Special Education Law Blog

COPAA Announces Inaugural Students' Rights Initiative Symposium

I am reprinting this announcement from COPAA. This symbosium is great opportunity to develop better self-advocacy skills for a more effective post-secondary outcome.

The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates has partnered with the Student Rights Initiative to host the first annual Student Rights Initiative Symposium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania March 11-13, 2016.

The SRI Symposium will run concurrent to the 2016 annual COPAA conference, and is targeted to address the unique interests and perspective of students with disabilities who are accessing (or trying to access) an appropriate educational program. The inaugural symposium will host students age 14-22 in breakout sessions, keynote addresses, networking, and social outreach to other students, self-advocates, and professionals. The SRI Symposium will teach participating students about (1) the laws that they benefit from; (2) their specific rights and entitlements; and (3) advocacy agendas so that they can be heard in the IEP process and improve education for themselves and all students. Partnering with the Student Rights Initiative enables COPAA to ensure that students with disabilities and their parents are equal members of the educational team, and that they are provided with the type of post-secondary training and preparation to become effective self-advocates beyond their school years.

Executive Director, Denise Marshall, reports that “COPAA is excited to offer this opportunity to empower students to take their rightful role in protecting and enforcing their own educational rights.  They are the future and we welcome them into our un-paralled peer-to-peer network.”

Applications for participants are available on our website and must be submitted by February 15, 2016.

Please share this opportunity with anyone you think would be a good candidate for the Symposium, and join the SRI and COPAA in the mission of Protecting Rights, Creating Opportunities and Changing Lives!

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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Alexis Casillas 818-990-7722 x 250 Denise Marshall 844-426-7224 at or  or email

Is Google Illegally Spying On Your Student?

I am reprinting the following article that came to by way of google feed, ironic.

 

Is Google Illegally Spying On Your Students? New FTC Complaint Says It Is Posted: 08 Dec 2015 12:35 PM PST Google Apps for Education has recently come under fire with a Federal Trade Commission complaint filed by a nonprofit organization, Electronic Frontier Foundation. In a press release issued last week, EFF claims that Google’s “Chrome Sync” function allows it to mine student data in violation the Student Privacy Pledge signed by Google earlier this year. If true, EFF’s claims could establish not only a violation of FTC rules, but also a violation of federal and some state laws. Google denies that the claims have any merit, claiming that it strips all identifying information from Sync data before using it for non-school purposes, and that it does not improperly advertise or market to students. At this time, there has been no finding that Google’s actions violate its Pledge or any other state or federal law. Understanding the issues at play in this case is essential for school leaders, however, who are tasked with ensuring that school-supplied electronic devices, software, apps, and services comply with relevant state and federal student data privacy laws.

COPAA Statement on ESSA--Congratulations on Developing a Reasonable Compromise

WASHINGTON, DC – Denise Marshall, executive director of The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, Inc. (COPAA) released the following statement regarding the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) amending the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

“COPAA appreciates the bipartisan approach which Chairman Alexander, Ranking Member Murray, Chairman Kline and Ranking Member Scott led in order to complete reauthorization of the ESEA. COPAA has worked diligently – as an independent voice as well as in key coalitions with business, disability and civil rights organizations – to inform and support the legislative process to help ensure that every child continues to have equal access to a high-quality education as well as equal opportunity to achieve his or her full academic potential. We congratulate you on developing a reasonable compromise. Although we have concerns about certain provisions of S. 1177, we write to let you know that we support the conference report and urge its adoption.

COPAA believes the ESSA is stronger than ESEA waivers. It maintains a focus on student academic achievement with requirements to focus Title I dollars on the annual measurement, reporting and basic accountability for the achievement of all students. In particular, COPAA appreciates the emphasis on promoting access to the general curriculum for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. Key provisions seek to prevent the overuse and abuse of applying alternate standards and utilizing alternate assessments through a required state-level participation cap on these tests. The cap will help states work with districts to ensure that only the students for whom it is appropriate are placed on a state’s alternate academic achievement standard and therefore tested via an alternate assessment.

COPAA also appreciates the new requirement for states to articulate a framework to support districts and improve school conditions by reducing bullying and the overuse of disciplinary practices and aversive practices (e.g. seclusion and restraint)--all of which national data show have a disproportionate impact on students with disabilities. We view this addition as an enormous step toward creating a positive school climate for all students.

We are concerned about the flexibility provided to states and districts regarding subgroup accountability.Without federally defined timeframes to guide the implementation of intervention, schools and districts now have to ensure the timely provision of evidence-based support. We worry that the long-held biases against students with disabilities will prevent quick action. Best practice has shown that, when held to high expectations and provided evidence-based instruction and intervention, the vast majority of students with disabilities can work at grade level alongside their peers. Student subgroups who struggle to meet state standards must be closely monitored, and teachers must receive the training and support necessary so that students can make adequate gains.”

Marshall concluded, “Thank you for your bipartisan leadership and partnership to complete the work on ESSA. We will strive to promote every tenet of ESSA that will fully support students in their journey to obtain a quality public education and achieve high standards with their peers.”