Obama Plan and Special Ed

I'll have more to say soon about the Obama Administration's proposal for education reform ad its impact on special ed. For now, read Disability Scoop's summary, "Obama Education Overhaul to Up Ante for Students with Disabilities."

President's Special Ed Funding Increase Not Enough, Some Say

President Obama's proposed budget includes $250 million in new special education funds, but some advocates say it's not enough. The budget proposal has nearly $12 billion in special ed funding for states, which is $250 million more than last year.

"But despite the increase," Disability Scoop reports, "the federal contribution toward the cost of special education would remain steady at about 17 percent. And that’s a problem for special educators who want the president to stick to his campaign promise of fully funding the program."

Deborah Ziegler of the Council for Exceptional Children said: “We are disheartened to see the president did not use this opportunity to fulfill his campaign commitment to fully fund special education and early intervention programs. Another opportunity to make progress toward fully funding IDEA has, sadly, been missed.”

When the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was passed in 1975, Congress committed to funding 40 percent of the cost of educating students with disabilities, with states covering the rest of the cost. But the government has typically provided less than 20 percent of the cost.

Disability Policy in 2009: The Year in Review

Like every other year, 2009 had its ups and downs in terms of disability rights and policy. The Obama administration made some important steps in some areas, while much remains to be done on several important agenda items. Not surprisingly, the actions of the Obama administration play a prominent role in this list of 2009's top news items for disability issues.

UN Convention -- At the direction of President Obama, Susan Rice, U.S. ambassador to to United Nations, signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. While largely symbolic, this was an important international gesture to express the nation's commitment to advancing the rights of people with disabilities.

A High-Level Advocate in White House -- President Obama wasted no time demonstrating his support for people with disabilities when he named Kareem Dale the first White House special assistant for disability policy. By all accounts, Dale has done an admirable job keeping disability issues front and center for the administration. Read an interview with Dale.

Olympics, Paralympics, Special Olympics -- The president suffered a major setback when his strong support failed to help Chicago win the bid for the 2012 Olympics. Surprisingly, Rio was selected over Chicago. Chicago had a very strong proposal for the Paralympics, and hopefully the spotlight of the Olympics will help protect and advance opportunities for people with disabilities internationally. In other Olympic news, the president got in trouble for making a "joke" about the Special Olympics -- which, looking back, probably heightened his sensitivity and helped elevate disabilities as a priority for his administration.

Are Students with Disabilities Being Left Behind? -- The appointment of Arne Duncan as secretary of education hardly caused protests by disability advocates, but few applauded the news. Recognizing that Duncan was not known for his support for special ed in Chicago, most people reserved judgment, not knowing where special ed would fit in with his federal priorities. And in many ways, we're still waiting. Duncan has not said much on the topic, but he gets points for appointing Alexa Posny as assistant secretary of special education and rehabilitative services. If he consults with her on major issues affecting students with disabilities, it's possible we'll see evidence that he cares about more than test scores and graduation rates. Lawyer and blogger Jennifer Laviano called Duncan's performance the lowlight of the year for special education.

Supreme Courts Backs Reimbursement for Private Special Ed -- In June, the Supreme Court said federal law authorizes reimbursement for tuition to private schools even if a child has never received special ed services in a public school. The decision in Forest Grove School District v. T.A. said that under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, if a school district fails to identify a child with a disability, the district is still financially responsible for ensuring that the student receives appropriate services.

Disability.gov -- The Obama administration has made tremendous progress in leveraging technology to improve communication and transparency throughout the government. The use of blogs, Flickr, Twitter, video, and lots of interactivity on the White House website has raised the standard for all future administrations. One of the best things the government has done is launch disability.gov, which consolidates resources from 22 federal agencies in a user-friendly format. example , Read my Q&A with Kevin Connors, who helped build the site.

Autism -- The CDC released data showing that autism affects one in 110 people and one in 70 boys, and national and state officials took steps to address the needs of affected families. This year 17 states introduced legislation to require insurance companies to cover autism diagnosis and treatment. According to Autism Votes, 15 states have passed autism insurance laws, six are considering bills, and another seven (and DC) have pending bills. The administration released the first-ever strategic plan for government-funded autism research and added $1 billion to its budget for autism over the next eight years. Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the U.S. Health and Human Services has called autism "an urgent public health challenge" and compared it to the challenge of polio in the 1950s and HIV/AIDS in the 1980s.

