Lisa Hernandez is a resident of Mountainside, NJ and member of the Board of Directors, Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA)

There are approximately 240,000 students with disabilities in New Jersey who are eligible for special education and related services under the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA). The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) is an independent nonprofit organization of close to 4,000 parents, attorneys, advocates, and related professionals, over 90% of whom identify as having a disability or are family members of individuals with disabilities. COPAA works to safeguard the educational rights of the 8 million children and students with disabilities protected under the IDEA and the 1.5 million children and students with disabilities protected under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 throughout the United States. COPAA’s mission is to serve as a national voice for special education rights, and that mission is grounded in the belief that every child has a right to a quality education that prepares them for meaningful employment, higher education, and full participation in their community.

On May 5-7, 2025, approximately 70 members of COPAA gathered on Capitol Hill to meet with their Senators and Congresspeople.

On the agenda for these in person meetings were COPAA’s most pressing policy concerns for the 119th Congress:

• Uphold the law by keeping all programming related to special education through the IDEA within the Department of Education
• Support and increase funding for all of IDEA’s programs in Fiscal Year 2026
• Pass the IDEA Full Funding Act, which is currently being co-sponsored by Senators Andy Kim and Corey Booker.
• Reject cuts to Medicaid

COPAA also advocates for safe and supportive schools for students with disabilities through support for several school climate bills:

• Keeping All Students Safe Act, which addresses seclusion and restraint
• Protecting Our Students in Schools Act, which would prohibit corporal punishment
• Early Action and Responsiveness Lifts Youth (EARLY) Minds Act, which addresses the growing mental health crisis through early intervention and prevention services
• Counseling Not Criminalization Act, which addresses law enforcement in schools and training to support the behavioral needs of students
• Ending PUSH Out Act, which aims to create a safe academic environment especially for girls of color, and which is currently being sponsored by Senator Corey Booker.

Concurrent with COPAA’s Hill Days, Diane Willcutts, a longtime COPAA member and parent-advocate, testified as part of a Senate forum on the harms of dismantling the U.S. Department of Education. The forum was hosted by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and was attended by ten Senate Democrats, including Senator Booker. The forum was described as the first in a series to address concerns related to the potential impact on students, their families, and our schools of closing the Department of Education.
-Lisa Hernandez

To learn more about the work COPAA does, please visit their website.

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