Welcome to the New NYCASE Advocacy CenterNYCASE will be posting active legislative notices and links on this page issued by NYCASE, National CASE and CEC (our affiliate) which will allow you to participate in expressing your voice on important legislative concernsPlease check back often for New Call to Action opportunities!3/20/25Urgent Call to Action SAVE THE U.S. Department of Education! The Administration has issued an Executive Order to begin dismantling the U.S. Department of Education. This would mean sending all programs, including those related to individuals with disabilities, to other federal agencies that have no knowledge or expertise on education issues. The United States must prioritize a strong public education for all students, led by the federal Department of Education. TAKE ACTION NOW! Email and Call Your Representatives! Use this Link
*********************************************************** 2/27/25 Call to ActionSave Medicaid! The time to ACT is NOW!! Help save School-based Medicaid, the fourth largest federal funding source for public schools. Medicaid funds support critical health-related services, such as occupational therapy, speech-language services and mental health services. These services are necessary to help students with disabilities and other Medicaid-eligible students benefit from instruction and succeed in school. Congress is poised to drastically reduce Medicaid funding through a “reconciliation” bill that will be coming soon. NOW is the time to ACT! If schools lose this source of funding, Medicaid-eligible students, including students with disabilities, lose! Preserve critical services that help students with disabilities succeed in school and life. Take Action Now! Use this link *********************************************************************** 2/18/25 Call to ActionCASE CALL TO ACTIONKeep the IDEA in the U.S. Department of Education!The Administration is considering whether or not to maintain the U.S. Department of Education. As part of this discussion, bills have been introduced in Congress to move education programs – including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) – to other agencies. IDEA most likely would be sent to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), even though IDEA is an EDUCATION law! This action would change the basis of the IDEA—to ensure children and youth with disabilities get a free appropriate public education. TAKE ACTION NOW! Click Here **************************************************************** 2/12/25 Call to ActionWe are posting a Call to Action from CASEOppose Privatization of Education Through Any Voucher MechanismsPrivate school voucher programs in whatever form would divert critical federal funds from public schools to fund unregulated, unaccountable private schools. CASE urges you to take action to oppose any efforts to privatize our education system at public expense. Click Here to Take Action. Your Voice Matters! ******************************************** 2/11/25 Call to ActionWe are posting a Call to Action from CECOppose Cancellation of Critical Education Research It is being reported today that up to 169 contracts at the Institute for Education Sciences (IES) in the U.S. Department of Education have been canceled. Members of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) have confirmed receiving these cancellation notices. IES is an independent research institute created by Congress. It is the leading organization for collecting data and conducting research on the U.S. education system. Its mission is to provide reliable information about education from early childhood to postsecondary study for parents, educators, students, researchers, policymakers, and the public. Within IES, the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) focuses on special education research. NCSER's mission is to understand the needs of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities. It helps special educators use evidence-based practices to provide a free, appropriate public education as set by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Many effective practices used in schools nationwide come from NCSER-supported research. CEC members rely on this research and related technical assistance to serve children with disabilities. Canceling these research grants is a major setback for school leaders, teachers, children, youth, toddlers, and infants with disabilities. These grants were funded by Congress, and it's crucial that you vocalize your support for special education research and ensure Congress understands the gravity of this action. Click Here to Take Action ************************************************************** 1/23/2025 Call To ActionWe are posting a Call to Action from National CASE.Medicaid and the ability to seek reimbursement for services is critical for our public schools. This is a priority for CASE and NYCASE. Please take action. Oppose any cuts to Medicaid by using this link to the Call to Action Center at CASE https://www.casecec.org/action-center To complete a brief form.
More about NYCASE: Policy and advocacy are important parts of the NYCASE mission. NYCASE consistently follows legislative action and advocacy related to special education programs.
The New York Council of Administrators of Special Education (NYCASE), is a nonprofit professional organization providing leadership, advocacy, and professional development to special education administrators responsible for the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Our members are frontline leaders who work on behalf of children and youth with disabilities and their families in public and private school systems and institutions of higher education. These individuals have dedicated their careers to ensuring high-quality educational services for students with disabilities in accordance with sate and federal law.
Students with disabilities need a comprehensive, well-integrated system of supports led by qualified educators – teachers, specialized instructional support personnel, administrators, and paraeducators – who work in partnership with families and the community. NYCASE supports policies that unite and provide empathic leadership, coupled with sufficient federal funding and resources that lead to success in school and beyond for children and youth with disabilities. |