As federal policies around special education face unprecedented uncertainty, our work continues to demonstrate that meaningful change happens at the local level. We're proud to share that CEO Sarah Sandelius was recently featured in The 74 with an op-ed highlighting how schools and districts can protect and advance services for students with disabilities, regardless of federal policy shifts.
The Current Landscape
The piece addresses a critical moment in special education policy, with threats to Department of Education funding and efforts to shift IDEA oversight creating real uncertainty for the 7.5 million students served under federal mandates. Despite 50 years of federal protections, these students continue to face stark disparities: achievement gaps of more than 40 points on national assessments, twice the suspension rates, and dramatically lower college enrollment compared to their non-disabled peers.
ABC's Proven Approach
What makes this op-ed particularly compelling is how it showcases the concrete results ABC partners are achieving:
- Vermont district: 40% improvement in IEP quality in a single year
- D.C. charter school: 25% increase in student engagement through collaborative approaches
- Charter network: Achievement gaps reduced to less than 10 points between students with and without disabilities
Five Research-Based Strategies
The article outlines five key strategies that schools and districts can implement immediately:
- Champion inclusive education as a whole-school benefit - Research shows these practices help all students, not just those with learning differences
- Invest in collaborative models - Maximize time for general and special educators to work together
- Redesign schedules to maximize capacity - Strategic scheduling dramatically improves service delivery
- Train leaders to coach for inclusive practice - When leaders support teachers effectively, achievement gaps shrink
- Develop creative solutions - Partnerships and resource-sharing fill critical gaps
Read the Full Article
The complete op-ed provides detailed examples of how these strategies work in practice and offers a roadmap for schools ready to act boldly on behalf of students with disabilities.
Read "As Federal Policies Threaten Special Ed, State & Local Leadership Are a Lifeline" in The 74
