Special Education Action is a 501(c)3 nonprofit publisher covering special education.

Its mission is to ensure parents, educators, and students have the information and tools necessary to fully understand, address, and safeguard the unique needs of all students who require special education.

Recent Articles

Virginia's Noncompliance Continues; U.S. Dept. of Ed. Issues New Findings Documenting State's Failures

Virginia’s Noncompliance Continues; U.S. Dept. of Ed. Issues New Findings Documenting State’s Failures

Virginia’s Noncompliance Continues; U.S. Dept. of Ed. Issues New Findings Documenting State’s Failures U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) continues to find Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) in noncompliance with Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA). July 18, 2024, USDOE’s…
What is a Transition Plan

What Is A Transition Plan?

Worrying about our children is what we do as parents, but helping our kids plan, prepare, and be ready for their future is supposed to be a team effort, with parents, their kids’ schools, and other agencies working together to help students who have disabilities. That team effort should be reflected in your child’s transition plan.

Transition plans are exactly what they sound like. They help students prepare for their transition from high school to whatever comes next in their lives.

U.S. Dept. of Justice Files Suit Against Maine for Unnecessarily Segregating Children Who Have Disabilities

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit against the state of Maine Monday, September 9th, alleging that the state “is unnecessarily segregating children with behavioral health disabilities in hospitals, residential facilities, and a state-operated juvenile detention facility.”

DOJ claims “Maine administers its behavioral health service system for children in a manner that gives the families and guardians of these children no meaningful choice other than institutions.” The result is hundreds of children segregated from their communities, “miss the chance to wake up in their own beds, to develop bonds with family and friends, and to go to school with their siblings and peers.”

Students with Disabilities Arrested and Referred to Police at More Than Double the Rate of Students without Disabilities

Students with Disabilities Arrested and Referred to Police at More Than Double the Rate of Students without Disabilities

Students with Disabilities Arrested and Referred to Police at More Than Double the Rate of Students without Disabilities A new report from Government Accountability Office (GAO) details the findings of GAO’s investigation of U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) Office for…

Office for Civil Rights Finds Colonial School District Failed to Provide Equal Access to High Rigor Coursework to Students with Disabilities; Discrepancy in Data Reporting Identified

Office for Civil Rights Finds Colonial School District Failed to Provide Equal Access to High Rigor Coursework to Students with Disabilities; Discrepancy in Data Reporting Identified July 18, 2024, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released the findings of its investigation…
OCR guidance on cancer, epilepsy, and sickle cell disease

Office for Civil Rights Addresses Cancer, Epilepsy, Sickle Cell Disease; Issues Guidance on Medical Conditions Triggering Protections Under Section 504

June 20, 2024, Office for Civil Rights released individual guidance on when cancer, epilepsy, and sickle cell disease trigger protections under Section 504, what kind of modifications an educational institution may need to take to avoid unlawful discrimination, and what an institution may need to do to remedy past discrimination.

In addition, they provide descriptions of the medical conditions and examples of how the conditions can affect a student’s experience in school.