Council For Learning Disabilities

Mission Statement:

The Council for Learning Disabilities (CLD), an international organization composed of professionals who represent diverse disciplines, is committed to enhancing the education and quality of life for individuals with learning disabilities across the life span. CLD accomplishes this by promoting and disseminating evidence-based research and practices related to the education of individuals with learning disabilities. In addition, CLD fosters (a) collaboration among professionals; (b) development of leaders in the field; and (c) advocacy for policies that support individuals with learning disabilities at local, state, and national levels.

CLD Updates:

NOTE TO MEMBERS: Our transition to our new member database is complete! Thank you for your patience during this process – we hope our new system will allow us to provide more efficient service to our members. The website links to renew your membership or join CLD should connect to our new system under Wild Apricot. If you have any questions about the process, please contact our office at 913-491-1011.

Elections: We are accepting nominations for the offices of Vice-President and Treasurer for the 2019-20 fiscal year. Nominations must be turned in no later than the annual business meeting at our conference in Portland, October, 2018. Follow this link for more information and the nomination form.

Member Journal Access: Member access to Learning Disability Quarterly and Intervention in School and Clinic is now available! Use the link at the right of the Home Page under Online Journals. This will take you to a login that will give you the instructions for accessing your journals. Once you set up your access, it will be a quick login from then on as long as your membership is active. Please note you will need your new member number from our updated database system.

Job Postings: Check out our Job Postings page! These will be pre-approved job postings for university or other high-level positions. Look under Professional Development – Job Postings.

LDQ CALL FOR PAPERS: Go to the Learning Disability Quarterly page and see the Call for Papers flyer for more information!

LEGISLATIVE ALERTS:

August 2018--ADA Anniversary Proclamation
On the 28th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), we celebrate this historic legislation, which echoed our Nation's founding promise to recognize and secure the equal rights of all men and women. Today, we reaffirm our commitment to cultivate further opportunities for all Americans to live full and independent lives, and recognize the many contributions enabled by expanded participation of Americans with disabilities in our society. Click here for access to the entire White House Proclamation (ADA Proclamation).

November 2017--NJCLD Paper: "Learning Disabilities and Achieving High Quality Education Standards"
The CLD Liaison Co-chairs announce the most recent paper of the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD) is entitled “Learning Disabilities and Achieving High Quality Education Standards.” Especially in this era of accountability, it is important for students with LD to achieve high quality education standards (HQES). Concerted efforts on the part of educators—supports, strategies, professional development—are required for students with LD to meet rigorous education standards. With appropriate supports and individualized instruction, as well as strong collaboration among education professionals, comes a genuine opportunity for students with LD to master HQES and enhance their college and career readiness. The NJCLD paper highlights several critical areas necessary if students with LD are to achieve HQES.
The full article is in Learning Disability Quarterly, 40(3). Click here to access the NJCLD page (NJCLD Updates) .

November 15, 2017–President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent of Nominee for OSERS Assistant Secretary.

Johnny Collett of Kentucky, to be the Assistant Secretary of Education for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. Mr. Collett is the Director of Special Education Outcomes at the Council of Chief State School Officers. In this role, he supports states in their work to raise expectations and improve outcomes for children and youth with disabilities. He previously served as Director of the Division of Learning Services and State Director of Special Education at the Kentucky Department of Education. In this role, he provided oversight to a division that included special education, as well as other program areas such as English Learners, gifted and talented, response to intervention, the Kentucky School for the Blind, and the Kentucky School for the Deaf. He also served on the board of directors of the National Association of State Directors of Special Education, serving a partial term as secretary-treasurer of the board. Mr. Collett also served in various other roles, including exceptional children consultant, assistant division director, and acting division director. Prior to working at the Kentucky Department of Education, he was a high school special education teacher. Mr. Collett is a graduate of the University of Kentucky, and Georgetown College (KY).

November 2017. Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Tell Congress to Extend the Children’s Health Insurance Program!
Health coverage for millions of children enrolled in the Children’s Health Program is at-risk. The program expired the end of September and its money is about to run out. Congress must act quickly to renew this critical program that provides immunizations, check-ups, and other care for children with and without disabilities whose families do not qualify for Medicaid. Nearly one in every two children with special health care needs relies on CHIP and Medicaid to access care and other health supports. Children enrolled in CHIP could lose their coverage if Congress doesn’t act soon. Legislation to address this problem is currently being considered in Congress. Your voice is needed to continue this important program.

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11/2017. The Respond, Innovate, Succeed, and Empower Act of 2017 also known as the RISE Act has been introduced in both the House and Senate.
This bill amends the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) to ensure that students with disabilities have opportunities to thrive in college. The act focuses on three areas:
• Provides parents and student information on disability services in one place making it easier to access information about services and how to access them.
• Addresses accommodations by allowing students to submit their 504 Plan or IEP to document their disability
• Supports training for college faculty to learn more about the needs of students with disabilities.
.For more information, click here.