Special Education
IEPs. Learning disabilities. Inclusion. IDEA. Response to intervention. Gifted education. Explore all EdWeek coverage of special education
A Guide to Special Education Terms
The number of students in special education has increased steadily in the last four decades. Here are some of the common terms used.
Special Report
Special Education: Practice & Pitfalls
Educators and parents use a range of promising tools as they work to serve the needs of the nation’s 6 million students with disabilities amid continuing challenges.
Special Report
Response to Intervention 2.0
Education Week's second special report on RTI explores how the instructional framework has expanded into new forms and uses in schools across the country.
Special Report
Monitoring Progress
This special report examines the many forms RTI is now taking, its research base, its influence on the educational marketplace, and the federal regulations that both fuel and restrict its growth.
- Special Education FDA Bans Use of Shock Therapy at School for Students With Special NeedsThe FDA estimates that between 45 and 50 students at a Massachusetts school for students with autism, emotional disturbances, and intellectual disabilities are subjected to electrical shocks through electrodes attached to their skin.
Special Education Dyslexia Is Not a Bad Word, Advocates Say. Schools Should Use ItA push to get dyslexia defined in state law and persuade educators to use the term has translated to new laws in 40 states.Special Education Letter to the Editor Boost IDEA FundingTo 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.
Special Education What Exactly Is Gifted Education? A New Guide Attempts to ExplainA new resource offers some basic information on how to teach and connect with academically talented students for teachers and administrators who are new to the field.
Special Education Leader To Learn From Building a Culture of Inclusion for All StudentsInclusion is the guiding light of special education. Nellie Aspel, the director of exceptional children in Cleveland County Schools, N.C., has embraced it as the keystone for helping all students often considered difficult to teach, especially those students struggling with mental health. She is recognized as a 2020 Leader To Learn From.Special Education Principals Say They Need Help to Support Students With DisabilitiesThe need for materials, training, guidance from district administrators, and access to staff with expertise in serving students with disabilities is especially acute in schools that serve primarily black and Latino students, a new survey finds.
Special Education Many Children With ADHD Aren't Taking Medication, Study Finds"Pretending your child doesn't have it or saying, 'Yeah, they might have it, but I don't want them to take medication,'" is not the best approach, one school nurse told Education Week.Special Education Spotlight Spotlight on Response to InterventionIn this Spotlight, learn about obstacles to multitiered systems of supports and more.
Special Education School Districts Struggle With Special Education CostsFor 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.Special Education Briefly Stated Briefly Stated: Stories You May Have MissedA collection of short news stories from this week.Special Education Spotlight Spotlight on DyslexiaIn this Spotlight, discover how prepared teachers are to support students with disabilities and more.Special Education Why the Feds Still Fall Short on Special Education FundingCalls 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.
Special Education Our Most-Read Special Education Stories of 2019The most popular special education stories of the year examined the broken promises of special education, the aftermath of the lead crisis in Flint, Mich., and how educators lack confidence in their ability to meet the needs of children with disabilities.
Special Education Help for Principals Who Want to Support Special Education Teachers and StudentsA new guide offers advice on how school leaders can best serve students with disabilities and support special education teachers.
Special Education Collection Gifted Education: Opening the GatesHow do schools screen students for gifted-education lessons? What groups of students are getting missed? And what are some ways schools can broaden their nets to capture nontraditional students for gifted services? Find some answers in this survey and story collection.
