disabilityrights WISCONSIN

Here is a PowerPoint presentation prepared by Disability Rights Wisconsin advocates, with input from other groups, including the Survival Coalition of Wisconsin Disability Organizations. Consider using this presentation to educate  advocates and other community members about issues important to people with disabilities and ways to influence funding in this budget.
Click here for the PowerPoint: 2013 2015 budget overview for disability advocates.
Click here for a pdf: 2013-2015 budget overview for disability advocates.

The Candidate Forum on Special Education: Policies and Priorities was held on Friday, March 1, 2013 at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. The moderator for the event was UW Oshkosh College of Education and Human Services Dean Fred Yeo. This strictly non-partisan forum was not part of any endorsement process. DRW has compiled a guide to the forum. To read the guide click here: DPI candidate forum booklet.

The guide is a product of Disability Rights Wisconsin and is meant to highlight the most important issues for students with disabilities and their families. Each State Superintendent candidate was asked the same set of questions about special education policies and priorities, covering the topics of funding, voucher programs, accountability and the achievement gap, mental health, teacher training, bullying, and seclusion and restraint. Each candidate was given the same amount of time to answer the questions asked at the forum.

The quotes featured in this guide are transcriptions of the candidates’ answers to the planned questions, which they were given in advance. These are the questions that are featured in this guide. The candidates also answered several questions from audience members. Only the seven planned questions are contained in the booklet.

Disability Rights Wisconsin has been working with the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities and the Waisman Center through Wisconsin’s Disability Policy Partnership to create a series of policy papers on issues important to people with disabilities. You can use these papers in discussions about issues and give them to others, including your legislator. Keep checking back for more valuable information on these and other issues as well as opportunities to influence decisions in this biennial budget. Find all six policy papers packaged together here:

• Medicaid & Healthcare (color version)
• Medicaid & Healthcare (b&w version)
• Special Education Vouchers paper (color version)
• Special Education Vouchers paper (b&w version)
• Family Care/IRIS Expansion paper (color version)
• Family Care/IRIS Expansion paper (b&w version)
• Special Education Funding paper (color version)
• Special Education Funding paper (b&w version)
• Increasing Employment paper (color version)
• Increasing Employment paper (b&w version)
• Children’s Long-Term Supports paper (color version)
• Children’s Long-Term Supports paper (b&w version)

More to come!

Critical Decisions Will be Made About How State Dollars Are Spent to Support People with Disabilities.

The Wisconsin Legislature’s Joint Finance (Budget) Committee will hold four public hearings around the state in April. This gives residents an opportunity to voice their support or opposition to parts of the budget. Please click here to see what the Survival Coalition of Wisconsin Disability Organizations, which includes Disability Rights Wisconsin, thinks should be in our out of the state budget in areas like children and adult long-term supports, Medicaid, Special Education, transportation, mental health and more.

If you want to testify at one of these hearings in a group with other advocates or need help putting your testimony together, contact the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities staff.

Click here to read the rest of People with Disabilities, their Families and Advocates Should Attend Budget Hearings »

Todays’ announcement by Governor Scott Walker to invest nearly $30 Million in Wisconsin’s mental health system for both children and adults is an historic step forward in meeting the needs of Wisconsin residents who face mental health challenges. Disability Rights Wisconsin says the Governor’s emphasis on community-based resources is particularly significant and could be life-changing for many.

“This expansion of community based mental health services in the biennial budget will decrease reliance on costly and traumatizing inpatient and crisis services, increase the independence of people with mental health concerns, and maximize their ability to be contributing members of our community,” says Disability Rights Wisconsin Milwaukee Office Director and Coordinator of the Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force, Barbara Beckert.

Click the following link to read DRW’s press release: Disability Rights Wisconsin Applauds Governor Walker’s investment in Mental Health Supports.

Disability Rights Wisconsin is working with the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities to share a new set of information bulletins to help people understand 2013 Priorities for People with Disabilities in Wisconsin.

Over the last two decades, the state’s share of special education funding – which provides for therapies, assistive technology, specialized instruction and other classroom accommodations – has dropped from 44% to 26%. Wisconsin must invest in supports for children with disabilities now! Learn more here: Special Education Funding 2013.

Disability Rights Wisconsin is working with the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities to share a new set of information bulletins to help people understand 2013 Priorities for People with Disabilities in Wisconsin.

Families often struggle to obtain a quality education for their children with disabilities. The legislature’s sole response to this concern has been to introduce “special needs scholarships” or vouchers offering public tax dollars to families to use at private schools. Wisconsin has the benefit of reviewing how vouchers have worked for families in other states. This review found troubling results. Learn more here: School Vouchers 2013.

Disability Rights Wisconsin joins other statewide disability groups in supporting increases in state special education funding.

Click the following link to read the press release: Disability Advocacy Groups Support DPI Call for Increased Special Ed State Funding.

Budget Includes Critical Steps to Close Achievement Gap for Students with Disabilities

Madison, WI – A coalition of statewide disability advocacy groups is offering their support for State Superintendent Tony Evers’ biennial budget recommendations for state education funding that were announced today in West Allis.

The Superintendent’s proposal includes an increase in special education funding, also known as “categorical aids,” of $70 million over the next two years, as well as increased support for districts with extraordinary special education costs.

Click here to read the full press release: Statewide Disability Advocacy Groups Applaud DPI Budget Request