2005 NCTI Conference General Sessions Long Writeup

Opening Remarks

Louis Danielson, Director, Research to Practice Division, Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education

Thanks to OSEP Program Officers Jane Hauser and Dave Malouf. Dave Malouf moved out of the office to the Institute for Educational Sciences. Taking on some of his work, OSEP now has Tom Hanley managing the Stepping Stones program.

OSEP wants to ensure that the work its grantees undertake reaches end-users: teachers, children, and families. This meeting moves that goal ahead.

Since the 2004 amendments to IDEA, OSEP is required to develop a comprehensive plan on how to invest discretionary dollars to support IDEA’s broader goals. With a small group of people at first, now trying to get broader input, the department has been examining how each of the programs can make big impacts with relatively modest amounts of money. Participants can contribute by thinking about where technology is going and what investments might make a dramatic difference in lives of children with disabilities over the next five to ten years. OSEP is open to a degree of risk-taking to achieve this end.

In this past year, OSEP’s research program and study evaluation program has moved to the Institute for Education Sciences—and the office is assessing the impact of this change. The technology program, which did not move, is likely to have more attention as a result. In regular conversations, OSEP and IES are exploring a more formalized process for connecting the OSEP programs to the IES programs (not just discretionary programs but major initiatives like IDEA), especially since the technical assistance remains with OSEP, but needs to serve the research production work and development of a research agenda now overseen at IES.

Stepping Stones was released earlier this year; OSEP wants to move competitions ahead sooner. This accelerated schedule will continue next year.

OSEP is planning scenarios for future funding initiatives in light of possible budget cuts. One program appears likely to be impacted—State Personnel Development Program—although due to the mechanisms of appropriation it has not been affected this year. Clearly the high degree of scrutiny means that projects must demonstrate that they are making a difference. It is to OSEP’s advantage that disability work has been a priority for this Administration, but the obligation to prove impact is essential if OSEP is to fulfill its obligation to its constituency, the children.

IDEA regulations will not be out in December, but will appear soon. These regulations will not impact strongly on the discretionary program, but may impact broader policy areas including additional requirements on accessible materials.