Washington, DC – Congressman DeSaulnier introduced legislation that would help students with disabilities receive the support they need to succeed in the classroom.
The Protection and Advocacy in Education Act (H.R. 8187) would help ensure the rights of students with disabilities are upheld by providing Protection and Advocacy Systems (P&As) direct funding for their education work.
“Throughout my career, I have been dedicated to breaking down barriers faced by individuals with disabilities. Unfortunately, we are still seeing lower graduation rates and higher rates of seclusion and restraint for these students,” said Congressman DeSaulnier. “This bill would help give students and families the resources they need and provide a much-needed infusion of funds as services and supports for students with disabilities have long been woefully underfunded.”
The P&A system is a congressionally-mandated, state-implemented program that provides legal and advocacy support to people with disabilities to help them gain access to health care, employment, housing, transportation, financial benefits, and education and to protect them from abuse and neglect. P&As are part of a larger network of organizations that are dedicated to providing support to students with disabilities and their families. While 30% of P&A cases are focused on individuals with disabilities in education settings, there is currently no dedicated funding for education P&A work. The Protection and Advocacy in Education Act would correct this by providing funding specifically for education cases.
Congressman DeSaulnier is a member of the House Committee on Education and Labor.
1 comment
I went thru the office of civil rights in the department of education here in California when my child’s civil rights were violated. They did absolutely nothing and the school got away with it. This sounds just like another way to get people’s hopes up and then for the schools to get away with even more. You should talk to educational advocates currently fighting against these civil right violations and see what their feedback is about how this will work.
Comments are closed.