As reported at the U.S. Department of Education’s (USDE) Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) annual conference, a survey by the Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education shows 98% of local special education directors said most relationships with families are positive, and 95% reported that most IEP meetings…
In an August 6, 2024 Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) conference session, U.S. Department of Education (USDE) presenters recommended that local and state school systems replicate and scale evidence-based promising practices for students with disabilities, rather than use new and quick fixes. According to Deputy Secretary of Education Cindy…
In an effort to help destigmatize mental health challenges among students, a recently signed California law allows the term ”emotional disability″ to replace “emotional disturbance” for special education services. The measure, which takes effect January 1, 2024, does not change the definition of the term and does not alter school-based…
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports that about 70% of surveyed schools experienced special education teacher vacancies in the 2023-24 school year. In fact, about half of special education teachers leave the profession within the first five years of teaching, according to officials from CEC and CASE at…
As reported by K-12 Dive, a July 5th regulatory update from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) shows the Title IX athletics rule proposal has been moved to a “long-term action” without a rough deadline, meaning the agency doesn’t expect a regulatory action within at least the next year.…
According to 2022 fiscal year data, 38 states, territories, and the District of Columbia were categorized as “needs assistance” with regard to implementing special education requirements and improving student outcomes for students ages 3-21 during the year evaluated or for two or more consecutive years. On June 21st, the U.S.…
Today, June 20, 2024, the U.S. Department of Education’s (USDE) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released three new resources with information for students, parents and families, and schools addressing the civil rights of students with sickle cell disease, epilepsy, and cancer. OCR issued these resources during a month that marks…
According to the US Department of Education's (USDE) Office of Civil Rights (OCR), the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) "exacerbated and contributed to the harm to students with disabilities" when it gave school districts pandemic-era guidance regarding compensatory services that was inconsistent with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of…
As reported by K-12 Dive, in order to improve compliance with federal guidelines, a new Minnesota state law limits how long special education teachers from alternative pathways can instruct by enacting stricter requirements to become a special education teacher in the state, including limits on those who pursue alternative pathways.…
On April 8, 2024, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a federal rule to ensure web content and mobile apps are accessible for people with disabilities. The update to regulations for Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) were subsequently published on April 24th by the U.S. Department…
