[NFBNJ] Legislative Alert 3/19/2020

[joe ruffalo]

Greetings to all!
Received fromRyan Stevens, NFBNJ Legislative Director.
>From the NFBNJ, Baltimore, Maryland

While we are home, please read and share with others.
Make your voices heard!
Joe

--

Joe,


Can you please forward this to the NFBNJ distribution list? This is 
imperative for blind and disabled children.



Thanks and take care,

   Ryan



Ryan Stevens, Legislative Director

National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey







From: NFBNet-Members-List <nfbnet-members-list-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf 
Of Flynt, Stephanie via NFBNet-Members-List
Sent: Thursday, March 19, 2020 4:21 PM
To: nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Nfbnet-members-list] Legislative Alert 3/19/2020



My Federation Brothers and Sisters:



It has come to our attention that IDEA Rights May Be Waived by Congress! As 
part of the Senate’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Chairman Lamar 
Alexander (R-TN) has proposed to include a provision in the pending stimulus 
bill that would give the Secretary of Education authority to approve state 
waiver requests for any statutory and/or regulatory requirement of the 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for one year and 
extensions may also apply. The stimulus package is expected to drop as early 
as this weekend. This provision would be detrimental for children with 
disabilities. Covered entities such as Child Find, a free appropriate public 
education (FAPE), Individualized Education Program (IEP), all procedural 
safeguards, re-evaluations, related services and accommodations and more are 
at great risk.

We cannot allow this provision to pass.



Take Action NOW!



Currently offices are swamped with phone calls, so it may be better to email 
your two senators and urge them to oppose the Alexander IDEA Waiver 
provision.



When you call or email, you might say something like the following:



"Hello, my name is [your name] and I am a constituent of [your senator]. I 
live in [city, state]. I am calling to urge [your senator] to oppose Senator 
Lamar Alexander’s provision to waive all IDEA requirements. While the 
COVID-19 outbreak has placed a tremendous and unprecedented strain on 
schools and districts, it is imperative that we work together to find 
solutions that allow children to receive equal access to an education and 
the services that support them without undoing all of their civil and 
educational rights. I am writing as a concerned (parent, teacher, blind 
person, etc.) to urge you to reject any provision that would provide waiver 
authority to the Secretary of Education regarding the Individuals with 
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Over seven million children rely on IDEA 
to receive special education supports and services. I hope you will help 
schools by providing states with additional funding that can be used to 
provide teachers, school leaders, and families with the tools they need to 
connect to teach and support students. Please support the students with 
disabilities and their families that rely upon the IDEA to have equal access 
to education.



Sincerely,

(Your Name)”



Please note that due to the rapidly evolving legislation concerning the 
response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we find ourselves needing to focus on 
multiple issues simultaneously. Therefore, this legislative alert is in 
addition to yesterday’s alert on the ATAA. Please be sure to speak with or 
write to your senators and representative on both of these critical 
priorities.



You can contact your senators by calling the Capitol Switchboard and asking 
for the office in question. The number is 202-224-3121. If you email your 
senators, please copy Stephanie Flynt at sflynt at nfb.org. Your calls and 
emails do make a difference.



It is best to call or email the relevant education staffer in your member of 
Congress's office. If you need the name and email of the appropriate staff 
person for any Senate  office, please email Jesa Medders at 
jmedders at nfb.org.





Federationally Yours,

Stephanie





Stephanie Flynt

Government Affairs Specialist

National Federation of the Blind



P (410) 659-9314, Extension 2210

E: sflynt at nfb.org



www.nfb.org/advocacy






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