Morrison Institute for Public Policy Publications Archives

A recent American Civil Liberties Union report found that Maricopa County elementary and middle school students with disabilities are twice as likely to be suspended compared to kids without disabilities. Another key factor in this discussion is the use of restraints and seclusion on students with disabilities as disciplinary action in schools. In 2016, state lawmakers revised Arizona Revised Statute Title 15-105 on the use of restraints and seclusion, requiring that schools document and report any restraint or seclusion used on students to the parent or guardian within 24 hours. This briefing paper looks at the definition of restraints and seclusion, as well as whether they are overused forms of punishment on students with disabilities.

Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESAs) are growing popular among parents of students with disabilities, providing them options to choose how and where to educate their children with financial assistance provided by the state. Almost ten percent of state funding for education is projected to be diverted to private options in 2015. This flexibility and control offered to a parent can come at the cost of added confusion about the program. It is important that parents understand the pros and cons of the program before they decide whether or not the program is the best fit for their student.

From its inception, the “Spotlight on Arizona’s Kids” project was a different type of initiative undertaken by Morrison Institute for Public Policy and none more important – the safety and well-being of children whose lives intersect with the child welfare system. This multi-year project, funded by Arizona Community Foundation (ACF), includes data and expertise provided by Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS), along with input from national and local child welfare experts. To date, the project has produced five publications that examine the breadth and complexity of issues related to child neglect with the goal of informing effective policy in Arizona.

From its inception, the “Spotlight on Arizona’s Kids” project was a different type of initiative undertaken by Morrison Institute for Public Policy and none more important – the safety and well-being of children whose lives intersect with the child welfare system. This multi-year project, funded by Arizona Community Foundation (ACF), includes data and expertise provided by Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS), along with input from national and local child welfare experts. To date, the project has produced five publications that examine the breadth and complexity of issues related to child neglect with the goal of informing effective policy in Arizona.

This is the fourth in a series of briefs in which Morrison Institute for Public Policy will report on selected aspects of Arizona’s child welfare system. Morrison Institute’s first white paper discussed the less visible but more common side of child maltreatment: neglect. The second white paper examined family conditions that can influence a family’s subtle “drift” towards unsafe situations that often correlate with neglect, as well as how different types of prevention might help interrupt the “drift into failure.” The third paper analyzed Arizona Department of Child Safety data to identify the prevalence of various types of neglect in Arizona reports. This paper highlights some key conclusions from the neglect analysis and identifies future areas for study and analysis as part of the Spotlight on Arizona’s Kids project. Future papers will research, analyze and discuss prevention services in Arizona and elsewhere, with an emphasis on best practices. These collective efforts are intended to help state leaders, child advocates and others discuss and identify the most-effective child abuse and neglect prevention strategies. Spotlight on Arizona’s Kids is funded by the Arizona Community Foundation

According to the 2016 U.S. Census, 44.3 million people in the United States (14 percent) were living in poverty, and 12.8 percent of the population reported having at least one disability. The median U.S. household income in 2016 was $57,617. However, among households that included someone with a disability, the median income was more than 25 percent lower - $41,600. The federal poverty guidelines have increased slightly between 2015 and 2017, but still remain low.

This brief will discuss the importance of transportation, problems accessing it, and the utilization of public transportation by people with disabilities. It will describe the barriers experienced in rural and urban settings, and how public transportation programs in Arizona are addressing these barriers. Finally, it will conclude with best practices and future trends in the wake of government funding cuts, including the establishment of one call centers, volunteer driver programs, and shared vans operated by non-profit organizations.