[Dec-kentucky] FW: Subdivision Leaders - CAN Alert: Urge Congress to Support Increased Funding for Infants, Toddlers, Preschoolers with Disabilities

[Michael, Sonia]

Forwarded on behalf of Kentucky DEC.

Sonia Michael, Ph.D
Assistant Professor
Dept. of Special Education
Eastern Kentucky University
________________________________
From: dec-leader-bounces at dec-sped.org [mailto:dec-leader-bounces at dec-sped.org] On Behalf Of Keilty, Bonnie
Sent: Tuesday, May 27, 2008 11:09 AM
To: dec-leader at dec-sped.org
Subject: Subdivision Leaders - CAN Alert: Urge Congress to Support Increased Funding for Infants, Toddlers, Preschoolers with Disabilities

CAN Alert: We Need Your Help!
Congress is home for the Memorial Day Recess May 24-30!


Please call, email or visit your Congressperson and both your Senators, while they are in their home districts, and ask them to fully fund IDEA.

As you probably already know, with the exception of Part B State Grant Programs (which has received small increases), funding for IDEA programs has been cut or frozen for the last several years. It is more important than ever to contact your congressional representatives and ask them to fully fund all IDEA programs. Please activate your DEC Subdivision's Children Action Network (CAN) now! Congress is on Memorial Day recess May 24-30. This means that many members will be in their home district offices; it is a great time to get in touch with them!

Here is what everyone in your network CAN do:

Contact your congressional representatives.
If you don't know who they are or if you don't have their contact information, simply go to CEC's Legislative Action Center at http://capwiz.com/cek/dbq/officials/ to find your elected officials. Type in your zip code, follow the prompts, and a list of the names and contact information for your elected officials will be provided.

Meet with congressional representatives, call them, or write to them and tell them how important it is to fully fund IDEA.
Whether you schedule a meeting or send an email or call, ask your representatives to please vote to provide an increase in IDEA funding for fiscal year 2009. Be brief, be polite, and share a personal story or picture. BE sure to include your name and contact information in any correspondence.

*        You can schedule a meeting by calling the representative's local office and setting up an appointment in the local office. If the legislator is not going to be home during the May break, schedule an appointment with a staff member who works on children's or education-related issues.
*        Call or email your representatives. You can use CEC's Legislative Action Center (LAC) at http://capwiz.com/cek/home/<https://unccmail.uncc.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://capwiz.com/cek/home/> to email your representatives. A letter is on the LAC that you can personalize as you wish, or send as it is.

Here is the message.
Specifically, ask them to increase spending for special education programs under IDEA. For fiscal year 2009, request that Congress appropriate:

 *   Part B State Grants - $12.47 billion
 *   Part B Section 619 Preschool Grants - $944 million
 *   IDEA Part C Grants for Infants, Toddlers and Their Families - $770 million
 *   IDEA Part D Support Programs - $818.9 million

Thank you for making a personal contact with your Congressperson and both your Senators! If you need additional information, please let DEC know.

Bonnie Keilty, DEC Governmental Relations Chairperson
914-512-1788
bakeilty at uncc.edu



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