Join the Stop Bullying Video Challenge to help prevent and end bullying in schools and communities.
Everybody Contestants must submit their videos between August 7 and October 10, 2012 explaining how you can be more than a bystander and prevent bullying.
Published on Aug 7, 2012 by StopBullyingGov
Kids witness bullying every day. Tell us how you can be more than a bystander and help kids who are involved in bullying.
On behalf of the Federal Parnters in Bullying Prevention, Education Secretary Arne Duncan invites youth to submit PSAs on how they can be "more than a bystander" for bullying. Learn more at StopBullying.Challenge.Gov.
Please visit Challenge.gov by clicking 'headline' or at: http://stopbullying.challenge.gov/
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Illinois Families with disabled young adults cope with funding changes | Aug 2012
Bill, 25, was diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome when he was 17-years old. It’s a developmental disability caused by a chromosomal defect.
He’s non-verbal, but uses an electronic device to convey wants and needs. Bill also has mental delay and suffers from seizures. Although the disorder is often characterized by the inability to walk, Bill is able to get around on his own.
“He’s relatively high functioning,” Linda Yoakam said. “It’s considered a rare neurological disorder, but I question how rare it actually is.”
According to the Angelman Syndrome Foundation, the disorder occurs in one in every 15,000 births, although it’s often misdiagnosed as cerebral palsy or autism.
The test to diagnose Angelman Syndrome was only developed in the past 10 years, so official data about its prevalence is unknown.
When Bill turned 22-years old, he was no longer eligible to attend the Aurora Education Center, which teaches life skills training for post-high school students. State law requires that school districts provide education to special needs students until the day before they turn 22.
Today, Bill attends a day program at the Keeler Center, an entity of the Association for Individual Development. Three days a week he goes to Keeler Center and the rest of the time he’s at home where his dad, Marvin, cares for him.
The system worked well until recently. With Linda and Marvin in their 60s, the reality that Bill won’t live at home forever has crept into the forefront of their minds. Marvin’s health problems have made it increasingly difficult for him to care for Bill at home.
“He has major issues with his back, and is on crutches and a walker,” Linda Yoakam said. “If something happened to one of us, we would be in crisis mode.”
For Bill, moving out isn’t a matter of saving some money, securing a job and finding his own place, like many 20-somethings. Instead, his parents are left at the mercy of the debt-ridden state, waiting until their son gets approved for a Medicaid-funded waiver that will help him move out.
And so, like more than 2,000 families in DuPage County, the family waits.
Waiting for word
Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services, commonly called PUNS, is an organization system overseen by the state’s Department of Human Services.
Individuals with developmental disabilities are entered into the database, usually by families, friends or caseworkers, and categorized based on need of services and severity of disabilities.
In DuPage County alone, there are more than 2,000 people waiting to receive Medicaid funding that will allow them to move into residential programs. Throughout the state, there are more than 22,200 people waiting for funding to get necessary services, be they residential or day programs, life skills training, respite, therapy and more.
For years, the appropriate funds were released at a relatively steady rate, but as the state plunged deeper into debt, the Medicaid distributions began to dwindle. Today, things are essentially at a standstill, said Kim Zoeller, president and CEO of Ray Graham Association, which provides a variety of services to people with disabilities in DuPage County.
“The economy has played a big role in why they aren’t getting waivers for residential placement,” she said.
Right now, the only people receiving funding for residential programs are those families facing emergency situations, Zoeller said. In Illinois, “emergency” means the person will be left homeless.
“It must feel like to families that there is this black hole,” Zoeller said. “We don’t have that much leverage to advocate for a person.”
The Yoakams placed Bill on the PUNS list when he was still in elementary school at the encouragement of a school case worker. Bill recently moved up on the list because of his father’s health problems. Although she’s not ready to see him leave home, if Bill’s name came up on the list and the funds became available, Linda said she’d jump at the chance to secure him placement in a residential program.
“My worst fear is that something would happen to us and he’d be yanked out of this home and placed on an emergency basis,” she said. “I’d like to see a placement in the next five years. Something could happen to us at any time. We’re at that age.”
Linda said Bill doesn’t transition easily and she worried about the effect an emergency placement might have on him.
“He has anxiety and can’t calm down enough to relax,” she said.
Changes to the state
As futile as conditions may seem for families, things are slowly beginning to change and momentum is starting to build, Zoeller said.
In June 2011, a federal judge approved a settlement to a long-running class action lawsuit between the state and people with developmental disabilities who were unhappy with their living conditions.
Commonly known as the Ligas Lawsuit, the settlement gave people with disabilities a voice regarding where they live and what services they receive, and ruled that people who want to receive services in their own community can have that option.
