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! Wishing you smooth sailing into August! Here's the news you may have missed this week
As the school year approaches, the tension between growing special education demand and shrinking federal support continued to shape the news this week. Houston ISD launched a phone campaign to get parents to approve IEP amendments without in-person meetings, prompting concern from the Texas Education Agency. Connecticut is now approaching 100,000 special education students, a $3.2 billion cost that keeps growing, and Pittsburgh Public Schools has spent $1.4 million on special education settlements over the past two years. Join NASET on August 6th for a special education briefing as the school year begins.
On the accessibility and rights front, the CDC faces renewed criticism over its stance on autism and vaccines, and NPR marked the ADA's 36th anniversary by revisiting the 1978 protest that sparked the disability rights movement.
Coverage of the challenges facing English learners drew renewed attention this week, including new reporting on how schools are failing English learners with disabilities, how state reclassification rules impact long-term English learners, and how a federal English learner grant will return this fall under new oversight. A new administrative rule may also have a chilling effect on immigrants with disabilities. Beyond English learners, new research examined what factors actually matter most in learning to read, whether teachers' fear of math affects student outcomes, and how teachers feel about early childhood assessments.
Also this week: NPR reported on the growing recognition of ADHD in women and the impact of missed diagnoses.
Add your thoughts to the break room and grab worksheets, webinars, trivia below!
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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:
How would you describe your experience managing paraprofessionals as a special education teacher?
One of the hardest parts of the job 😤 (40%)
Have you ever worked with a student you suspected had both autism and ADHD but only one was formally diagnosed?
Yes, this happens regularly 🎯 (49%)
Do you feel your school adequately prepares students with IEPs for life after graduation?
We try but resources are too limited 😬 (39%)
🗳️ Vote in the polls (100% anonymously), we’ll share results the next week!
Have you ever been pressured by administration to discipline a student with an IEP in a way that felt legally questionable?
Yes, and I pushed back 💪
Yes, and I went along with it - I regret it 😔
Yes, but it got resolved appropriately 😮💨
No, my admin understands the legal requirements ✅
Do you feel your training prepared you to identify autism in students who don't fit the 'typical' profile?
No - I know I've probably missed students 😔
Somewhat, but I've had to learn on the job 🤔
Yes, my training covered diverse presentations 👍
I rely on our evaluation team for identification 🤷♀️
What's your biggest frustration with IEP data collection?
It steals time I should be spending teaching 😤
No system actually works well for my caseload 📋
Inconsistency across my team drives me crazy 🔄
Honestly, I've figured out a system that works 💪
Master your craft. Elevate your career. 🌟
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🧮 THURSDAY August 20th at 3pm EST: AI Tools for Math in Special Education:
Practical, Accessible Ways to Use AI to Support Math Instruction for Students with Disabilities We’re thrilled to host Dr. Krystle Merry, Lecturer in Special Education at the University of Maine, for a live workshop on math tools for special educators! This session will definitely boost your math confidence and knowledge as the school year begins!
👩💻 Register Today | Free for NASET Members
🙋TUESDAY August 25th at 7pm EST: Kids Do Well If They Can: Rethinking Concerning Behavior in Special Education with Dr. Ross Greene's Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS) Model Join New York Times Bestselling author of The Explosive Child, Dr. Ross Greene, for part 1 of a 2 part webinar series on tools which actually reduce discipline referrals, detentions, suspensions, restraint, and seclusion in both general education and special education classrooms. This is a must-attend session!
👩💻 Register Today | Free for NASET Members
📋 Participate in Special Education Research
Seeking K-12 special educators with experience working with twice exceptional (2e) students 👉Review details and compensation here →
📚From the NASET Vault
🎓 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 Recognizing and Responding to Student Burnout and Leveraging AI to Support IEP Development Scroll down to instantly download ⬇️
POLICY & DISABILITY RIGHTS
LOCAL DISTRICTS
ENGLISH LEARNERS & LITERACY
CLASSROOM PRACTICE & EARLY EDUCATION
AUTISM & ADHD RESEARCH
Looking for a new role? Join the NASET Talent Network!
🚀 Ready for your Master’s Degree?
Augustana University's M.Ed. in Special Education (K-12) is built for teachers who are already in the classroom. Flexible enough for a full teaching load, rigorous enough to move your career forward.
📚 Not sure the SPED track is your fit? Augustana offers other M.Ed. options worth exploring.
🗓️ Curious? Augustana is hosting a virtual info session on Thursday, August 13th from 4:30-5:00pm CST. Thirty minutes, straight from the people who run the program.
Shout Out to Last Week’s Winners Who Correctly Answered, “Honig vs. Doe” View the winners list here!
This Week's Question:
In Schaffer v. Weast (2005), the Supreme Court placed the burden of proof in due process hearings on which party?
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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