• I fear that Hillsborough County School Board is standing on the wrong side of history.

Disabilty and Civil Rights: Standing On the Right Side of History

"If we were to go back to the 1960s and we were to talk to those leaders who were vehemently against desegregation, we would hear the conviction in their voices of them stating why they believe their decisions and what they were doing to those children were just. Just as I believe that some of you and some of the board members that have spoken believe that their decisions are just. But, I fear that the Hillsborough County School Board is standing on the wrong side of history."

  • Teenager with brown skin and dark brown hair smiling and wearing a "got inclusion" t-shirt.

I Am Here To Make A Difference For My People

"I am here to make a difference for my people. I hope that you listen to what I have to say. I want people like you to stop judging me." Tres Whitlock

The dirty little secret about ‘scream rooms’

Now that the dirty little secret about “scream rooms” is out, let’s hope legislators take notice and do something about this psychologically destructive practice employed routinely in special education schools across the state. As a parent of a child with autism who has spent many hours of his elementary school days in the rooms in various schools, I’ll say it straight: This is state-sanctioned, institutionalized child abuse. If I locked my kid in a closet it would be a crime. Yet some schools do it every day.

Wrightslaw

Wrightslaw's mission is to provide parents, advocates, educators, and attorneys with accurate, up-to date information about special education law and advocacy so they can be effective catalysts. * Information for parents about their rights and responsibilities * Information for teachers about professional training so they can meet the diverse needs    of their students * Information for advocates about laws, regulations, and advocacy strategies * Information for attorneys who want cases, pleadings, and tactics and strategies

Office of Special Education Programs

The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) is dedicated to improving results for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities ages birth through 21 by providing leadership and financial support to assist states and local districts. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) authorizes formula grants to states, and discretionary grants to institutions of higher education and other non-profit organizations to support research, demonstrations, technical assistance and dissemination, technology and personnel development and parent-training and information centers. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 was signed into law by President George W. Bush on December 3, 2004. As the nation's special education law, IDEA serves approximately 6.8 million children and

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services

The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) understands the many challenges still facing individuals with disabilities and their families. Therefore, OSERS is committed to improving results and outcomes for people with disabilities of all ages. OSERS supports programs that serve millions of children, youth and adults with disabilities. OSERS is comprised of the Office of the Assistant Secretary (OAS) and three program components: the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), theNational Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), and theRehabilitation Services Administration (RSA).

The Gift of Knowledge

It’s been a couple of years now that I’ve been blogging about special education legal issues.  Unfortunately, the realities of juggling a busy law practice, a family, and other professional commitments don’t allow me to do it enough, and I continue to ye

IDEA Money Watch Responds to Something’s Got to Change

In June 2011, the American Enterprise Institute (AIE) released “Something Has Got to Change: Rethinking Special Education,” a paper that examines special education spending and seeks to offer  practical solutions to “tame out-of-control special education spending while serving special-needs students better.” IDEA Money Watch responds to the points AIE brings up. AEI also provided a teleconference during which the paper’s author, Nathan Levenson, presented a brief overview and responded to questions. Full Article at IDEA Money Watch

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