Dyslegia: A Legislative Information Site » Pending – Legislature in Session

US – 2009-2010 – S2860 – Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act

admin — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 03:28:03 +0000

Directs the Secretary of Education (Secretary) to establish minimum standards that: (1) prohibit elementary and secondary school personnel from managing any student by using any mechanical or chemical restraint, physical restraint or escort that restricts breathing, or aversive behavioral intervention that compromises student health and safety; (2) prohibit such personnel from using physical restraint or seclusion, unless such measures are required to eliminate an imminent danger of physical injury to the student or others and certain precautions are taken; (3) require states and local educational agencies (LEAs) to ensure that a sufficient number of school personnel receive state-approved training and certification in first aid and certain safe and effective student management techniques; (4) prohibit physical restraint or seclusion from being written into a student’s education plan, individual safety plan, behavioral plan, or individual education program as a planned intervention; and (5) require schools to establish procedures to quickly notify parents if physical restraint or seclusion is imposed on their child and quickly notify the state Protection and Advocacy System if the child is seriously injured or dies from such measures. Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to states and, through them, competitive subgrants to LEAs to: (1) establish, implement, and enforce policies and procedures to meet such standards; and (2) implement school-wide positive behavior supports. Directs the Secretary to conduct a national assessment of this Act’s effectiveness. Gives Protection and Advocacy Systems the authority provided under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 to investigate, monitor, and enforce this Act’s protections for students. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish standards for Head Start agencies that are consistent with the minimum standards for the management of elementary and secondary school students. Authorizes the Secretary to allocate funds to the Secretary of Health and Human Services to assist Head Start agencies in establishing, implementing, and enforcing policies and procedures to meet such standards.

US – 2009-2010 – HR4247 – Keeping All Students Safe in School Act

admin — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:59:57 +0000

Formerly called “Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act”. Directs the Secretary of Education (Secretary) to establish minimum standards that: (1) prohibit elementary and secondary school personnel from managing any student by using any mechanical or chemical restraint, physical restraint or escort that restricts breathing, or aversive behavioral intervention that compromises student health and safety; (2) prohibit such personnel from using physical restraint or seclusion, unless such measures are required to eliminate an imminent danger of physical injury to the student or others and certain precautions are taken; (3) require states and local educational agencies (LEAs) to ensure that a sufficient number of school personnel receive state-approved training and certification in first aid and certain safe and effective student management techniques; (4) prohibit physical restraint or seclusion from being written into a student’s education plan, individual safety plan, behavioral plan, or individual education program as a planned intervention; and (5) require schools to establish procedures to notify parents in a timely manner if physical restraint or seclusion is imposed on their child.

US – 2009-2010 – HR4037 – LEARN Act (Literacy Education for All)

admin — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 05:16:44 +0000

Literacy Education for All, Results for the Nation Act or the LEARN Act – Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award grants to states for comprehensive planning to improve the literacy of children from birth through grade 12.

Directs the Secretary to award grants to states to implement their comprehensive literacy plans for such children through: (1) competitive subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) or early learning programs for specified activities that support early language and literacy development in children from birth through kindergarten entry; (2) competitive subgrants to LEAs that have the highest numbers or percentages of disadvantaged students and students reading or writing below grade level for specified activities to improve the literacy of students in kindergarten through grade 12, including the provision of family literacy services; and (3) additional state activities that include providing technical assistance to subgrantees, coordinating literacy programs and resources throughout the state, disseminating information on promising literacy programs, and enhancing the credentials of literacy instructors.

Allots implementation grants to states on the basis of each state’s share of disadvantaged students.

Requires the Secretary to: (1) perform a five-year national evaluation of the implementation and effect of the literacy initiatives supported by this Act; and (2) provide technical assistance and information on literacy instruction to educational entities.

Authorizes the Secretary to withhold this Act’s funding from states and subgrantees, and states to withhold funding from subgrantees, whose initiatives are not making significant progress in improving student literacy.

