How are you fighting for disabled kids in schools?
March 12, 2025 7:53 PM Subscribe
How are you fighting for your IEP / 504 / Title I kid right now, amidst the intentional dismantling of the Dept of Education? How do we secure our kids' rights, nationwide?
While abled kids in K-12 schools are served by localities and states, the Department of Education implements IDEA which serves disabled kids, mandates their services, as well as Title I which protects children in poverty and the schools that serve them (as well as many other things).
All of these programs are being gutted; while protections still theoretically exist in law it means nothing if their implementation is being dropped.
This is a nationwide problem. As a parent of a disabled kid in public school, my question for others (esp parents of disabled schoolchildren) is: what are you doing about it? How do we get a national movement going to secure our disabled kids' rights? I don't want to reinvent the wheel. Who are the disability rights orgs specifically fighting for disabled kids in K-12 schools?
While abled kids in K-12 schools are served by localities and states, the Department of Education implements IDEA which serves disabled kids, mandates their services, as well as Title I which protects children in poverty and the schools that serve them (as well as many other things).
All of these programs are being gutted; while protections still theoretically exist in law it means nothing if their implementation is being dropped.
This is a nationwide problem. As a parent of a disabled kid in public school, my question for others (esp parents of disabled schoolchildren) is: what are you doing about it? How do we get a national movement going to secure our disabled kids' rights? I don't want to reinvent the wheel. Who are the disability rights orgs specifically fighting for disabled kids in K-12 schools?
Maybe try your local parent support program? The Arc seems to be the one for Washington State.
posted by metahawk at 8:11 PM on March 12 [1 favorite]
posted by metahawk at 8:11 PM on March 12 [1 favorite]
Look up Denise S. Marshall, CEO of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) and see is she is posting anything nationally. Most of what I was seeing on Autism Self Advocacy Network is about Medicaid, but that may evolve now that action is being taken.
There is talk of Education’s Disability oversight of services going back under HHS, which used to house Education before it became a separate department, and OCR getting shifted to DOJ.
It’s still terrible and I hope you find your people.
posted by childofTethys at 8:45 PM on March 12 [1 favorite]
There is talk of Education’s Disability oversight of services going back under HHS, which used to house Education before it became a separate department, and OCR getting shifted to DOJ.
It’s still terrible and I hope you find your people.
posted by childofTethys at 8:45 PM on March 12 [1 favorite]
Take to the streets and protest. Go on strike against the changes. Unseat their candidates everywhere at every level of government.
posted by parmanparman at 1:50 AM on March 13
posted by parmanparman at 1:50 AM on March 13
Long time special educator and administrator here with what I've been able to learn so far and this is specific to DoE K-12 special education, nothing else.
DON'T WORRY. While there is uncertainty, only a small part affects K-12 programming. The sky is falling narrative is a smokescreen to get people riled up.
Federal money is supposed to cover 40% of special ed programming, and they have not met that number in 50 years. Not even close. It's important for people to know that while the IDEA is the engine that drives special education, that engine frequently shuts off, loses parts and stops working.
In essence, the DoE doesn't have a whole lot to do with actual K-12 education. They really don't. The Office of Civil Rights has a LOT more power with Section 504 and Title 2, which is suing schools for violating student rights. And as an educator, I have seen more Section 504 legal battles than IDEA battles. Section 504 is what really protects kids.
States can and do have specific rights for all students, and generally those rights guide local programming. All states have Departments of Education, and they guide curriculum, best practices, teacher training and more. The states have far more control right now over K-12 education than the DoE.
People getting riled up about our special educated students losing programming are likely addressing a red herring.
But of course cutting the DoE will change some things and most of these do not affect K-12 programming.
Yes, there are concerns about Head Start and preschool support and obviously other areas. There are clear concerns about kid's health everywhere, but as far as the DoE goes, they don't actually do much for K-12 sped support. They do not offer curriculum, training, best practices, etc.
The DoE spends A LOT of money on the testing industry; from determining what tests need to be administered, interpreting the data and then making recommendations for different testing. Remember, we spend a fortune on assessments and literally nothing changes in schools. The DoE does not create new curriculum or guidelines or anything. They analyze data, suggest kids don't know math, and come up with tests.
