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.
On July 24th, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Special Education Programs (OSEP) released guidance regarding IDEA monitoring and compliance activities conducted by state educational agencies (SEAs) of their local educational agencies (LEAs). The guidance addresses SEA obligations to maintain reasonably designed general supervision systems; timelines for identifying IDEA noncompliance and subsequent findings; and correcting child-specific noncompliance. Overall, the guidance makes important, tangible recommendations for ensuring IDEA compliance is directly connected to reaching all students with disabilities in their daily education. Furthermore, it explicitly directs SEAs to play a proactive role in ensuring the appropriate implementation of the IDEA at the local level, and not outsourcing compliance onto the shoulders of parents and the complaint process. Read our complete summary of the latest guidance here.
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
The Inclusive School Spotlight Series is back with Season 2! The podcast collaboration between CLE and EALA highlights schools that are using innovative practices to educate students with disabilities.
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.
The Center for Learner Equity is proud to partner with the Educating All Learners Alliance (EALA) on the Inclusive School Spotlight Series podcast, hosted by CLE’s own Senior Director of Communications and Marketing, Caché Owens.
The Center for Learner Equity partnered with the National Charter School Resource Center to host a webinar entitled, “Providing Students with Disabilities Equitable Access to Charter Schools.”
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.
