[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 26627]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




CELEBRATING THE COMMUNITY ALLIANCE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION'S 30 YEARS OF 
                FIGHTING FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 3, 2009

  Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, San Francisco's Community Alliance for 
Special Education (CASE) was formed in 1979 in response to an unmet 
need to protect the educational rights of children with disabilities. 
As CASE celebrates its 30th anniversary, we can all celebrate their 
good and inspired work supporting children with disabilities by 
ensuring the fair and just implementation of the federal Individuals 
with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and state special education 
laws.
  Perhaps most impressively, CASE recognizes the financial hardship 
that can beset a family raising a child with a disability and has never 
turned away a client based on their ability to pay.
  Their excellent work has led to impressive results over the past 
three decades, including 94% of children served by CASE receiving 
appropriate educational services and 95% of clients being connected to 
local parent networks to help them address other family needs.
  Over the last thirty years, CASE has provided more than 20,000 
consultations to parents and professionals, represented upwards of 
3,000 families and trained in excess of 25,000 people. In addition, 
their handbook, Special Education Rights, is the most widely-used 
resource guide in California on the special education process.
  Madam Speaker, you and I are both blessed to represent what San 
Francisco legend Herb Caen called ``The city that knows how''. I am 
happy to report that CASE furthers San Francisco's proud legacy by 
successfully harnessing the power of collaboration and communication to 
engage children, parents, educators and the community to advance the 
admirable goal of improving educational opportunities for children with 
disabilities so that they, too, can become happy and productive members 
of the community.
  It is with great admiration that I commend the Community Alliance for 
Special Education for making our world a better place by advocating for 
those who otherwise might not be heard. I congratulate everyone who has 
had a part in making CASE the success story it is and look forward to 
more great work over the next thirty years.

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