DEC VOICES ARE NEEDED NOW TO SUPPORT IDEA FUNDING! 
THIS MEANS ALL OF US!
Discussions are underway now and  decisions will be made very soon  about funding for all federal programs for the current fiscal year (October 1, 2016, through  Sept 30, 2017) . 

Your voices are needed now to be sure your Representative and both Senators to the U.S. Congress know how important it is fully fund IDEA and other early childhood programs!
Your action now is particularly important since current proposals for IDEA programs call for a freeze at last year’s funding level for most programs including Part C and Preschool 619. We have serious concerns that the House has recommended significant cuts in the Part D Program, including in State Personnel Development, Technical Assistance and Dissemination, Personal Preparation and Technology, and Media Services. If these programs are cut as proposed, it is unlikely that there will be any new grant competitions in FFY 2017.

What Can You Do?   

1.     Make your voice heard by going into the CEC Legislative Action Center at the Legislative Action Center (LAC)

2.     Write your members of Congress NOW! CEC has prepared a letter, which you can personalize if you wish, that will be automatically sent to your Senators and your Representative. It takes only a few minutes! 

3.     Ask at least 2 friends to also send letters through the CEC site. We need many, many voices!

4.     Tweet your Senators and tweet your Representative to let them know how important funding is for IDEA programs; emphasize that it is important to you and critical to the children and families you serve.  

Thank you for all you do for young children and their families! 

Let's make sure our voice is heard, 

 

Sharon Walsh, DEC Governmental Relations Consultant

Ashley Lyons, DEC CAN Coordinator

Peggy Kemp, DEC Executive Director

Ben Rogers, DEC Associate Director