This Annual Plan presents the major initiatives and priorities the U.S. Department of Education (Department) Office of Inspector General (OIG) intends to undertake to assist the Department in fulfilling its responsibilities to America's taxpayers and students. The Department continues to face significant challenges in FY 2019 that impact its…

There is a growing concern in US schools about the over-identification and under-identification of English Learners (ELs) with disabilities (Hoover & Klingner, 2011; Hamayan, Marler, Sanchez Lopez, & Amico, 2007; Artiles & Ortiz, 2002). US Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics data (2017) shows that the…

In a world of ever-changing educational trends, it is essential for educators to provide a continuum of services to meet the needs of all students. Therefore, employing an inclusive structure or environment is imperative to the implementation of Special Education laws, according to Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Every Student…

Poor outcomes for students with disabilities and others who academically lag behind their peers (e.g., those from high-poverty backgrounds) place pressure on educators to produce learner-ready teachers with the necessary skills to demonstrably improve achievement outcomes for all students (Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation [CAEP],…

When a military family has a child with autism, they face all the emotions and challenges that accompany this diagnosis, compounded by the realities of military service: war, extended family separation, frequent moves, varying access to specialized healthcare, and other stressors that complicate and often work against effective treatment for…

Due to the recent increase in digital education technologies, online education classes have been experiencing a popularity increase among students worldwide. As classroom diversity continues to expand, instructors grapple with strategies to create caring and culturally responsive educational environments to increase student engagement irrespective…

The National Center for Special Education in Charter Schools (the Center) is deeply committed to ensuring that students with disabilities have equal access to charter schools and that charter schools are designed and operated to enable success for all students. To accomplish this goal, the Center conducts analyses and releases a comprehensive…

In many high-wage industries, a high school degree no longer prepares students to enter the workforce. By 2020, labor market analysts predict that 65 percent of all jobs will require postsecondary education or training. Though high schools across the Commonwealth seek to prepare students for both higher education and the workforce, too many…

A year of distance learning under COVID-19 has fueled growing concerns about the academic progress and social and emotional health of children. In particular, worries increased around how the pandemic has affected high-need and underserved students, including English Learners and children with disabilities, children in foster care and from…

A year of distance learning under COVID-19 has fueled growing concerns about the academic progress and social and emotional health of children. In particular, worries increased around how the pandemic has affected high-need and underserved students, including English Learners and children with disabilities, children in foster care and from…

Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts (PA PKC) is a state-funded prekindergarten program for 3- and 4-year-old children to help them gain school readiness skills. The goal of PA PKC is to help reduce educational disparities by providing high quality prekindergarten for children who lack opportunities or reside in environments that place them at risk of school…

The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) conducted a needs assessment to understand and describe early childhood services for preschool-age children with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) in the state of Connecticut. In collaboration with the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE), NIEER developed survey…

The term educator is defined as, "one skilled in teaching (Merriam-Webster)". In this annotated bibliography, the term educators includes special education teachers, general education teachers, career and technical educators, and any other educators that would be involved in teaching Career and Technical Education (CTE) skills to…

As the country continues to grapple with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Career and Technical Education (CTE) stakeholders around the nation are thinking ahead to what education might look like in the future. Whether schools and postsecondary institutions will be able to open fully for the next school year using social distancing methods,…

The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for instruction that values the social, emotional, and academic diversity in the classroom while using this diversity to create a classroom environment of respect and appreciation for others. Through multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement, the UDL framework demands that…