Miguel Cardona, U.S. Secretary of Education, has called on Congress for more funding to meet the needs of students with disabilities and to support special education teachers. In a major speech, Cardona said the United Stated must do more to “ensure that children, including those with disabilities, are successful.”
Calling 2022 as a “chance for a reset in education,” he urged Congress to address inequities for Latino, Black, and Native students, students from low-income backgrounds, students from rural communities, students with disabilities, students experiencing homelessness, and English learners. He also called for “funding and pushing for additional special education teachers, and investing in educators and paraprofessionals,” and he highlighted the need for mental health supports, tutoring, universal pre-K, and more.
Democrats in Congress have put forward bills that would significantly increase federal special education spending, but the legislation is currently stalled.
