I am pleased to report positive developments in many areas.
Positive Financial Results
LDA concluded its fiscal year that ended June 30, 2013 with excellent results. The 2013 San Antonio Conference was very successful, and LDA has received revenue under the website advertising contract approved at the February, 2013 Board meeting. LDA’s unrestricted net assets increased significantly. LDA is in a better financial position now than it has been in a number of years. Continuing to do realistic budgeting and to operate in a disciplined manner should keep LDA in a good financial position. At present, it appears that LDA is on track to be positive but not by as much as last year.
Seeking new opportunities for LDA and operating in a disciplined manner will ensure that LDA continues in a positive direction.
Redesigned Website and Updated Content
We are pleased to report that LDA has redesigned its website to be more user-friendly and informative. Content has been updated. The new website was launched in January of 2014. Position papers have been produced in response to needs of parents, including the paper on right to an evaluation. We also sent out model letters to state affiliates on student privacy issues. Webinars and videos have been produced to provide needed information and to build awareness of LDA. Thanks to the LD Foundation for grants supporting the video and website redesign projects and to the Communications Committee and the Marketing/Advertising Committee for their work.
Affiliate Support Progress
The Affiliate Support/Membership Committee has been promoting increased effective communication between LDA National and the affiliates. At the San Antonio Conference we held meetings each day with State Presidents on various topics. We have had several telephone conference calls with State Presidents his year.
As a result of discussions with various affiliates concerning state conferences/one day seminars/events, we concluded that a number of individuals active in state affiliates could use their knowledge of conference and event planning to assist others. The LDA Executive Committee approved the following resolution:
Establish a subcommittee of the Affiliate Support/Membership Committee to advise and assist affiliates as to putting on state conferences and/or one day or half day seminars/events and appoint to the subcommittee: Ann Kornblet -Chair of subcommittee. Members: Connie Parr, Linda Modenbach, Debbie Rodes, Analisa Smith, and Leslie Rubinstein.
The Chair and members of this conference advisory subcommittee each have extensive experience with state conferences, seminars, and other such events and are most willing to share their knowledge and assist other affiliates in planning such events.
LDA Partnering In PFF Parent Project
LDA is a founding partner in the Poses Family Foundation (PFF) Parent Project. LDA and PFF entered into a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the Parent Project (Project) in June, 2013. LDA is a member of the Partner Advisory Board (Project PAB). During 2013, Executive Director Mary-Clare Reynolds and I participated in telephone and in-person meetings of the Parent Project partners and telephone discussions with the Parent Project staff.
The partners including: LDA, NCLD, LD On Line, Great Schools, Tremaine Foundation, Oak Foundation, CAST, Project Eye to Eye, and others have an exciting opportunity to contribute to the Project and, at the same time, benefit from their roles as partners. We anticipate that the Project could be of enormous benefit to parents of children with learning disabilities.
The Project involves development of a state of the art, user friendly website. Considerable research has been conducted to guide the plan for the website and the type of content. PFF is relying on professionals for the research, design, and planning of types of content. By answering questions posed, parents may be guided to information relevant to their particular issues. It will be parent oriented and will cover a broad range of issues. Launch planned for Spring/Summer, 2014.
Partners will be listed on the website and will each have a page focused on that partner with content provided by and updated by that partner. For example, LDA could announce its annual conference on that page. Partners will have opportunities to provide content on an ongoing basis for the website in various ways: blogs, forums, webinars, questions for experts, etc. Partners may propose topics for social media campaigns and participate in those campaigns. We anticipate that LDA’s involvement in the website will increase awareness of LDA and its mission.
The partners will be offered options as to how the Project website will relate to the website of the partner, including embedding the Project website into the website of the partner (involving a significant redesign of the partner’s website).
The Project website will have a donate button and campaigns for donations. A significant amount of the donations will be distributed to the partners. Various distribution models are being considered.
Communications Grant to LDA
In December, 2013, PFF granted requested funding of $56,000 to LDA for Communications Coordinator contract services for a two year period. The Communications Coordinator reports to the Executive Director and performs a number of communications functions, including:
- social media for coordinated partner campaigns
- website maintenance
- website content coordination
- coordination with the Parent Project team
- communications to LDA membership, affiliates, and parents
Mary-Clare reviewed many applications and selected Ericka Pardun as the independent contractor to provide communications coordinator services under the PFF grant. Ericka has nearly 15 years of experience as a marketing professional with background in social media, website creation and management, and strategy development. Ericka has commenced her duties. She has worked on the Parent Project media campaign and on the LDA founding partner page that will appear on the Parent project website.
