Each year CEC determines current issues special educators are facing. These issues are formulated into questions which are sent out to each state to get member response and feedback. Yearly the representative meet to discuss the views of the members.

CEC’s Representative Assembly is CEC’s advisory body. Representative Assembly members represent CEC’s entire membership. They identify issues and advise the Board of Directors on positions CEC should take on issues related to the field and profession; inform the Board of Directors, CEC affiliates and divisions, and committees, of membership issues and perspectives; and acts as a forum to examine prospective ideas, strategy directions, policy initiatives, and other issues. The Representative Assembly meets formally once a year at the CEC Convention & Expo.

The Representative Assembly is composed of two representatives from each state and provincial affiliate, division, and student membership and the Board of Directors.

2011 Discussion was on the

National CEC Core Values, Mission, Vision

Core Values
The proposed changes to the core values reflect discussion by the Board of Directors on:
a. Specifying that advocacy is part of our core values.
b. Deciding that one core value should relate to internal CEC matters, and hence the
addition of the item related to responsibility to members.
c. Making the core values more succinct; the result was the elimination of words and
phrases that might be seen as qualifiers.

CURRENT CORE VALUES                         PROPOSED REVISED CORE VALUES
                       
• The dignity and worth of all individuals.      • Dignity and worth of all individuals.                                               

• Social justice, inclusiveness, and  diversity.           • Diversity and inclusiveness.          

• Advocacy and social justice.

• Professional excellence, integrity,          • Professional excellence, integrity,
and accountability.                                         and accountability.

• Rich and meaningful participation in           • Full societal participation.
society for all individuals with
exceptionalities.

• Effective individualized education           • Effective individualized
for all individuals with                                     education.
exceptionalities.

• The importance of families in the            • Family engagement.
lives and education of all
individuals with exceptionalities.

• Collaboration and community                 • Collaboration and community.
building to improve outcomes.                 • Responsibility to its members.

Mission
The proposed changes to the mission statement reflect discussion by the Board of
Directors on:
a. Clarifying that CEC’s focus is on the education and quality of life of individuals with
disabilities while engaging families.
b. Refining wording.

CURRENT MISSION                                               
CEC is an international community of
educators who are the voice and vision of
special and gifted education. Our mission
is to improve the quality of life for
individuals with exceptionalities and their
families through professional excellence
and advocacy.

Proposed Mission

As an international community of
educators who are the voice and vision of
special and gifted education, CEC’s
mission is to improve, through
professional excellence and advocacy, the
education and quality of life for
individuals with exceptionalities and the
engagement of their families.

Vision
The proposed changes to the vision statement reflect discussion by the Board of Directors
on:
a. Articulating our collaborative work.
b. Adding phrasing to clarify that individuals with exceptionalities should be full
participants in society.
c. Refining wording that changes the order of some phrases.

CURRENT VISION                      

CEC is a diverse, vibrant professional
community working together and with
others to ensure that individuals with
exceptionalities are valued and included in
all aspects of life. CEC is a trusted voice in
shaping education policy and practice and
is globally renowned for its expertise and
leadership. CEC is one of the world’s
premier education organizations.

Proposed Vision

CEC is a diverse, vibrant professional
community working together and with
others to ensure that individuals with
exceptionalities are valued and included in
all aspects of life. CEC is a trusted voice in
shaping education policy and practice and
is globally renowned for its expertise and
leadership. CEC is one of the world’s
premier education organizations.

Please Send your reponses to these questions to

jhealy7@alaska.edu who will forward them to National CEC

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your state/provincial unit, division or student response to the proposed
core values? What changes (additions, deletions, revisions) would you suggest?

2. What is your state/provincial unit, division or student response to the proposed
mission statement? What changes (additions, deletions, revisions) would you
suggest?

3. What is your state/provincial unit, division or student response to the proposed
vision statement? What changes (additions, deletions, revisions) would you
suggest?

4. If you have additional comments or questions regarding revision of the core
values, vision and mission statements, please add them here.

 Goals and Objectives:

