May 3, 2017
By: Erica Green
Source: The New York Times While House Republicans lined up votes Wednesday for a Thursday showdown over their bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Vickie Glenn sat in her Murphysboro, Ill., office and prayed for it to fail. Ms. Glenn, a Medicaid coordinator for Tri-County Special Education, an Illinois cooperative that […]
May 3, 2017
By: Catherine Gewertz
Source: Education Week Watered-down graduation requirements, mistaken calculations, and push-outs of unsuccessful students may have falsely boosted high school graduation rates in a few states, but are not widespread enough to have inflated the national graduation rate, which is at an all-time high of 83.2 percent, according to a study released Wednesday. […]
May 3, 2017
By: Christina Samuels
Source: Education Week The National Center for Learning Disabilities released Tuesday a new edition of its “State of Learning Disabilities” report, which gathers sobering statistics, first-person articles, and suggestions educators, parents and lawmakers can use to support children and youth with learning and attention disabilities. The advocacy organization subtitled the report “Understanding […]
May 2, 2017
By: Nick Wingfield
Source: New York Times Last week, Satya Nadella, the chief executive of Microsoft, slipped on a glove made of cardboard and clenched his hand into a fist, causing a robotic hand with fingers made of drinking straws to mimic his movements. The glove was one of several engineering projects built in a […]
May 2, 2017
By: Moriah Balingit
Source: The Washington Post Educators and school mental health professionals across the country are warning parents about the Netflix series “13 Reasons Why,” saying the show’s graphic depiction of a teenager’s suicide could contribute to a “contagion effect” among students with mental illness and linking it to self-harm and suicide threats among […]
May 2, 2017
By: Kate Thayer
Source: Chicago Tribune The latest craze in classrooms and on playgrounds comes in the form of brightly colored, hand-held trinkets that spin, have buttons to push or otherwise keep hands occupied. The aptly named fidgets are supposed to enhance concentration, reduce anxiety and stimulate learning. But some educators aren’t buying the spin. […]
May 1, 2017
By: Shaun Heasley
Source: Disability Scoop Online retail giant Zappos is looking to make it simpler for kids and adults with disabilities to find clothes that meet their sensory and physical needs. The retailer said recently that it is launching a special section on its site to highlight “functional and fashionable products designed to make […]
May 1, 2017
By: Jonathan Lapook
Source: CBS News There’s been a nationwide effort recently to stop bullying in schools, and a new study shows it’s beginning to pay off. The morning announcements at Howard High School in Ellicott City, Maryland, start with a heavy dose of pride. “Good morning staff and students … and as always, I […]
May 1, 2017
By: Andrew Ujifusa
Source: Education Week Federal lawmakers have agreed to relatively small spending increases for Title I programs to districts and for special education, as part of a budget deal covering the rest of fiscal 2017 through the end of September. Title I spending on disadvantaged students would rise by $100 million up to […]
April 26, 2017
By: Shaina Cavazos
Source: Chalkbeat Indiana schools serving students learning English are getting another budget boost this year. The state budget, passed last week and awaiting the governor’s final approval, sets aside about $32 million for English-language learners, up from about $20 million in 2015. That will give schools $250 for each English-learner student in 2018 […]