We are very appreciative of the funding provided by PFF for these communications services over a two year period.
LDA Participating in First Parent Project Media Campaign
The first Parent Project joint social media campaign was held in January and encouraged parents to rate how well their schools serve children with learning and attention issues. Parents will be able to use this information to compare learning disability related services in the schools in their areas.
LDA Reviewing Legal Content for Parent Project
LDA is fulfilling its role in assisting the Parent Project by reviewing legal content. I am coordinating that review and have reviewed and provided comments on over 20 legal articles. Other attorneys involved with LDA are assisting, as well, including Myrna Mandlawitz and Jo Anne Simon.
LDA Partnering with NCLD
In January, 2014, NCLD and LDA entered into a Memorandum of Understanding reflecting a desire to partner on selected projects, especially in the advocacy area, going forward. The thinking is that the two organizations working together can have greater impact than either one alone. This would be in addition to the partnering that LDA and NCLD will be doing as founding partners of the Parent Project.
LD Identification Roundtable
LDA was invited to participate in the LD Identification Roundtable in New York, held on October 19 and 20. LDA was represented by its Public Policy Director, Myrna Mandlawitz. As an attorney with a background in education, Myrna is well suited to represent LDA at such events.
As indicated in recent LDA position papers – What Are Learning Disabilities and Right to an Evaluation of a Child for Special Education Services – LDA supports a comprehensive evaluation as an essential component in the process for diagnosing suspected specific learning disabilities. LDA also supports Response to Intervention (RTI). However, RTI is not, and should not be, a substitute for a comprehensive evaluation. LDA emphasizes that, regardless of where the child is in an RTI process, the IDEA regulations give parents the right to request an evaluation for special education services at any time.
Healthy Children Project
LDA, with funding from the John Merck Fund for another year, also has continued its important efforts on the Healthy Children Project.
New Hampshire Charitable Foundation
The grant from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, which began in 2013, has funded scholarships to facilitate teacher attendance at LDA’s 2014 Conference in Anaheim, California, and is funding sessions relating to prevention of learning disabilities and early identification and intervention.
Conference
The Conference Committee, under the leadership of Chair Linda Modenbach and Assistant Chair Connie Parr, and the Program Committee, led by Co-Chairs Mark Griffin and BJ Wiemer, worked in an effective manner to develop the outstanding 2014 Conference.
LDA Structure
During 2012 the Board recommended new updated Bylaws to the delegates, and the new Bylaws were approved and adopted by the delegates in February, 2013. Updated, streamlined Policies were adopted by the Board. During 2013, a task force reviewed the LDA committee structure and made recommendations to promote enhanced efficiency. Another task force is reviewing alternative sources of revenue going forward so that LDA may continue moving in a positive direction financially.
Learning Disabilities: A Multidisciplinary Journal – Contract with Sagamore Journals
LDA has entered into a contract with Sagamore Publishing under which Sagamore will become managing editor and perform publishing and marketing functions for the Journal. Under the contract, which has a three year term, LDA will receive a guaranteed income of $29,000 per year.
Our National office staff, under the leadership of Executive Director Mary-Clare Reynolds, has continued their dedicated work on behalf LDA. Mary-Clare has a depth of knowledge of all aspects of LDA’s operations and provides outstanding support for the Board, Committees, and officers.
Other staff and contract personnel do excellent work in their areas: Jayme Vertullo managing our membership database and bookkeeping; Andrea Turkheimer working directly with our Conference Program Committee to help organize our annual meeting; Maureen Swanson coordinating all efforts with our successful Healthy Children Project; Heather Nicklow managing our finances; administrative assistant Krista Stockhausen, assisting with administrative matters, including working with Jayme to process new memberships and renewals, and finally Ericka Pardun, Communications Coordinator working on social media, website, affiliate communication, and coordination with the Parent Project.
Finally, it has been a pleasure to serve as President of LDA for the past two years and to have the opportunity to work closely with our Board, committees, affiliates, members, and staff.
I am pleased to welcome incoming President, Nancie Payne, who brings great talent and experience that will benefit LDA going forward. Most recently Nancie has served as Treasurer of LDA and previously served as Chair of the Adult Topics Committee, as Co-Chair of the Program Committee, and as a member of the LDA Board of Directors and the Professional Advisory Board.
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