by Ann Kornblet, 2018 General Conference Chair Atlanta here we come!! One of LDA’s favorite conference venues is ready to once again host the International Conference. All activities will be held at the Hilton Atlanta in beautiful downtown Atlanta. Many thanks to LDA Program Co-Chairs, Jennifer Harkins and Loreena Parks, the Program Committee members and LDA Committees for putting together the very best Program yet! 150 sessions are offered over four days. Hats off to LDA of Georgia President, Joan Teach, and the hard- working Georgia volunteers. They have worked to bring you the southern hospitality Atlanta is known for… Read More »
LDA News
[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 »
LDA Legislative News – March 2017
March 29, 2017 By Leave a Comment
President’s Funding Proposals Would Seriously Harm LDA Priorities On March 16, the White House released the president’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2018 (School Year 2018-19), which will begin on October 1, 2017. That budget contains draconian cuts to LDA priority programs, including education, job training, physical and mental health, environmental protection, and juvenile justice. Overall the budget would cut discretionary spending, except for defense, by $54 billion, while increasing defense, homeland security, and veterans’ affairs by an almost equivalent amount. Among the agencies hardest hit are the Departments of Labor and Education and the Environmental Protection Agency. As an… Read More »
Manju Banerjee to Serve on Professional Advisory Board of Learning Disabilities Association of America
March 29, 2017 By Leave a Comment
MEDIA CONTACT: Mary-Clare Reynolds, LDA Executive Director mcreynolds@ldaamerica.org, 412.341.1515, ext. 206 Manju Banerjee to Serve on Professional Advisory Board of LDA Pittsburgh, PA (March 28, 2017) – Manju Banerjee, Ph.D., of Putney VT, was elected to a three-year term on the Professional Advisory Board of the Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA). Dr. Banerjee is Vice President of Educational Research and Innovation at Landmark College in Putney, VT. A certified diagnostician and teacher-consultant on learning disabilities, Banerjee has over 30 years of experience in the field of learning disabilities, ADHD, and postsecondary disability services. Dr. Banerjee received her doctoral degree from the… Read More »
Court Finds Middle Ground in Endrew F. Decision
March 28, 2017 By Leave a Comment
LDA joined with the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) and 42 other national organizations to file an amicus (“friend of the court”) brief in the Supreme Court case Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District. This case was the first reexamination of the “free appropriate public education” standard by the Supreme Court since the Rowley decision in 1982. Under the earlier case, the Court held that a child received a FAPE when the services provided to her “confer some educational benefit,” and this has consistently been the standard since that decision. The 10th Circuit which heard Endrew below applied a… Read More »
Request for Comments: Proposed Guidelines on Accessibility of Digital Content
March 27, 2017 By Leave a Comment
LDA has been asked by the Cognitive Task Force (COGA) of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to respond to its request for comments on the accessibility of digital content by individuals with learning disabilities. (This includes how someone with a learning disability accesses information or may take a test via a computer.) You are encouraged to share this request with other individuals (including parents, students, educators, and adults with learning disabilities) or groups who have insights into the needs of people with cognitive and learning disabilities. Comments may be submitted by individuals or groups. Please see below for details.… Read More »
2018 Call for Proposals
March 7, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Learning Disabilities Association of America is seeking submissions for the 2018 Conference to be held in Atlanta, GA February 21-24, 2018. Anyone wishing to present a paper, conduct a workshop, provide an informational session, or make a formal presentation is invited to submit a proposal. Read more here
Call to Action: Preserve Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act!
February 21, 2017 By 1 Comment
Contact your Congressional Representatives, State Legislators, and Governors NOW! Members and Friends of LDA, The House of Representatives is expected to introduce a bill to cut Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on February 27 and immediately to begin work on the bill in the House committee. The result would be two major blows to individuals with disabilities. Reach out to your federal and state legislators and the Governor’s office in your state and tell them that repealing the ACA and replacing it with a plan that CUTS Medicaid is unacceptable. People’s health, services, and lives are at stake! … Read More »
David Allsopp, PhD, Named Learning Disabilities Association of America Educator of the Year
February 13, 2017 By Leave a Comment
MEDIA CONTACT: Mary-Clare Reynolds, LDA Executive Director mcreynolds@ldaamerica.org, 412.341.1515, ext. 206 David Allsopp, PhD, Named Learning Disabilities Association of America Educator of the Year/h3> Learning Disabilities Conference in Baltimore, Feb. 16-19 Pittsburgh, PA (February 13, 2017) – David H. Allsopp, PhD, will be presented the Sam Kirk Educator of the Year Award during the 54th Annual Learning Disabilities of America (LDA) Conference, Feb. 16-19, in Baltimore, MD. He is professor of special education at the University of South Florida, where he serves as coordinator of the doctoral program in special education at the university’s College of Education. Dr. Allsopp will be the… Read More »
Learning Disabilities Association of America Honors Poet and Advocate LeDerick Horne with 2017 Sylvester Award
February 13, 2017 By Leave a Comment
MEDIA CONTACT: Mary-Clare Reynolds, LDA Executive Director mcreynolds@ldaamerica.org, 412.341.1515, ext. 206 Learning Disabilities Association of America Honors Poet and Advocate LeDerick Horne with 2017 Sylvester Award Learning Disabilities Conference in Baltimore, Feb. 16-19 Pittsburgh, PA (February 13, 2017) – LeDerick Horne of Somerset, NJ is being honored for his strong dedication and commitment to advancing the issues of adults with learning disabilities during the 54th Annual Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA) Conference in Baltimore, MD. LDA’s Harry Sylvester Award recognizes an adult with learning disabilities and will be presented on Sunday, February 19, during the award brunch at the Baltimore… Read More »
