On Special Education
Explored the opportunities and obstacles educators encounter while serving students with special needs, including children with disabilities, gifted students, and those who are homeless or incarcerated. This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: students with disabilities, gifted education, and homeless.
School Climate & Safety
Federal Bill on Restraint, Seclusion Resurrected
A bill governing the use of restraints and seclusion that passed the U.S. House with bipartisan support last year, but was never voted on in the Senate, has been given new life.
School & District Management
Special Education Challenges in D.C., and Everywhere
Will the battle for special education services, when, where, and how much, ever come to an end?
Special Education
SEARCH for New Workers Led to Hires Close to Home
Some of the new faces at the Department of Education are DC public school students with developmental disabilities.
Law & Courts
Ill. Threatens to Dissolve District Over Special Ed. Failures
The East St. Louis district is in trouble because of a long history of failing to provide the expected special education services.
Special Education
Parents Could Be Repaid Fees From Special Ed Challenges
Parents of special needs students who successfully sue their school districts over Individual Education Programs could be reimbursed for fees paid to expert witnesses, under two bills introduced in Congress.
Education Funding
Another State Requests Waiver to Cut Special Ed Spending
Special education spending falters as states and districts continue to wrestle with slimmer budgets.
Special Education
Bill Calls on Schools to Report Bullying of Special Needs Pupils
A proposed law would require schools that receive federal money to report incidents of bullying to the federal government and specify whether they involved children with disabilities.
Special Education
Your Response-to-Intervention Questions Answered
Education Week will be hosting a live web chat March 24 with three response-to-intervention experts.
Federal
Updated: Education Secretary Vows to Move Away From 2 Percent Rule for Testing Students With Disabilities
"I just want to say, here and now, for the record, we are moving away from the 2 percent proxy rule," Education Secretary Arne Duncan said. "We will not issue another policy that allows districts to disguise the educational performance of 2 percent of students."
Education Funding
Oklahoma Cited for Issues with Stimulus Money for Special Education
An audit by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Inspector General raised some questions about how the state spent some of its federal stimulus money, including special education funds.
Special Education
Fair and Appropriate, But Not Bully-Free
A federal judge ruled that "a fair appropriate public education does not require ... the District be able to prove that a student will not face future bullying...."
Special Education
Dogs and horses and iguanas? Oh my.
Starting March 15, the only recognized service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act will be dogs, with few exceptions.
Special Education
Fewer Special Ed. Students? Or Fewer Identified?
Fewer students in San Diego schools are being identified as needing special education services, but no one is sure why.
Special Education
Performance Lags for Students With Hearing Impairments
A study finds that "higher percentages of youth with hearing impairments scored below the mean in reading, math, science and social studies, compared to students in the general population.