US – 2009-2010 – S2740 – LEARN Act (Literacy Education for All)

admin — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 04:42:49 +0000

Literacy Education for All, Results for the Nation Act (LEARN Act) – Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award grants to states for comprehensive planning to improve the literacy of children from birth through grade 12.
Directs the Secretary to award competitive grants to states to implement their comprehensive literacy plans for such children through: (1) competitive subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) or early learning programs to carry out certain high quality early literacy initiatives for children from birth through kindergarten entry; (2) competitive subgrants to LEAs or LEAs in partnership with nonprofit literacy organizations for certain initiatives to improve the literacy of students in kindergarten through grade 12, provided such LEAs have jurisdiction over a significant number or percentage of underperforming schools and serve high need areas; and (3) state activities that include providing technical assistance to subgrantees, coordinating literacy programs and resources throughout the state, disseminating information on promising literacy programs, and enhancing the credentials of literacy instructors.
Gives subgrant priority to applicants serving a high number or percentage of impoverished children and, for those serving students from kindergarten through grade 12, a high number or percentage of students reading and writing below grade level.
Requires the Secretary to: (1) contract with an independent organization for a five-year national evaluation of the implementation and effect of the literacy initiatives supported by this Act; and (2) provide technical assistance and information on literacy instruction to educational entities.
Authorizes the Secretary to withhold this Act’s funding from states and subgrantees, and states to withhold funding from subgrantees, whose initiatives are not making significant progress in improving student literacy.

US 2009-2010 HR 2740 – IDEA Fairness Restoration Act

admin — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 01:05:49 +0000

To amend the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to permit a prevailing party in an action or proceeding brought to enforce the Act to be awarded expert witness fees and certain other expenses. Analysis:

Few parents can afford the thousands of dollars needed to pay for expert testimony that is necessary to prevail in IDEA due process hearings and litigation. But school districts can use tax dollars to employ and pay for psychologists and other technical experts. Parents have fewer resources and yet must bear a greater financial burden. The IDEA Fairness Restoration Act, H.R. 2740, is necessary to allow parents to recover their expert witness fees. It will restore Congress’ original intent. This bipartisan bill, introduced by Congressman Chris Van Hollen (Maryland) and Pete Sessions (Texas), will help level the playing field and make the right to due process meaningful for parents across America.

Over 200 organizations support this bill, including the Arc, the Council of Parent Attorneys & Advocates, Inc. (COPAA), Easter Seals, National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS), National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC), National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD), LDA, DREDF, TASH, CHADD, Center for Law and Education, Epilepsy Foundation, Autism Society of America, United Cerebral Palsy, Our Children Left Behind, and many others.

Massachusetts 2009-2010 HB 468 / 4665 – High school graduation requirements

admin — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 06:01:59 +0000

An Act relating to high school graduation requirements for students with learning disabilities. Provides that any student who fails to satisfy the requirements of the competency determination may nonetheless receive a high school diploma if the following requirements are met:

S/he has been measured by the assessment instruments described in section one I a minimum of two times and has failed to achieve the required competency level in one or more subjects;

The Superintendent of Schools in the student’s district has certified that the student’s “Specific Learning Impairment” is the proximate cause of his/her failure to achieve the required competency level(s) and that there is no generally accepted remediation for such disability that would result in the student’s achieving the required competency level(s);
The student has participated in and satisfactorily completed an Educational Proficiency Plan, as defined by the Department of Education, in all subjects in which s/he has failed to achieve the required competency level;
The student has met all other requirements for graduation, both district and state, and has completed the goals of the his/her Individual Education Plan to his/her and his/her parent(s) satisfaction.

US 2009-2010 HR 60 – Identification and treatment

admin — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:25:15 +0000

To require the Secretary of Education to conduct a study and submit to Congress a report on methods for identifying and treating children with dyslexia in kindergarten through third grade.

(a) Study- The Secretary of Education, in consultation with the National Academy of Sciences, shall conduct a study on methods for identifying and treating children with dyslexia in kindergarten through third grade. In carrying out the study, the Secretary shall consider–

(1) whether there is a biological basis for dyslexia;

(2) whether dyslexia is caused by–

(A) a brain-based phonological deficit that prevents an individual from breaking down written words into component sounds;

(B) post-natal experience, including inadequate instruction; or

(C) a combination thereof; and

(3) the cost of implementing a program on a nationwide basis to identify and treat children with dyslexia in kindergarten through third grade.