Many American public schools rely on Medicaid to subsidize the cost of school psychiatrists and therapeutic services, but some critics suggest the funding is misused and expanding too quickly. Anna Gorman and Carmen Heredia Rodriguez wrote a special report for CNN and Kaiser Health News outlining the numerous ways Medicaid is utilized by schools to provide health services to low-income students, but also to cover general budget shortfalls. As the story reports, pubic policy think tanks, such as the Heritage Foundation, oppose Medicaid expansion and advocate for closer oversight.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
DeVos & Dept of Education defend purge of “outdated” disability guides
The U.S. Department of Education and Secretary Betsy DeVos were criticized Friday after announcing news they rescinded 72 guidance documents related to education policies for students with disabilities. according to the Washington Post, the document purge was prompted by President Donald Trump’s initiative to reduce unnecessary federal government regulations. After Friday’s announcement raised alarm amongst disability and education advocates the Dept. of Education released a followup list of explanations saying the documents were “outdated, unnecessary or ineffective.” Click here to read the Washington Post’s full report.
Click here to read a full list of the 72 documents rescinded by the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
An IDEA for Tomorrow
Three high school seniors from Phoenix, Arizona, took home first place in their division for C-SPAN’s Student Cam 2015 documentary competition. “An IDEA for Tomorrow,” produced by Severiano Romo, Alexis Rainery and Molly Kerwick of the Metropolitan Arts Institute, showcases the single piece of federal legislation governing the education of children with disabilities– IDEA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
The State Journal-Register (Springfield, Ill.)
Proposal to allow fees at ISD, ISVI causing a stir
Legislation that could require parents of blind or deaf children to pay additional school fees is causing a stir amongst advocates for those with special needs.
The Pueblo (Co.) Chieftain
City schools didn’t violate girl’s rights, judge rules
Pueblo City Schools didn’t violate the rights of a special needs student, who at times was unable to control herself, by repeatedly confining her in a restraint device, a judge has ruled.
The Oklahoman
Oklahoma colleges improve accessibility, services for students with disabilities
A woman smacked Steve Stokes in the head with her purse, knocking him out of his wheelchair. She told him he shouldn’t be out in public, that he belonged in a nursing home.
Stokes was a college student in the late 1960s, a time when disabled people often were treated as outcasts. Accessibility on college campuses virtually was nonexistent.
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Philly schools insist on CSAP for a disabled boy, instead of the care he needs
When Manuel Gonzalez started kindergarten, his mother, Jasmin, told administrators at Elkin Elementary School in Kensington that he’d been diagnosed with a learning disability while in Head Start.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Elite charter school under probe again
For the second time in four years the state is investigating the enrollment process of the Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology after complaints the elite charter school illegally screened applicants.
WUWM-FM (Milwaukee Public Radio)
Project Milwaukee: The Challenges of Special Education
Today, we report on the growing number of MPS children facing learning, behavioral and physical challenges. As Erin Toner reports, the district has been fighting a lawsuit that claims MPS has failed such students, while the district insists it is making progress.
Greene County (Ind.) Daily World
Special Ed Co-op changes mind on one new pre-school site
The Greene-Sullivan Special Education Cooperative administration has listened to concerns a parent recently brought up about planned changes in the developmental pre-school program for next school year.