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MA: State education board addresses timeouts, seclusion in schools
WBUR News The state education board advanced regulations Tuesday to further restrict controversial "timeout" and seclusion policies in schools, the next step in a years-long effort to reduce the use of the practices. There's been growing national attention on...
MN: Special ed faces cuts as Minneapolis schools struggle to close $75M budget gap
MPR News Minneapolis school board members Tuesday night began detailing difficult cuts they expect to make to close a $75 million budget gap for next school year, including cutting more than 100 positions tied to special education. District leaders had previously...
OK: Oklahoma House takes aim at strengthening parental consent in special education decisions
KSWO.com House Bill 1393, which aims to give parents of children with IEPs more of a choice in their child’s education, is headed to the Senate for further consideration. If passed, the bill would require schools to receive parental consent before enrolling a child...
TN: More districts disproportionately disciplining Black, disabled students, state data shows
WSMV4 More Tennessee school districts are disciplining Black students with disabilities at a higher rate than their peers, according to the latest state data. WSMV4 Investigator Courtney Allen uncovered which ones in the Midstate have been flagged. It is a story we...
TX: ‘Zero tolerance to zero consequences:’ Texas Senate bills aim to tighten public school discipline policies
Community Impact The Texas Senate Education Committee discussed three bills March 25 that senators said would expand public schools’ ability to discipline students who are repeatedly disruptive or violent. Proponents of the measures said they would improve classroom...
ACT NOW! Support Medicaid & Protect Children with Disabilities
This week, the House and Senate are continuing to negotiate budget bills to support tax cuts. To pay for the tax credits, some Congressional Republicans have targeted Medicaid for massive cuts. If Congress cuts Medicaid, states and school districts will not have the...
CA: What LAUSD students with disabilities need to know about the ban on cellphones in class
LAist There are at least 63,000 students with disabilities in the Los Angeles Unified School District. For these students, the district's cellphone ban has implications beyond missing texts from friends or losing the option to scroll social media at lunch. Families...
NJ: Special education school bus safety bill clears NJ Senate
NorthJersey.com Monday's legislation, approved by a 39-0 vote, is sponsored by Sens. Kristin Corrado, a Passaic County Republican, and Patrick Diegnan, a Democrat from Middlesex County. It would create a panel of parents, educators, state officials, and advocates who...
TX: Proposed state bill would make it easier to suspend students
San Antonio Report State lawmakers want to make it easier for schools to suspend younger students and students experiencing homelessness. House Bill 6, which is sponsored by nearly three-quarters of Republican representatives in the Texas House, greenlights the use of...
TX: Why North Texas educators fear vouchers could weaken special education resources
KERA News Jolene Sanders thought a private school could give her son with autism the kind of specialized attention he needed. So she searched for a good school with a good program. “Well, it doesn’t exist,” she said she ultimately concluded after looking. Sanders, now...