What other highlights and lowlights would you include? How would you rate the administration in these areas after a year?

Duncan Outlines Federal Role in Education, Offers No Specifics on Special Ed

On Friday, Education Secretary Arne Duncan gave a speech he titled "Partners for Success" to the National Association of State Boards of Education in Cincinnati, in an attempt to build support for his plans to bring more innovation and accountability to our education system.

There's a lot to like about the speech, including an interesting overview of the federal government's historic role in education, even though (as he points out), "the Constitution doesn’t mention education, and...the provision of education has always been a state and local responsibility." But he goes on to say that our nation's leaders have "always believed that a strong and innovative education system is the foundation of our democracy and an investment in our economic future." And he lists examples, including the leadership of Presidents Lincoln, Roosevelt, Eisenhower, and Johnson.

He then lays out the core principles of his and President Obama's vision for creating the world's best education system by 2020:
- Creating high standards to prepare students for college and careers.
- Ensuring that every classroom has highly effective teachers.
- Implementing data systems to accurately track students from grade to grade.
- Turning around the nation's lowest performing schools, which Duncan called "2,000 dropout factories" that account for half the nation's dropouts and three-fourths of minority dropouts.

It's a good speech that clearly outlines his vision and his commitment to partner with teachers and all levels of government, but every time Sec. Duncan speaks, I look for a glimmer of hope that special education is even a remote priority for him. And once again, in a speech of nearly 3,000 words focused on K-12 education, the number of references to "special education" was an even ZERO.

At one point, he did briefly talk about the federal government's historic role in providing education for children with special needs, but only in a dismissive fashion. "Some have suggested that the federal government's primary responsibility is to provide money for the education of low-income students and children with disabilities. But the federal government needs to do more than that. We need to ensure that those students are receiving the education they need to prepare them for success in college and the workplace."

Michelle Diament of Disability Scoop put a positive spin on this single reference. Her article was titled "Education Secretary Won’t Accept Status Quo For Students With Disabilities." Maybe I'm just sensitive because I'm preparing for an IEP meeting for my daughter tomorrow, but I didn't see it the same way. Special education is more than a path to create more taxpayers. It's a fundamental right that our secretary of education does not seem to take seriously, unless it supports his rhetoric about standards and outcomes and achievement gaps.

That one reference in a speech of nearly 3,000 words -- with no specific plans -- does not diminish my disappointment in President Obama's selection of Sec. Duncan. I'll give him credit for appointing some very good people in his department, who I suppose are toiling away quietly maintaining federal programs that support students with disabilities, but those students and those programs don't seem to be on Duncan's radar. Sadly, the Children Left Behind in this administration seem to be those who require special education.

Read the transcript of his speech and see what you think. If I'm overreacting and you feel more positive about Duncan, please tell me.

Sec. Duncan on Employment for People with Disabilities

Education Secretary Arne Duncan on National Disability Employment Awareness Month:

"President Obama and I recognize the critical role that education plays in empowering the next generation of Americans with disabilities. Through education, we can help people with disabilities build a strong foundation of knowledge and marketable skills with expectations for employment and the ability to give back to others in their communities. Stimulus funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act represents an unprecedented investment in students with disabilities and demonstrates the administration's commitment to helping all Americans achieve success in school and work. We are proud of the many projects underway at the Department of Education to assist children and adults with disabilities in acquiring the tools they need to achieve their dreams."

To celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services is featuring innovative, employment-based projects and individual success stories on its website.

Duncan: "A Lot about NCLB and U.S. Education Needs to Change"

Here are Education Secretary Arne Duncan's prepared remarks for a Thursday speech on No Child Left Behind, the 2002 incarnation of the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which is up for reauthorization.

From Duncan's remarks: "The biggest problem with NCLB is that it doesn’t encourage high learning standards. In fact, it inadvertently encourages states to lower them. The net effect is that we are lying to children and parents by telling kids they are succeeding when they are not."

I have to give credit for mentioning disabilities in a speech -- as far as I've seen, the first time he has as education secretary. Specifically, his remarks say: "Today I am calling on all of you to join with us to build a transformative education law that offers every child the education they want and need – a law that recognizes and reinforces the proper role of the federal government to support and drive reform at the state and local level....Let us build a law that brings equity and opportunity to those who are economically disadvantaged, or challenged by disabilities or background."

