A January 19, 2012 New York Times article reported that a new study proposes changes in the definition of autism that could significantly decrease the number of individuals diagnosed with the condition. The rate of autism diagnoses has significantly increased since the 1980’s; current estimates are as high as one in 100 children in some areas. A panel of mental health experts appointed by the American Psychiatric Association is reviewing the current definition of autism and presented its preliminary results on January 19th. The results “offer the latest and most dramatic estimate of how tightening the criteria for autism could affect the rate of the diagnosis.” [More]

January 8, 2012 marks the 10th anniversary of former President George W. Bush’s signing of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and many political observers are skeptical that its reauthorization, more than four years overdue, will occur before the end of this final year of the 112th Congress. Although most policy makers agree that the well-intentioned NCLB is seriously flawed and needs to be “fixed” immediately, wide policy divides between the Republican-controlled House of Representatives and the Democrat-controlled Senate have made a consolidated bi-partisan legislative solution seemingly impossible. [More]

In a December 23, 2011 Informational Bulletin, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued guidance to states on implementing the provider screening and enrollment requirements of CMS Final Rule 6028 (codified at 42 CFR 455 subpart E). The CMS rule provides that each state Medicaid agency must require all ordering or referring physicians and other professionals providing services under the State plan for Medicaid, or under a waiver of the plan, to be enrolled as participating provider. These individuals must also obtain a National Provider Identifier (NPI). School-based Medicaid billing rules in some states allow school-based speech therapists and audiologists to refer students for school-based speech therapy or audiology services. [More]

In a December 1, 2011 press release, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced the finalization of its regulations to protect student and family privacy rights while providing state and local education agencies the flexibility to share student data consistent with governmental objectives to improve education outcomes for students. [More]

Forty-five states, several US territories, and the District of Columbia have adopted the new Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects (CCSS-ELA). The standards are widely touted as providing a clear, rigorous pathway that will prepare students to be college and career ready. States, districts, and schools are poised to align curriculum, instruction, and assessment. CCSS-ELA are complex, with implications for instruction and assessment in not only English language arts, but also history/social studies, science, and technical subjects. [More]

In a November 23 press release, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced that eight of the nine eligible states submitted applications to compete for a share of the $200 million Race to the Top Round 3 (RTT3) grant program; however, ED rejected one state’s application as incomplete. The seven states that submitted complete applications are Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. [More]

In a November 15, 2011 press release, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced that 11 states have requested waivers from key provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) (aka the Elementary and Secondary Education Act). The requests were submitted seven weeks after President Obama offered states more flexibility under NCLB in exchange for the states’ commitments to implement education reforms consistent with his March 2010 Blueprint for Reform. [More]

In a November 10, 2011 press release, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced the 23 highest-rated applicants in the $150 million second round of the Investing in Innovation (i3) competition. The i3 grant applicants were required to submit proposals focused on one of ED’s five absolute priorities: promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education [More]

ccording to a November 2011 report by American Association of University Women (AAUW), sexual harassment is widespread in middle and high schools across the country. Based on a May - June AAUW online survey of 1,965 7th – 12th graders, Crossing the Line: Sexual Harassment at School reported that, 56 percent of the girls and 40 percent of the boys (48 percent of all students) indicated that they had experienced sexual harassment during the 2010-11 school year. [More]

A November 2011 report by Civic Enterprises and The Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University represents the first national assessment of early warning indicator and intervention systems (EWS) at the school district, state, and national levels. The report, On Track for Success, states its intention to share evidence from the latest research and best practices from the field “so that parents, educators, administrators, business leaders, and legislators can be better equipped to keep children on track to graduate high school, prepared for college and career success.” [More]