A look at how hard it is to receive a Free Appropriate Public Education, Massachusetts’ Day Program problem, a new Federal Special Ed Chief, and more news for the week ending May 13, 2023.
You’ll notice that, as always, this roundup includes links to Disability Scoop. In other words, if you don’t read it, you should!
Spotlight
The Parents Who Fight the City for a “Free Appropriate Public Education” The New Yorker goes all in with a feature story about the “protected, even contentious negotiations between parents and school staff” to get children with disabilities a free and appropriate education. (New Yorker)
National News
Senate Confirms New Special Education Chief The U.S. Senate confirmed Glenna Wright-Gallo as assistant secretary for special education and rehabilitative services at the Department of Education. (Disability Scoop)
End Of Public Health Emergency Brings ‘Uncertainty’ For Disability Services Many of the pandemic-era policies that benefited people with disabilities are set to expire and the implications could be significant. (Disability Scoop)
State News
The schools that take Colorado’s ‘most vulnerable’ children are disappearing In 2004, Colorado had 80 specialized programs known as facility schools. Now there are 30. (Chalkbeat)
‘The fight is always tiring’: North Carolina tussles over how to serve disabled people The state’s federally designated nonprofit mandated to advocate for people with disabilities is suing the state to fund a long-standing backlog for waivers to hire in-home help. The result could be less money for other much-needed services, like support for existing group homes.
Nebraska governor pledges funds to boost staffing of developmental disability caregivers Much like in New York, advocates for individuals with developmental disabilities say languishing reimbursement rates for care providers who work in community-based settings have created a “crisis of care.” Find out what’s being pledged. (yorknewstimes.com)
Thousands of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities have lost access to day programs in Massachusetts. Advocates say up to 3,000 residents are waiting for a placement in these much-needed day programs, which are facing the same staffing shortages seen in other social service fields. (WGBH.org)