Shortly after the settlement, Gov. Pat Quinn announced two state-operated institutions would be closed by the end of 2012 – Jacksonville Developmental Center and Choate Mental Health Center, both located in southern Illinois.
Combined, the facilities housed more than 400 people who are now slowly being relocated to community-based residential programs.
The Ligas decision and Quinn’s move to close two state institutions shifts the momentum toward a focus on community-based residential services and programs. Examples of these programs are the CILAs, group homes or other community-living situations operated by local providers like Ray Graham Association, Seguin Services of Cicero and more.
People who live in community-based residential programs have a higher quality of life than people living in institutions, Zoeller said. Plus, from the perspective of a state deep in the red, the economics are better.
It costs about $160,000 for a person to live in a state-operated institution. It costs about $50,000 for that same person to live in a community-based program, according to a study conducted by Don Moss & Associates of Springfield.
A glimmer of hope?
In a state where financial support is trickling down to families at what might seem like a snail’s pace, and there are thousands of people waiting for this support, the situation seems bleak, but Zoeller said there are things the families can do to make things better.
One of the first things is families need to do is get on the PUNs list as early as possible and keep it updated every year, she said.
“The family often thinks, ‘I don’t have to worry about that for a long time,’ but it’s so important,” she said.
Aside from the PUNs list, she said families need to get aggressive, write to local legislators and call their representatives to tell them about their situations.
“It’s a hard situation for families right now,” she said. “They’re responsible for making legislators know. It is he who screams the loudest who gets served. Families have got to create change.”
By Sarah Small, ssmall@mysuburbanlife.com
Suburban Life Publications
Posted Aug 10, 2012 @ 01:00 PM
http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/wooddale/topstories/x442234262/Families-with-disabled-young-adults-cope-with-funding-changes-at-state-level
Illinois Disabled Woman's 'Greyhound Bus Nightmare' - article & video report | Aug 2012
(WSIL tv) -- A Greyhound bus ride to Southern Illinois turned into a nightmare for one disabled woman.
Now she's calling on the company to make some changes.
"I'm in tears, crying because I'm scared, I don't know what's going on , I don't know if I'm on the right bus," said Carly Cochran.
The 29-year-old said her entire trip from Marietta, Ga., to Marion, Ill., was nothing short of a awful. Cochran suffers from macular dystrophy, a genetic eye disorder that causes vision loss. Her guide dog, Shirley, is a big help, but Cochran needed additional help from Greyhound on her trip.
Cochran said the bus driver was supposed to help her on and off the bus, load her luggage, and give her extra time for bathroom breaks with her dog. But once the trip started, none of those things happened.
"They didn't take me into the gas station to get a drink or go to the bathroom or let me feed (Shirley) and give her water, "said Cochran.
The worst part came in Nasvhlle, Tenn., when Cochran had a bus transfer she couldn't find. She called the friend she was visiting, Lisa Miller, in a panic.
"I'm here in Galatia, Ill., thinking, she's gonna get stuck in Nashville, how am I gonna get to her?" said Miller.
Cochran can see blurry outlines of people, but not faces or features, which makes fending for herself in a strange place frightening.
Greyhound representatives declined our request for an on-camera interview, but told News 3 that Cochran needed to communicate with the driver about her needs. The spokesperson went on to say the issue has been resolved. But Cochran said that's news to her.
"I have not booked my route back home because I'm afraid what's gonna happen," she said.
Now Cochran and Miller are waiting for Greyhound to make things right.
"I want somebody at Greyhound to actually take a bus ride, with a blind fold and actually go through their own system and see how people are taken care of," said Miller.
Cochran said she received a partial refund from Greyhound for the trouble, but she insists money isn't the issue. She says she just wants to ensure that other people with disabilities won't have to go through what she did.
By Kristin Crowley - News 3
By Randy Livingston
Story Created: Aug 10, 2012 at 5:12 PM CDT
Story Updated: Aug 10, 2012 at 6:31 PM CDT
http://www.wsiltv.com/news/local/Disabled-Woman-Angry-at-Greyhound-Bu-165785576.html
Pennsylvania has the highest level rating under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act | 2012
The U.S. Department of Education has announced that Pennsylvania has met the highest level rating possible This is the fifth time in six years the state has received this rating.
Pennsylvania is the only large state to achieve the “meets requirements” status for five of the past six years as well as being one of 14 states to receive this determination this year.
In a separate report, the Center for Civil Rights Remedies stated that students with disabilities are almost twice as likely to be suspended from school as nondisabled children, with the highest rates among black children with disabilities.
In 10 states, more than a quarter of black students with disabilities were suspended in 2009-10. Pennsylvania was not one of those 10 states.
