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Joanne Jacobs
Mar 22 min read
Denying disabled workers the chance to work isn't 'dignity'
"Dignity in Pay" legislation would make it illegal to pay severely disabled workers less than minimum wage. Few will be able to find work.
4 comments


Joanne Jacobs
Feb 192 min read
Many schools 'either warehouse our kids in special ed or warehouse them in gen ed'
In many schools, "they're warehousing our children in special ed or warehousing them in gen Ed."
2 comments


Joanne Jacobs
Feb 192 min read
He had a 3.4 GPA, but he couldn't read
Passing special-ed students along with high grades and a diploma -- but no effective instruction --doesn't do them any favors.
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Joanne Jacobs
Feb 52 min read
'I can't learn if I have no idea what to do'
When teachers teach, ask questions, let students practice and provide feedback, students learn more.
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Joanne Jacobs
Jan 143 min read
Do special-ed kids do best in mainstream classrooms? Maybe not
The evidence that mainstreaming special-needs students improves their academic success is "flawed," says a new study.
2 comments


Joanne Jacobs
Dec 6, 20242 min read
A's in English but he can't read: Deaf student wants job training, given a diploma instead
A deaf student with 3rd-4th-grade reading and math skills was given high grades and a diploma, ending special-ed services.
3 comments


Joanne Jacobs
Nov 22, 20242 min read
Why teachers are stressed: Student misbehavior is #1 complaint
Student misbehavior is the "number one cause of job-related stress in teachers," reports Matt Lincoln for CBS12 in Palm Beach County,...
2 comments


Joanne Jacobs
Nov 21, 20242 min read
Edumania! McMahon is tapped as education secretary
Pro wrestling executive and former Small Business Administration chief Linda McMahon will be the next and possibly last Education...
5 comments


Joanne Jacobs
Oct 23, 20242 min read
Making money matter: More kids in special ed doesn't improve reading
Schools got $190 billion in emergency funding during the epidemic, write Marguerite Roza, director of Georgetown's Edunomics Lab, and...
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Joanne Jacobs
Oct 16, 20241 min read
School choice is on the ballot
School choice measures are on the ballot in Kentucky, Colorado and Nebraska.
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Joanne Jacobs
Oct 15, 20242 min read
Diplomas for all: Massachusetts will vote on ending state graduation standards
A Massachusetts ballot measure ending state graduation requirements is backed by 58% of voters, says new poll.
3 comments


Joanne Jacobs
Oct 5, 20242 min read
She can't read or write, but she made the honor roll and got into UConn
A former special-ed student is suing Hartford Public Schools because she wasn't taught to read or write.
6 comments


Joanne Jacobs
Sep 19, 20242 min read
Special ed is failing: With no time to meet diverse needs, teachers lower expectations
Overwhelmed by the number of students with different needs, teachers tend to lower expectations, writes veteran teacher.
2 comments


Joanne Jacobs
Sep 19, 20242 min read
After the pandemic, more students are diagnosed with special needs
Special education numbers are up.
1 comment


Joanne Jacobs
Aug 7, 20242 min read
Special ed labeling, spending soar -- but it doesn't seem to help students
Spending more on special ed doesn't lead to better outcomes. Teaching reading well does.
2 comments


Joanne Jacobs
May 1, 20242 min read
To stop bullying, bring back consequences -- and to hell with 'root causes'
AI-powered “nudification” apps are letting teenage boys turn real photos of their clothed classmates into "deepfake" porn to be shared...
8 comments


Joanne Jacobs
Mar 10, 20242 min read
The 'gold standard' for autism therapy may be ineffective -- or harmful
As autism diagnoses soar -- 1 in 36 U.S. children is now considered autistic -- providing therapy is a booming business, writes Beth...
0 comments


Joanne Jacobs
Mar 6, 20242 min read
Tennessee board: Don't wait till 3rd grade to retain poor readers
Help struggling readers starting in kindergarten, says Tennessee's school board in a resolution. If they need more time to...
8 comments


Joanne Jacobs
Feb 16, 20242 min read
Parents get pushy in Fort Worth: Why did every 1st-grader get the same grade?
Trenace Dorsey-Hollins asked why her daughter received "emerging" (the lowest level) on her first-grade report card for a skill she'd...
7 comments


Joanne Jacobs
Nov 20, 20232 min read
Missing dyslexia
Schools are failing to diagnose dyslexia, which makes it hard for as many as 20 percent of students to master reading, writes Sarah Carr...
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