In August, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed to roll back vehicle emission standards intended to decrease air pollution and greenhouse gases. The clean car standards have been in place since 2012 and are working to protect public health. The EPA’s much weaker “SAFE Vehicle” standards will result in worsening air pollution. While we typically connect smog and ozone to asthma and lung disease, studies show that air pollution harms children’s developing brains, putting them at higher risk for learning and behavior challenges. Rolling back standards that protect children’s health is the wrong direction. We have until October 26th to… Read More »
LDA News
LDA’s President featured in IMSE Journal
July 13, 2018 By Leave a Comment
LDA’s own President, Beth McGaw was recently featured in the IMSE Journal. Take a look at this insightful article about our newest President’s journey to empower educators, parents and students to better support students with learning and attention issues – a journey which began long ago while working in another role: mom.
LDA Statement on School Safety
July 13, 2018 By Leave a Comment
The Learning Disabilities Association of America recently developed comments to submit to the Federal Commission on School Safety on how to improve safety in our schools and specifically how to address the needs of students with learning disabilities in a safe school environment.
LDA Opposes Delay in Implementation of Department of Education’s Guidelines
May 8, 2018 By 1 Comment
LDA recently submitted a letter in response to the U.S. Department of Education’s proposal to delay implementation of guidelines for public schools for identifying, monitoring and addressing disproportionality in special education identification, placement and discipline. LDA opposes this delay. Click here to find out why.
DIY Shouldn’t Be Deadly!
April 11, 2018 By Leave a Comment
This week, LDA and 16 LDA state affiliates, along with partner organizations, sent a letter urging Lowe’s to take swift action to protect people from methylene chloride and N-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP), toxic chemicals commonly found in paint strippers sold in Lowe’s stores throughout the country. Children whose mothers are exposed to methylene chloride or NMP during pregnancy are at higher risk for problems with brain development, learning and behavior. Studies link men’s exposure to the toxic solvents to impaired sperm quality and higher risk of babies with low birth weight, which in turn can contribute to learning and developmental disabilities. Methylene chloride… Read More »
National experts in education, child care and children’s health issue joint call to get lead out of schools and child care facilities, which enroll more than 66 million children in the U.S.
April 4, 2018 By 2 Comments
The report, “Eliminating Lead Risks in Schools and Child Care Facilities,” outlines strategies to ensure lead-free learning environments and prevent risks to significant numbers of children across the country. The report is the result of a workshop convened by the Learning Disabilities Association of America, Children’s Environmental Health Network and Healthy Schools Network. “Lead has no place in learning environments. Even low levels of lead are linked to learning disabilities, attention problems and IQ deficits,” said Maureen Swanson, Healthy Children Project Director, Learning Disabilities Association of America. “Getting lead out of schools and child care facilities is doable and will… Read More »
New Jersey Resident Receives National Educator of the Year Award
March 15, 2018 By Leave a Comment
MEDIA CONTACT: Mary-Clare Reynolds, Executive Director Telephone: 412-341-1515, extension 206 Email: mcreynolds@ldaamerica.org Website: www.ldaamerica.org Steven Korner Named Educator of the Year by Learning Disabilities Association of America Pittsburgh, PA (March 8, 2018) – Steven Korner, PhD, was presented the Sam Kirk Educator of the Year Award during the 55th Annual Learning Disabilities of America (LDA) Conference, February 21-24, in Atlanta, Georgia. Korner, a licensed psychologist in private practice, is Coordinator of Special Education at the Harrington Park School District in Harrington Park, NJ. Korner has been working to build a Response to the Right Intervention (RTRI) program based upon neuropsychological principles… Read More »
Princeton Junction Resident Receives National Award
March 8, 2018 By Leave a Comment
MEDIA CONTACT: Mary-Clare Reynolds, Executive Director Telephone: 412-341-1515, extension 206 Email: mcreynolds@ldaamerica.org Website: www.ldaamerica.org Mark Brugger Presented Harrison Sylvester Award by Learning Disabilities Association of America Pittsburgh, PA (March 8, 2018) – Mark Brugger of Princeton Junction, NJ, received the Harrison Sylvester Award during the 55th Annual International Learning Disabilities of America (LDA) Conference on Thursday, February 22nd at the Hilton Atlanta, in Atlanta, GA. Brugger developed “Spotlight on Dyslexia,” an online conference that draws a national audience to the latest information on learning disabilities presented by nationally recognized speakers. The Harrison Sylvester Award recipient is a person with learning disabilities who… Read More »
#GetArsenicOut Campaign
December 15, 2017 By 1 Comment
