[Nfbc-info] support for O&M legislation

[Shannon Dillon]

Hi all,
Below and attached find information concerning school districts
limiting O&M instruction off campus. There is contact information and
a sample letter.  Please take action suggested below and please share
this information with others who would be interested.

O&M/ECC Bill:  Ready to Fly!
Update from the CAOMS FAPE Committee
1/20/19

As many of you know, the CAOMS ad hoc FAPE Committee has been working
for more than a year to address the problem of school districts
limiting off-campus O&M lessons.  In January of 2018, the FAPE
Committee conducted a survey of O&M specialists throughout California.
Of the 64 O&M Specialists who responded, representing 53 different
school districts and SELPAs, 39% reported that they cannot provide
adequate community-based instruction because they are not permitted to
drive their students and are not provided with viable transportation
through the school system.  Some districts, shockingly, do not allow
O&Ms to conduct lessons on public transportation!  The FAPE
Committee’s legal counsel agrees that such practices are a violation
of the IDEA.  More importantly, such limitations mean that many of our
visually impaired youth are graduating from high school without the
O&M skills they need to succeed in adult life.

To address this serious problem, the FAPE Committee initiated a
community organizing campaign using a dual bottom-up, top-down
approach.  The Committee stated with outreach to O&Ms, parents,
advocacy groups, education professionals, and professionals in
community-based non-profit organizations to establish a coalition of
individuals committed to correcting this injustice.  Two lawyers
associated with our work, including a representative of Disability
Rights of California, are available to talk to parents concerned about
their children’s services.  In addition, the Committee also has been
working on a bill to present to the state legislature.  We have
reached a major milestone in our journey!

On Friday, January 19, Jeff Thom, Governmental Affairs Director for
the California Council of the Blind and the chief architect of the
bill, reported, “I am extremely pleased to report that Assemblywoman
Sharon Quirk-Silva will be introducing our special education bill this
year. It is only one step in what will undoubtedly be a long road, but
it is a major step and the work is well worth it for our students who
are blind or have low vision. If we continue the great collaboration
between advocates, parents, and those in the field, we can make a real
difference.”

What you can do:
•	Read the CAOMS newsletters and emails.
•	Be on the lookout for Action Alerts, and take action!
•	Contact us:  caomsfape at gmail.com.
•	We will need your support!


Action Alert
CAOMS FAPE Committee
caomsfape at gmail.com
Rev 1/19/19

Our blind and visually impaired youth need full access to the Expanded
Core Curriculum, including off-campus Orientation & Mobility lessons!
Our bill is ready to go to the California legislature! Assembly Member
Sharon Quirk-Silva from Orange County has agreed to introduce our bill
this year.  Please contact Assembly Member Sharon Quirk-Silva to thank
her for agreeing to author the bill and to let her know how important
this issue is for our students!

Phone, Capitol:  916-319-2065
Phone, District: (714) 521-6505
Tiwtter:  @QuirkSilva65th	
Mailing Address:  PO Box 6256, Buena Park, CA 90622
Physical Address, Capitol:  State Capitol - Room # 6012, Sacramento, CA  94249
Physical Address, District:  Gilbert West High School, 6855 La Palma
Ave, Buena Park, CA 90620
Web link to email:
https://lcmspubcontact.lc.ca.gov/PublicLCMS/ContactPopup.php?district=AD65

Sample letter:
Dear Assembly Member Quirk-Silva,
I am a parent/mobility teacher/Braille teacher/your role of visually
impaired students in the school system.  I am very concerned about the
restrictions that some educational jurisdictions place on instruction
for blind and visually impaired students.  I feel that it is critical
for these students to have full access to the specialized instruction
that meets their individual needs, as outlined in the Expanded Core
Curriculum.  This should include community-based Orientation &
Mobility instruction as appropriate.  Children with visual
impairments, just like their non-disabled peers, have the right to
graduate high school with the education and skills they need to be
successful in adult life.  I am pleased that you have agreed to author
a bill to address this issue.  Thank you for your support!
Sincerely,





-- 
SHANNON L. DILLON
Secretary and Legislative Coordinator
National Federation of the Blind
of California
The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and
friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind.
Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they
want.
www.nfbcal.org
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