Dear NACDD advocates,

Yesterday, I forwarded an action alert to this list asking you to support the grassroots activity to include people with disabilities in the federal response efforts to the COVID 19 crisis.

As always, please remember that lobbying cannot be done by state developmental disabilities councils in their official capacity. That request, and any other action alerts forwarded on this NACDD list, are intended for individuals on this list who wish to take action in their personal capacity.

Negotiations on the next COVID 19 response bill are continuing very quickly over the weekend and strategies continue to evolve minute by minute. You can help us by contacting your members of Congress while negotiations are happening. This let’s lawmakers know that we will hold them accountable for the decisions they make.

Today, I am forwarding another action alert, this time from our other DD Act sister organization, National Disability Rights Network. This alert focuses on a specific and very real threat to education contained in the current Senate COVID 19 bill.

Please take just a few minutes in the next 24 hours to click below to contact your members of Congress to oppose striping education rights from students. Please feel free to share this alert with individuals in your network who may be interested.

Thank you,

Erin Prangley

Director, Policy

National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities

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From: NDRN <xxxxxx@ndrn.org>
Sent: Friday, March 20, 2020 2:42 PM
Subject: Protect Education Rights During COVID

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This is not a drill!

Congress Using COVID-19 to Strip Students with Disabilities of Access to Education

Congress wants to give Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos unprecedented power to strip rights from students with disabilities and those who need supports to prepare for work under the IDEA and Rehab Act.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act asks Secretary DeVos to provide Congress with a report of any additional waivers the Secretary believes should be enacted into law. These waivers could allow schools to opt out of providing free appropriate public education to students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment, cancel individualized education plans, remove procedural safeguards, and much more.

If Congress acts on these waivers it would systematically undermine the very tenets of IDEA and the Rehab Act. It is completely unacceptable to remove educational services from children with disabilities, while their non-disabled siblings can continue to access daily lessons at home through this crisis.

Now, more than ever, your voices matter – we must be loud, resolute, and uncompromising in the need to protect these important education rights. Send your Senators and Representative an email now!

Take Action

National Disability Rights Network
820 First Street NE Suite 740
Washington, District of Columbia 20002
(202) 408-9514 | xxxxxx@ndrn.org