by Common Ground | Jan 17, 2025 | Current-Issue, Features
The U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) plays an important role in special education. It helps to ensure that students with disabilities get an appropriate and equitable education. Through its Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and its work with other...
by Common Ground | Jan 17, 2025 | Current-Issue, Features, Uncategorized
Policy leaders headed to Washington have proposed major changes to the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) — some have suggested that it be “dismantled,” and others have suggested it be “abolished.” During his campaign, President Trump promised to “close the...
by Common Ground | Jan 17, 2025 | Current-Issue, Features
The U.S. government provides funding to states for special education, helping schools support students with disabilities. This money comes with important rules, or “strings,” that states must follow to receive the funds. To get federal money, states must follow...
by Common Ground | Apr 20, 2023 | Parents, Professionals, Special Ed Basics, Teachers
Common Ground is committed to informing families and guardians about parental rights and special education advocacy. In this and upcoming editions we will share a series of basic and important special education topics on the rights, responsibilities, administrative...
by Common Ground | Apr 20, 2023 | Capitols, Professionals, Teachers
The U.S. Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services Administration has announced $224 million in grants for innovative demonstration projects “focused on the creation of systemic approaches to improve access to pre-employment transition services for children...
by Common Ground | Feb 8, 2023 | Capitols
New guidance from the US Department of Education warns that children suspected of having disabilities are waiting too long for evaluations, and special education services are not being fully implemented in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education...
by Common Ground | Feb 3, 2020 | Capitols
A dozen democratic federal lawmakers, most from Illinois, have written a letter to the Trump administration calling for the Department of Education to update its 2016 guidance on restraint and seclusion. They have urged that the USDOE specifically ban seclusion; ban...
by Common Ground | Feb 3, 2020 | Capitols
The USDOE, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) issued additional guidance on the role of parental involvement in placement decisions, and in particular, the decision about how far from home a child with disabilities can be educated. The guidance came in...
by Common Ground | Sep 6, 2018 | Capitols
The New Jersey Department of Education has issued a Guidance Document on the issue of restraint and seclusion in school settings. In January, former Governor Christie signed into law a bill establishing certain requirements for the use of restraint and seclusion with...
by Common Ground | Sep 6, 2018 | Capitols
The Trump administration has delayed for two years the implementation of an Obama-era rule designed to prevent students from certain backgrounds from being wrongly placed in special education, halting the so-called “significant disproportionality” rule. Under the...
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