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Karen Rooney, CAN Coordinator for the Division for Learning Disabilities, provides brief reports for TeachingLD.org so that visitors can keep informed about important developments in policies affecting students with learning disabilities and their teachers. TeachingLD.org is pleased to offer this page as a place for people concerned with learning disabilities to keep up to date.
16 September 2003
Since the August recess, the senate increased IDEA Part B funding by 1.2 billion dollars to result in a total increase of 2.2 billion dollars. Thanks to all who contacted their Senators over the recess. Your voice was heard! Another amendment passed that restored $5 million dollars for Dropout Prevention.
The big news for us is the appointment of Senators to the Conference Committee, which is the Committee that will negotiate a final bill that will be put before the Senate and House for a vote. The appointees are Specter (PA), Cochran (MS), Gregg (NH), Craig (ID), Hutchison (TX), Stevens (AK), DeWine (OH), Shelby (AL), Domenici (NM), Harkin (IA), Hollings (SC), Inouye (HI), Reid (NV), Kohl (WI), Murray (WA), Landrieu (LA) and Byrd (WV).
Right at the end of the break, DLD's Board sent a letter to Senators who were possible appointees to focus attention on the concerns about using a Responsiveness-to-Intervention to identify specific learning disabilities. DLD expressed support for the use of approaches that have been validated through scientific research and requested the same validation be required for alternative methods for identification. Since significant cognitive variation is basic to the construct of learning disabilities, DLD opposes the elimination of cognitive assessment at this time.
Please contact Senators on the Conference Committee to support the continued use of cognitive assessment in the identification process.
