Morrison Institute for Public Policy Publications Archives

Bullying and violence in K-12 schools have been in the policy spotlight in Arizona for almost a decade. However, current indicators and recent traumatic events show that a range of anti-social behaviors on school campuses remain a major threat to student well-being and learning. This briefing was distributed at panel discussion on bullying and safe school environments, focusing on such issues.

Although employment is one of the primary building blocks leading to inclusion, better income, good health and freedom, it remains an elusive goal for many people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) who wish to work. Equal access to employment for people with disabilities has not improved since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) almost 25 years ago. The disparity in national employment rates between those with no disabilities and those with disabilities remains large and has grown significantly since the ADA’s passage. In 2013, the Arizona gap is significant with approximately 21 percent of workers with disabilities employed, which is 40 percentage points less than the 61 percent of workers without disabilities employed. There has also been an overall decline in employment among people with disabilities in both the United States and Arizona since 1994.

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.

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.

Politics, elections and governance in the United States are largely viewed through the lens of a two-party power structure of Republicans and Democrats. However, a distinct but ill-defined group of voters is quietly becoming a force that no longer can be ignored. Independent voters are increasingly determining winners and losers in election contests throughout the country and the number of Americans who call themselves independents is on the rise. However surprisingly little is known about the America’s independent voters. Morrison Institute for Public Policy at Arizona State University and the Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy have teamed up with one another and Independentvoting.org to examine the independent voter phenomenon and the impact that it is having on the American political landscape. Their findings have been outlined in the briefing paper Gamechangers?: Independent Voters May Rewrite the Political Playbook.

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.