Did you know that there is arsenic in baby cereal? Infant rice cereal has 6 times more arsenic than other kinds of infant cereal. Any level of arsenic is dangerous and health risks include a link to learning disabilities in children. Brooks Applied Labs* in Bothell, WA tested more than 100 samples of infant rice. The report found that overall, oatmeal, barley, buckwheat, organic quinoa, wheat and rice-free multigrain baby cereals contained much lower amounts of inorganic arsenic than rice cereals. What can parents do now? Avoid infant rice cereal and choose oatmeal or multigrain cereal instead. If you need to eat rice… Read More »
[LDA Action Alert] Tell Your Senators to VOTE NO on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
November 29, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Background: On November 16, the House of Representatives passed its version of a tax bill. Now the Senate is finalizing its own version. Both bills are extremely damaging because they: Increase the deficit significantly to provide tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations. May trigger cuts in mandatory programs, such as Medicaid, Medicare, and Supplemental Security Income – including also possibly eliminating the Vocational Rehabilitation State Grant program – if there aren’t enough savings in required program cuts to offset the increased deficit. The Senate bill is worse than the House bill in one significant way: It… Read More »
LDA Signs on as a Friend-of-the-Court in LSAT Accommodations Case
November 17, 2017 By Leave a Comment
The Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA) has signed on as an amicus (friend-of-the-court) in a brief filed by Jo Anne Simon, PC, on November 3, 2017 with the U. S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Read More >>
LDA Submits Comments to U.S. Secretary of Education
November 14, 2017 By 1 Comment
The Learning Disabilities Association of America took the opportunity to submit comments regarding the U.S. Secretary of Education’s proposed supplemental priorities and definitions for discretionary grant programs (Fed. Register, Oct. 12, 2017). Read More »
Major New Warning: Toxic Flame Retardants
October 22, 2017 By Leave a Comment
The Consumer Product Safety Commission warns consumers, especially pregnant women and children, to avoid furniture, kids’ products, electronics, and mattresses that contain certain toxic flame retardants. It’s welcome advice and follows the agency’s recommendation that these chemicals be banned in consumer products. The commission also voted to move forward with rule-making to ban the chemicals in these product categories. While this is great news, are you left wondering what to do now? Click here for some great tips to help you reduce your exposure until these chemicals are officially banned from consumer products.
LDA Weighs in on DACA
October 11, 2017 By Leave a Comment
One in every five students has learning disabilities. The vision of LDA is to ensure all individuals with LD are empowered to thrive and participate fully in society. This vision extends to all children in our public and private schools regardless of their family background or status. To ensure all students continue to receive appropriate services, the LDA Board agreed to sign on to the following letter with a broad array of national education organizations.
Homework: Don’t Let Today’s Kindness Be Tomorrow’s Cruelty
September 26, 2017 By 4 Comments
Homework. In many families, this word brings up instant angst – LD or no LD. Students who struggle to complete homework often voice negative thoughts and demonstrate negative behaviors about it in such a way that the whole family can develop anxiety over the concept. As parents, we try supportive measures such as creating a quiet organized desk space. We play classical music. We make other family members go to a different area of the house during homework time. We try to encourage/force completion through a rewards or consequences system. We might even sit and do the work with (hopefully… Read More »
LDA’s Maureen Swanson Testifies in Washington DC
September 20, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Maureen Swanson, Healthy Children Project Director, testified in Washington, D.C. in September about the dangers of organohalogen flame retardants. Read her full testimony here.
LDA Calls on Congressional Leaders
August 16, 2017 By Leave a Comment
August 15, 2017 The Honorable Mitch McConnell Majority Leader United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Chuck Schumer Minority Leader United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Paul Ryan Speaker U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 The Honorable Nancy Pelosi Minority Leader U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 Dear Senators McConnell and Schumer and Representatives Ryan and Pelosi: The members of the Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA) call upon you to issue a bipartisan statement and take whatever action possible to address domestic terrorism as perpetrated by neo-Nazi, white supremacist, and other groups… Read More »
LDA Legislative News – July|August 2017
August 11, 2017 By Leave a Comment
House Committee Votes Deep Education Cuts Without the advantage of knowing first the total amount they have to spend for the next fiscal year, the House Labor-Health and Human Services-Education Appropriations Subcommittee went ahead to develop a bill for Fiscal Year 2018 (FY 2018) $5 billion below the current budget cap. Within a week after the subcommittee vote, the full House Appropriations Committee approved basically the same bill, which cuts U.S. Department of Education programs by $4.2 billion (6.2%) below the current funding level. This House committee action is just one step in the process of determining final spending levels… Read More »
Toxic Chemicals in Macaroni and Cheese?!