This is a disturbing pattern because students with disabilities are supposed to be getting additional support and counseling. Yes, teachers struggle to deal with students who may be disruptive. But plans must be in place to deal with behavioral issues up front to reduce suspensions.
Mandatory disciplinary actions that remove a child from his classroom cause more harm than good. Advocates for disabled students suggest that school districts with high suspension rates might be able to learn from those that did not often resort to suspensions. Viable alternatives exist. Disabled children have a right to be educated.
'Daily American' article August 10, 2012
http://articles.dailyamerican.com/2012-08-10/opinion/33143299_1_disabled-children-disabilities-education-act-advocates-for-disabled-students
For The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)website:
http://idea.ed.gov/
Pennsylvania is the only large state to achieve the “meets requirements” status for five of the past six years as well as being one of 14 states to receive this determination this year.
In a separate report, the Center for Civil Rights Remedies stated that students with disabilities are almost twice as likely to be suspended from school as nondisabled children, with the highest rates among black children with disabilities.
In 10 states, more than a quarter of black students with disabilities were suspended in 2009-10. Pennsylvania was not one of those 10 states.
In Illinois, the rate was close to 42 percent.
This is a disturbing pattern because students with disabilities are supposed to be getting additional support and counseling. Yes, teachers struggle to deal with students who may be disruptive. But plans must be in place to deal with behavioral issues up front to reduce suspensions.
Mandatory disciplinary actions that remove a child from his classroom cause more harm than good. Advocates for disabled students suggest that school districts with high suspension rates might be able to learn from those that did not often resort to suspensions. Viable alternatives exist. Disabled children have a right to be educated.
'Daily American' article August 10, 2012
http://articles.dailyamerican.com/2012-08-10/opinion/33143299_1_disabled-children-disabilities-education-act-advocates-for-disabled-students
For The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)website:
http://idea.ed.gov/
Chicago Police: “Emergency Identification Bracelet” free for senior's (60+) or disabled citizen's
“Emergency Identification Bracelet”The Emergency Identification Bracelet is a spandex bracelet that
opens to reveal the Chicago Police Department’s 24 hour telephone
number of the citizen’s district of residence and a 4- digit personal
identification number.
This I.D. number reveals important information about the registered
senior (60+) or disabled citizen and can only be accessed by the
Chicago Police Department. These bracelets have saved lives and
valuable time in emergency situations, especially when the wearer
cannot communicate effectively or becomes disoriented.
Streaming videos are currently being prepared to address important
issues relative to Senior Citizens.
Bracelet Application Includes:Direct any inquires relative to this correspondence to the Senior Services
• Name
• Address
• Phone Number
• Emergency Contact Person
• Medical Information/Allergies
• Medication Prescribed
• Physician Information
Section, at 312-745-5141.
For an online application (pdf) visit: http://directives.chicagopolice.org/forms/CPD-52.300.pdf
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Social Security - How the disability Appeals Process works
As posted at Social Security Online...
Described below is what happens when you request a review of the determination made on your disability case:
Type of Appeal
# Please remember you are always able to find an attorney to represent your interest within the process.
For Social Security Online: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/
Described below is what happens when you request a review of the determination made on your disability case:
•You send a signed request for appeal to us.There are four possible steps in the disability appeals process. They must be completed in the order listed below if you disagree with the determination on your case.
•We review it to make sure all of the information is complete. We may contact you for missing or unclear information.
•We will contact you to complete a disability report and to sign medical release forms if you have not already done so. If you have submitted the report we will review it to make sure all of the information is complete.
•We will send your case to the office that determines if you are disabled under Social Security law.
•That office will request any new medical records that you have listed on your medical report.
•That office will then review all of your medical records—both old and new.
•If you have requested a face-to-face review, that office will make an appointment to meet with you. You will have an opportunity to meet face-to-face with someone from the office that decides your case. If you want this face-to-face meeting, we will make the appointment with you.
•The decision-making office will notify you in writing of their decision on your case.
Type of Appeal
Reconsideration:
You should complete a Request for Reconsideration and an Appeal Disability Report. Both forms can be completed on the Internet, and submitted electronically to Social Security, or you can complete paper versions and send them to your local Social Security office. No matter how you complete the forms, Social Security will send your case to the State Disability Determination Services office. Someone there will review your medical records and make a new determination about your disability. It will not be the person whom made the last determination on your case. After reviewing your medical records, they will notify you in writing of their decision.
Hearing:
You should complete a Request for Hearing by Administrative Law Judge and an Appeal Disability Report. Both forms can be completed on the Internet, and submitted electronically to Social Security, or you can complete paper versions and send them to your local Social Security office. No matter how you complete the forms, Social Security will send your request to the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review. If you want to meet face-to-face with the judge, an appointment will be made for you. After talking with you and your representative, the judge will notify you in writing of his/her decision on your case.
