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 This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: students with disabilities, gifted education, and homeless.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 & District Management
Autism Prevalence Up Sharply in Latest National Monitoring Report
About 1 in 58 children in 11 monitoring sites across the nation have been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, according to the latest figures released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Assessment
Ed. Dept. Policing ESSA Rules on Portfolio Assessments for Students With Disabilities
The Every Student Succeeds Act says that portfolios, or collections of student work, can only be part of how a student is assessed for accountability purposes.
Assessment
Scores Stagnant For Students With Disabilities on 'Nation's Report Card'
Students with disabilities showed gains in just one area on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, making little change in a persistent score gap compared with students without disabilities.
School Climate & Safety
Restraint and Seclusion Study Directive Included in New Budget Bill
The newly-enacted federal spending bill directs the Government Accountability Office to examine whether the disciplinary method is underreported, and to offer examples of best practices on alternatives.
School Choice & Charters
Special Education Enrollment on Upward Trend in Charter Schools
Students with disabilities are becoming more common in the nation's charter schools, but there's a difference in enrollment based on the charter's legal status, a study finds.
Special Education
Education Department Officially Proposes Delay of Special Education Bias Rule
As expected, the Education Department wants to delay by two years a rule requiring states to take a stricter approach for monitoring their districts for minority overrepresention in special education.
Law & Courts
Special Education Case That Made It to Supreme Court Enters Final Chapter
A U.S. district court judge has found that a Colorado school system is responsible for paying the education costs of a student whose case made it to the high court.
Special Education
Boston Resolves Civil Rights Complaint Over Students With Sickle Cell Disease
The Boston school district agreed to take a number of steps to ensure that it is identifying children with the genetic disorder and offering the supports they're legally entitled to under federal law.
Special Education
Special Education Chiefs to DeVos: Don't Roll Back Minority Disparity Rule
The National Association of State Directors of Special Education said it opposes the Education Department's intent to postpone by two years a rule relating to minority enrollment and discipline.
Assessment
New York Denied ESSA Waiver to Test Students With Disabilities Off Grade Level
The state will be required to test all students using grade level tests, except for those with significant cognitive disabilities.
States
Texas Illegally Suppressed Special Education Enrollment, Ed. Dept. Finds
The federal office of special education programs said the state failed to ensure that students were properly evaluated for special education, as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
Special Education
2017: The Year Everyone Started Caring About Federal Special Education Policy
This year brought widespread interest in federal special education policy, driven by intense interest in the moves of Betsy DeVos as education secretary.
Special Education
Senate Confirms New Chief for Federal Special Education Office
Johnny Collett, a Kentucky native, will become the 10th person confirmed to lead the office of special education and rehabilitative services.
Special Education
Education Department Seeks Rollback of Special Education Racial-Disparity Rule
States were poised to take a closer look at districts that might have minority overrepresentation, but the Education Department wants to put the rule on hold for two years.