Our Public Policy Role

The public policy role of CAPSES is to provide a unified voice of nonpublic schools serving California students with disabilities with federal and state public policy decision-makers, parents and the general public. CAPSES maintains effective advocacy efforts at the federal, state, and local levels of government through the coordination of the CAPSES Governmental Affairs Committee. Under the direction of the CAPSES Governmental Affairs Committee, contract lobbysts and consultants implement advocacy efforts to impact proposed federal and state legislation and other public policies on behalf of member private special education schools and the special education students and families they serve.

The CAPSES Director of Public & Governmental Affairs tracks, analyzes, and advocates proposed legislation, regulations and other public policies that will impact private special education schools in California and the students and families they serve. He meets regularly with the CAPSES Governmental Affairs Committee in addition to providing regular updates on the Association’s public policy development and coordination efforts to the Board of Directors at their regular meetings (six times a year) and local regional meetings of CAPSES members.

CAPSES also educates its member private special education schools on current legislative and regulatory changes of federal and state law and urges them to attend public hearings and meetings with individual legislators and other policy makers to advocate for the quality special education programs and services that they provide. In addition, CAPSES’ provides resources to its members relating to current changes in laws, regulations or other public policies through regular advisories issued to members which specifically targets those policies that impact nonpublic schools or the children and families they serve.