CLE partnered with the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) in early December to conduct a live webisode on our 2021 report, Lighting the Path to Inclusion. As schools continue working to respond to and recover from the pandemic’s impacts, this timely conversation focused on school leaders committed to learning outcomes for students with disabilities.
CLE applauds Federal District Court Judge Yeakel’s ruling striking down Texas’ Executive Order prohibiting mask mandates in schools. We are thrilled that these Texas students will now be able to safely access their education, and we hope this court decision is a wake-up call to the other states that have implemented similar discriminatory prohibitions.
CLE’s latest brief, How Has the Pandemic Affected Students with Disabilities? A Review of the Evidence to Date, examines the impacts of COVID-19 on students with disabilities based on a review of hundreds of studies. In particular, the report highlights widespread disruptions to student’s Individual Education Programs (IEPs) and Section 504 plans. It also examines significant disparities in access to specialized services and draws attention to areas of further inquiry.
In this recorded webinar, Wendy Tucker, CLE’s Senior Director of Policy, discusses new US Department of Education guidance for upholding IDEA during COVID-19 and explores critical issues facing schools 18 months into the COVID-19 pandemic.
CLE report cited in Chalkbeat Colorado’s “Special ed questions on charter school apps violate federal law, complaints allege”.
In response to state mandates prohibiting local school districts from implementing mask requirements in public K-12 schools, The Center for Learner Equity calls upon state leaders to reverse those decisions and allow districts and local authorities to implement policies that will afford safer, equal access to school for all students, including those with disabilities.
On July 2, 2021, EdDive published an article highlighting key takeaways from the 2021 ISTE conference, quoting Program Manager Lauren Krempecki.
On July 2, Edsource published an article about a massive increase in special education funding in California, quoting Executive Director Lauren Morando Rhim.
The Center for Learner Equity (CLE) is thrilled with Secretary Cardona’s announcement today that the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) will collect data via the Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) from all public school districts and their schools, two years in a row, for the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years.
In 2016, the federal government rescinded a 2014 disciplinary guidance package that had served as a much-needed resource to schools and districts across the country, a decision that CLE opposed.
It is now time for the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to issue new comprehensive guidance that advances equity for all students, especially those with disabilities. Guidance should ensure districts and schools stop using harmful exclusionary practices, including suspensions, expulsions, and seclusions, in lieu of individualized supports and services that address and ameliorate the behavioral needs of students with disabilities.
