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 can relax and stay cool! Here's the news you may have missed this week
A new GAO report found that students with disabilities are spending more time than ever in general education classrooms, with over two-thirds now educated alongside their non-disabled peers for the majority of their school day. At the same time, most states are failing to meet key requirements under IDEA according to federal officials, and reporting revealed that special education monitoring at the Education Department has been scaled back. The Department also announced it is eyeing changes to how it measures racial disparities in special education, and concerns continued to grow about federal plans for special education oversight. Join NASET on August 6th for a special education briefing as the school year begins.
On the policy front, an EEOC attorney cautioned that outsourced ADA accommodations can be "inherently problematic," big changes to federal grants are coming with wide implications for schools, and the Education Department is again targeting equity assistance centers. Reading progress has stalled for the youngest learners under the science of reading, and new coverage examined how academic pressure is both driving and preventing the return to play-based learning in kindergarten.
On the classroom and research front, new reporting found that colleges are serving more autistic students than they realize, raising fresh questions about how postsecondary institutions can better support neurodivergent learners.
NPR is looking to partner with special education teachers across the country and we have worksheets, webinars, trivia and more below!
Did you know that 1 in 50 school-aged children live with Tourette Syndrome (TS) or another Persistent Tic Disorder?
As an educator, we know you want to support your students in the best way possible – including students who experience tics and other co-occurring conditions. We have compiled a comprehensive list of resources to assist educators and school personnel in in developing effective support plans to allow children with TS and other Tic Disorders to thrive, both socially and academically. Below and across our site you’ll find many free resources about TS and accommodating students with TS in the classroom.
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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 witnessed a colleague treat a student with a disability in a way that you felt was ableist or harmful?
Yes, and I said something 💪 (53%)
Do you think most IEPs at your school genuinely serve the student - or primarily protect the district?
It depends on the team writing it 🔄 (33%)
Honestly, a little of both 🤷♀️ (33%)
Do you think school vouchers are a good option for students with disabilities?
No - they lose IDEA protections 🚫 (36%)
Has the number of students with disabilities in general education classrooms at your school increased in the last 2 years?
Yes, significantly - and support hasn't kept up 😤
Yes, and we've actually gotten more resources 👍
About the same as always 🤷♀️
I've actually seen it decrease 📉
Has your district ever struggled to fill paraprofessional positions?
Constantly - we're always short-staffed 😩
Sometimes, usually at the start of the year 📅
Occasionally but it gets resolved 🤷♀️
No, para staffing isn't a problem here ✅
Do you feel adequately prepared to serve students who are homebound or medically unable to attend school?
No - I have no real guidance on this 😬
Somewhat - I figure it out as I go 🤔
Yes, our district has clear protocols ✅
I haven't encountered this yet 📋
🌟 Advance your special education career with a NASET Board Certification.
Choose from 5 certifications covering advocacy, IEP development, inclusion, classroom management, and leadership. CEU and graduate credit eligible, with 3-month payment plans available. Members save 15%.
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👩💻 Tuesday July 21st at 7pm EST: The Brain Behind the Behavior: What Neuroscience Tells Us About Trauma, Behavior Disorders, and What Special Educators Can Do About It Join PhD Candidate, Tara Tedrow, MA, Assistant Professor of Instruction (University of Northern Iowa) as she breaks down her research which lies at the intersection of neuroscience, trauma, and behavior disorders and shares insights on how to best support your students.
🧠 Register Today | Free for NASET Members
📋 Participate in Special Education Research & Journalism
NPR reporters Jonaki Mehta and Lauren Migaki are seeking special education teachers - ⬇️ scroll down for more details
Seeking K-12 special educators with experience working with twice exceptional (2e) students 👉Review details and compensation here →
Seeking elementary special education teachers with experience implementing specially designed instruction (SDI) 👉Review details here →
Seeking school-based staff who work with students who receive special education services under the autism category of IDEA 👉Review details and compensation here →
📚From the NASET Vault
➡️ Diagnosis of Students with Disabilities and Disorders Series: Diagnosing Fragile X Syndrome
🎓 Earn graduate credit with NASET for under $150! Through our partnership with Augustana University, we offer 2 graduate credit eligible courses for under $150.
✅ Complete coursework in our related services or IEP implementation course!
⬇️ NASET Support Squad Downloads of the Week Using Student Strengths to Drive Instruction and Writing Effective Prior Written Notices (PWN) Scroll down to instantly download ⬇️
THE LEAD: SPECIAL EDUCATION INCLUSION & FEDERAL OVERSIGHT
POLICY & ACCESSIBILITY
Looking for a new role? Join the NASET Talent Network!
NPR’s Jonaki Mehta and Lauren Migaki are working on a series about special educators and what the job really looks like day-to-day. They're searching for public school special ed teachers (charters included) outside the West Coast, especially the South and Midwest. Early-career and elementary teachers are a priority. Participation will last about 6 months via voice memos and ideally one in-person school visit. Interested? You can email them directly at [email protected] & [email protected]
Shout Out to Last Week’s Winners Who Correctly Answered, “Sensorineural Hearing Loss” View the winners list here!
This Week's Question:
What neurological processing deficit is most consistently associated with developmental dyslexia across the research literature?
Correctly answer 3 or more trivia questions each month to be eligible for a gift card! We had 19 winners in June!
What’s one resource you’ll be looking for this summer? Reply to this email and let us know!
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“Every student can learn, just not on the same day, or in the same way.”