Appeals Council Review
You should complete a 'Request for Review of Decision/Order of Administrative Law Judge'. You cannot do this on the Internet. Sign and send it to your local Social Security office. They will send your request to the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review. Someone there will review your medical records and notify you in writing of the decision on your case.
District Court Case:
You must have an attorney at this level of appeal. He or she must file a case against Social Security in District Court. Your case will be heard by a district court judge who will notify you in writing of the decision on your case.
# Please remember you are always able to find an attorney to represent your interest within the process.
For Social Security Online: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/
Illinois Law Newly Amended Can Help Children With Disabilities Thrive; Health & Disability Advocates Says | Aug 2012
Press Release
Governor Quinn Signs New Laws to Make Schoolchildren Safer and Healthier
CHICAGO – August 8, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn today signed three new laws designed to make Illinois schoolchildren healthier and safer through immunizations, anti-bullying measures and alternative education programs. Today's action at Pershing West Magnet School is the latest by Governor Quinn to further strengthen education in Illinois.
“We are working every day to strengthen education in Illinois," Governor Quinn said. "As millions of students prepare to go back to school later this month, these new laws will put vital public health data in the hands of parents, protect our children from bullying and improve their health."
House Bill 5013, sponsored by Rep. Robyn Gabel (D-Evanston) and Sen. Heather Steans (D-Chicago) is designed to boost vaccination rates. The new law requires public and registered nonpublic schools to make immunization and health exam statistics publicly available. While such data is now posted on the State Board of Education (ISBE) website, this reform will make it easier for parents to see just how many of their children’s classmates are not vaccinated. August is National Immunization Awareness Month.
The State of Illinois requires vaccinations to protect children from a range of diseases. Failure to be properly immunized can lead to high absenteeism, heart problems or even brain damage. According to ISBE, more than 60,000 students (about three percent) were not in compliance with immunization or health exam mandates during the 2010-11 school year. The bill passed unanimously in both chambers and is supported by public health advocates, the Chicago Teachers Union and the March of Dimes. The law is effective Jan. 1.
Governor Quinn also signed House Bill 1473, sponsored by Rep. Mary Flowers (D-Chicago) and Sen. William Delgado (D-Chicago), which allows the Chicago Board of Education to implement a program to break down barriers between students of different backgrounds. The law is inspired by the successful “Challenge Day”, which employs a carefully-designed, day-long series of trust-building exercises to foster new levels of empathy and respect. The law is effective immediately.
In addition, Governor Quinn signed Senate Bill 3259, sponsored by Sen. Kimberly Lightford (D-Maywood) and Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia (D-Aurora), which creates the Commission for High School Graduation Achievement and Success to help boost high school graduation rates. The Commission will examine alternative education programs in Illinois and other states, as well as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Learning Exchanges, the Illinois Pathways Initiative and other tools for keeping at-risk teens in school. The Commission’s report is due to the governor and General Assembly by November 1, 2012 in advance of veto session. The law is effective immediately.
Governor Quinn continued to emphasize the need for public pension reform to ensure adequate resources for education in Illinois. Unless comprehensive pension reform is enacted, a new analysis prepared by the Governor's Office of Management and Budget (GOMB) shows that Illinois is on track to spend more on pensions than education by Fiscal Year 2016. Governor Quinn has proposed a comprehensive plan that will eliminate the unfunded liability over 30 years. The governor recently called a special session dedicated to pension reform on August 17.
http://www.illinois.gov/PressReleases/PressReleasesListShow.cfm?RecNum=10454
###
Illinois Governor signs SB 820 to enhance early intervention services and supports for infants and toddlers with special needs
Chicago, Illinois (PRWEB) August 08, 2012
Health & Disability Advocates applauds Governor Quinn and Senator Heather Steans and Representative Robyn Gabel for working to pass a law that will enhance early intervention (EI) services for infants and toddlers with disabilities.
The goal of the Early Intervention Services System Act (SB 820) is to make it easier for young children with special needs to receive the services they need to live full and integrated lives. The new law establishes key requirements for implementing the 2011 Federal Regulations for the Part C Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities, and includes standards for delivering quality services in the child’s natural environment and codifying a smooth transition to preschool programs for children receiving early intervention services.
Amy Zimmerman, Project Director at Health & Disability Advocates, has spent her legal career focusing on issues that impact children. Her expertise includes children’s health advocacy, program and policy analysis and community-based partnerships. As an experienced attorney and leader of one of the nation’s first “medical-legal partnerships” for children, Ms. Zimmerman is quick to praise the newly amended law.
