IDEA

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks at the opening of a monoclonal antibody site in Pembroke Pines, Fla., on Aug. 18, 2021. The on-again, off-again ban imposed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to prevent mandating masks for Florida school students is back in force. The 1st District Court of Appeal ruled Friday, Sept. 10, that a Tallahassee judge should not have lifted an automatic stay two days ago that halted enforcement of the mask mandate ban.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks at the opening of a monoclonal antibody site in Pembroke Pines, Fla., on Aug. 18, 2021. The on-again, off-again ban imposed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to prevent mandating masks for Florida school students is back in force. The 1st District Court of Appeal ruled Friday, Sept. 10, that a Tallahassee judge should not have lifted an automatic stay two days ago that halted enforcement of the mask mandate ban.
Marta Lavandier/AP
Law & Courts Federal Judge Denies Parents' Suit to Block Florida's Ban on School Mask Mandates
The parents argued that their children, due to health conditions, were at particular risk if any of their peers attend school without masks.
David Goodhue, Miami Herald, September 16, 2021
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3 min read
School children in classroom with teacher, wearing face masks and raised hands
DigitalVision/Vectors/Getty
Special Education Schools Must Identify Students With Disabilities Despite Pandemic Hurdles, Ed. Dept. Says
Guidance stresses schools' responsibilities to those with disabilities, while noting that federal COVID aid can be used to address backlogs.
Evie Blad, August 24, 2021
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2 min read
An Issaquah School District school bus waits at an intersection near where a rally to encourage wider opening of in-person learning was being held on Feb. 24, 2021, in Issaquah, Wash.. Students in kindergarten and lower-elementary grades recently returned to school in the district under a hybrid in-person learning program, but older elementary, middle-, and high school students are still being taught remotely.
A school bus waits at an intersection near the site of a rally in February to encourage wider opening of in-person learning in the Issaquah School District in Issaquah, Wash. Transportation costs for students with special needs this year dipped because of remote learning.
Ted S. Warren/AP
Budget & Finance Spending on Special Ed. in Some Districts Plunged This Year. Budget Cuts Could Be Next
Schools faced unprecedented challenges delivering instruction and support to students with disabilities this year—and the costs of providing those services evolved as well.
Mark Lieberman, May 4, 2021
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7 min read
Special Education Flint's Special Education Students Win Support, Compensation in Landmark Settlement
A small portion of a $600 million settlement will be used to improve services and supports for children impacted by the city's water crisis.
Corey Mitchell, August 20, 2020
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2 min read
School & District Management Schools Seek Cover From Special Education Lawsuits, But Advocates See Another Motive
Special education advocates argue the push for liability protection is a veiled attempt to seek waivers from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the nation's primary special education law.
Corey Mitchell, July 29, 2020
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4 min read
Special Education A Few Parents Have Sued Over Special Education During COVID-19. Will More Follow?
Districts could face a rising tide of special education-related lawsuits and complaints when schools resume, experts say, if they still cannot offer the services that students with disabilities missed out on for months.
Corey Mitchell, July 13, 2020
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6 min read
School & District Management Special Ed. Administrators Press Congress for IDEA Waivers During Pandemic
The requests put the nation's special education administrators in conflict with disability rights advocates who fear waivers will place millions of special education students at risk.
Corey Mitchell, April 16, 2020
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2 min read
Special Education Just in Time: a Resource Hub on Remote Learning for Special Education Students
Nearly 30 disability rights and education advocacy organizations have launched a new resource hub and online network designed to help special educators during the coronavirus crisis.
Corey Mitchell, April 8, 2020
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1 min read
Special Education How to Handle IEPs During the Coronavirus Crisis? Some Expert Advice
Very carefully, experts say, while understanding that federal laws governing special education were not written with online education in mind.
Corey Mitchell, April 3, 2020
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6 min read
Special Education Letter to the Editor Boost IDEA Funding
To the Editor:
As an occupational therapy student, I have concerns about the funding schools are currently receiving. ("Why the Feds Still Fall Short on Special Education Funding," Jan. 10, 2020). I believe federal funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) should be granted in full.
March 3, 2020
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1 min read
Equity & Diversity ADHD, Other Developmental Disabilities More Common in Rural Areas
Rural families are less likely to use special education or early intervention services than children living in urban areas, a new Centers for Disease Control survey reveals.
Corey Mitchell, February 26, 2020
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2 min read
BRIC ARCHIVE
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Equity & Diversity High Court Lifts Block on Trump Rule Barring Green Cards to Some Taking Public Benefits
Some educators and advocates fear the rule will dissuade immigrants from seeking certain government benefits, and that further burdens will fall on schools.
Mark Walsh, January 27, 2020
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4 min read
Special Education School Districts Struggle With Special Education Costs
For decades, special education advocates have urged the federal government to "fully fund" the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Here are some examples 'ripped from the headlines' of how the funding gap is affecting school districts.
Corey Mitchell, January 22, 2020
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2 min read
Special Education Why the Feds Still Fall Short on Special Education Funding
Calls to fully fund the nation's main special education law resound on the campaign trail, but a complex array of factors make that an elusive goal.
Evie Blad, January 10, 2020
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8 min read
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