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:

SCOTUS: Decision on Case Determining Rights of Students With Disabilities to Receive Meaningful Public Education: Follow this link to our Legislative page to see the decision on the Supreme Court case: Decision

2016 Conference Presentations: Power points and other information from our 2016 Conference presentations are now available on our website. Make sure you check out all the great information available from our conference! 2016 Presentations

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:

From OSERS:
The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (OSERS) has received communications from stakeholders, including parents, advocacy groups, and national disability organizations, who believe that state and local educational agencies (SEAs and LEAs) are reluctant to reference or use dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia in evaluations, eligibility determinations, or in developing the individualized education program (IEP) under the IDEA.

This policy guidance letter clarifies that there is nothing in the IDEA that would prohibit the use of the terms dyslexia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia in IDEA evaluation, eligibility determinations, or IEP documents.

Letter to the Chief State School Officers

In a letter delivered to chief state school officers, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos provided clarity on Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) implementation, in light of the actions related to the postponement of the accountability regulations and the Congressional Review Act. The letter emphasizes that States should continue to move forward and that the Department will work to ensure that states education leaders have the state and local flexibility that Congress intended. States should continue to follow the timeline for developing and submitting their plans for review and approval, building on the work they have already completed. The department will provide further guidance on the state plan requirements by March 13, 2017.

“States have been working diligently on ESSA plans, and today’s letter makes clear that the Department remains committed to faithfully implementing the law as Congress intended. I remain committed to working alongside local education leaders to ensure they have the flexibility to craft education plans that make the most sense for the parents and students they serve.”

The full letter is attached here.

Reauthorization of the ESEA as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
The U.S. Department of Education has released the final regulations for The Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA). CLD's Liaison Committee co-chairs Roberta Strosnider and Debi Gartland attended an ED Department meeting on Dec. 1 in which the ESSA regulations were highlighted. Click here Fact Sheet for the recently released Fact Sheet and remember to bookmark the following to keep up with ESSA: http://2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/essa/index.html.