Federal Legislation & News
in Special Education
ARCHIVE
Trump’s Ed. Dept. slashed civil rights enforcement. How states are responding
Education Week In Pennsylvania, state Sen. Lindsey Williams, a Democrat from the Pittsburgh area, said her office has heard from families with complaints pending before the Education Department, and school districts in the middle of OCR investigations, that haven’t...
A small change in special ed. rules could affect equity, accountability, advocates warn
Education Week A paperwork change proposed by the U.S. Department of Education would end an important accountability measure that helps ensure states adequately identify and address racial inequities in special education, disability rights advocates say. The...
MI: New proposal for funding special education in Michigan schools
Detroit Free Press Lawmakers now have a strategy in front of them to improve the way special education services are funded in Michigan, created by a group of advocates, educators, administrators, and families who spent a year building the proposed framework under a...
NH: New Hampshire disability community rallies against federal cuts to special education
New Hampshire Bulletin Angelina Leo, an Exeter High School senior, said that without the special education services she received throughout her time in school, she wouldn’t even be able to speak. Leo, who has physical and learning disabilities, sees herself as an...
NY: NY schools say students restrained, put in time out over 20,000 times
Times Union More than 3,600 New York public school students were physically restrained or isolated in “timeouts” in at least 20,000 incidents last year, including some cases that violated state regulations. That’s according to the New York State Education Department,...
TX: How one state is leading the way for English learners with disabilities
Education Week Texas officials are making progress toward creating a new bilingual special education teacher certification, which advocates hope will set a national example for states serving students dually identified as English learners and students with...
Congress Must Conduct Oversight Hearings to Protect Children with Disabilities
Sweeping layoffs at the U.S. Department of Education have gutted key offices—including the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Programs (which includes special education and rehabilitation services), the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), and the...
Student with Down Syndrome thrives in general education class at Rockford school
Fox News 17 As the Individuals with Disabilities Act marks its 50th anniversary, one Rockford elementary school is demonstrating the law's intent by fully including a second grader with Down syndrome in general education classes. Ellie Gard attends classes at Meadow...
The Slow Death of Special Education
The Atlantic The Trump administration has taken the government shutdown as an opportunity to end federal oversight of the education services offered to more than 8 million children with disabilities in America. Last month, the Department of Education attempted to...
Despite hold on Ed department layoffs, special education worries run high
Disability Scoop A judge indefinitely blocked the U.S. Department of Education from laying off nearly every staffer in its special education office, but advocates say concerns about the future of the program remain. At a hearing this week, Judge Susan Illston of the...