Maine Morning Star

Maine special educators — who are already overwhelmed and underfunded — are worried about being able to consistently meet the needs of students amid the changing federal landscape, said Jesse Hargrove, president of the Maine Education Association, which represents most of the state’s teachers. “Part of what we don’t know is how this is going to affect educators? How soon will it affect them?” he said, adding that other impacts from the government shutdown are “compounding the situation.” The pending layoffs and ongoing federal government shutdown, which just entered its fourth week, mean there are fewer people responsible for ensuring special education students are getting the services they need by guaranteeing that states receive funding, training, and technical assistance, according to Sarah Wilkinson, an assistant professor of special education at the University of Southern Maine. In Maine specifically, the teacher preparation program, which receives federal assistance for recruiting and training special educators, is now at risk, she said. Also, federal grants underpin initiatives like the Maine Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports system, which is used by districts to identify and support all students based on their individual needs.