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Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
U.S. Dept. of Education says special education funds untouched in reduction process
The Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Building in Washington, D.C., pictured on Nov. 25, 2024. (Photo by Shauneen Miranda/States Newsroom) Before a federal judge temporarily halted the dissolution of the agency Thursday, the U.S. Department of Education ensured 'uninterrupted services' to children and youth with disabilities, in response to probing questions by U.S. Senators from Virginia and other states about the future of special education. The questions, spearheaded by Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware in a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, came after President Donald Trump and his administration launched efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. A key point of concern for the lawmakers was the one-month freeze on investigations into discrimination complaints that left a backlog of 12,000 complaints, 'half of which involve students with disabilities,' Democratic U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine of Virginia and 20 of their colleagues wrote. The agency's plans are of particular significance for Virginia, where a federal investigation found that the Virginia Department of Education failed to meet federal requirements to help resolve disputes involving students with disabilities beginning in 2019. In December 2024, the investigation ended after the Office of Special Education Programs wrote in a letter that all of its findings and required actions for the agency were closed. Virginia was responsible for nearly 186,000 students with disabilities this past school year, an increase of almost 5,000 students from the 2023-24 academic period. As federal law requires, Virginia must provide all students with disabilities a 'free and appropriate public education' through personalized plans under the Individualized Education Program (IEP). Facing special ed teacher shortage, Va. education board votes to expand educator pipeline Sarah Ursprung, acting assistant secretary for legislation and congressional affairs for the federal department, wrote to lawmakers in April that no formula funding to states, including Title I and IDEA, was cut, and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) continues its enforcement work with a reduced workforce and the same commitment to vigorous vindication of students' civil rights. 'The department remains committed to ensuring uninterrupted services to meet the needs and develop the potential of children and youth with disabilities pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA),' Ursprung wrote in a letter provided to the Mercury. The senators' letter also highlighted their reservations about limited staff at the agency. U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine from Virginia signed Rochester's letter in April that said the cuts would have 'immense harm' to all students. 'While we appreciate receiving a response from the Department of Education, we still have serious concerns about how the department can ensure services for students with disabilities aren't interrupted when Secretary McMahon has already reduced staff by nearly 50% and said she intends to close the department,' the senators wrote. Ursprung said that no employees in the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), the Rehabilitation Services Administration or the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) were subject to the staff cuts on March 11. Employees involved in policy and administrative functions, whose duties the agency said can be reassigned or eliminated, were the ones subject to firing. NCSER-supported research continues with obligated funds, according to Ursprung. The research center helps experts understand more about children who have or may have disabilities by studying them from infancy through college. The trajectory of the federal education department, and the fallout in Virginia, remains uncertain, after the Massachusetts federal judge paused its dismantling and ordered the Trump administration to reinstate over 1,300 employees. The department is expected to appeal the decision. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opinion - Microschools aren't the problem. They're the response to the problem.