“The importance of interventions in the earliest years of life of children with special health needs cannot be overstated. I see huge potential for improving communication, collaboration and coordination on behalf of children with disabilities and their families. We look forward to working with the Governor's office and the legislature to ensure that all young children receive the services and supports they need to develop and transition throughout their educational career,” Zimmerman says.
Each year, Ms. Zimmerman’s project, The Chicago Medical-Legal Partnership for Children, provides free direct legal assistance to families medically complex children in Cook County at four partner sites: Lurie Children’s Hospital, La Rabida Children’s Hospital, Friend Family FQHC and the University of Chicago’s Comer Children’s Hospital. The project has a successful track record for using law to improve health outcomes in children with special health care needs.
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/8/prweb9778987.htm
Governor Quinn Signs New Laws to Make Schoolchildren Safer and Healthier
CHICAGO – August 8, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn today signed three new laws designed to make Illinois schoolchildren healthier and safer through immunizations, anti-bullying measures and alternative education programs. Today's action at Pershing West Magnet School is the latest by Governor Quinn to further strengthen education in Illinois.
“We are working every day to strengthen education in Illinois," Governor Quinn said. "As millions of students prepare to go back to school later this month, these new laws will put vital public health data in the hands of parents, protect our children from bullying and improve their health."
House Bill 5013, sponsored by Rep. Robyn Gabel (D-Evanston) and Sen. Heather Steans (D-Chicago) is designed to boost vaccination rates. The new law requires public and registered nonpublic schools to make immunization and health exam statistics publicly available. While such data is now posted on the State Board of Education (ISBE) website, this reform will make it easier for parents to see just how many of their children’s classmates are not vaccinated. August is National Immunization Awareness Month.
The State of Illinois requires vaccinations to protect children from a range of diseases. Failure to be properly immunized can lead to high absenteeism, heart problems or even brain damage. According to ISBE, more than 60,000 students (about three percent) were not in compliance with immunization or health exam mandates during the 2010-11 school year. The bill passed unanimously in both chambers and is supported by public health advocates, the Chicago Teachers Union and the March of Dimes. The law is effective Jan. 1.
Governor Quinn also signed House Bill 1473, sponsored by Rep. Mary Flowers (D-Chicago) and Sen. William Delgado (D-Chicago), which allows the Chicago Board of Education to implement a program to break down barriers between students of different backgrounds. The law is inspired by the successful “Challenge Day”, which employs a carefully-designed, day-long series of trust-building exercises to foster new levels of empathy and respect. The law is effective immediately.
In addition, Governor Quinn signed Senate Bill 3259, sponsored by Sen. Kimberly Lightford (D-Maywood) and Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia (D-Aurora), which creates the Commission for High School Graduation Achievement and Success to help boost high school graduation rates. The Commission will examine alternative education programs in Illinois and other states, as well as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Learning Exchanges, the Illinois Pathways Initiative and other tools for keeping at-risk teens in school. The Commission’s report is due to the governor and General Assembly by November 1, 2012 in advance of veto session. The law is effective immediately.
Governor Quinn continued to emphasize the need for public pension reform to ensure adequate resources for education in Illinois. Unless comprehensive pension reform is enacted, a new analysis prepared by the Governor's Office of Management and Budget (GOMB) shows that Illinois is on track to spend more on pensions than education by Fiscal Year 2016. Governor Quinn has proposed a comprehensive plan that will eliminate the unfunded liability over 30 years. The governor recently called a special session dedicated to pension reform on August 17.
http://www.illinois.gov/PressReleases/PressReleasesListShow.cfm?RecNum=10454
###
Illinois Governor signs SB 820 to enhance early intervention services and supports for infants and toddlers with special needs
Chicago, Illinois (PRWEB) August 08, 2012
Health & Disability Advocates applauds Governor Quinn and Senator Heather Steans and Representative Robyn Gabel for working to pass a law that will enhance early intervention (EI) services for infants and toddlers with disabilities.
The goal of the Early Intervention Services System Act (SB 820) is to make it easier for young children with special needs to receive the services they need to live full and integrated lives. The new law establishes key requirements for implementing the 2011 Federal Regulations for the Part C Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities, and includes standards for delivering quality services in the child’s natural environment and codifying a smooth transition to preschool programs for children receiving early intervention services.
Amy Zimmerman, Project Director at Health & Disability Advocates, has spent her legal career focusing on issues that impact children. Her expertise includes children’s health advocacy, program and policy analysis and community-based partnerships. As an experienced attorney and leader of one of the nation’s first “medical-legal partnerships” for children, Ms. Zimmerman is quick to praise the newly amended law.
“The importance of interventions in the earliest years of life of children with special health needs cannot be overstated. I see huge potential for improving communication, collaboration and coordination on behalf of children with disabilities and their families. We look forward to working with the Governor's office and the legislature to ensure that all young children receive the services and supports they need to develop and transition throughout their educational career,” Zimmerman says.
