| Title: |
'"The Laws that Every State Should Have and How to Get Them Passed "(after you have an EHDI mandate in place). ' |
| Track: |
9-Policy, Advocacy, and Legislative Issues
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| Audience: |
Primary Audience:
Secondary Audience:
Tertiary Audeince:
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| Learning Objectives: |
1) Why statewide data on the educational outcomes of children who are deaf and hard of hearing is important to have.
2) How to develop a coalition to get a law passed.
3) How to make your case to legislators.
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Abstract: |
MN has two new laws- they require that disaggregated data be provided by the Minnesota Department of Education for babies, toddlers and students who are deaf and hard of hearing. The first law, passed in 2007, covers Part C (birth through 4) and the second law passed in 2009 covers Part B (5-21). The laws also require that a plan be developed on how to improve outcomes and that the plan and outcomes be reported annually to the chairs and ranking minority members of the Education Committees in the House and the Senate and to the Commission of Deaf, Hard of Hearing and DeafBlind Minnesotans.
Thirty-five years after the passage of 94-142, the only national data we have says that the mean reading level has increased by only one year for students who are deaf and hard of hearing. With EHDI mandates or voluntary systems in every state, we need to track how deaf and hard of hearing students are progressing through our state public health and education systems. Professionals who work with EHDI have relied primarily upon developmental milestones and educational data that come from Colorado. While the data is helpful, we need to track how our own states are doing so teachers, parents and administrators can use the data to improve outcomes. A case will be made for states to begin to pass laws that require that disaggregated data be reported for students who are deaf and hard of hearing. An argument will also be made that OSEP should change its reporting requirements for the State Performance Plan and require that disaggregated data be provided for all 14 disability categories . The presentation will provide the strategies that led to successful passage of the tracking and reporting laws, and talking points and templates to help other states get reporting requirements and state plans passed. The importance of building relationships with legislators, forming coalitions with community based and professional organizations and training members of the public on how make their case will also be discussed. The implementation of the plan and progress made to date will be included in the presentation
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| Presentation(s): |
Not Available
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| Handouts: |
Not Available
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