Ed Week

Twenty-five ongoing projects related to special education got cancellation notices on Friday night from the U.S. Department of Education, imminently jeopardizing more than $30 million worth of federally funded efforts in 14 states to help educators better serve students with disabilities. Cancellations for money that was due to arrive Oct. 1 hit five state education departments, three small nonprofit organizations, 12 universities, and the nation’s oldest K-12 school for the blind. All the affected competitive grants fall under Part D of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, the federal law that enshrines education rights for the nation’s 7 million K-12 students with disabilities. Department officials told the 25 canceled grantees that each of their projects “is inconsistent with, and no longer effectuates, the best interests of the federal government.” In each case, the cancellation notices cite language from the grantees’ application materials that references diversity, equity, inclusion, racism, and related concepts.