Latest news with #IndividualizedEducationPlan
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Fulton County leaders considering banning cell phones, smart devices in schools
The Brief The Fulton County School Board is considering a new proposal that would ban cell phones and smartwatches when students come back to class after summer vacation. Students in grades K-9 would not be allowed to use personal electronics during the school day. High school students would have to put their phones up during instructional time, but would be allowed to carry their devices at other points in the day. Officials say the proposed change would align with Georgia's recently-passed Distraction-Free Education Act. FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - Fulton County Schools could ban smart devices like cell phones and smartwatches when students come back to class after summer vacation. The new potential policy change was brought up at a board meeting on Monday. What we know If enacted, the policy change would prohibit the use of personal electronic devices for students in grades K-9 during the school day. High school students would have to put their phones up during instructional time, but would be allowed to carry their devices at other points in the day. Students would also be discouraged from using electronic devices on the school bus, with inappropriate use possibly resulting in disciplinary action. There would be exceptions to the rule for students that have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), Section 504 plan, or medical plan that explicitly mandates the use of a personal electronic device for medical or educational purposes. The electronic devices that would be affected by the policy change include personal laptops, smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, smart glasses, headphones, and other devices that can send messages or allow access to social media. To assuage parents' fears over situations that involve contacting their children, the policy would require schools to "establish clear communication protocols that require parents or guardians who need to communicate with their student during the school day to contact the school directly." Dig deeper Officials say the proposed change would align with Georgia's recently-passed Distraction-Free Education Act. Earlier this year, state lawmakers overwhelmingly passed the bill, which would prohibit students K-8 across the state from accessing their personal electronic devices during school hours. The Marietta City School District, DeKalb County School District, and Atlanta Public Schools already require students to secure their phones in lockers or pouches during the school day. What's next If the board approves the change, it will go into effect in August. The Source Information for this story was taken from the policy proposal by the Fulton County School Board.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Alabama lawmakers send school cellphone ban to Gov. Kay Ivey
A woman scrolling on a smartphone. The Alabama Legislature Wednesday gave final approval to a bill sponsored by Rep. Leigh Hulsey, R-Helena, that would require school boards to adopt policies restricting cellphone use by students during classroom instruction hours. (Getty) The Alabama Senate gave final approval Wednesday to a ban cellphones during school hours in public schools. HB 166, sponsored by Rep. Leigh Hulsey, R-Helena, would require local school boards to adopt a policy for students to store cellphones during class hours. The bill passed on a 30-2 vote and goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. Much of the discussion on the Senate floor centered around an amendment proposed by Sen. Chris Elliot, R-Josephine, that would have allowed students to use their phones to contact their parents or legal guardians. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Elliott said that while he 'support[s] what he's trying to do,' constituents told him they were concerned about not being able to reach their children during school hours. The chamber voted the amendment down on a 9-23 vote. 'You're going to hear from parents back home if this passes,' Elliot said to the body. Students can access their phones under three exceptions: if they study under an Individualized Education Plan that allows it, for teacher-approved instruction and for medical purposes. Sen. Donnie Chesteen, R-Geneva, who sponsored a similar bill and handled the legislation in the Senate, said that students can use the school's front office to contact their parents. 'In school systems where this has been implemented, it has worked,' Sessions said. Cellphones can be stored in a locker, car or other storage device so long as they are not on the student's person. According to the Pew Research Center, 72% of U.S. high school teachers say that cellphone distraction is a major issue in their classrooms. At least 11 states ban or restrict cellphone use during school hours, according to KFF, and 17 other states have introduced legislation. Ivey in her 2025 State of the State endorsed legislation to ban cellphones in schools, saying that social media is negatively impacting students. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Local mother of a child with autism reacts to RFK Jr. comments
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — Paige Carson is a mother of two. She has an 11-year-old son living with autism. She says she'll never stop advocating for her son and other children living with the disorder and that stereotypes of children with the disorder are just that. Says Carson, 'These kids can do anything.' Carson's son Hayes is taking the world by storm. Paige says their journey with autism has been a rollercoaster, but once they finally got the diagnosis, it made it easier for them to advocate and help him live a normal childhood. 'We're talking about a four-year-old with a growing verbal language gap, and I'm getting no help. So, I finally got a new psychologist in town to give us that diagnosis, which was our magic day, because we could start ABA therapy, which changed our lives. This is a child whom I never thought would talk to me socially. And now he's using seven-eight eight-word sentences. We know what's happening in his little brain,' Carson explained. Comments from U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have many in the community confused and some angry. Carson says that while the things RFK Jr. listed could be a factor, it's not that simple and the real answer is likely complicated. After multiple rounds of genetic testing, she and her family are still searching for her son's 'why.' 'So, our 'why' as to why Hayes has Autism was described by our specialist in Atlanta as a perfect storm. Could it have been a horrific delivery that had done something in his brain? We don't know. Could it be these environmental factors that they're talking about? I mean, we're in a new age of plastics and food additives and things. Who's to know?' Carson asked. Instead of focusing on why it happened, Carson and her family are more focused on how to help Haynes be the best version of himself that he can be. 'As far as the comments made by RFK about not being able to write poetry or play baseball, you need to lean into your child's interest, which is what I tell my parents all the time. Mine was music. We've leaned way in. We do music therapy, we do dance and he is more than capable of doing great things,' Carson said. Carson left one last statement to parents living with the same disorder. She says, 'You're going to have to wait longer for them to reach certain milestones but when they do, the victory is so much sweeter because you know just how hard they had to work to get there'. If you have a child living with ASD and are looking for a community or other resources, we have those listed below. ESP Savannah – ESP exists to create transformative experiences for people with disabilities and their families. Katie Beckett Medicaid – The Katie Beckett Medicaid Program permits the state to ignore family income for certain children who are disabled. Georgia special needs scholarship – Provides scholarships for qualifying Georgia public school students with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or a 504 Plan in specified areas. Easter seals – Provides essential services to children and adults with disabilities, older adults, veterans, and their families. Babies Can't Wait – Georgia's early intervention program that offers a variety of coordinated services for infants and toddlers with special needs, from birth to three years of age. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
I Was a School Nurse. What's Happening to the Education Department Terrifies Me.
