POLICY & ADVOCACY WHAT’S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON?CEC Convention April 2013

1

Today’s Agenda 9-10:20am

Election, ESEA, Waivers, Teacher Evaluation, CCSS Tests

10:20 – 10:30am BREAK

10:30-12pm School Safety and Mental Health, Teacher Preparation

Accountability, Early Learning, Research, Gifted, IDEA, WIA, Budget

2

ELECTION 2012: WHAT DID WE LEARN?The times they are a changing…3

Overview of 2012 Election Demography

Race and GenderWomen: Obama 55%LGBT: Obama 76% African American: Obama 93%Hispanic: Obama 71%Asian: Obama 73%White: Romney 59%

Obama’s share of the white vote shrank, but the overall number of

white voters also shrank.

4

5

EDUCATION LEGISLATION

6

ESEA IDEA Workforce Investment Act (WIA) CCDBG (17 years overdue!!) Education Sciences Reform Act Higher Education Act

7

ELEMENTARY & SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT (AKA NCLB)

8

9

CEC’s ESEA Guiding Principles

Supporting a Well Prepared Successful Educational Workforce Meaningful Systems that Encourage Collaborative and Supportive Measurement, Evaluation, and Reward of Professional Performance Strengthening Assessment and Accountability for ALL

Developing Improved Strategies that Create Positive School Reform Providing Full Funding to Execute the Goals and Provisions of ESEA

Meeting the Unique Needs of Gifted Learners Improving Outcomes for All Children Through the

Collaboration of All Educators

2007…2008…2009…2010…2011…2012

ESEA Reauthorization10

American Association of Administrators, Policy Insider Oct 2011

11

White House Announces Waivers September, 2011

12

Congress Acts!

Eliminated AYP Required new

teacher eval systems

Cut funding for 43 programs

Changed funding to block grant

Turnaround?

Eliminated AYP Encouraged new

teacher eval systems

Eliminated 2% Modified Tests

Codified 1% Alternate Tests

7 Turnaround Models

House Ed CommitteeSenate Help Committee

JavitsGrants

Jan 2012Oct 2011

13

ESEA WAIVERSSo, waivers are our ESEA reauthorization(At least for now …)

14

15

ESEA Waivers Remove 2014 AYP

deadline

Funding Flexibility

Changes to Accountability

Flexibility for HQT Plans

16

ESEA Waivers 4 Conditions:

Adopt College & Career Ready Standards

Develop Assessments that Measure Student Growth

Develop Differentiated Accountability System

Develop Guidelines for Local Teacher and Principal Evaluations Based on Effectiveness

ESEA WaiversTo receive an ESEA waiver, states had to

develop new guidelines for teacher/principal evaluation that: “take(s) into account data on student growth

in significant part” in determining teacher/principal performance” levels.” Measures of Student Growth in untested grades

and subjects include: “pre-tests, end-of-course tests, and objective

performance-based assessments, student learning objectives and other measures of student achievement that are rigorous and comparable across schools within

an LEA”

17

ESEA Waivers Blue States Have Waivers Green States are Under Review Plus, TX, WY,

PN, + 9 CA Districts

18

Waiver Concerns

No 2 State applications are the same. . .

MONITORING:• Every 3 Months?• New TA?• Amount of revisions? • New staffing needed?

19

TEACHER EVALUATION

Waiver concerns and beyond…20

Policymakers: A Shift in Focus

Highly Qualified

Highly Effective

InputsOutput

s

21

Policy Movers …

Race to the Top

41 State Applications Proposed Changes to Teacher Evaluation

systems

Now States are working it out.

Gates Foundation

: MET Study

Private Investment of $45 Million in Several Pilot Districts

22

System ComponentsComplex Role

Measure Evidence-Based PracticeRecognize ProfessionalismIncorporate Research

Components of Special Education Teacher Evaluations

23

Evaluations must clearly identify and be based on a special education teacher’s specific role and responsibilities during a given school year.

