The National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) empowers special education teachers, advocates, and professionals with practical training, trusted resources, and meaningful connections - supporting those who make a difference in the lives of students with diverse learning needs.
Happy Friday! We hope you have a relaxing weekend - here's the news you may have missed!
The U.S. Department of Education is releasing an additional $144 million for special education through IDEA Part B and Part C. The Office for Civil Rights opened a federal disability discrimination investigation into Houston ISD over its plan to centralize and separate students with disabilities. And federal officials are reconsidering the healthcare rule that bars disability discrimination, putting Section 504 protections back in play.
A new Chalkbeat investigation revealed a wealth and racial gap in NYC's Carter Case private-school special education tuition payments, while The Conversation reported on persistent gaps in autism identification among elementary students.
Plus: a small Ohio district trained 116 staff in Orton-Gillingham and is closing literacy gaps for English learners, new research suggests vocabulary and comprehension may matter more than phonics time in early literacy, pediatricians want recess back for kids of all ages, and the math summer slide turns out to be much bigger than the reading slide.
More below including the Break Room and our June webinar - read on!
Also let us know your thoughts on our format changes.
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Hello from the NASET Break Room - our quick pulse check on the state of special education based on trending posts and questions we saw online this week.
Last Week:
Have you ever suspected a student had an undiagnosed disability that no one else was willing to address?
Yes, and I was eventually proven right 🎯 (67%)
Who do you think should have the final say on a student's placement decision?
The IEP team collectively 🤝 (77%)
If you could go back, would you still choose special education?
Absolutely, no regrets 💪 (33%)
Yes, but I'd do some things differently 🤔 (38%)
At what age should students be told they have an IEP?
As soon as they can understand it 🧒
Middle school is the right time 📚
High school, when it affects transition planning 🎓
That's a decision for parents, not schools 👨👩👧
Do you think having a personal experience with disability makes you a better special education professional?
Yes, it's one of my greatest strengths 💪
Sometimes, but it also comes with challenges 🔄
Not necessarily - training matters more 📋
I don't have a personal connection to disability 🤷♀️
In your experience, do students from higher-income families receive better special education services?
Yes, without question 😔
Sometimes, depending on the district 🤔
Not in my school, but I've seen it elsewhere 👀
No, services are applied equally ✅
Join us on June 15th for: Lost in Transition
On Monday June 15th @ 7pm EST: we’re hosting Dr. Audrey A. Trainor, a Professor of Special Education and Content Director of Programs in Special Education at NYU Steinhardt, where her research focuses on equity in special education with a specific emphasis on postsecondary transitions for adolescents with disabilities - including multilingual young people. 💙 Join us for Lost in Transition: Supporting Multilingual Students with Disabilities Through the Post-Secondary Transition Process
📅 Monday June 15th @ 7PM EST
Free for Members / $85 for Non-Member
🎓 Register here!
🧤NASET is an approved SCECH provider in Michigan!
Michigan joins New York (CTLE), Pennsylvania (Act 48), Texas (TEA-CPE), Illinois, Washington State, and Nevada. Plus, we have confirmed teachers in many additional states can earn credit through district-level approvals.
👉 Check out your state in our state guide!
📋 Recently complete a training? Complete our CEU credit tracker!
From the NASET vault
RTI Roundtable: Do We Have a Shared Understanding →
👉 Read the May’s Special Education e-Journal→
Participate in Research
Seeking school-based staff who work with students who receive special education services under the autism category of IDEA
👉Review details and compensation here →
NASET Support Squad Downloads of the Week Managing Classroom Transitions for Students with Disabilities and Using Visual Supports to Improve Learning and Organization Scroll down to instantly download ⬇️
POLICY & FUNDING DEVELOPMENTS
EQUITY IN SPECIAL EDUCATION
LITERACY, ENGLISH LEARNERS & EARLY READING
CLASSROOM PRACTICE & STUDENT WELLBEING
ED-TECH & SCHOOL OPERATIONS
Looking for a new role? Join the NASET Talent Network!
Be the reason everyone leaves an IEP meeting smiling.
Families deserve an advocate who knows exactly where they stand. The NASET Board Certification for Advocacy in Special Education (BCASE) gives you 94 hours of training in special education law, IEP processes, negotiation, mediation, and dispute resolution.
Advocate with clarity. Advocate with authority.
Shout Out to Last Week’s Winners Who Correctly Answered, “34 CFR §300.532(b)(2)(ii).” View the winners list here!
This Week's Question:
What is the minimum required number of legally mandated components in a compliant IEP under IDEA 2004?
Correctly answer 3 or more trivia questions each month to be eligible for a gift card! We had 23 winners in April!
As you look to summer, what resources would you love to have ready for fall? Reply to this email and let us know!
NASET membership is worth over $1,000! Here's what's inside.
NASET members get free access to monthly expert webinars (valued at $75 each), nearly 80 short professional development courses, weekly worksheets and classroom resources, a private community of special educators, our peer-reviewed academic journal, and 15% off all NASET certifications and courses - every year you're a member.
"If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.”