Each year, Ms. Zimmerman’s project, The Chicago Medical-Legal Partnership for Children, provides free direct legal assistance to families medically complex children in Cook County at four partner sites: Lurie Children’s Hospital, La Rabida Children’s Hospital, Friend Family FQHC and the University of Chicago’s Comer Children’s Hospital. The project has a successful track record for using law to improve health outcomes in children with special health care needs.
Health & Disability Advocates will attend a signing ceremony today (Aug 8) at John. J. Pershing West Middle School, located at 3200 S. Calumet Ave. in Chicago. SB 820 was officially signed into law by Illinois Governor Quinn on Monday, August 6, 2012.Health & Disability Advocates is a national organization, based in Chicago, Illinois, that promotes income security, work and educational opportunities, and improves healthcare access and services for vulnerable populations, including children, people with disabilities and low-income, older adults. Its team of legal and policy experts provides a range of services including individual legal representation and custom trainings and technical assistance to consumers, businesses, service providers and state agencies.
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/8/prweb9778987.htm
Students with Disabilities are Suspended at a higher level, Federal Data Indicate | Aug 2012
Students with disabilities are almost twice as likely to be suspended from school as nondisabled students, with the highest rates among black children with disabilities.
According to a new analysis of Department of Education data, 13 percent of disabled students in kindergarten through 12th grade were suspended during the 2009-10 school year, compared with 7 percent of students without disabilities. Among black children with disabilities, which included those with learning difficulties, the rate was much higher: one out of every four was suspended at least once that school year.
The Center for Civil Rights Remedies at the University of California, Los Angeles, conducted the study of data from the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, which originally released the raw statistics in March.
Policy makers and civil rights leaders worry about out-of-school suspensions because they often presage dropouts and can raise a child’s risk of future incarceration. Districts with high suspension rates also tend to be correlated with lower student achievement as measured by test scores.
The analysis, which reviewed data at the state and district levels, found that in 10 states, including California, Connecticut, Delaware and Illinois, more than a quarter of black students with disabilities were suspended in 2009-10. In Illinois, the rate was close to 42 percent, compared with about 8 percent for white students. New York and Florida were not included because of problems with their data.
“That’s a very disturbing pattern because kids with disabilities are supposed to be getting additional supports and counseling,” said Daniel J. Losen, senior education law and policy associate with the U.C.L.A. Civil Rights Project and an author of the report. “Kids with disabilities make up a very large proportion of the kids who are in the juvenile justice system, so it’s a very, very disturbing finding.”
In some districts, black male students with disabilities were suspended at a strikingly high rate. In Henrico County Public Schools in Virginia, for example, the report’s authors found that close to 92 percent of all black males with disabilities had been suspended one or more times during 2009-10, compared with just over 44 percent of white males with disabilities. In Memphis, a majority black district, nearly 53 percent of all black males with disabilities were suspended that year.
Black students in general were more likely to be suspended than any other racial group, although American Indians and Latinos were also suspended at much higher rates than whites. Among black students, one in six was suspended at least once in 2009-10, compared with one in 13 American Indians, one in 14 Latinos, and one in 20 whites.
Some districts suspend black students at well above the national average. The Pontiac School District in Michigan, for example, suspended 67.5 percent of its black students in 2009-10, and the East Jasper Consolidated School District in Heidelberg, Miss., suspended 63.5 percent of its black students.
Russlyn H. Ali, assistant secretary for civil rights in the Department of Education, said the office had opened 19 investigations in 15 states to examine districts where minority students were disproportionately disciplined. Ms. Ali said a complicated set of reasons was fueling the imbalances.
“In lots of these urban districts especially, the leadership and faculty are also people of color,” she said. “So it certainly doesn’t fit into the color-coded boxes of that ‘ism’ that we’ve used historically.”
Teachers struggle to deal with students who may be disruptive. “What most teachers complain about is that they have problem children and nobody helps them,” said Karen Lewis, president of the Chicago Teachers Union, citing ratio of students to social workers that was more than 1,000 to 1 in the district.
According to the Civil Rights Project analysis, Chicago schools suspended nearly 63 percent of their black students with disabilities in 2009-10.
This year, the Chicago Public Schools adopted plans to reduce suspensions and deal with behavioral issues up front. “I am a strong believer in limiting mandatory disciplinary actions that remove a child from their classroom and school, which in many cases ultimately causes more harm than good for those students,” Jean-Claude Brizard, chief executive of the Chicago Public Schools, said in a statement.
In Memphis, Patricia Toarmina, director of special education, said the district had received a grant to hire more social workers to help children with disabilities cope with situations that might cause them to misbehave.
