Girl Coloring

Charting a Path to Equitable Education for Students with Disabilities: The Role of Charter School Leadership Pipelines

This brief comes out of our examination of leadership pipeline programs and collaboration with these programs to infuse inclusive mindsets and strong programs for students with disabilities into their training models. In particular, it focuses on our findings regarding how future charter school leaders are trained in pipeline programs, specifically on educating students with disabilities.

Text Reading "Principles of Equitable Schools in the Context of COVID-19"

Video—Principles of Equitable Schools in the Context of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges to the entire education system, but students with disabilities have faced disproportionate impacts. In June, the Center’s Equity Coalition published the Principles of Equitable Schools in the Context of COVID-19, a set of guidelines for educators working to put equity at the forefront of decision-making. This fall, we caught up with three schools that are working hard to embody these principles: Digital Pioneers Academy in Washington, D.C.; Animo Legacy Charter Middle School in Los Angeles, CA; and Audeo Charter School in San Diego, CA.

Student raising hand while sitting at a desk in a school classroom

The Center Releases Report on Enrollment of Students with Disabilities in Colorado Charter Schools

The National Center for Special Education (the Center) has released a new report examining trends related to enrollment of students with disabilities in Colorado charter schools. Through this report, the Center documented enrollment trends across the state and by authorizing entity, surfaced contributing factors, and identified opportunities for key stakeholders to make short- and long-term changes that can improve students with disabilities’ ability to access and thrive in charter schools.

Child in a mask gets her temperature taken

Ensuring FAPE for Students with Disabilities During COVID-19: A Resource for Educators

The COVID-19 global health crisis has upended the continuity of learning for students with disabilities. Despite these ongoing challenges, the right to a free appropriate public education (FAPE) for students with disabilities remains in place. As schools shift to more distance learning, teams of educators are left to redesign what FAPE looks like when they cannot be physically present with their students. This guide offers a decision-making model that aims to balance individual student needs within a virtual learning context, as well as a range of exemplars showing how this model can be applied.

The Impact of LEA Status on Special Education in Charter Schools Infographic

Infographic: Understanding Charter School LEA Status

A charter school’s legal status as part of a larger local education agency (LEA) independent LEA affects the autonomy, funding, and programming of the school—and is essential to understanding what entity is responsible for educating students with disabilities. Nevertheless, LEA status can be confusing, especially since approaches vary by state and even by school. This infographic outlines the different approaches and their implications for students with disabilities.

Hopscotch Chalk Outline

Top Tips for School Leaders during COVID-19

Eight months after COVID-19 first shut down schools across the country, the state of education in the United States remains in flux. Students with disabilities, in particular, continue to be disproportionately impacted by school closures and lack of access to services. As cases tick upward once again, school leaders and administrators are likely to face tough decisions in the coming months. Despite the immense difficulty of the situation, we have identified several key strategies that will set school leaders up for success.