Jan 03

Lauren Morando Rhim Co-Writes Bracing for a Tidal Wave of Unnecessary Special Education Referrals

Table with student hands holding pencils and notebooks.

CLE executive director, Lauren Morando Rhim co-wrote a piece for The 74 Million titled “Bracing for a Tidal Wave of Unnecessary Special Education Referrals” exploring how disrupted learning and trauma related behaviors may be conflated for disabilities.  “Bracing for a Tidal Wave of Unnecessary Special Education Referrals” asserts that school districts are ill-prepared for the impact of Covid-19 such as high absenteeism, shortages of special education teachers, and minimal academic gains. Read the full article here.

“Issuing blanket referrals for large numbers of children would not only create stress and anxiety for families as they navigate a complex and often contentious process, but also impose onerous procedural requirements on schools and districts for conducting timely evaluations, developing individualized education programs and providing robust specialized instruction. It would also have a tremendous impact on school staffing, funding and academic performance.”

Lauren Morando Rhim, Candace Cortiella, Lindsay Kubatzky & Laurie VanderPloeg