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
VDOE FOIA: Independent Evaluation Reports for Virginia Department of Education and Related Correspondence and Invoices
October 2023 reports for two evaluations VDOE commissioned to assess special education, correspondence between VDOE’s Dr. Lisa Coons and the evaluators, and invoices submitted by the evaluators.
What do You Say When the School Says “No”? You Ask, “Where’s the Beef?”
Parent:
The school keeps saying “No” to everything I request, even though I have data supporting my student’s needs for what I’m requesting. What do I do?
Answer:
You ask, “Where’s the beef?” (a.k.a. “Show me the data”)
The school keeps saying “No” to everything I request, even though I have data supporting my student’s needs for what I’m requesting. What do I do?
Answer:
You ask, “Where’s the beef?” (a.k.a. “Show me the data”)
FCPS FOIA: Blankingship & Keith February 23, 2021, Invoices
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), Virginia, has been a client of law firm Blankingship & Keith for decades.
This record includes over 100 pages of invoices dated February 23, 2021, covering work Blankingship & Keith did between October 2020 and January 2021.
Office for Civil Rights Addresses Retaliation in New Guidance Document
U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights the new guidance document “Civil Rights Protections Against Retaliation”.
U.S. Department of Education Addresses Restraint and Seclusion, Encourages Proactive Practices to Support Students
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona expresses concerns about continued use of restraint and seclusion and long-term negative impacts it has on children, and proposes proactive support instead.
FOIA Release: Office for Civil Rights’ Open Investigations for Virginia Department of Education
Office for Civil Rights (OCR) provided a response to a Freedom of Information (FOIA) request submitted to its office for “all letters issued from OCR to Lisa Coons and/or Jillian Balow between Jan 1, 2003, and today .” Although it took over a year to respond to the initial FOIA request, OCR confirmed that the letters reflect currently open complaints.