Duncan is also going to ask for input from stakeholders, which I hope will include special ed advocates and parents of children with special needs. "Over the coming months the administration will be developing its proposal for reauthorization," his remarks say. "Before we do, however, we want to hear from you. We want your input."

Stay tuned for an update after he gives the speech tomorrow.

Duncan Breaks Silence on Special Ed

Well, it took seven months, but yesterday Education Secretary Arne Duncan actually talked about special education. As I reported when President Obama first nominated Duncan, many disability advocates criticized him not for doing bad things in special ed when he oversaw education in Chicago, but for simply overlooking it as a priority. Over the past seven months, he's done little to reassure the disability community. His official bio doesn't mention special ed, and the issue has been absent from every major speech and interview he has given.

So yesterday was our first chance to hear how Secretary Duncan thinks special education may fit into his broader vision for education reform. Addressing a group of state special education officials in Washington, he asked for their support in developing state standards to make sure the needs of students with disabilities are met.

Since more than half of students with disabilities spend most of their time in general classrooms, Duncan asked, "How how do we make sure not just special education teachers, but every single teacher, can be a teacher of children with special needs?" He said he and his staff are seeking ideas from parents, teachers, and state officials. View video of his remarks.

Did he say anything that demonstrates innovative thinking or a commitment to making special ed a top priority? No. But I've been critical of Duncan for not addressing the topic at all, so I'll give him credit for meeting with this group and acknowledging the 6 million-plus students under his watch who have special needs.

Secretary Duncan Asks Schools for Seclusion/Restraint Policies

Disability Scoop reports that Education Secretary Arne Duncan has sent a letter to all state education heads to formally submit their policies on seclusion and restraint in schools.

From Disability Scoop: "The request follows a government report released in May that documented hundreds of cases of allegedly abusive or deadly uses of restraint and seclusion tactics. It included cases of teachers holding students face down for hours, gagging them, leaving them in dark, closet-like spaces for hours at a time and preventing students from using the bathroom, among other allegations. Nearly all of the allegedly abusive cases involve children with disabilities. Soon after the report was released, Duncan told members of Congress that the report included 'very disturbing, troubling information.' He said he would ensure that all states have policies in place for handling seclusion and restraint in schools before the new school year begins."

An Open Letter -- and Homework -- for Secretary Duncan

Dear Secretary Duncan:

I like to report on positive steps the administration is taking to improve the lives of people with disabilities. And I'd REALLY like to find some good news -- even supportive statements -- coming from you and the Department of Education. I promise you, if you say something positive, I'll report it here and many people will read about it.

But PLEASE. Give me something to work with.

As an example, you met yesterday with the American Federation of Teachers, the second largest teachers union, with 1.4 million members. In your address and in the Q&A, you never mentioned special education and how it might fit in with your proposed education reforms.

You had a chance when a teacher from Illinois asked you about standards for paraprofessionals. You could have said, "Great question. As you know, we have more than 250,000 paraprofessionals in our schools who play an important role supporting teachers -- and who are critical to our ability to meet the needs of children in special education programs. We have to make sure that we have high standards for them just as we do for teachers."

That's what you could have said. Instead, your answer was: "Great question. One I haven't done a lot of work on."

Secretary Duncan, with all respect, it's time for you to do some work on special education. As a start, please read this fact sheet on paraprofessionals from your own Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). But please, don't stop there. As you work to fulfill your responsibility to provide education for all Americans, including those who have disabilities, visit the OSEP website to learn about its programs and responsibilities. While you're there, you may notice that under "what's new," there are only two new entries since President Obama took office six months ago. I hope to see more developments and hear your plans soon.

Are Chicago Public Schools "Systematically" Denying Special Ed?

Kudos to Christina Samuels over at Education Week's special education blog for picking up on this story from Chicago. Christina and I have been examining Education Secretary Arne Duncan's past experience with special education -- to see what the future might hold -- and a recent article in the Chi-Town Daily News reports that some students with disabilities are being denied access to specialized help, and others are being barred from evaluations for special ed because it's too expensive to educate them. According to the Chi-Town article:

"Mary Ann Pollett, principal of Moses Montefiore Special Elementary School, testified before the City Council's Committee on Education and Child Development that officials have discouraged teachers at her school from reporting students' disabilities because it is too expensive to deal with them.