The proposed goals, issue
statements, and objectives will next be discussed by the Representative Assembly during
its April 27-28 meeting.
Attached is the 2012-14 Strategic Plan Proposed Goals, Issue Statements and Objectives
for your review and discussion with your unit and student leadership.
Discussion Questions:
1. For Goal 1.0, Quality Teaching and Learning:
a. How well does the goal statement reflect member and field needs for 2012-
2014? Should the wording be revised and if so, how?
b. Does the issue statement provide a rationale for the goal statement explaining
its importance to members and other stakeholders? What should be added or
deleted?
c. Do the objectives represent the most critical areas for addressing this goal?
Should any be eliminated? Should the wording be revised and if so, how?
2. For Goal 2.0, Advocacy:
a. How well does the goal statement reflect member and field needs for 2012-
2014? Should the wording be revised and if so, how?
b. Does the issue statement provide a rationale for the goal statement explaining
its importance to members and other stakeholders? What should be added or
deleted?
Agenda Item 1.3.1.1
Proposed 2012-14 Strategic Plan Goals, Issue Statements and Objectives
Discussion/Recommendation Item 2
c. Do the objectives represent the most critical areas for addressing this goal?
Should any be eliminated? Should the wording be revised and if so, how?
3. For Goal 3.0, Collaborative Partnerships:
a. How well does the goal statement reflect member and field needs for 2012-
2014? Should the wording be revised and if so, how?
b. Does the issue statement provide a rationale for the goal statement explaining
its importance to members and other stakeholders? What should be added or
deleted?
c. Do the objectives represent the most critical areas for addressing this goal?
Should any be eliminated? Should the wording be revised and if so, how?
4. For Goal 4.0, Organizational Vitality:
a. How well does the goal statement reflect member and field needs for 2012-
2014? Should the wording be revised and if so, how?
b. Does the issue statement provide a rationale for the goal statement explaining
its importance to members and other stakeholders? What should be added or
deleted?
c. Do the objectives represent the most critical areas for addressing this goal?
Should any be eliminated? Should the wording be revised and if so, how?
5. As a group, how well do the goals, issue statements and objectives, reflect our
core values, vision, and mission? Do they reflect the current and emerging needs
of our members and field?
Agenda Item 1.3.1.1
Proposed Goals, Issue Statements, and Objectives 1
COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
2012-14 STRATEGIC PLAN
Proposed Goals, Issue Statements, and Objectives
March 23, 2011
QUALITY TEACHING AND LEARNING
Goal:
Promote and support the highest quality of education and interventions for children and youth
with exceptionalities.
Issue Statement:
Special education professionals and others who serve the needs of young children with
exceptionalities and their families work under challenging and rapidly changing conditions.
These include state, provincial, and national reforms; advances in technology; and changing
demographics in schools, all of which affect the education of children and youth with
exceptionalities and the roles and responsibilities of special education professionals. CEC must
respond to these challenges by ensuring that the personnel who provide education and early
intervention to children and youth with exceptionalities are held to the highest standards of
practice in their fields and have access to the most effective evidenced-based strategies and
interventions that enable them to meet their professional and ethical responsibilities.
Objectives:
1. To ensure that special education and other professionals who engage in the education of
children and youth with exceptionalities have access to state-of-the-art knowledge and
evidence-based practices through high quality initial preparation and career-long
professional development.
2. To support collaboration among education professionals and families and recognize the
contributions of special education and early intervention professionals.
ADVOCACY
Goal:
Advance governmental policies in order to influence the teaching and learning of children and
youth with exceptionalities, their families, and the practice of professionals who work on their
behalf.
Agenda Item 1.3.1.1
Proposed Goals, Issue Statements, and Objectives 2
Issue Statement:
Numerous policy challenges and opportunities are confronting special and gifted education.
CEC’s advocacy priorities emerge from one essential conviction: All children, wherever they
live in the world, deserve access to a challenging, motivating, and rigorous education. A quality
education requires superior leadership, full financial support, effective instruction, high-quality
professionals, appropriate programs, suitable facilities, and family and community involvement.
Vigorous sustained advocacy is required to ensure that all children and youth with
exceptionalities are successful in school; programs are funded at optimal levels; shortages of
well-prepared special education professionals are eliminated; research and innovation enhance
programs and practice; and children and youth with exceptionalities and the professionals who
serve them are appropriately included within reform and other legislative initiatives.
Objectives:
1. To support advocacy that advances U.S., Canadian, state/provincial and international
policies regarding children and youth with exceptionalities.
2. To formulate a biannual public policy agenda (U.S.) and achieve its aims.
COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS
Goal:
Advance collaboration and strategic partnerships between CEC and key U.S., Canadian, and
international organizations.
Issue statement:
Organizations are increasingly becoming aware of the need to diversify their resource base as
well as the importance of expanding partnerships to achieve mutually important goals. CEC’s
mission is bold and embraces U.S., Canadian, and international concerns about improving the
quality of education and early intervention provided to children and youth with exceptionalities.
The mission requires the collective efforts of teachers, other practitioners, policymakers,
families, and other important stakeholders and audiences. Thus, CEC must build alliances with
diverse organizations, agencies, and businesses in order to increase its impact, extend its
influence, and maximize its resources. This goal is intended to create dynamic and integrated
relationships that are sustainable and that encourage reciprocal learning, the development of
shared values and mutual respect, and attainment of goals. As a result of these relationships,
CEC will work with a mindset of “we” and not “us” and “them”.
Objectives:
1. To strengthen existing strategic partnerships between CEC and U.S., Canadian, and
international organizations whose missions and commitments are congruent with CEC’s
mission.
Agenda Item 1.3.1.1
Proposed Goals, Issue Statements, and Objectives 3
2. To develop new partnerships between CEC and U.S., Canadian, and international
organizations whose missions and commitments are congruent with CEC’s mission.
ORGANIZATIONAL VITALITY
Goal:
Enhance CEC’s reputation and influence through leadership, organizational performance, and
fiduciary effectiveness.
Issue Statement:
In an era in which professional associations compete with each other for finite member resources
and extensive free information and materials are available on the Internet, remaining vital
requires offering value to members and potential members. CEC, a nimble and potent
organization, must be responsive to the current and emerging needs of all its constituents. It
must engage in ongoing dialogue with them, seek feedback related to its products and services,
and act on the information obtained. CEC strives to build a vibrant community of leaders by
recruiting, retaining and engaging members and partnering with its state/provincial units and
special interest divisions. Efficient operations and management as well as careful financial
stewardship are essential for CEC’s enhanced program and financial performance.
Objectives:
1. To produce and successfully disseminate high quality products and services that respond
to current and emerging U.S., Canadian, and international member and other professional
needs.
2. To grow CEC’s membership and nurture its future leaders by increasing its visibility and
access, and providing value to its members and others who utilize its resources.
3. To support CEC’s state/provincial units and special interest divisions.
4. To maintain and enhance cost-effective operations, including the use of existing and
emerging technologies and revenue enhancement.