A progressive think tank recently argued that microschools lack oversight and should be held to the same standards as public schools. It's a familiar critique — one that overlooks why microschools exist in the first place and whom they are actually serving. I have taught in Title I public schools and well-resourced, established progressive independent schools. I know the system from the inside, and I know it wasn't built for children who look like mine. For millions of non-white and low-income students, public education has never been safe, affirming, or effective. The statistics are grim: Only 35 percent of U.S. students are proficient in reading and math. Black students are suspended or expelled three times more often than white students for the same behaviors. And the list goes on. These aren't outliers. They're outcomes of a system that consistently underfunds, over-polices and underserves marginalized kids. When your only neighborhood option is a school with metal detectors, zero-tolerance policies and overcrowded classrooms, you start searching for an alternative. And when you don't find it, you build it. Microschools aren't avoiding accountability, either. Accreditation is typically a three- to five-year process, just like traditional private schools undergo. In Georgia, where our microschool is based, schools must be accredited to accept vouchers. No accreditation, no funding. We assess student growth with nationally normed tools, descriptive reviews and formative benchmarks because we believe in rigor and reflection. Our educators often hold advanced degrees and are trained in trauma-informed, culturally responsive teaching. Microschools are acts of survival, created by educators and parents who refuse to wait for systems to change, not boutique experiments. Another misconception is that microschool founders are unqualified entrepreneurs. Let's be clear: We don't start microschools because it's trendy or lucrative. We start them because we've watched public schools fail our children, year after year. Many of us are public school educators who left the classroom because we could no longer protect or support our students within the limits of the system. We are women of color, immigrants, single parents and former social workers. We are not running hedge funds. We're organizing carpool lines, washing snack containers and tutoring third graders in Spanish. This is not Silicon Valley. It's survival work. Critics also claim microschools can't serve students with disabilities. The reality is more complex. Many public schools are under-resourced and unable to meet even basic Individualized Education Program goals. Families of neurodivergent students are often the first to seek us out, not because we offer more bells and whistles, but because we offer more flexibility. We co-create learning environments that center relationship, regulation and responsiveness. Inclusion isn't a mandate — it's a starting point. This isn't about public vs. private. It's not about competition. It's about access. It's about trust. It's about who gets to build something better, and who gets funded to try. At The Morgan Oliver School, where I am founder and head of school, we've built a fully accredited K-8 learning environment centered on justice, wellness and academic excellence. We aren't asking for a free pass. We're asking for fairness and recognition that microschools are often doing more with less, for families who've had the fewest choices. Until public schools work for all kids, we will continue to build the schools our children and our teachers deserve. Sanidia Oliver-Stone is the founder and head of school at The Morgan Oliver School in Atlanta, Georgia, and a former public school teacher. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
21-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Microschools aren't the problem. They're the response to the problem.
A progressive think tank recently argued that microschools lack oversight and should be held to the same standards as public schools. It's a familiar critique — one that overlooks why microschools exist in the first place and whom they are actually serving. I have taught in Title I public schools and well-resourced, established progressive independent schools. I know the system from the inside, and I know it wasn't built for children who look like mine. For millions of non-white and low-income students, public education has never been safe, affirming, or effective. The statistics are grim: Only 35 percent of U.S. students are proficient in reading and math. Black students are suspended or expelled three times more often than white students for the same behaviors. And the list goes on. These aren't outliers. They're outcomes of a system that consistently underfunds, over-polices and underserves marginalized kids. When your only neighborhood option is a school with metal detectors, zero-tolerance policies and overcrowded classrooms, you start searching for an alternative. And when you don't find it, you build it. Microschools aren't avoiding accountability, either. Accreditation is typically a three- to five-year process, just like traditional private schools undergo. In Georgia, where our microschool is based, schools must be accredited to accept vouchers. No accreditation, no funding. We assess student growth with nationally normed tools, descriptive reviews and formative benchmarks because we believe in rigor and reflection. Our educators often hold advanced degrees and are trained in trauma-informed, culturally responsive teaching. Microschools are acts of survival, created by educators and parents who refuse to wait for systems to change, not boutique experiments. Another misconception is that microschool founders are unqualified entrepreneurs. Let's be clear: We don't start microschools because it's trendy or lucrative. We start them because we've watched public schools fail our children, year after year. Many of us are public school educators who left the classroom because we could no longer protect or support our students within the limits of the system. We are women of color, immigrants, single parents and former social workers. We are not running hedge funds. We're organizing carpool lines, washing snack containers and tutoring third graders