It is the position of the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) to actively support and protect the right of all students, including those with healthcare needs or disabilities, to participate in school-sponsored trips, in accordance with federal regulations (USDOE/OCR, 2020). The registered professional school nurse (hereinafter referred…

Persistence in cultivating lifelong transition support is vital to a student's success, especially for those with diverse learning needs and intersecting identities, such as those who identify as racially and ethnically minoritized (REM) and as a student with disabilities (SWD). Given the importance of secondary and post-secondary transitional…

The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) maintains that it should be the goal of all educators and policymakers to understand, support, and facilitate the transition of children and youth with disabilities to post-school life. This includes supporting children and youth to achieve their respective goals regarding postsecondary education and…

The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) advocates for the full participation of all children and youth with disabilities and/or identified as gifted and talented in educational programming that promotes positive academic, social emotional, and adaptive/independent living outcomes and sets the stage for lifelong success. This position statement…

In this article, which is based on the 2025 NAKHE Amy Morris Homans lecture I conducted, I will share (a) my personal and professional journey as to how I have come to center my research and pedagogy on social justice and equity issues in physical education and PETE, (b) provide an overview of federal education laws that have influenced the…

The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) vigorously supports educational reforms within the public schools while promoting rigorous learning standards, strong educational outcomes, shared-decision making, diverse educational offerings, and the removal of unnecessary administrative requirements. At the same time, it is imperative that educators…

This position statement focuses on the importance of the federal role in the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) and why federal involvement matters. The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) recognizes the crucial role that the federal government has played in the education of students with disabilities. CEC is committed to ensuring…

This opinion piece explores the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on exposing educational inequity. The historically racist and discriminatory practices related to both academic instruction and discipline are long-standing in the history of American education, but have been brought to the attention of White, middle-class America as a result of the…

When exploring the achievement of students with disabilities (SWDs) in today's educational context of standards-based reform, scholars typically debate the merits and disadvantages of including SWDs in general education classrooms. Yet these debates in the fields of special education, policy implementation, and standards-based reform are largely…

The role of parents in placement decisions is not mentioned in the foundational paper written by Agran et al. This essay explores the various ways parents are absent in the bureaucracy and in the everyday life of schools and communities. Some of the principles of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act are thought to be at the heart of the…

Students who are identified as having a disability, according to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), are guaranteed a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) that provides them access to the general curriculum (IDEA Regulations, 34 C.F.R. § 300.39 [a][3]liil). NCTM and CEC believe that for students with disabilities,…

As advocates for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities, the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) believes fully funding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is integral to ensuring a strong public education system that can deliver on the promise of a free appropriate public education (FAPE) as guaranteed by…

The movement toward collaborative models of preservice early childhood preparation, those that attempt to "blend" preparation for both early childhood education (ECE) and early intervention/early childhood special education (EI/ECSE), is entering its fourth decade. This position paper presents a historical analysis of the blended…

Potentially all over the world, there are children who have been improperly diagnosed with various forms of learning disabilities, with potentially life-long consequences. The primary aim of this essay is to stimulate readers to consider the fact that, in a natural classroom environment, average, academically functional students who are…

Agran and colleagues have not only summarized the research on inclusive education, but they have also summed up the frustrations of many of us who have been working with families, teachers, and administrators to facilitate the inclusion of children and young adults with severe disabilities over many years. My response takes some of their most…