs. We look forward to working with Rayna in her new capacity!

IDEA Money Watch relies on the support of dedicated parents and advocates across the country.

Please forward this message to friends and colleagues by using the "Forward email" link below. And please contact us if you would like to become part of our nationwide network!