Forty years ago, President Gerald Ford signed the Education of All Handicapped Children’s Act, now known as IDEA: the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Three waves of legislative reform since then have continued to strengthen access and emphasize academic success for all students. In this blog post, AIR expert Louis ...
While the special education community awaits reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), new provisions in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) could have positive impacts on special education, students with disabilities, and possibly the IDEA itself. In this blog post, Teri Marx says that without explicitly addressing ...
As schools prepare to welcome students and educators back for the 2021-2022 school year, there are a number of pandemic-related issues to address and consider. Our experts offer their insights into these crucial issues and we provide some links to helpful resources and information.
While we believe wholly in numbers and facts, they don't tell the full, human story. Karen Francis, AIR Vice President and Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer, offers a stirring personal account of a recent trip visiting AIR-supported projects in Tanzania and Zambia.
In the more than 40 years since the IDEA was passed, educational outcomes for students with disabilities have improved, but large achievement gaps remain between students with and without disabilities. In this blog post, Allison Gandhi and Louis Danielson explore how states can ensure that students with disabilities receive meaningful ...
Program reviews can help district leaders learn which areas of a program are working well and what needs improvement. AIR’s team of experts partners with districts across the country to conduct customized reviews of special education programs that yield actionable recommendations for continuous improvement. ...
This spotlight takes a look at the history of Title I, how the program has changed over time, and how it affects children, schools, families and education policy. Experts weigh in on the program's past and future in interviews, briefs, and blogs.
Charter schools were created to give parents more options for their children. With greater freedom to innovate than traditional public school classrooms, some charter schools may hold particular promise for students with disabilities, who by law are entitled to receive an education tailor-made to their needs. Zena Rudo tells the ...
Teacher shortages may be the most acute problem in special education. In this blog post, Lynn Holdheide and Jenny DeMonte explore the issue and ask, "What drives special education teachers out of that role? And how can we keep them?"
How do the condition, design, and use of facilities affect student achievement, teacher quality, teacher retention, and community support? In this blog post, Mark Schneider notes that this is a critical issue that too few understand, and suggests we need to know much more about the condition of our school ...