Concerned by disparities in out-of-school suspensions in several districts in Florida, the Southern Poverty Law Center said on Tuesday that it had filed complaints with the Department of Education’s civil rights office against school districts in five counties, including Escambia, Okaloosa and Suwannee. The complaints say these districts imposed harsh disciplinary measures on black students at much higher rates than white students.
Stephanie Langer, staff attorney in the law center’s Florida office, said that in Escambia County, for example, black students accounted for 65 percent of all out-of-school suspensions, despite making up only 36 percent of the district population.
In some cases, Ms. Langer said, students were suspended for minor violations like taking a cellphone to class or violating a dress code.
Malcolm Thomas, superintendent of the Escambia schools, said the district had reduced the total number of suspensions by 43 percent since 2007-8. “What we have not done, and we can’t, is lower our expectations of good behavior for all students,” Mr. Thomas said.
Although administrators in the district may previously have suspended students for minor offenses, he said, they now focus on “serious breaches” like selling drugs or taking a gun to campus.
The authors of the Center for Civil Rights Remedies report found that although disparities were echoed across thousands of districts, some did not use suspension frequently.
Advocates for disabled students suggested that districts with high suspension rates might be able to learn from those that did not often resort to such measures.
“We want to take this report and say we know that viable alternatives exist,” said Diane Howard, staff attorney for juvenile justice and education for the National Disability Rights Network. “School districts and states both rich and poor are choosing not to suspend kids, so it’s not inevitable.”
Article By MOTOKO RICH | Published: August 7, 2012
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/08/education/analysis-examines-disabled-students-suspensions.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
For the August 2012 report, "Opportunities Suspended: The Disparate Impact of Disciplinary Exclusion from School" :
http://civilrightsproject.ucla.edu/resources/projects/center-for-civil-rights-remedies/school-to-prison-folder/federal-reports/upcoming-ccrr-research/losen-gillespie-opportunity-suspended-ccrr-2012.pdf
According to a new analysis of Department of Education data, 13 percent of disabled students in kindergarten through 12th grade were suspended during the 2009-10 school year, compared with 7 percent of students without disabilities. Among black children with disabilities, which included those with learning difficulties, the rate was much higher: one out of every four was suspended at least once that school year.
The Center for Civil Rights Remedies at the University of California, Los Angeles, conducted the study of data from the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, which originally released the raw statistics in March.
Policy makers and civil rights leaders worry about out-of-school suspensions because they often presage dropouts and can raise a child’s risk of future incarceration. Districts with high suspension rates also tend to be correlated with lower student achievement as measured by test scores.
The analysis, which reviewed data at the state and district levels, found that in 10 states, including California, Connecticut, Delaware and Illinois, more than a quarter of black students with disabilities were suspended in 2009-10. In Illinois, the rate was close to 42 percent, compared with about 8 percent for white students. New York and Florida were not included because of problems with their data.
“That’s a very disturbing pattern because kids with disabilities are supposed to be getting additional supports and counseling,” said Daniel J. Losen, senior education law and policy associate with the U.C.L.A. Civil Rights Project and an author of the report. “Kids with disabilities make up a very large proportion of the kids who are in the juvenile justice system, so it’s a very, very disturbing finding.”
In some districts, black male students with disabilities were suspended at a strikingly high rate. In Henrico County Public Schools in Virginia, for example, the report’s authors found that close to 92 percent of all black males with disabilities had been suspended one or more times during 2009-10, compared with just over 44 percent of white males with disabilities. In Memphis, a majority black district, nearly 53 percent of all black males with disabilities were suspended that year.
Black students in general were more likely to be suspended than any other racial group, although American Indians and Latinos were also suspended at much higher rates than whites. Among black students, one in six was suspended at least once in 2009-10, compared with one in 13 American Indians, one in 14 Latinos, and one in 20 whites.
Some districts suspend black students at well above the national average. The Pontiac School District in Michigan, for example, suspended 67.5 percent of its black students in 2009-10, and the East Jasper Consolidated School District in Heidelberg, Miss., suspended 63.5 percent of its black students.
Russlyn H. Ali, assistant secretary for civil rights in the Department of Education, said the office had opened 19 investigations in 15 states to examine districts where minority students were disproportionately disciplined. Ms. Ali said a complicated set of reasons was fueling the imbalances.
“In lots of these urban districts especially, the leadership and faculty are also people of color,” she said. “So it certainly doesn’t fit into the color-coded boxes of that ‘ism’ that we’ve used historically.”
Teachers struggle to deal with students who may be disruptive. “What most teachers complain about is that they have problem children and nobody helps them,” said Karen Lewis, president of the Chicago Teachers Union, citing ratio of students to social workers that was more than 1,000 to 1 in the district.
