Category: News in the Field

USDE to Release $144M for Special Ed., Early Intervention (May 14, 2026)

According to a May 13, 2026 announcement by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE), states and school districts will receive an additional $144 million this year for services to infants, toddlers, children and young adults with disabilities,.

In the same announcement, the USDE released guidance on how states can use funds from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to help expectant parents of children with disabilities prepare for their child’s birth and plan for services after the birth. This represents a major departure from traditionally allocated early intervention funding, which supports children with disabilities and their families after a child’s birth.

Language included in the fiscal year 2026 appropriations legislation allows states to expand IDEA Part C services to people expecting to become a parent to a child with disabilities. The appropriations language did not, however, create any new requirements for Part C programs.

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PDE Gives 10 Schools Funding to Teach Students About Disabilities (May 9, 2026)

On May 7, 2026 the Shapiro Administration announced that it is giving 10 schools funding to join a pilot program designed to teach K-12 students about the political, economic, and social contributions of individuals with disabilities.

The Disability Inclusive Curriculum Pilot Program influences the overall culture and environment of schools by reducing stigma and including disability education as a part of a school-wide strategic plan. This is the second round of $30,000 grants, which cover the cost of implementing the curriculum over three years. With this second round of funding, the Shapiro Administration has committed a total of $600,000 to 20 school entities to incorporate disability inclusive educational programming in classrooms since the Disability Inclusive Curriculum Pilot Program launched in 2023-24. 

The following entities received grants:
-Carbondale Area School District in Lackawanna County
-Chester County IU24
-Delta School (Approved Private School) in Philadelphia
-Middle Bucks Institute of Technology in Bucks County
-Pittston Area School District in Luzerne County
-Upper Bucks County Technical School in Bucks County
-Reach Cyber Charter School
-Tri-Valley School District in Schuylkill County
-Intermediate Unit 1 in the Southwest Region
-Plum Borough School District in Allegheny County

In 2023, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) developed a toolkit to assist schools with implementation of the Disability Inclusive Curriculum Pilot Program. The toolkit resources are inclusive of all age/grade levels and include sample lesson plans, professional development offerings/opportunities, ideas for implementing a disability inclusive curriculum, disability-led organizational contacts, and other resources.

Pennsylvania’s Disability Inclusive Curriculum Pilot Grant was established by a state law in 2022 and is open to all school districts, charter school entities, intermediate units, career and technical centers, and nonpublic schools.

USDE: Education is Not a Professional Degree (May 8, 2026)

On April 30, 2026, the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) released final regulations excluding graduate education programs from its definition of “professional degrees,” making them ineligible for higher federal student loan caps. Consequently, borrowing for these programs will be capped at $100,000, as opposed to the $200,000 cap that is placed on “professional students” from the following 11 fields: pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, chiropractic, law, medicine, optometry, osteopathic medicine, podiatry, theology and clinical psychology.

Opponents to the exclusion cited teacher shortages and the importance of graduate programs for licensure advancement, specialization and leadership roles in education. In its final rules, the USDE acknowledged concerns over the exclusion of education from the list of professional degrees, but argued that it was bound by a reference in last year’s “One Big, Beautiful Bill” to an existing regulatory definition of professional programs.

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PA State Board of Ed. Holds 391st Meeting (May 7, 2026)

On May 7, 2026, the PA State Board of Education (Board) held its 391st meeting at the PDE building in Harrisburg and via Zoom. The meeting began at 9:24 AM by Chairperson Karen Farmer White.

PA Education Secretary Dr. Carrie Rowe’s report highlighted how PA is helping college students through the provision of resources that include such things as food, shelter, clothing, childcare, and financial assistance. She also reported on dual credit opportunities for students offered in high schools, at college campuses, or both. She also highlighted Kutztown University’s program that allows high school students to earn between 12-18 college credits and includes an education major track for prospective teachers. She concluded her report by informing attendees how the PA EmpowerU program is going to create videos that will help link high school students with college students to help allay fears or issues that freshmen may face.

Ms Amanda Hetrick provided the Board with recommendations by the Ad Hoc Committee on Recess. She also stated that comments from the public overwhelmingly supported the need to have recess. Comments whether recess time could be impinged upon for disciplinary or academic reasons were mixed, but supported the need for children to have recess. Comments also supported the opportunity for non-physical play and the need for freedom within the structure of recess.

The meeting’s action items included an item to approve recommendations by the Ad Hoc Committee on Recess. The recommendations included:
–Recess Policy: All Commonwealth schools must provide 30 minutes daily recess for grades K-5 (and grade 6 in shared buildings) with multiple flexibility provisions including non-consecutive periods, modified schedules, and up to 10 minutes may be withheld for academic support or discipline.
–Recess Definition: Recess defined as play-based learning emphasizing physical activity, social interaction, screen-free activities, and outdoor recreation when safe.
–Instructional Time: School entities may submit plans to PDE to count supervised recess as instructional time if it meets established requirements.
–Implementation Timeline: Schools afforded one school year to prepare if addressing staffing, supervision, or collective bargaining needs.
–Secondary Exploration: Ad Hoc Committee to continue exploring breaks for secondary students; PDE to survey current secondary break practices.
–PDE will create a repository of recess best practices on structured/unstructured models.
–PDE will conduct a survey on secondary student break practices to inform committee exploration.

Another action item was to announce the passing of former State Board of Ed. member James Agras, who served on the Board for 27 years and was an exceptional Board member and person.

All action items were unanimously approved by the Board.

Districts Use Universal Screenings to Identify “Hidden” Gifted Students (May 7, 2026)

Through the use of universal screenings, schools have discovered a deeper pool of gifted students from populations like English learners, those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and those whose parents didn’t know how to advocate for them. They’ve also noted “twice exceptional” students whose challenges, such as dyslexia, might have masked other talents under a more cursory approach.

In another approach, educators instituted universal screening and moved beyond a one-time test to demarcate who was gifted, taken in 2nd grade, to a “Stretch or Support” strengths-based model to build critical thinking skills and a reevaluation in 4th grade. In one case, that shift that has roughly tripled number of students identified for advanced learning services in the past two years.

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