The purpose of educational assessments is to provide an academic check-up and to give educators and parents meaningful information on what students know and can do, and how well they are progressing toward college and career readiness. Assessments strive to show how well students perform on clearly defined standards and skills that are being…

We use critical qualitative methods to demonstrate how ambiguities present in definitions of learning disability (LD) and processes for determining LD eligibility under IDEA result in inequitable outcomes for minoritized students. To investigate this issue, we first outline how the LD label is situated within medical and psychological…

With its direct impact on admissions procedures and (in)direct impact on campus climate, affirmative action bans can potentially influence student retention. This study uses a national dataset to examine the relationship between affirmative action bans in Oklahoma and New Hampshire and retention rates at public colleges and universities. Our…

There is no research available describing how school Occupational Therapy practitioners (OTPs) in Western New York (WNY) provide services. The purpose of this study was to determine OTP practice patterns in WNY schools, with a focus on delivery of contextual services and the contributing factors, consistent with American Occupational Therapy…

Approximately 19 percent of undergraduate students in the United States identify as having a disability, yet postsecondary institutions often lack the legal infrastructure necessary to support their academic success. National data show that only 49.6 percent of disabled students graduate from four-year institutions, compared to 68.1 percent of…

In June 2023, the Oklahoma Virtual Charter School Board approved the establishment of a charter school by the Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. This amounts to state funding of a religious school. Robert Kim discusses how this decision goes against Oklahoma's constitutional and legislative history, why allowing religious charters is not the…

Resources for school improvement efforts, such as school improvement plan (SIP) templates, can espouse governmental entities' perspectives on and requirements and recommendations for the school improvement planning process. These resources, in turn, can influence how educators enact school improvement efforts generally and the school improvement…

This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, a gender-neutral statute that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in programs that receive federal financial assistance. This legislation has been nothing short of revolutionary, paving the way for equal opportunity for millions of women and men.…

Recent Florida legislation (SPB 7044) should be viewed with much concern and with skepticism as to the intent of the bill and its unintended consequences. The bill requires state colleges and universities to seek reaffirmation from different accrediting organizations at the end of each review cycle. The Council for Higher Education Accreditation…

Building stronger relationships between families and schools is increasingly identified as a way to address many vexing issues--teacher shortages, chronic absenteeism, lingering academic and social-emotional effects of COVID-19, and perceived divisions between parents and educators. Because policies and practices around family engagement vary…

The U.S. law governing special education, the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), requires that students with disabilities be provided a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE). However, given the interpretive latitude within the law and the wide discrepancy in how this law is applied,…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that each state have a State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report (SPP/APR) that evaluates the state's efforts to implement the requirements and purposes of IDEA. States must report annually to the Secretary of Education on their performance on the indicators included in the…

Reflecting on legislative changes in Utah and their implications for teaching topics related to social justice, this plática explores the challenges and the possibilities that exist in our pursuit of liberatory pedagogy. Relying on the work of bell hooks and Chicana feminist scholars, we argue that despite the challenges posed by restrictions to…

In 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court issued one of its most significant decisions that promises to reshape governance in education: "Loper." The case overruled "Chevron," a landmark case that required courts to defer to administrative agency interpretations of the law when (a) such laws were ambiguous and (b) the interpretations…

Quality K-12 education is consistently ranked as one of the top priorities of Arizona voters. However, understanding the distribution of dollars from funding source to classroom is challenging since there are several factors impacting this process. This report aims to provide an overview of the numerous and complex funding sources that contribute…