On Nov. 29, the landmark Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) turns 50. President Gerald Ford signed the legislation, originally known as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, guaranteeing students with disabilities the right to a free and appropriate public education. Before then, no federal requirement existed that schools…
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has made a dramatic change in its position on the relationship between vaccines and autism. The CDC's website now says a link between vaccines and autism cannot be ruled out, which is contrary to the CDC's longstanding stance that there is no…
On November 20, 2025, NAPSA joined more than 850 local, state and national organizations in releasing a joint commitment to support federal special education law and to protest any move that separates services for students with disabilities from the U.S. Department of Education (USDE). That document lists shared principles and a…
On Tuesday, November 18, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) announced six new interagency agreements (IAAs) with four agencies to break up the USDE saying that doing so will "ensure efficient delivery of funded programs, activities, and move closer to fulfilling the President’s promise to return education to the…
On November 6, 2025, six U.S. Senators introduced the Securing Assurance for Federal Employees (SAFE) Act, legislation to explicitly prohibit the federal government from carrying out reductions in force (RIFs) during a lapse in appropriations. The bill would also reverse RIF actions taken during the current government shutdown. The SAFE…
In canceling funding for mental health grants, the Trump administration effectively ended programming for schools that were approved for such funding. At least $1 billion was lost in the cancellation of U.S. Department of Education mental health and professional demonstration grants across schools, districts, consortia and universities nationwide. Click here…
From CBS News On November 7, 2025, Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) introduced a bill to restore funding for Head Start programs during the ongoing government shutdown. "My bill would give families certainty that Head Start and the care it provides will continue," Baldwin said in a statement provided exclusively to CBS…
As reported by K-12 Dive, as per a November 4, 2025 vote, all Colorado public school students will continue to have access to free school meals after 58% of voters approved Proposition MM, which will raise state income taxes by $486 for those earning an annual income of $300,000 or…
According to a white paper from the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), teachers are increasingly using generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support students with disabilities in ways that save time for educators and provide best practices for interventions and clear communication for students and parents. In fact, almost…
As reported by K-12 Dive, special education and disability rights advocates are strongly defending the federal role in the education of students with disabilities as their concerns grow over a potential shift in how our country conducts special education oversight and support. Although there is still no official plan from…
