A national movement accelerating social inclusion among young people with and without intellectual disabilities (ID) has reached a historic milestone. Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools® (UCS) programming now partners with 10,000 schools, from Pre-K through university, in 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Together,…
Since President-elect Trump and some lawmakers in the incoming Republican-controlled Congress have vowed to limit federal involvement in K-12, including the elimination of the U.S. Department of Education, which oversees funding and programming for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), many are expressing their concerns as to what may…
In the Senate, Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, will chair the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee when the 119th Congress convenes next month. In addition, Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Michigan, a 16-year veteran of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, was chosen as that committee’s next chair when Congress convenes…
On December 11, 2024, President Joe Biden signed a bill into law that will require the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) to make the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) available by October 1 each year. The FAFSA Deadline Act will require the education secretary to update Congress on…
During oral arguments for Food and Drug Administration v. Wages and White Lion Investments, LLC on December 9th, the U.S. Supreme Court appeared divided over tobacco industry claims that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) unlawfully rejected millions of flavored e-cigarettes for approved sale due to concerns about nicotine addiction…
On December 9, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear two closely watched K-12 cases, one regarding a Wisconsin school district’s “gender identity support plan” policy and another on temporary admissions policies meant to diversify student bodies at three competitive Boston schools. In Parents Protecting Our Children v. Eau…
New guidance from the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) promotes the use of individualized behavioral assessments and support plans for students with and without disabilities to help schools address problem behaviors and reduce suspensions and expulsions. The 25-page, nonregulatory guidance issued last month calls for using ”functional behavioral assessments″ (FBAs)…
U.S. House Republicans have released the 2025 calendar. Here is the link: https://www.majorityleader.gov/house-legislative-calendar-2025/
The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights will hold a live streamed virtual listening session on December 13th from 1-2 PM ET on the commission’s YouTube channel with a goal to hear from educators, parents, students, and community members about improving access to education for students with disabilities. The commission is…
President-elect Donald Trump has named Brooke Rollins to be secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), where she would oversee the programs that reimburse schools providing school meals for low-income children. Rollins, a Texas native, is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), a conservative think…
