Families Unaware of How Alternate Assessments Impact Students with Disabilities
"New York State students who take alternate assessments through high school cannot earn a diploma." By Sarah Komar - February 9, 2025 From Chalkbeat "Before starting at his Harlem high school, Jeurry always assumed he was progressing appropriately in school, despite...
Cancellation of Education Department research contracts sparks concerns
"The department didn’t provide a list of canceled contracts but said NAEP, the College Scorecard and the College Navigator were not impacted." Kara Arundel "In total, 89 IES contracts worth nearly $900 million were canceled, according to DOGE and the Education...
9 Ways IEPs Fall Apart: A Troubleshooting Guide for ADHD Accommodations
"When ADHD-related challenges interfere with learning, an IEP or 504 Plan can unlock success at school. But when things go wrong — and you can be sure they will — a parent’s muscle and know-how are required. Here, an expert tells you what to look for and how to fight...
People With Disabilities Say Budget Cuts Would ‘Bring Us Backward’
by Jessie Van Berkel, James Walsh, The Minnesota Star Tribune/TNS | February 11, 2025 "MINNEAPOLIS — Sumukha Terakanambi’s disability services waiver paid for the lift the Lakeville resident uses to get out of bed and the care that allows him to live in his family’s...
Push To Dismantle Ed Department Fuels Worries About Special Education
by Michelle Diament | February 11, 2025 "As President Donald Trump doubles down on his pledge to shutter the U.S. Department of Education, the ramifications for students with disabilities could be severe, advocates say. Trump says that the Education Department is the...
Students With Disabilities Are Entitled To Job Training. Many Don’t Get It
by Meredith Kolodner, The Hechinger Report | February 6, 2025 "There’s a half-billion-dollar federal program that is supposed to help students with disabilities get into the workforce when they leave high school, but most parents — and even some school officials —...
First-Of-Its-Kind Specialty Hospital Opens For Children With Disabilities
"THOMPSON, N.Y. — Federal and state officials are celebrating the opening of a first-of-its-kind hospital in New York focused on children and young people with complex disabilities, including autism. The Center for Discovery’s Children’s Specialty Hospital officially...
A Blind Inventor’s Life Of Advocacy And Innovation
"When inventor and scientist Josh Miele was 4 years old, a neighbor poured sulfuric acid on his head, burning and permanently blinding him. In his new book Connecting Dots: A Blind Life, Miele chronicles what happened afterwards, growing up as a blind kid, and how he...
Children’s Books Recognized For Inclusive Storylines
by Shaun Heasley | January 31, 2025 "Several books are gaining accolades for their portrayal of the disability experience as part of a special set of awards handed out alongside the venerable Newbery and Caldecott Medals. The American Library Association announced...
Trump Effort To Freeze Federal Funding Sows Confusion For Medicaid, Disability Programs
by Michelle Diament | January 30, 2025 "The Trump administration is walking back a directive to pause trillions of dollars in government spending that bred uncertainty about the impact on everything from Medicaid to special education, employment and housing assistance...