Category: Education Law

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  Last week, President Trump signed an executive order aimed at bringing back what he says is “common sense” to school discipline. The purported goal? To restore safety and respect to classrooms. But while the order focuses on race-based disciplinary approaches (in an improper manner, might I add), many education experts and legal commentators are asking: What does it do to students with disabilities?   Let’s break it down. …

Read More “How New School Discipline Guidance Could Affect Students with Disabilities” »

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq. If you’re a Washington, DC resident, you’ve likely heard about the city’s $1.1 billion budget shortfall. And, if you’re the parent of a student who receives special education services in DC, you may wonder if it will impact your child’s education and, if so, how. Honestly, it’s hard to tell,…

Read More “What Parents of Special Education Students Need to Know” »

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  If you’ve recently been paying attention to special education, you know that there have been catastrophic shifts at the U.S. Department of Education—and not in a good way. Families of students with disabilities and advocates have been sounding the alarm, and for good reason.  The Pause That Hurts  Let’s look…

Read More “Special Education Disability Rights Cases Halt Under Trump Administration” »

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  What if you can help your child get the supportive services they need before they are even old enough to start school? Sounds good, right? Well, that’s the idea behind Early Intervention and Child Find.  These programs work together to help identify young children who may be delayed in reaching…

Read More “The Power of Early Intervention and Child Find in Special Education” »

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  Have you ever been bullied? As someone who has, it can be a harrowing experience. Nowadays, schools tend to talk about bullying a lot, but are they doing an effective job at preventing or stopping it?  Most of us know what bullying looks like—someone being singled out, picked on, taunted,…

Read More “Is Bullying Alone Enough to Get an IEP?” »

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  Transitioning from high school to adulthood is a big deal for any student, but for students with disabilities, a lot of consideration needs to take place. Whether a student’s goal is to go to college, get a job, live independently, or something else, transition planning is essential to help students…

Read More “Transition Planning from High School to Adulthood for Students with Disabilities” »

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  Imagine walking into the school where you’ve taught for the last decade and half your colleagues (teachers, aides, and support staff) are no longer there. You are told it will not affect student learning because all your remaining colleagues can do twice the amount of work in the same time…

Read More “Massive Job Cuts at the U.S. Department of Education May Be Catastrophic to Special Education Students” »

Don’t get me wrong, this is NOT one of those op-ed pieces railing againist DEI or an attempt to take society back over 50 years prior to the historic development of PL 94-142. In fact, we need to secure and support landmark laws in support of special education and students with special needs as the…

Read More “Direct Instruction: When Inclusion may NOT Work …” »

By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.  If your child receives special education services, you probably have heard numerous legal terms being used. One of these fundamental legal terms that you are likely to hear repeatedly is PWN or Prior Written Notice. Sound intimidating? Well, hopefully I can simplify it.   What is a Prior Written Notice (PWN)? …

Read More “What is a Prior Written Notice (PWN) and Why Is It Important?” »

If nothing else, the early days of the Trump administration 2.0 have been a whirlwind of legal activity.  Diversity, equity and inclusion efforts have of course been at the forefront and on February 14, 2025 the federal Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued a new Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) making abundantly clear…

Read More “OCR, DEI and Connecticut Schools – Sorting Through a Legal Minefield: Pullman & Comley” »