National Disability Rights Network Statement on Trump Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Nominee

November 16, 2017
National Disability Rights Network Statement on Trump Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Nominee

For Immediate Release                 
November 16, 2017

Contact: David Card
202.408.9514 x122
[email protected]

WASHINGTON – The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) is pleased the Trump Administration has nominated Johnny Collett to fill the position of Assistant Secretary of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS).

“Collett is a lifelong educator whose work has focused on improving outcomes for students with disabilities,” said NDRN Executive Director Curt Decker. “We look forward to hearing more about Mr. Collett’s views on a number of pressing issues during his confirmation hearings.”

In 2016, the nationwide network of Protection and Advocacy (P&A) agencies worked on nearly 14,000 individual cases and hundreds of systemic cases related to enforcing the educational rights of students with disabilities. Client Assistance Programs (CAP) worked on nearly 18,000 cases related to vocational rehabilitation. Both of these critical programs for people with disabilities are under the jurisdiction of OSERS.

As such, NDRN will be monitoring Mr. Collett’s views on many issues during his confirmation hearing particularly the disproportionality regulations, the competitive integrated employment (CIE) regulations, and the work of the regulatory reform task force at the Department of Education.

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The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) is the nonprofit membership organization for the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) Systems and the Client Assistance Programs (CAP) for individuals with disabilities. Collectively, the Network is the largest provider of legally based advocacy services to people with disabilities in the United States.