" 'They deny that that goes on, but it does,' Pollett said, with her superiors only a few yards away. 'Montefiore is only the tip of the iceberg. This goes deep into a systemic issue that needs to be addressed within the Chicago Public Schools.' "

Also at the meeting, the president of the Chicago Teachers Union released a survey showing that more than 70 percent of teachers and case managers believed students in their schools with emotional or behavioral problems were not receiving special education.

Is this Arne Duncan's special-ed legacy as head of Chicago schools? If so, what does that say for today's students across the country who need special services?

Secretary Duncan: 4,720 Words, But No "Special Ed"

If you want to know Education Secretary Arne Duncan's thoughts about education, read the extensive speech he gave yesterday at the National Press Club. (Read transcript from Congressional Quarterly or watch video.) If you want to know his thoughts about special education, you'll have to look somewhere else.

In a speech intended to highlight the administration's education priorities, his 4,720 words did not include "special education," "special needs," "disabilities," or the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act." That seems odd to me, but it's in line with criticism he received from disability advocates when President Obama nominated him. As I reported on Feb. 10, one Chicago advocate said: "He’s not been a great supporter of special ed. I don’t think he dislikes special-needs kids; it just wasn’t on his radar screen during the time he was here."

And yesterday, the only time he mentioned special ed was in response to a question:

"MODERATOR: Why did the FY 2010 budget request $1.5 billion less than appropriated in fiscal year 2009 for the Title I basic grants? Do you intend to curtail or end the basic grants program? Why or why not?

"DUNCAN: We did two things strategically. One, is in the stimulus package, as you know, there was north of $10 billion in new Title I money that came in, so unprecedented money for Title I, unprecedented money for IDEA, for children with special needs. What we actually are doing is we’re beefing up significantly the Title I school improvement grants. We shifted resources there. And that was a strategic decision."

Kudos to the administration for recognizing special ed as a priority in its budget decisions, but the education secretary also has a responsibility to be a spokesperson and advocate for students with special needs. Being a spokesperson means talking about it -- like when you give a 4,720-word speech about your priorities.

Questions About Administration Plans to Overhaul "No Child Left Behind"

"I don't know if 'scrap' is the word," Education Secretary Arne Duncan told reporters last week, addressing the administration's plans to overhaul the No Child Left Behind Act. "Where things make sense, we're going to keep them. Where things didn't make sense, we're going to change them."

Some advocates are concerned that administration officials clearly plan to make major changes to the program, but they are vague on details. And you should follow this debate, because disability advocates have questioned Secretary Duncan's credentials ever since President Obama appointed him. As an example of what makes some people nervous, consider this statement by Secretary Duncan:

"What No Child Left Behind did is, they were absolutely loose on the goals. But they were very tight, very prescriptive on how you get there. I think that was fundamentally backwards." He went on to say the government should be "tight" on goals -- with rigorous, uniform standards for all states.

And as I wrote in a previous entry, Secretary Duncan is overly focused on the "PR" and the "brand" of No Child Left Behind. "I do think the name 'No Child Left Behind' is absolutely toxic; I think we have to start over," he has said, adding that he'd like to hold a contest for students to come up with a new name.

After the previous administration, what we need from President Obama and Secretary Duncan is real leadership and substance -- not contests and smoke-and-mirrors branding. Are we really ready for the AmericanIdolization of the Department of Education?

Secretary Duncan: "No Child Left Behind" in Need of Reform, Rebranding

In an NPR radio interview, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said the No Child Left Behind Act has become "toxic" -- that it's in need of proper funding, reform, AND a new name.

"We are putting dramatic money behind our children, which didn’t happen before, it was largely underfunded," he said. "But in this [stimulus] package there are over $10 billion in additional money for children in poverty, Title 1 dollars, over $10 billion through IDEA [Individuals With Disabilities Education Act]....We want to be much less punitive and reward excellence and really again spotlight those schools and those districts that are beating the odds every single day."

As for the program name itself, he said, "I think it ultimately has to be rebranded. 'No Child Left Behind' has become toxic. And we need to come up with something that’s much more inspiring, something that appeals to the best of us rather than pulls us down."