Evaluations must take into account the population of children and youth and their range of exceptionalities that special education teachers instruct.

Evaluations must be conducted by evaluators with expertise related to evidence-based service delivery models and individualized teaching practices and interventions in special education.

Teacher Evaluation Systems Shall:

Identify the Complex Role of the Special Education Teacher

38

Evaluations must be based on multiple reliable measures and indicators that support valid measurement of special education teacher effectiveness.

Evaluations should never be based solely on student growth.

Statistical models that estimate a teacher’s contribution to student growth, such as value-added models, should not be applied to any teacher until there is a general consensus among researchers that the model provides a valid estimate of a teacher’s contribution to student growth.

Teacher Evaluation Systems Shall:

Measure the Use of Evidence-Based Practices

39

Value Added Measurement

(VAM)

26

Use of IEP

•Multiple indicators of special education teacher effectiveness may include … IEP development and implementation.

•Evaluations should not use a student’s progress on their goals, objectives, and benchmarks in the IEP as a measure of a special education teacher’s contribution to student growth.

41

CCSS & THE FUTURE OF TESTING

New assessments, adaptive assessments, & racing to the top28

Race to the Top Assessment Contest29

$330 Million

Aligns with Common Core Standards

Two Consortia for 1% of students with significant cognitive disabilities

Two Consortia for 99% of students

1% Dynamic Learning Maps

Dynamic Learning Maps Alternate Assessment Program (DLM) – Kansas University $22 million 13 States - Iowa, Kansas, Michigan,

Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

Accessibility - keyboard, drag-and-drop, touch-screen, and compatible with a variety of assistive technologies commonly used by students.

30

1% National Center & State Collaborative

19 States: Alaska, Arizona Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Wyoming

31

99% Assessment Consortia: PARCC

Computer Based

32

33

99% Assessment Consortia: Smarter Balanced

Computer

Adaptive

TIMELINE 2012-13 School Year: First year pilot/field testing

and related research and data collection Fall 2012 – Small Scale Trials – 500 schools in 23 states February April

2013-14 School Year: Second year pilot/field testing and related research and data collection

2014-15 School Year: Full operational administration of PARCC assessments

Summer 2015: Set achievement levels, including college-ready performance levels

34

How long will it take students to take the test?

7.5 -8 Hours Over 5-9 Student Days Schools will deliver 2 x a year and have

a 20 day window to complete each session

35

Computer Adaptive Tests Definition: A test that uses the information it

receives during the test to determine which question to present the test-taker with next.

Several states use them (HI, OR, DE, UT) Only Oregon is approved for NCLB Purposes

Concerns: Is every student tested on the full range of grade

level content? Is every student seeing a similar mix of questions

that measure cognitively complex skills?

36

Get online and check them out!!

http://sampleitems.smarterbalanced.org/itempreview/sbac/index.htm

http://www.parcconline.org/sample-assessment-tasks

37

Accommodation Possibilities … Oregon – Braille Adaptive as of this

school year Refreshable displays

38

Accommodation Possibilities … Signing Avatars Not used as an accommodation in any state; Concerns about use for high stakestesting.

39

NEW OPPORTUNITIES IN GIFTED EDUCATION POLICY

40

Federal initiatives Senate: TALENT

ActSen. Grassley (R-IA)

Sen. Mikulski (D-MD)

Sen. Casey (D-PA)

41

TALENT Act

Supporting

Educator Developm

ent to Ensure

Academic Growth

Confronting and

Addressing the

National Excellence

Gap

Continuing Research

and Dissemination on Best Practices in Gifted

Ed

Providing Public

Transparency of

Student Achievement Data

42

The TALENT Act:Is a Pragmatic

Approach

Seeks to Raise Public

Awareness to GT Population

Weaves Gifted/High Ability into

Existing ESEA Structure

Is a Conversation

Starter43

IDEA2020????44

Total # Served by IDEA Part B is Decreasing

- 4.8%45

Total # with Autism Spectrum Disorder is Increasing

+ 10 % - 17%Annually

46

New Part B Consent (Medicaid) Rules!

