Accelify has been acquired by Frontline Education. Learn More →

Accelify Blog

Evolving Definition of Autism Prompts Questions About Prevalence – AcceliBEAT Weekly Round Up

June 22, 2018

accelibeat logo

This week we have some good news to report! First, we would like to extend our congratulations to Miami-Dade Public Schools for their students achieving unprecedented gains on state standardized tests. Second, following last week’s news on the House approving to revoke funding reserved for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, the Senate voted against the proposed cut on Wednesday. Our featured article this week highlights how the CDC is updating its definition of autism to be more straightforward. In other news, a group of Massachusetts high school students curated an exhibit on the history of disability, two special education teachers organized a summer program for children with special needs, and assistive technology helps students with disabilities run the length of a marathon over a course of a year. All this and more in this week’s AcceliBEAT!


Senate Rejects Trump’s Bid to Claw Back Funds from Children’s Health Insurance Program
The Senate has voted down a push to take away reserve funds from the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).



logo of Ed text with graduation cap

Trump Team Mulls Merger of Education, Labor Departments, Multiple Sources Say
The Trump administration is considering a merger of the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Labor, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the proposal.


miami-dade superintendent

Miami-Dade Students Post Historic Gains in State Testing Scores
Students in Miami-Dade public schools achieved unprecedented gains in every subject on state standardized tests, and in some subjects they pulled ahead of the statewide average.



CDCEvolving Definition of Autism Prompts Questions About Prevalence
The latest government data shows that autism prevalence is on the rise, but a newly-adopted standard for diagnosing the developmental disorder may be muddying the numbers.



student pointing to poster

‘The History of Disability Was to Hide It,’ but Waltham Students Bring It to Light
“The history of disability was to hide it. The approach was don’t talk about it.”



child working on hw

New Summer Program in Cenla Focuses on Students with Special Needs
While it is hard for working parents to find the perfect summer program for their student, it is even harder for those who have children with special needs.



walton family foundationWalton Family Foundation Unveils New $100m Effort to Support School Diversity, Inclusion and Innovation
The Walton Family Foundation pledged $100 million Tuesday to support racially diverse teachers and school leaders, integrated classrooms, and schools that serve special education students.


Should School Safety Conversations Also Include Natural Disasters?
While much of the media attention on school safety issues has recently focused on school shootings, the impact of natural disasters also pose considerable risk to students.



woman blowing whistle

Program Helps Students with Disabilities Run Marathon
“I don’t think they realize how much they do and what they’re capable of. This helps them realize they can do anything they set their mind to.”




Subscribe to Our Newsletter!
Stay informed on upcoming webinars, product updates, best-practice tips, contests and more!
subscribe-button