in Spanish. This is not Silicon Valley. It's survival work. Critics also claim microschools can't serve students with disabilities. The reality is more complex. Many public schools are under-resourced and unable to meet even basic Individualized Education Program goals. Families of neurodivergent students are often the first to seek us out, not because we offer more bells and whistles, but because we offer more flexibility. We co-create learning environments that center relationship, regulation and responsiveness. Inclusion isn't a mandate — it's a starting point. This isn't about public vs. private. It's not about competition. It's about access. It's about trust. It's about who gets to build something better, and who gets funded to try. At The Morgan Oliver School, where I am founder and head of school, we've built a fully accredited K-8 learning environment centered on justice, wellness and academic excellence. We aren't asking for a free pass. We're asking for fairness and recognition that microschools are often doing more with less, for families who've had the fewest choices. Until public schools work for all kids, we will continue to build the schools our children and our teachers deserve.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Connecticut celebrates special education on National IEP Writing Day
NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (WTNH) — The state celebrated National IEP Writing Day on Monday. IEP stands for Individualized Education Program, and those programs form the backbone of special education in Connecticut. But in celebrating the day, experts are also talking about how the state's special education system is badly in need of reform. Gov. Ned Lamont signs $40M special education funding bill Just two months ago, Governor Ned Lamont signed a bill allocating an extra $40 million for special education. This month, educators and politicians are celebrating one of the uses for that money: the IEP. 'They are personalized plans designed by teams of parents, educators, and students to meet each learner's unique needs,' Dep. Commissioner Sinthia Sone-Moyano of the Connecticut Department of Education said. That means every single IEP is different for every student. 'They are a vital tool that helps ensure that every student receives the education that is personalized to them that they need to thrive,' Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz (D-CT) said at a press conference at New Britain High School Monday. Connecticut high school graduate can't read or write. Who failed her? New Britain has one of the largest high schools in the state, but even a school that large size does not have the resources needed to deal with all the different special needs of students. That means it has to send some students out of the district, and that costs money. 'Here in New Britain, we're anticipating $3 million additional to be spent on outplacements next year,' New Britain Consolidated School District Superintendent Tony Gasper said. 'That's despite all of our best efforts to serve these students right here close to home, which of course, we'd prefer.' Every district would prefer to keep students in the district. A legislative subcommittee has been going across the state talking to people about the needs and costs of special education. 'And one thing we realized is we have to do something right now because we are getting to a crisis point,' State Sen. Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox (D-22nd district) said. 'Not only with rising costs, but with workload burdens…' There will be a legislative hearing on special education next Monday, April 21. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ban on students' use of cellphones during class time heads to governor's desk
Public school students will not be allowed to use cellphones during class time, at a minimum, under legislation headed to the governor's desk. (Stock photo by Daniel de) Gov. Kim Reynolds said Tuesday she intends to sign a bill setting a statewide ban on public school students using cellphones during class time. The Iowa House passed the bill, which the governor introduced in January, on a 92-4 vote Tuesday and sent it to her desk. 'Digital distractions are at an all-time high, disrupting focus, learning, and productivity in our classrooms,' Reynolds said in a statement. 'Iowa students deserve to learn free from the disruption of personal electronic devices to fully focus on their education. We've seen tremendous progress in student behavior and engagement at our schools that have already implemented such policies. I look forward to signing this bill, allowing every Iowa student to once again prioritize learning.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX House File 782 would require Iowa's K-12 public school boards to adopt a policy beginning in the 2025-2026 school year that, at minimum, bans the use of personal electronic devices during instructional periods. Boards have the option of restricting the use of phones in schools, including a full ban on the use of cellphones during the school day. The Iowa Department of Education is required to develop and distribute a model policy to schools. There are some exceptions to the ban for students who have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 plan that requires accommodations that involves the use of a cellphone or another device, and in cases where a parent has petitioned the school district and established a 'legitimate' reason related to a student's mental or physical health that requires them to have a cellphone accessible during class. The measure had been passed by the House in March, but it was sent back after the Senate amended the bill requiring the state education department to create and distribute the model policy for school personal electronic use by May 1. The House approved this amendment, though Rep. Heather Matson, D-Ankeny, expressed concerns that it was a 'a little bit of a tight time frame' for the department unless the model policy is already constructed. An provision in earlier versions of the bill that would have required students in grades 6 through 8 take 'effects of social media' training was not included in the passed legislation. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
