top of page
Nov 25

Election 2024

Dear DEC Members and Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education Community,


It has been almost three weeks since the 2024 election. We thank each of you who voted. As is the case with every election, each of us has our own personal reactions to the election results, and yours may differ from your colleagues, friends, or family. All of these reactions are valid, and we respect them. 


The Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children (DEC), as the largest international professional organization dedicated to supporting families and young children who have or are at risk for developmental delays and disabilities, continues our important work on behalf of young children with disabilities, their families, and all those who teach and care for them. DEC shares the priorities of the DEC members and the EI/ECSE community at every transition of a new federal administration. We work together with our parent organization, the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), as well as a number of early childhood and disability partners. This work is already in motion, and we invite all DEC members to join us in this effort! More about what you can do right away later in this message.


With every Administration transition, DEC works to share the association’s priorities for children with disabilities and their families with the newly elected Administration and Congress. This effort will require the engagement of all DEC members. DEC remains committed to supporting policies and practices aligned with the DEC Vision and Mission. The work continues to be guided by the Racial Equity Point of View. These foundations, in conjunction with our ends, priority issues agenda, and position statements, represent the voices of DEC members, DEC partners, and families. The Foundational Principles of DEC guide our decision-making, including our response to issues impacting the membership and the families we serve. This work includes sharing DEC priorities and our members' expertise and experience with the new Administration, as well as with incoming political appointees, and continuing career staff in the Executive Branch.  

 

DEC has begun developing our transition recommendations to be submitted to the new Administration and to the new leadership in the House of Representatives and the Senate. The DEC Policy and Advocacy Committee is working with the Executive Board and the Executive Office to create our Transition Statement so we can be sure the new leadership coming to Washington, D.C., will be clear on what is important to us as an organization. Watch for draft DEC comments within the next few weeks so you can provide your input on these important statements.

 

We want to provide some clarification based on the comments and questions we are receiving from our members. Please remember that in any election, campaign promises are made. At this point, we are early in the process and there are many things we do not know about possible changes to policies related to young children with disabilities and their families. We do not know yet who will be confirmed as leaders in the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services. We also do not know who the members will be on the House and Senate committees overseeing our laws and the funding of our programs. In the meantime, it is important to remember:

  • The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as well as other significant disability, education and health and human services legislation, are federal laws enacted by the Congress. Any changes to federal law require Congressional approval.  

  • The U.S. Department of Education, established in 1977, would also require Congressional action to change or eliminate. 

  • Federal funding also requires passage by the Congress and agreement by the President. Federal Funding for FFY 2025, which began October 1, 2024, is currently authorized at 2024 funding levels through a Continuing Resolution (CR) that expires December 20, 2024. At this point, we do not know whether that CR will continue into the new year or if the current Congress and President Biden can reach an agreement on spending for 2025 before the Congress adjourns sometime before January 2025. 


As the new administration is still in transition, there are no specific proposals to address. If anything is issued from an official source of any matter important to DEC, we will (1) work with our partners to understand the issue fully and decide how to respond; (2) engage our Policy and Advocacy Committee to research and address issues, and (3) inform our members of our position and share information. Please see examples here of how we have done this in the past.

 

Here is what we do know and what you can do NOW: 

We do know what DEC wants for children with disabilities, their families, and the professionals who work on their behalf and what the association’s priorities are! Be assured that DEC will reach out to the new leadership in Washington, D.C., and advocate on your behalf. We will also be reaching out to you to advocate on our positions, so please be ready!

 

Starting now, we need all of you to reach out and work toward positive relationships with your elected officials at the federal, state, and local levels. Congratulate them, introduce yourself as a constituent, and, above all, tell your story about young children and families and what’s important to them. Storytelling is a critical tool in our advocacy box. 

 

Stay informed, read, listen and watch for opportunities and ideas for you as an individual as we move closer to the convening of the new Congress and the Inauguration in January 2025. DEC is offering an initial Federal Update webinar on Thursday, December 12th, 2024, 5:00 to 6:30 PM Eastern Time. Register here to attend. 

 

More immediately, we invite you to join: 



Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children

Recent Posts
Archive
bottom of page