Health Bill Puts Medicaid At Risk – AcceliBEAT Weekly Round Up
May 5, 2017
This week, the federal budget deal included an additional $90 million in special education funding for the remainder of fiscal year 2017. While the extra funding is certainly something to celebrate, Medicaid cuts included in the health care bill that the House passed on Thursday pose major threats to school districts that rely heavily on Medicaid to fund mandated special education services. In other news, a report issued this week by the National Center for Learning Disabilities, provides insight on the challenges and opportunities facing the 1 in 5 children in the U.S. who have learning and attention issues such as dyslexia and ADHD. Finally, we’ve got the scoop on the latest trend in classrooms (fidget toys), as well as why schools are warning parents about the popular Netflix series ’13 Reasons Why’. All this and more in this week’s AcceliBEAT!
A Little-Noticed Target in the House Health Bill: Special Education
With all the sweeping changes the Republican bill would impose, little attention has been paid to its potential impact on education. School districts rely on Medicaid, the federal health care program for the poor, to provide costly services to millions of students with disabilities across the country.
New ‘State of Learning Disabilities’ Report Tackles Stigmas
The National Center for Learning Disabilities released Tuesday a new edition of its “State of Learning Disabilities” report, which gathers sobering statistics, first-person articles, and suggestions educators, parents and lawmakers can use to support children and youth with learning and attention disabilities.
Budget Deal for 2017 Includes Increases for Title I, Special Education
Federal lawmakers have agreed to relatively small spending increases for Title I programs to districts and for special education, as part of a budget deal covering the rest of fiscal 2017 through the end of September.
Schools Ban Fidget Toys as Classroom Distraction
The latest craze in classrooms and on playgrounds comes in the form of brightly colored, hand-held trinkets that spin, have buttons to push or otherwise keep hands occupied. The aptly named fidgets are supposed to enhance concentration, reduce anxiety and stimulate learning. But some educators aren’t buying the spin.
Nationwide Effort to Stop Bullying in Schools Beginning to Pay off, Study Shows
There’s been a nationwide effort recently to stop bullying in schools, and a new study shows it’s beginning to pay off.
Educators and School Psychologists Raise Alarms About ’13 Reasons Why’
Educators and school mental health professionals across the country are warning parents about the Netflix series “13 Reasons Why,” saying the show’s graphic depiction of a teenager’s suicide could contribute to a “contagion effect” among students with mental illness and linking it to self-harm and suicide threats among young people.
Microsoft Looks to Regain Lost Ground in the Classroom
Microsoft remains a force in classrooms around the globe. But the company’s relevance in schools in the United States is in jeopardy after years of progress by Google, whose software dominates sales of new devices in schools.
Zappos Looks To Help Shoppers With Special Needs
The state budget, passed last week and awaiting the governor’s final approval, sets aside about $32 million for English-language learners, up from about $20 million in 2015.
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