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! Hoping its not too humid where you are! Here's the news you may have missed this week
Special education state complaints have jumped nearly 50% according to a new national survey, offering a stark measure of how much pressure districts and families are under as the school year begins. Houston ISD families are entering the year in what one advocate called "a hot mess" as the district moves forward with its controversial overhaul, and NYC is acting faster on special education legal orders but still misses most deadlines. In a significant policy shift, the Department of Justice's determination that disparate impact enforcement is out is prompting new questions about what happens next for systemic discrimination cases.
On the accessibility and rights front, coverage examined the promise made to Americans with disabilities and the ways that promise is now under attack, federal officials urged states to adopt new rules for autism therapy, and a fresh look at the fight for special education framed the moment for families and educators alike. Also this week: NYC public schools will place a school avoidance liaison in every school, Miami-Dade eliminated free school meals and other districts are expected to follow, and after months of standstill, the Ed Department announced new federal research funding.
On the literacy and classroom front, dyscalculia affects almost as many students as dyslexia and districts are asking what to do, a new phonics debate shows how the science of reading movement is evolving, and some schools are adopting linguistic phonics. EdWeek published a helpful explainer on the differences between IEPs and 504 plans, and new research examined why teachers would or wouldn't move to a high-needs school.
Worksheets, webinars, trivia and more below - read on!
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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 had a student go a full school year without a needed assistive technology device?
No, our district handles AT procurement well ✅ (45%)
How would you describe the tone of most IEP meetings at your school?
Collaborative and productive 🤝 (49%)
Do you have meaningful input into your co-teaching assignments?
Co-teaching isn't part of my role 📋 (40%)
Have you ever been blamed by a parent or administrator for a compliance failure that wasn't your fault?
Yes, more than once 😤
Yes, once - and it was demoralizing 😔
It's happened but got resolved fairly 😮💨
No, accountability is handled appropriately at my school ✅
At what point do you think students should be told about their own learning disability or diagnosis?
As early as they can understand it 🧒
When they start noticing they learn differently 👀
Middle school feels like the right window 📚
That decision belongs entirely to parents 👨👩👧
Have students on your caseload ever been covered by long-term substitutes due to staffing shortages?
Yes, for most of a school year 😳
Yes, for several weeks at a time 😬
Briefly but it got resolved 🤷♀️
No, we've maintained consistent staffing ✅
🎁 Gift cards, two ways
NASET is here to support you this school year, and our Built for Day One event is live through September 13.
Take our educator survey and receive a gift card as our thank you
Register for our free August 26 webinar with ARK Therapeutic + The Well-Balanced OT and you're automatically entered into our weekly $100 gift card drawings AND to win an ARK Therapeutic gift basket
Lock in membership at $75/year forever before September 14
We look forward to ensuring you and your students have a great start to the year!
Get Started at Built for Day One →
👩💻 Webinars in August to keep you informed:
🧮 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
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 Supporting Students with Oppositional and Defiant Behaviors and Navigating Parent Requests for Independent Educational Evaluations Scroll down to instantly download ⬇️
THE LEAD: SPECIAL EDUCATION UNDER PRESSURE
POLICY & DISABILITY RIGHTS
DISTRICT & STATE ACTION
LITERACY & CLASSROOM PRACTICE
Contract Subject Matter Reviewer - Doctorate Required (Remote) @ Special Education Company - $60 - $75 / Hour
Looking for a new role? Join the NASET Talent Network!
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Shout Out to Last Week’s Winners Who Correctly Answered, “The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)” View the winners list here!
This Week's Question:
What is the clinical term for involuntary, uncontrolled movements seen in the dyskinetic type of cerebral palsy?
Correctly answer 3 or more trivia questions each month to be eligible for a gift card! We had 25 winners in July!
What’s one resource you need this school year? Reply to this email and let us know!
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Discover Drexel’s online Applied Behavior Analysis programs – master’s and certificates. Tailored for busy professionals, including educators and social workers – these programs empower you to help others succeed, while forging new career trails of your own, using well-established, evidence-based ABA principles, practices, and tools.
“To teach is to learn twice.”