July 14, 2017 By 1 Comment
Toxic chemicals called “phthalates” can harm babies’ brain development and were found in macaroni and cheese powder and in other cheese products! In fact, phthalates were found in eight of nine individual Kraft cheese products tested, and in other companies’ products too. Kraft is by far the largest producer of mac ‘n cheese. LDA is part of a coalition asking Kraft to switch to safer processing and packaging to get these toxic chemicals out of their products and protect our children’s health. Parents and schools should never have to wonder if there are toxic chemicals in the mac ‘n cheese!… Read More »
LDA Coordinates Leading Experts on Lead
June 28, 2017 By 2 Comments
Lead poisoning affects children in communities throughout the country; even low levels of lead can harm brain development, and result in learning disabilities and attention problems. The good news is lead poisoning is entirely preventable; we can solve this problem and protect children from lead poisoning once and for all. Last month, LDA convened a group of scientists and health experts to take those messages to Congress. The group met with U.S. House and Senate offices to share a national strategy for eliminating lead poisoning in children. The experts published their recommendations for eliminating lead exposures in a May 15… Read More »
Groups Appeal EPA’s Refusal To Ban Dangerous Pesticide
June 7, 2017 By Leave a Comment
MEDIA CONTACT: Maureen Swanson, Healthy Children Project Director, Project TENDR Co-Director, Learning Disabilities Association of America Chlorpyrifos is linked to long-term damage in children’s developing brains Pittsburgh, PA (June 6, 2017) –Today, a dozen health and labor organizations represented by Earthjustice filed an administrative appeal to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, urging the federal government to ban chlorpyrifos, a widely used agricultural pesticide that has been linked to reduced IQ, loss of working memory and attention deficit disorder in children. It is up to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt to decide the appeal. This direct appeal to the EPA appeal was filed… Read More »
Retailers to child care programs must act to provide non-toxic products, new report finds
May 11, 2017 By 1 Comment
Retailers selling directly to early care and education programs, including child care programs and Head Start, need to do more to screen out harmful chemicals, a new report to be released Monday finds. The report released today by the Getting Ready for Baby coalition, “Selling Safer Products for Early Care and Education,” is the first assessment of these niche retailers who target directly to early care and education programs, including child care and preschools. It assessed policies on chemicals in products they sell, and how transparent retailers were, and found: While nearly all (22 of 24) retailers use certifications to identify chemically-safer… Read More »
Members In Action:Kimberley Spire-Oh, EsquireWest Palm Beach, FLLDA of Florida co-president
April 18, 2017 By Leave a Comment
I have recently been on a campaign to get attention to the problems with current school choice policies and proposals for expansion of privatization of schools. It started out as a simple op-ed in The Palm Beach Post. This led to conversations with reporters from The New York Times and National Public Radio (NPR). I also found a general inquiry for someone to talk to EdWeek about the subject. Although I wasn’t directly quoted in the articles included here, I was able to give them extensive information, including legal background on the issues surrounding school choice policies and current proposals for expansion… Read More »
How is LDA Doing in 2017?
April 7, 2017 By Leave a Comment
by Pat Latham, Past LDA President As a Past President of LDA, I have had the opportunity to be involved over the years and would like to briefly reflect on the state of LDA in 2017. LDA’s Mission Statement is as follows: “LDA’s mission is to create opportunities for success for all individuals affected by learning disabilities and to reduce the incidence of learning disabilities in future generations.” I believe LDA has been effective in carrying out its mission and, over the years, has worked hard to increase its effectiveness. Overall, LDA is well positioned in 2017 to continue moving forward successfully in… Read More »
Learning Disabilities Association of America says EPA Decision not to Ban Dangerous Pesticide Ignores Established Science and Puts Children at Greater Risk for Learning, Attention, and Behavior Disorders
April 7, 2017 By Leave a Comment
MEDIA CONTACT: Maureen Swanson, Director Healthy Children Project, mswanson@ldaamerica.org, 724.813.9684, Project TENDR website: http://projecttendr.com/ Learning Disabilities Association of America says EPA Decision not to Ban Dangerous Pesticide Ignores Established Science and Puts Children at Greater Risk for Learning, Attention, and Behavior Disorders Pittsburgh, PA (March 30, 2017) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to allow the dangerous pesticide chlorpyrifos to continue to be used on farm fields and crops puts children and future generations at greater risk of learning and developmental disabilities, attention and behavior disorders, according to the Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA). In 2016, a group of nearly… Read More »
