PARENTS BE AWARE FOR YOUR CHILDREN:

On 01/23/2017,  Rep. King, Steve [R-IA-4] referred  H.R. Bill 610 to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.


The new Secretary of Education is the biggest threat to your children's future. For those of you not in the education field, you may not understand a lot of the educational jargon and the foundation of the American education system.
Having a school voucher system (proposed by Trump's Education Secretary Betsy DeVos) doesn't just mean you can choose any school you want your kid to go to. Let's be clear here, just because you choose that school does NOT mean they have to accept your child. It also means the public education program will be dismantled. Let me explain...

If your child has an IEP, frame it. Then kiss it good-bye. For those of you not familiar with the term, the IEP, is a document that is developed for each public school child who needs special education. The IEP is created through a team effort, reviewed periodically. In the United States, this program is known as an Individualized Education Program If you have a job in special-education, meaning if you're a: special education teacher, physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech pathologist, a para, or a teacher's aid, you're in the same boat. If you are an ESL teacher, you'll go first.

House Bill 610 makes some large changes. Inform yourselves. This bill will effectively start the school voucher system to be used by children ages 5-17 and starts the defunding process of public schools.

The bill will eliminate the Elementary and Education Act of 1965, which is the nation's educational law that provides equal opportunity in education.
ESSA (The Every Student Succeeds Act is a US law passed in December 2015 that governs the United States K–12 public education policy)  is a big comprehensive program that covers programs for struggling learners, advanced and gifted kids in Advanced Placement classes, ESL(English as a Second Language)  classes, classes for minorities such as Native Americans, Rural Education, Education for the Homeless, School Safety (Gun-Free schools), Monitoring and Compliance, and Federal Accountability Programs. Yes, there are all of these programs happening in our education system, in addition to just academics.

The Bill also abolishes the Nutritional Act of 2012 (No Hungry Kids Act) which provides nutritional standards in school breakfast and lunch.
The bill has no wording whatsoever protecting Special Needs kids, no mention of IDEA (The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act , is a law ensuring services to children with disabilities throughout the nation ) , and FAPE ( Free Appropriate Public Education, is an educational right of children with disabilities in the United States that is guaranteed by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act )
Some things ESSA does for Children with Disabilities:
-Ensures access to the general education curriculum.
-Ensures access to accommodations on assessments.
-Ensures concepts of Universal Design for Learning.
-Includes provisions that require local education agencies to provide evidence-based interventions in schools with consistently under-performing subgroups.
-Requires states in Title I plans to address how they will improve conditions for learning including reducing incidents of bullying and harassment in schools, overuse of discipline practices and reduce the use of aversive behavioral interventions (such as restraints and seclusion).

Please call your representative and ask him/her to vote NO on House Bill 610 (HR 610) introduced by three Republican reps.

The full text of HR 610 can be read here:

https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/610/text