News - Special Education Action

Texas and Virginia: Too Big to Fail

Texas and Virginia vary in physical size and population, but one thing they have in common is they are both too big to fail children — especially those who need special education supports.

Texas is toward the top of the list of U.S. states when it comes to federal, state, and local revenue, but Virginia has Fairfax County, a school district with one of the largest budgets and per pupil spending in the United States.

And yet . . . They’ve both failed.

In the case of Texas, the United States Department of Education’s (USDOE) Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) just announced that USDOE will be reducing funds provided to Texas and putting specific conditions in place.

Will OSEP follow with Virginia?

Virginia is for lovers and breaches of children's privacy

Virginia Isn’t Just For Lovers; Virginia Is For Breaches Of Children’s Privacy, Too

Virginia Has a History of Breaching the Privacy of Children

For the second time in as many years, the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (VDBHDS) has breached the privacy of children.

October 6, 2021, just one day before the VDBHDS breach, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) announced that it is opening an investigation into Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), focused on systemic privacy violations.

Every Child Deserves A Champion; Open Your Eyes, Channel Your Outrage, Show Up To Help Every Day

A parent recently asked me about the problems with Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) special education program. I explained that the problems aren’t new. They aren’t related to a “regime change” at FCPS nor are they related to one political party or another being at the top.

FCPS has been failing children in its special education program for decades—and the legal bills and other documents exist to prove it.

What to Do?

Change starts with advocacy, with kindness, with help.

Virginia Department of Education to Investigate Fairfax County Public Schools for Systemic Privacy Violations

The Virginia Department of Education is finally investigating Fairfax County Public Schools for systemic privacy violations.

VDOE has always had a reason NOT to initiate a systemic investigation — even after it was provided an internal FCPS document in which FCPS itself stated concerns with privacy breaches.

What changed VDOE’s mind this time? I have no idea.

Here’s hoping for a thorough investigation—and for the noncompliance to stop.

Office of Civil Rights Opens Investigation; FCPS Threatens to Call Attendance Officer if Parent Doesn’t Choose FCPS “Options”

The United States Department of Education (USDOE) Office of Civil Rights (OCR) has opened another investigation into Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS).

FCPS’s Legal Actions Are A Sideshow; Please Focus On The Children

Many of you have heard by now that Fairfax County Public Schools has taken legal actions against me and another parent.

I’m in awe of the kindness and overwhelming support that complete strangers have shared in the past few days. It’s extraordinary — and truly appreciated. The journalists, parents, lawyers, advocates for children, advocates for free speech, and so many others.

One Comment:

FCPS’s legal actions are a sideshow.

Please don’t let them distract you from much bigger stories.

Fairfax County Public Schools Threatens Legal Action Against Parents Who Exercised Their First Amendment Rights And Right To FOIA

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) has threatened legal action against me and against fellow parent Debra Tisler in response to us exercising our first amendment rights and our rights to FOIA.

What did we do?

We shared a behind-the-scenes view that indicates FCPS is aware of the very issues parents have been concerned about for years. (As well as HIPAA failures, stolen credentials, negotiations to extend Scott Brabrand’s contract, the investigations into the cyber hacking and Blackboard failures, wastes of funds, and much more.)

I’m Not Anti-Teacher; I’m Anti-Cruelty, Anti-Incompetence, and Anti-Negligence

Parents who advocate for their children are sometimes labeled as anti-teacher, when the truth is these parents aren’t anti-teacher. They are anti-cruelty, anti-incompetence, and anti-negligence.

This afternoon I had a phone call with the Fairfax County Federation of Public Teachers (FCFT).

I found myself explaining to the FCFT organizer on the other end of the line that I knew a teacher complained to FCFT about my advocacy and tried to recruit FCFT to fight against me — and then I explained the reason the organizer and I were talking was because I support teachers, want to make sure they receive the support they need, and that I had some information to share, which I felt critical for the teachers to have, to advocate for themselves.

After all, teachers are among the greatest influencers of my life.

Category: News (page 15)