March 13, 2017
By: Tom Chorneau
Source: Cabinet Report In an effort reduce the growing teacher shortage and improve retention rates, a bill pending before lawmakers would exclude certified classroom instructors from paying state income taxes after five years of service. The proposal, which could cost close to $610 million annually, would also provide a tax credit to […]
March 12, 2017
By: Molly Duffy
Source: The Gazette Before third-grader Shellten Brown arrives at school, teachers at Viola Gibson Elementary in Cedar Rapids already have planned every minute of his day — from his morning routine to reading lessons to when he can go to the restroom. Sticking to a predictable schedule is a comfort for Shellten […]
March 9, 2017
By: Marva Hinton
Source: Education Week More school districts across the country are implementing four-day weeks. The move usually comes to save money, but many administrators say it has other benefits as well, such as the academic gains that might be achieved through a longer school day and as an enticement for recruiting teachers. Late […]
March 8, 2017
By: Francisco Vara-Orta
Source: Education Week A growing cadre of public policy researchers and lawmakers agree that school discipline rates remain high for black and Hispanic students, and those with disabilities, but a new study from the University of California takes it a step further by connecting suspension rates to major economic impacts. Researchers found […]
March 8, 2017
By: Matt Zalaznick
Source: District Administration Pre-K programs for students with special needs vary widely in quality and scope. Some states and districts have long included students with special needs in pre-K classes alongside their more typically developing peers. But other schools systems have been slower to adopt an inclusive approach that has been shown […]
March 7, 2017
By: Eric Schwartzberg
Source: Disability Scoop When Amy Schinner realized there wasn’t a comprehensive guide for guests with special needs to travel to Disney World, she decided she needed to write one. The mother of two said her epiphany arrived at a bookstore following her family’s fifth trip to the theme park, the “happy place” […]
March 7, 2017
By: Cossondra George
Source: Education Week In the past, special education meant being educated somewhere else. Often, this education was administered in a separate classroom, where students with learning challenges were isolated from their age-appropriate peers. Then, gradually, state and federal mandates were implemented to protect the rights of students with disabilities, most notably the […]
March 6, 2017
By: Tara Garcia Mathewson
Source: Education Dive Dive Brief: School districts have long been asked to give special education students access to an appropriate curriculum, but a new book highlights the more modern call for approaches that lead to academic success. “How Autism is Reshaping Special Education: The Unbundling of IDEA,” by Mark Claypool and […]
March 6, 2017
By: Brian New
Source: CBS DFW The Texas Education Agency has eliminated what advocates say amounted to a cap placed on special education enrollment. In a letter from the Texas Commissioner of Education Mike Morath to disability rights attorneys, the state’s top education official wrote that the TEA intends to eliminate the special education enrollment […]
March 6, 2017
By: Shaun Heasley
Source: Disability Scoop For the second time in less than a month, researchers are reporting a potential breakthrough in their ability to spot autism signs in children who are less than a year old. A study published Monday suggests that by examining differences in the amount of cerebrospinal fluid around babies’ brains, […]