Federal Legislation & News
in Special Education
ARCHIVE
Trump’s DEI policies pose risk to students with disabilities
The Hill Children with disabilities are getting swept up in the Trump administration’s crusade against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and its push to end the Education Department, advocates say. So far, the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) biggest...
Special education enrollment climbs to nearly 8M
K-12 Dive The number of students with disabilities, ages 3-21, could jump by about 1 million students between 2021 and 2025 if the current rate of increase continues, according to federal data and an analysis by The Advocacy Institute. By comparison, it took about 20 ...
As GOP Eyes Medicaid Cuts, Trump Tries to Avoid the Political Third Rails
Washington Post Former President Trump is seeking to avoid the political pitfalls surrounding proposed Medicaid cuts while aligning with Republican fiscal goals. His cautious approach reflects the complex political landscape in which cutting Medicaid could alienate...
Republicans Once Maligned Medicaid. Now Some See It as a Program Too Big to Touch
AP News Once a target for cuts by many Republicans, Medicaid has become a program that some now view as too integral to the nation’s healthcare system to alter. The growing scale and importance of Medicaid have shifted the party’s approach, making it a political issue...
House and Senate Hold Hearings on Online Exploitation and Trafficking
Within the past week, both chambers of Congress have held hearings on child safety and online protection against sexual abuse and exploitation. The House hearing spotlighted how to best protect victims of human trafficking, especially domestic sex trafficking, and how...
ED Launches ‘End DEI’ Portal
On February 27th, the U. S. Department of Education (ED) launched a portal for parents, students, teachers, and the broader community to report instances of discrimination, based on race or gender in publicly funded K-12 schools. The Department will use these...
Appropriations Committee Holds Hearing on Federal Investment in K-12 Education
On Wednesday, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (Labor-H) held a hearing to discuss investments in elementary education. Testimony was heard from Ms. Virginia “Ginny” Gentles, Director, Defense of...
Full-Year CR “Likely”
With a March 14 deadline looming large -amidst significant partisan disagreements on top line spending for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY2025) appropriations- Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) announced this week that a full year continuing resolution...
COPAA Submits Amicus Brief to the Ninth Circuit in Support of the Right of Students to the Public Funding of ALJ-Ordered Placements
In early February, COPAA submitted an amicus brief to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in support of the family of a child with a disability, urging the court to reverse the decision of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington...
Lawsuit threatens Section 504
In September 2024, 17 states’ Attorneys General filed a lawsuit in Northern Texas. The lawsuit challenges the legality of Section 504 and its new rules, which protect people with disabilities from discrimination in health care and human services. Texas v. Bacerra was...