Parents like Christine Smith Olsey faced a tough time when they tried to get help for their kids with disabilities. Olsey's son was struggling in school, and she knew something wasn't right. She asked for extra help, but the school didn't listen. So, she filed a complaint with the state and then with the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights. But just as her...
The head of Chicago's teachers union, Stacy Davis Gates, got some heat for her remarks at a recent meeting. She compared Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez to a student with special needs. Her exact words were something like, "Pedro can't be suspended because he should get extra help like kids in IEP programs. " An IEP is a personalized education plan for kids...
Beatrice Garcia knows firsthand the power of special education classroom assistants (SECAs). She credits them for helping her son, JoAngel, communicate and interact with his family. But recent financial strains in Chicago Public Schools (CPS) have sparked a turf war between two unions over who should support students with disabilities. CPS laid off hundreds of teache...
In the small town of DeFuniak Springs, Florida, a disturbing event took place at the Wise Center. A special education teacher, Tonya Gainey, was accused of hurting a 3-year-old nonverbal student during lunchtime. The incident was caught on camera. Gainey, who is 57, allegedly slammed the young boy's arm and then threw away his lunch, leaving him to cry as his classma...
A shocking turn of events has left many NYC families worried. Private and homeschooled kids needing special education services were recently denied resources due to a missed form deadline. This news came as a rude awakening to about 3, 000 families who learned that their children would not receive crucial support like physical and occupational therapy outside of publ...
Imagine working in a school where students assault you, and you feel no one's got your back. That's what Lauren Eriksen, a teaching assistant at West Salem High School, claims in her lawsuit against the Salem-Keizer School District. She says students bit her so hard it caused nerve damage and gave her a concussion by hitting her in the face. Eriksen believes the dist...
Did you know that some kids aren't getting the special education they really need? As someone who used to work in a middle school, I saw this firsthand. Some parents knew the law and could argue for better services, while others couldn't. This isn't fair, is it? A recent article talked about fights between families and schools over sending kids to different district...
Public schools like Marblehead and Gloucester are facing a major challenge: the cost of special education is skyrocketing. This year, Marblehead spent $4. 4 million on special education outside their district, which is almost three times more than a decade ago. Gloucester’s costs have also shot up by over 20%, reaching $6. 5 million. Teachers in these districts are o...
Education in Massachusetts is facing a big challenge. Some students, especially those from rich families, are getting more help for their special needs. This is leaving behind low-income and minority students. Experts say it's like a maze – wealthy families find shortcuts, while others get lost. One reason is that these families have money and lawyers to help. Anothe...
You might be wondering how one special education department turned things around and became a shining example for others. Let's take a step back and look at the journey of Payson's special education department. Once upon a time, it wasn't where it wanted to be. But with dedication and hard work, it climbed back to the top. Imagine a map of the United States and Cana...