AUCDigest
December 12, 2007 • Volume 7, Number 11
Current and past editions of AUCD Legislative News In Brief are posted on the AUCD Website. These weekly 1-2 page updates are intended to keep association members informed about federal legislative and regulatory issues affecting people with disabilities, their families and the network of AUCD programs and centers.
Learn what the 2008 U.S. Presidential Candidates had to say on Disability Issues at the November 2 Forum in New Hampshire. Granite State Independent Living Center and a New Hampshire coalition of disability organizations hosted an open forum with candidates from the 2008 U.S. presidential elections. Candidates were asked questions in the areas of political leadership, employment, health care, long-term supports, housing, transportation, technology and communications, voting, civil rights, and international human rights. For complete details, view a summary of press coverage of the event, including a transcript of the forum and a side-by-side comparison of candidates' responses.
HHS Secretary Leavitt Announces Members of the New Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee. November 28, HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt announced the members appointed to the Department of Health and Human Services' new Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee. This committee coordinates efforts within the department to combat autism spectrum disorder through research, screening, intervention, and education. The committee will facilitate the efficient and effective exchange of information on autism activities among member agencies, and coordinate autism-related programs and initiatives.
Tracy Justesen Nominated as Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. November 15, President Bush announced his intent to nominate Tracy Ralph Justesen, of Utah, to be Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services at the Department of Education. Mr. Justesen currently serves as Deputy Director of the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research at the Department of Education.
Almost $1 Million Awarded to University of South Florida for Special Education Technical Assistance Center. Early November, the U.S. Department of Education announced a $999,490 grant to the University of South Florida to create a national special education technical assistance center. With help from its partners, the University of Connecticut and University of Oregon, South Florida will establish a Center on State Implementation and Scaling-Up of Evidence-Based Practices (SISEP) at its Tampa campus to initially work with six states to give local school districts the know-how for building education programs that work for all students, including those with disabilities.
Department of Education Secretary Announces New Guidance to Improve Emergency Preparedness in Schools. Secretary Spellings recently announced the availability of new brochures that provide guidance on the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) to enable schools to better balance students' privacy rights with school safety concerns. The brochures - one for K-12 educators, one for higher education officials, and one for parents - are a timely refresher to help appropriately balance student privacy and school safety.
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