On July 24, 2023, the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) of the U.S. Department of Education (US ED) released a Dear Colleague letter (DCL) and lengthy guidance related to the responsibilities states have to oversee the education of students with disabilities in their schools and to ensure that those students are afforded all of their rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). Read about why this matters and how it impacts charter schools in the full report.
Check out the recap of our March 2023 social media campaign for “Enabling Meaningful Inclusion: Lessons from School Leaders”.
“Enabling Meaningful Inclusion: Lessons from School Leaders” explores how various school districts across the country intentionally create learning environments for students with disabilities.
The circumstances are sobering and unacceptable: Students are being suspended and expelled from American public schools at an alarming rate. Even worse, students with specific profiles are consistently and disparately subjected to exclusionary discipline in much higher numbers. CLE’s Paul O’Neil explores the nuances of informal discipline in today’s schools. Read Subterranean Discipline Brief HERE
CLE released “How has the pandemic affected students with disabilities? An update on the evidence: Fall 2022”, a report exploring evidence on how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected America’s students.
In collaboration with the Camden Education Fund, CLE explores Uncommon Camden Prep High School’s experience in developing a continuum of placements for students with disabilities.
The Center for Learner Equity partnered with the Camden Education Fund, a non-profit organization in New Jersey dedicated to accelerating progress in Camden’s public school system to publish two case studies.
The Center for Learner Equity partnered with CACSA to publish reports exploring policies impacting students with disabilities in Colorado and the experiences of families of students with disabilities navigating educational opportunities within the state.
In 2016, the federal government rescinded a 2014 disciplinary guidance package that had served as a much-needed resource to schools and districts across the country, a decision that CLE opposed.
It is now time for the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to issue new comprehensive guidance that advances equity for all students, especially those with disabilities. Guidance should ensure districts and schools stop using harmful exclusionary practices, including suspensions, expulsions, and seclusions, in lieu of individualized supports and services that address and ameliorate the behavioral needs of students with disabilities.
This brief comes out of our examination of leadership pipeline programs and specifically with individual leaders who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to improving education for students with disabilities. In particular, it focuses on their motivations and how to use that information to create future leaders.
