Practice Highlights

SSWAA Leadership Summit

INSSWA President Terry Miller, President-Elect Beth Hoban, Legislative Committee member Mil Penner, and DOE Consultant Dee Kempson attended the SSWAA Leadership Summit in Washington D.C. in July. While there, they had the opportunity to interact with school social work leaders from throughout the country, while also discussing the roles of school professionals in the Response to Intervention model.

One of the highlights of the Summit was the opportunity to spend a day on Capitol Hill. Myrna Mandlawitz, the SSWAA lobbyist, provided information to Summit participants about topics to lobby on and why those topics were important to the profession of school social work. These topics included:

1) Increased funding of the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program—This is the only federal program providing support to school districts to expand school counseling services. Fiscal Year 2007 funding is $34.65 million, the House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee has included $61.5 million for Fiscal Year 2008, and the Senate Appropriations Committee has included $40 million. Funds will not be available for secondary schools until the $40 million funding trigger is reached, and even then, the base amount of $40 million is reserved for elementary schools;

2) Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA--also known as “No Child Left Behind”)---Major recommendations include conforming and changing the terminology of pupil services personnel to “specialized instructional support personnel” so that the language is consistent between IDEA and ESEA, establishing an Office of Specialized Instructional Support Services in the U.S. Dept. of Education, and fully integrating specialized instructional support personnel into the general education system; and

3) Loan Forgiveness---The Higher Education Access Act of 2007 would create loan forgiveness for borrowers working in a “public sector job”—this would include public school-based service providers—with certain parameters applying.

Legislative assistants from Senators Lugar and Bayh's offices, as well as from Representatives Burton, Visclosky, and Buyer’s offices met with us and took information to pass along to these legislators. Senator Bayh was kind enough to take a picture with us while on his way to a Senate vote. While talking, we were able to educate our contacts on what school social workers do for students and how valuable their services are in overcoming barriers to learning. We found them to be very open to listening to what we had to say. We learned that other Representatives from throughout the state of Indiana serve on some very important committees and how important it is for INSSWA members to keep in regular contact with their Representatives and Senators. By remaining knowledgeable about the issues and bills our state and national legislators are considering, you will be able to share your opinion, your expertise, and let your important voice be heard.

If you are interested in lobbying with your Representative and/or Senator and would like more information about the issues that were discussed in Washington, please contact any of the INSSWA members who attended the Summit.

Pictures are with: 1. Beth Hoban, staff member from Senator Lugar's office, Terry Miller, Dee Kempson, Mil Penner 2. Dee Kempson, Terry Miller, Senator Evan Bayh, Beth Hoban