Head of special education at U.S. Education Dept. quits

by kids1stadvocac | Sep 15, 2026 | Federal

NPR Kelly Rogers told employees Wednesday that she is resigning from her post overseeing special education at the U.S. Education Department as the agency is in the midst of upheaval and downsizing. Rogers, who has been overseeing the Office of Special Education and...

Trump upends special education oversight, stirring parents and advocates

by kids1stadvocac | Sep 8, 2026 | Federal

U.S. News More than 8 million American children with disabilities are starting the new school year with guarantees of a decent public education at their local schools and federal funding that helps pay for it. But parents and advocates are split on whether a Trump...

Long-awaited civil rights data about students is finally out

by kids1stadvocac | Sep 8, 2026 | Federal

NPR A massive trove of data about the civil rights of American students was quietly published on the U.S. Department of Education’s website this week. The Civil Rights Data Collection includes information about which groups of students are being bullied, which...

Department of Education Requires Schools to Eliminate Race Consideration in Student Discipline

by kids1stadvocac | Aug 18, 2026 | Federal

Today, in new guidance issued to educational institutions via a Dear Colleague Letter (DCL), Kim Richey, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, told schools that discipline policies must “treat students even-handedly and must neither favor nor disfavor any student...

Education Department defends controversial special education shakeup

by kids1stadvocac | Aug 11, 2026 | Federal, Uncategorized

K-12 Dive U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon, during a keynote address on Tuesday, emphasized the federal government’s obligation to enforce protections for students with disabilities, while touting the Trump administration’s efforts to give states, districts and...