If I were a K-12 parent, I would do a few things, but these are things we already suggest families do:
get to know how your child's work is modified and learn about their disability. I've seen wonderful changes when guardians took a fun parent focused class on ADHD and learned strategies that helped them understand their kids weren't willful jerks; they just processed things differently. So get to know their disability and how it affects them. Specifically, ask the schools to provide this resource.
If your child receives special services (OT, PT, etc.) ask the provider to share a menu of support for home.
Partner with teachers. Don't worry about befriending admins who are paper pushers with no real power. It's no exaggeration that teachers are tired and quitting in droves (I literally changed jobs once this year).
Help the teachers. Ask how can you help? What can you and the others take off their plate? Even a coffee run means a lot.
A happy teacher is a better teacher.
I am advising parents to put the time into supporting the schools and specifically learning how to support their child's disability.
posted by berkshiredogs at 3:07 AM on March 13 [12 favorites]
DON'T WORRY. While there is uncertainty, only a small part affects K-12 programming. The sky is falling narrative is a smokescreen to get people riled up.
Federal money is supposed to cover 40% of special ed programming, and they have not met that number in 50 years. Not even close. It's important for people to know that while the IDEA is the engine that drives special education, that engine frequently shuts off, loses parts and stops working.
In essence, the DoE doesn't have a whole lot to do with actual K-12 education. They really don't. The Office of Civil Rights has a LOT more power with Section 504 and Title 2, which is suing schools for violating student rights. And as an educator, I have seen more Section 504 legal battles than IDEA battles. Section 504 is what really protects kids.
States can and do have specific rights for all students, and generally those rights guide local programming. All states have Departments of Education, and they guide curriculum, best practices, teacher training and more. The states have far more control right now over K-12 education than the DoE.
People getting riled up about our special educated students losing programming are likely addressing a red herring.
But of course cutting the DoE will change some things and most of these do not affect K-12 programming.
Yes, there are concerns about Head Start and preschool support and obviously other areas. There are clear concerns about kid's health everywhere, but as far as the DoE goes, they don't actually do much for K-12 sped support. They do not offer curriculum, training, best practices, etc.
The DoE spends A LOT of money on the testing industry; from determining what tests need to be administered, interpreting the data and then making recommendations for different testing. Remember, we spend a fortune on assessments and literally nothing changes in schools. The DoE does not create new curriculum or guidelines or anything. They analyze data, suggest kids don't know math, and come up with tests.
If I were a K-12 parent, I would do a few things, but these are things we already suggest families do:
get to know how your child's work is modified and learn about their disability. I've seen wonderful changes when guardians took a fun parent focused class on ADHD and learned strategies that helped them understand their kids weren't willful jerks; they just processed things differently. So get to know their disability and how it affects them. Specifically, ask the schools to provide this resource.
If your child receives special services (OT, PT, etc.) ask the provider to share a menu of support for home.
Partner with teachers. Don't worry about befriending admins who are paper pushers with no real power. It's no exaggeration that teachers are tired and quitting in droves (I literally changed jobs once this year).
Help the teachers. Ask how can you help? What can you and the others take off their plate? Even a coffee run means a lot.
A happy teacher is a better teacher.
I am advising parents to put the time into supporting the schools and specifically learning how to support their child's disability.
posted by berkshiredogs at 3:07 AM on March 13 [12 favorites]
With respect, I completely disagree with berkshiredogs on the impacts of the Trump administration on children with disability, but I don't want this to be a derail.
Here is a place you can start: https://www.disability-rights-watch.com that both tracks the latest issues, but also has recommended immediate actions you can take.
Good luck, we are all counting on you.
posted by Toddles at 7:04 AM on March 13
Here is a place you can start: https://www.disability-rights-watch.com that both tracks the latest issues, but also has recommended immediate actions you can take.
Good luck, we are all counting on you.
posted by Toddles at 7:04 AM on March 13
Response by poster: > The Office of Civil Rights has a LOT more power with Section 504 and Title 2,
But the Office of Civil Rights is a part of the Dept of Education. And it is the part that is getting cut!
posted by splitpeasoup at 9:22 AM on March 13
But the Office of Civil Rights is a part of the Dept of Education. And it is the part that is getting cut!
posted by splitpeasoup at 9:22 AM on March 13
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posted by splitpeasoup at 7:59 PM on March 12