With more students qualifying for special education, understanding the options is crucial for parents as they advocate for their children.
Test scores will fall, chronic absences will rise, school funding will soar, with arguments over how to spend it. Bet your Fensters on that.
Schools can support students of all abilities in the same classroom, benefiting all -- without breaking the bank. It's already happening.
Some California students with disabilities had been shut out of school this year because independent study wasn't in their learning plans.
Thousands of special education students are in limbo, because they can't enroll in independent study, but have health risks that prevent them from attending in person.
Independent study does not always provide services to students with special needs who can't attend in-person classes, families say.
Funding should be based on students' needs, not attendance, to help achieve more equitable academic outcomes, researchers say.
A new initiative is meant to help parents and schools settle Covid-related disputes over services for students before heading to court.
The budget would provide billions for K-12 schools and early education after paying off most of the short-term debt owed from this year’s budget.
Parents are skeptical that distance learning will ever work for children with disabilities.
The state plans to spend an additional $650 million on special education under new law.
Full funding, teacher recruitment and early childhood programs are included in a wide-ranging disability platform.
At some schools, online parent meetings have been nearly impossible.
With no routine and limited access to services, students and their families are feeling stressed and overwhelmed.
School districts had asked for temporary waivers from special education law to avoid lawsuits from parents.