For 23 years I worked as a school nurse consultant. I participated in hundreds of meetings with students who were being evaluated for special education services, including health-based accommodations. I joined countless 504 plan and Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meetings to ensure students' academic, health and emotional needs were met. I woke up every day with an earnest desire to ensure that children and young people had every opportunity to learn. Today I sit on the sidelines, but with a heart tilted toward young people. It seems that every day there is a wave of fresh cuts at federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Education. I personally know a reading specialist who will not be able to return to her position next year because of these decisions. The cuts keep coming, and they will affect the education that schools are able to provide. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter With each announcement, my stomach churns. Staff layoffs will be debilitating. I am also concerned that the proposed closure of the Education Department will reduce or severely limit access to vital support for students. As a mother, a retired school nurse, and a woman of faith, I am pleading with elected leaders to invest in children — including our most vulnerable. Investing looks like ensuring that students and educators have what they need to thrive. It looks like maintaining consistent standards for the education of young people. The Education Department is responsible for ensuring that schools meet the needs of neurodivergent students and those who need extra support to succeed academically. It also holds schools accountable for providing services to students of all ages and abilities. Shuttering the department means not only widening the achievement gap, but pushing children and young people into the cracks. Related Our nation cannot thrive if we continue to perpetuate a system in which some students receive a quality education and others do not. Further, any family can find themselves in need of support, whether it's for their child's physical, mental or special education needs. Education in America should mean that regardless of where you come from or what you need, you will have an opportunity to have your needs met. Moreover, if the federal agency is fully dissolved, the responsibilities for mandating services and providing expertise will fall to the states. Every state operates differently, has different priorities and different challenges. Educational services may become wildly inconsistent. Students in Colorado could receive vastly different services than students in, say, Utah. No essential service —which helps children, families and communities — should exist in a state of uncertainty. When faced with budgetary challenges or limited oversight, I fear that some schools may consider special education services and student accommodations as disposable. Related Though I am no longer in schools, I am now the national president of United Women in Faith. Among our many campaigns for justice is a fight against 'school pushout.' Pushout occurs through a patchwork of policies that disproportionately funnels children of color, children with disabilities, and students identifying as LGBTQ from the classroom into the criminal justice system. Currently, it is estimated that the dropout rate for students with disabilities is about 40%, which is twice that of their peers without disabilities. Far too often, students with disabilities are unfairly maligned and funneled into the criminal justice system. We need a functioning Department of Education to ensure that preventative services and those provided under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) give children their best chance to succeed and not end up as just another statistic. I, along with my sisters at United Women in Faith, will keep pushing for education justice, but this is not our fight alone. Everyone has a role to play to ensure students get what they need in schools. Children are our future, and their education shouldn't be an option or an afterthought.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Illinois committee advances classroom cell phone ban
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — Illinois is closer to banning cell phones in school classrooms as legislation passed a Senate committee Tuesday. Gov. JB Pritzker announced the during his state , citing cyberbullying and learning distractions. The , if it becomes law, would effectively ban the use of wireless communications devices by students in all Illinois classrooms, with the following exceptions: In the event of an emergency or in response to an imminent threat. When a teacher or instructor has authorized the student to use a wireless communication device for educational purposes—e.g. Chromebook use, technology-based activities, etc. When a licensed physician determines that the possession or use of a wireless communication device is necessary for the health or well-being of the student. To fulfill an Individualized Education Plan or 504 plan. When the wireless communication device is necessary for students who are English learners to access learning materials, participate in class or otherwise facilitate communication. However, schools are prohibited from issuing fines, fees, ticketing, or the deployment of a School Resource Officer or local law enforcement officer for the enforcement of the ban. The ban would not apply to wireless communication devices that are issued by the school for educational purposes. The bill now heads to the Senate. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