New Regulations – Clearer, Easier Process NEW PROCESS = Before beginning services:

Provide parents written notification that Explains the protections available to parents Fully informs them of their IDEA rights

Obtain 1 time parent consent to access benefits

DONE!!March 18,

2013

47

IDEA/ESEA Equitable Services

March 14, 2013 Guidance Letter from USDOE To establish better public/private

relationships USDOE will : Host conf calls 2x/yr with state directors Facilitation public/private communication Encourage states to create state level private

school working groups Identify examples of promising practices Host Webinars to improve stakeholder

understanding

48

INCLUDING SWDSCHOOL SPONSORED SPORTS

49

GAO: Good news! Students with Disabilities are well

represented in PE classes both general PE classes and specialized opportunities when needed!

Based on its findings, and projections from its findings, the

GAO determined that almost 100% of students with disabilities are

taking advantage of adaptive and general PE through the country!

50

Creativity & Open Minds Prevent: Discrimination Train CoachesEnsure: Accommodations SWD – Hearing Impairment –visual cue or interpreter SWD - Learning Disability – allowed to

use indicator other than grades SWD – Diabetes –provide trained staff

to administer insulin, just as during the school day

Act: Talk to your Athletic Director/ Reach out to the Community

51

FEDERAL BUDGETWhat can we expect??52

The Federal Budget

U.S. Department of Education

= 1.32%

53

Budget: What does Congress Do?

Congress Funds the Federal Gov. for the Federal fiscal year

10/1-9/30Continui

ng Resoluti

on“CR”

Keep things

the same!!

Manages Debt

Debt Ceiling

Other Spending Cuts…

Sequestration

House & Senate Agree to a

Budget

54

55

FY 2012 US DOE Budget

FY 2012: Where did we end up?

IDEA Part B $11,577,86 Increase of $78 Million

IDEA Part BSection 619 $372,645 Level

IDEA Part C $442,710 Increase $5 Million

IDEA Part D $242,508 Level

Javits $0 EliminatedSpEd

Research $49.9 million Level

Total Amount Change56

After ATRA

(Aug 2011) Budget Control Act

SuperCommittee(FAILED Nov 2011)

Sequestration (Jan. 2, 2013)

Why do we have sequestration?

$1.2T

American Taxpayer Relief Act (ATRA) (Jan 2, 2013)

8% 5% (March 1)

(Nov 2010) Elections Tea Party

58

Where are we now? Continuing Resolution59

FY 2012 Levels – 5% Sequestration Cut =

IDEA Part B $10,998,260 Decrease $580 Million

IDEA Part BSection 619 $353,900

Decrease of $18,750 Million

IDEA Part C $420,439 Decrease of $23 Million

IDEA Part D $242,508 Decrease of $12 Million

Javits $0 EliminatedSpEd

Research $47 million Decrease of $2.5 Million

Sequestration = Full Funding Plunges to

14.5%

What happens next???? Have to decide how to fund next year’s

(FY2014) budget by Sept. 30 … Have to decide whether to AGAIN raise

the debt ceiling by May 19 … Have to decide how to deal with

sequestration cuts over the next 10 years …

61

CNN Poll conducted by ORC International during November 16-18, 2012

62

COMBAT UNCERTAINTY!!!1. STAY INFORMEDCEC PI Blog and Twitter63

64

@CECAdvocacy

Follow us on Twitter for up to the minute policy updates!

65

2. ACT – CONTACT CONGRESSUse CEC’s legislative action center66

Take Action: CEC’s Legislative Action Center

www.cec.sped.orgChoose: Policy & Advocacy

Choose: Legislative Action Center

67

THANK YOU

@cecadvocacy68