Friday, August 30, 2013

Keeping Students with Disabilities Safe from Bullying

Posted on  by Michael Yudin

As Secretary Duncan has noted, the Department of Education is committed to making sure that all of our young people grow up free of fear, violence, and bullying. Bullying not only threatens a student’s physical and emotional safety at school, but fosters a climate of fear and disrespect, creating conditions that negatively impact learning—undermining students’ ability to achieve to their full potential. Unfortunately, we know that children with disabilities are disproportionately affected by bullying.
back_to_school_billboardFactors such as physical vulnerability, social skills challenges, or intolerant environments may increase the risk of bullying. Students who are targets of bullying are more likely to experience lower academic achievement, higher truancy rates, feelings of alienation, poor peer relationships, loneliness, and depression. We must do everything we can to ensure that our schools are safe and positive learning  environments—where all students can learn.

Thursday, August 1, 2013

TN education chief sharpens focus on special ed

As beleaguered Tennessee Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman deflects public outcry over changes to teacher policies, he is already eyeing his next reform target: special education.
Huffman, who recently faced calls for his firing after changes to the state’s decades-old teacher pay plan, probably will face outrage again next week when revisions to the teacher licensing process are expected to be approved.
Even so, he is moving ahead with plans he hopes will make Tennessee the state with the fastest-improving schools by 2015, and special education is next on his list.
“Special education is a huge focushttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png in Tennessee,” Huffman told The Tennessean editorial board and reporters Wednesday.