According to the Civil Rights Project analysis, Chicago schools suspended nearly 63 percent of their black students with disabilities in 2009-10.
This year, the Chicago Public Schools adopted plans to reduce suspensions and deal with behavioral issues up front. “I am a strong believer in limiting mandatory disciplinary actions that remove a child from their classroom and school, which in many cases ultimately causes more harm than good for those students,” Jean-Claude Brizard, chief executive of the Chicago Public Schools, said in a statement.
In Memphis, Patricia Toarmina, director of special education, said the district had received a grant to hire more social workers to help children with disabilities cope with situations that might cause them to misbehave.
Concerned by disparities in out-of-school suspensions in several districts in Florida, the Southern Poverty Law Center said on Tuesday that it had filed complaints with the Department of Education’s civil rights office against school districts in five counties, including Escambia, Okaloosa and Suwannee. The complaints say these districts imposed harsh disciplinary measures on black students at much higher rates than white students.
Stephanie Langer, staff attorney in the law center’s Florida office, said that in Escambia County, for example, black students accounted for 65 percent of all out-of-school suspensions, despite making up only 36 percent of the district population.
In some cases, Ms. Langer said, students were suspended for minor violations like taking a cellphone to class or violating a dress code.
Malcolm Thomas, superintendent of the Escambia schools, said the district had reduced the total number of suspensions by 43 percent since 2007-8. “What we have not done, and we can’t, is lower our expectations of good behavior for all students,” Mr. Thomas said.
Although administrators in the district may previously have suspended students for minor offenses, he said, they now focus on “serious breaches” like selling drugs or taking a gun to campus.
The authors of the Center for Civil Rights Remedies report found that although disparities were echoed across thousands of districts, some did not use suspension frequently.
Advocates for disabled students suggested that districts with high suspension rates might be able to learn from those that did not often resort to such measures.
“We want to take this report and say we know that viable alternatives exist,” said Diane Howard, staff attorney for juvenile justice and education for the National Disability Rights Network. “School districts and states both rich and poor are choosing not to suspend kids, so it’s not inevitable.”
Article By MOTOKO RICH | Published: August 7, 2012
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/08/education/analysis-examines-disabled-students-suspensions.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
For the August 2012 report, "Opportunities Suspended: The Disparate Impact of Disciplinary Exclusion from School" :
http://civilrightsproject.ucla.edu/resources/projects/center-for-civil-rights-remedies/school-to-prison-folder/federal-reports/upcoming-ccrr-research/losen-gillespie-opportunity-suspended-ccrr-2012.pdf
2012 Ron Santo Walk to Cure Diabetes - Chicago Lakefront - October 14 | info, reources
The 34th Annual Ron Santo Walk to Cure Diabetes
Help us honor Ron’s incredible legacy, while joining us in our search for ways to prevent, better treat, and ultimately cure type 1 diabetes.
Date:
October 14, 2012
Walk Location:
Chicago Lakefront
N Simonds Dr & Montrose Dr
Chicago, IL
map
Registration Start Time:
8:30 AM
Walk Start Time:
9:30 AM
Length of Walk:
5K (3.1 miles)
Local Chapter:
Illinois Chapter
Contact:
Kathy Altonji
kaltonji@jdrf.org
(312) 423-7196
Chapter Address:
11 S. La Salle Street
Ste. 1800
Chicago, IL 60603
Register today for the 34th Annual Ron Santo Walk to Cure Diabetes on Sunday, October 14, 2012 :
http://jdrfillinois.org/walk/walk.html
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
The 'Autism Society' Calls for a National Summit of Autism Organizations | Aug 2012
Addressing a need for all autism advocates to call for change with one clear voice, the Autism Society plans to organize a summit of national autism organizations this fall, Dr. Jim Ball, chairman of the Autism Society, announced at last week’s conference. “It’s time all autism organizations increase their collaboration and define the areas in which we all will work together to improve lives, “said Dr. Ball.
The Autism Society’s goal for this summit is to bring together leaders of national autism organizations to discuss and agree on a series of collaborative efforts to significantly advance the dignity, self sufficiency, autonomy and independence of all individuals on the autism spectrum. Interested national organizations are encouraged to contact Scott Badesch, President of the Autism Society, if they are interested in participating in the summit.
For the Autism Society, visit: http://www.autism-society.org/
The Autism Society’s goal for this summit is to bring together leaders of national autism organizations to discuss and agree on a series of collaborative efforts to significantly advance the dignity, self sufficiency, autonomy and independence of all individuals on the autism spectrum. Interested national organizations are encouraged to contact Scott Badesch, President of the Autism Society, if they are interested in participating in the summit.
For the Autism Society, visit: http://www.autism-society.org/
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