As a communications professional, I understand the value of rebranding. But Secretary Duncan's remarks reminded me of another rebranding that was recently in the news -- Blackwater, the notorious military contractor, is changing its name to "Xe." Same company, different name. Will it make a difference? If you're interested, this Newsweek article examines Blackwater's decision and the experience of Altria (the company formerly known as Philip Morris) and other rebranded corporations.

Special Education Advocates Have Questions for Duncan

According to Christina Samuels of Education Week, "Advocates for students with disabilities have a full agenda for U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, including rolling out long-awaited regulations for educating young children and cracking down on the use of restraints and seclusion as school disciplinary measures." Samuels points out that as head of Chicago schools, Duncan was not known for his interest in disability issues.

One advocate said, "He’s not been a great supporter of special ed. I don’t think he dislikes special-needs kids; it just wasn’t on his radar screen during the time he was here."

I recommend this article -- it outlines many of the issues Duncan will have to address.

Stimulus May Benefit Students with Special Needs

I have mixed feelings about the ginormous stimulus package -- similar to the way I wonder if sending $500 to every family spurs the type of spending they're intended to. On the other hand, maybe an economic crisis is what it takes to get desperately needed investment in some areas that should be priorities. Education Secretary Arne Duncan says we can't recover and succeed without investing several billion dollars in education, and about a sixth of the $819 billion stimulus package approved by the House would go toward education programs.

As a side benefit that readers of this blog will appreciate: The measure would also inject another $26 billion into No Child Left Behind and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Critics of NCLB have said it could work if it were actually funded, and of course the IDEA has been woefully underfunded.

Duncan said the money for these program would "right a huge, historic wrong," because Congress hasn't spent what it promised. "There is going to be this huge outpouring of joy because this has been a desperately unfunded mandate for far too long."

What do you think? Are you feeling an "outpouring of joy"? Skepticism? Moderate, cautious, tempered optimism?

Special Needs: The Year in Review

2008 was a notable year for disability policy and awareness. Here are the year's top 10 moments -- politics, policy, and culture -- that show us where we’ve been and where we may be going.


1. Gov. Sarah Palin selected as vice presidential nominee
Say what you want about Gov. Palin’s qualifications and whether her nomination hurt or helped Sen. John McCain’s presidential bid, but her presence on the ticket did more to bring special needs issues than anything else that happened this year. This just barely outranked…


2. Barack Obama elected president
In the long run, the election of Barack Obama will mean much more to the disability community than Gov. Palin’s 15 minutes (or three months) of fame. He will come into office with a clear plan for people with disabilities and a team of people with firsthand experience as both parents and professionals, but also huge budget problems and other challenges. His effectiveness will depend largely on …

3. Arne Duncan nominated to be Secretary of Education
Like many others, I have questioned this decision -– not because Duncan is a terrible choice, but because I (and many opinion leaders who I respect) can find no reassurance that Duncan is the best choice in regard to special education. At this point, it’s too early to tell whether Duncan will be remembered as a champion for the rights of students with special needs.

4. Insurance legislation picks up momentum
This year saw many states require insurance companies to cover the costs for autism diagnosis and treatment -- a big issue that will become even more important with the nation’s economic challenges. Legislation was signed in several states -– most recently in Illinois. Read more.


5. President Bush signs ADA amendments
On Sept. 25, President George W. Bush signed landmark civil rights legislation that extended the reach of the Americans with Disabilities Act. He was joined by his father, President George H.W. Bush, who signed the original ADA Act in 1990. Andrew Imparato, the president of the American Association of People with Disabilities, called this “the most important piece of disability legislation since the enactment of the ADA in 1990.”

6. Sen. John McCain raises autism during presidential debate
I’m ranking this a little lower, but it put autism front and center in the presidential campaign. As much of an impact as Gov. Palin made at the Republican convention when she vowed to be an advocate for families raising children with special needs, it wasn’t until Sen. McCain referenced autism during the final presidential debate on Oct. 15 that it became a centerpiece of his campaign. It was too little, too late, as McCain’s rhetoric did not match his campaign platform.

7. President Bush signs bill banning genetic discrimination
You might not have heard about this, but on May 21, President Bush signed a law that may save your job one day. Anticipating advances in DNA testing, the legislation is intended to protect people from losing their jobs or health insurance when genetic testing reveals they are susceptible to costly diseases. The law forbids employers or insurance companies from denying employment, promotions, or health coverage to people based on the results of genetic tests.

8. Court says NCLB trumps special education law
The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has its good sides and bad sides. In one discouraging development, a federal appeals court in Chicago in February ruled that mandates under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act “must give way” to the provisions of NCLB since it is a newer law. Two Illinois school districts and four families had claimed that NCLB’s testing requirements conflicted with the mandate for individualized education programs. The districts has missed targets for progress largely because of poor performance by students with disabilities, which NCLB says has be counted in efforts to hold schools accountable. The National Council on Disability released a report in January 2008 saying NCLB has benefited students with special needs.

9. “Tropic Thunder” unleashes storms of protest
A coalition of disability groups called for a boycott of the movie “Tropic Thunder” because of its use of the word “retard” and its characterization of Ben Stiller’s character Simple Jack. Read Susan Senator’s column about her own reflections and the numerous comments it provoked.

10. Athletes inspire in the “other” Olympics in Beijing
Though they were overshadowed by Michael Phelps and the other Olympians in Beijing, the athletes of the 2008 Paralympics provided plenty of inspiration themselves. Read about 16-year-old swimmer Yip Pin Xiu, who uses a wheelchair on land but became Singapore’s first-ever gold medalist in the Paralympics.

What did I leave out? Feel free to add a comment.

Former Special Ed Teacher on Obama's Education Secretary

Besides being an excellent writer, blogger and former special education teacher Sue J has a good perspective on President-elect Obama's selection of Arne Duncan to be the secretary of education. She concludes:

"I’ve been there. I have seen a child’s face light up when he or she 'gets it.' And I have also seen them give up when the lesson moved too fast or was presented in a way they could not understand due to their disability. It doesn’t have to be that way, and to see Barack Obama name someone who (A) has no teaching experience, and (B) is a part of this corporatization of education, makes me wonder where the 'Change' is."

Chicago Analysis: Duncan Unimpressive on Special Needs

Catalyst Chicago, which reports on Chicago school reform, examines Duncan's record on special needs. Some highlights (or maybe lowlights) from this report:

"One area where there was no improvement or reform under Duncan was special education, long a trouble spot for CPS. Performance continues to be dismal. Fewer than 25 percent of elementary students receiving special education services met state standards last year; less than 10 percent of those in high school did. Half of high school students with learning disabilities drop out; only a third of those who graduate enroll in college, most in two-year programs, according to 2007 data.

"The average performance gap on state tests between students in special education and those who aren’t is 45 points -- a gap that has widened during Duncan’s tenure and that is higher than the statewide average. Overall, about 12 percent of CPS students receive special education services (11 percent in elementary schools; 16 percent in high schools). In some high schools, as many as one in three students are in special education."

This is part 2 -- read part 1 for other aspects of his record.

You know I'm an Obama supporter, and I've been encouraged by most of his actions since being elected. It bothers me that the one selection I have concerns about happens to be one of the most important positions for families with special-needs children. I continue to look for reassuring signs that he will make special ed a priority -- have you seen any?

Arne Duncan, Education Secretary -- What Does It Mean for Special Ed?

On Tuesday, President-elect Obama announced he will appoint Arne Duncan as head of the Department of Education. As the head of Chicago Public Schools since 2001, Duncan has earned a reputation as a tough reformer who's not willing to enforce high standards, but also sees education as a civil right for all students. But his views on special education have not been widely reported.

One source I often turn to is Christina Samuels, who writes the special education blog for Education Week. But her only item about Duncan is titled "So What Do We Know About Arne Duncan?" In researching his positions on special education, she writes, "I've been scouring the web and have come up empty" -- and she's invited readers to post comments about what they know. So far, no one has. Over at Autism Vox, Kristina Chew asked the same thing, and got just this one response: "Chicago Public Schools does have an autism program, but I don’t know any more information beyond the fact that it exists. I also know that cotaught classrooms, where special ed and regular ed students learn in a room with one regular ed teacher and one special ed teacher, are becoming very popular in Chicago Public Schools. CPS was a mess in the early '90s - he really did help turn it around, although they definitely have a ways to go." That's hardly a rousing endorsement.

Who can enlighten me, Christina, Kristina, and all the parents of special needs children who will be affected by this appointment? If special ed just isn't his thing, needs to appoint a real leader to the Office of Special Education Programs and even consider elevating that position.